Results 3,561-3,580 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am trying to understand what is happening here. The Bill amends the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. As I understand it, we are talking about cases in which the employer is paying the health premium. It happens in many cases that a person's health insurance is paid for by his or her employer. We are talking about the tax associated with the levy to achieve risk equalisation.

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Will the Minister clarify who is paying the tax? Is it the employee or the employer?

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Will the Minister clarify that it will not impose an additional tax on employees?

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not particularly support Deputy Reilly in objecting to the specifics of the legislation. However, the Bill essentially proposes an awkward measure to deal with risk equalisation. It is not what any of us would consider ideal, and we will have to wait some years before we have appropriate legislation. The fundamental problem is that people are obliged to take out private health...

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: None of us, including the Minister, regards the Bill as perfect. It is a stop-gap measure. Will it be possible to introduce the proper legislation sooner than the three years suggested? Perhaps we will have moved to a universal system into which everyone must pay within three years, although no one knows what lies ahead. No one likes the idea of transferring moneys from one company to...

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: The health budget was only £5 billion when we made our proposal. It has increased significantly since that time.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (1 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 39: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied that the measures to be put in place at the Mid-West Regional Hospital, Limerick in advance of the reconfiguration of accident and emergency and surgical services are all in place; if not, the action which remains to be taken in terms of physical infrastructure and staffing; and if she will make a statement on the...

Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 32 (2 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss a matter of national importance; namely, the need for the Minister for Health and Children to enter into meaningful dialogue with representatives of community pharmacists to agree a fair reduction in their rate of payment under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 commensurate with that of other...

Drugs Payment Scheme. (2 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am glad that the Minister, Deputy Harney, has come to the Chamber to participate in this debate. The Minister's approach is based on section 9 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. When that legislation was being considered in this House, it was understood that health professionals would have to take a hit of approximately 8%. I understand that is the...

Drugs Payment Scheme. (2 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: -----opened up the market - she was certainly a PD at that time - it allowed many young pharmacists to come into the pharmacy business. They came in on the basis of the type of mark-ups and reimbursements that have been there, at least up to now, and were there at the time. Many young pharmacists took out bank loans and now have very high overheads as a consequence of the opening up of the...

Institutional Child Abuse Bill 2009: Second Stage (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: I commend my colleague, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, on presenting this motion. I support his request that the Government would consider not opposing this Bill in the House tomorrow when it comes to a vote. It is very important that we have consensus on this issue and that there is full agreement across the Chamber and across the country so that, in particular, we learn the very painful and hard...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have witnessed the intimidation of many people in Limerick, the city in which I live. I have seen elderly people and the mothers of young children being intimidated to such an extent that they were obliged to leave their homes. I know people who cannot go to bed at night because they are afraid of certain individuals who live in their communities. I am aware that certain people have...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Labour Party has no problem in supporting strong criminal justice legislation that will protect the public and that will put such gangland criminals behind bars for as long as is necessary. However, bad law will not address this problem nor will rhetoric of the kind I have just heard from Deputy Finian McGrath. Effective legislation and policing, as well as honesty with the people, are...

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Yes, I acknowledge he is a very fit man. However, a much more worrying aspect of Mr. Murray's contribution to the aforementioned programme is the issue raised by Deputy Charles Flanagan regarding his remarks on practitioners of the law and what they might be engaged in with regard to criminals. That matter certainly requires a response. I have not heard anything thus far from either the...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 45: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made to date by the mid west task force established following the announcement of major job losses at a company (details supplied) in County Limerick; if she has received the promised interim report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27436/09]

Written Answers — Job Initiative: Job Initiative (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 60: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the introduction of a social economy or job initiative schemes to help deal with the unemployment situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27437/09]

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 178: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of private hospitals which have been constructed and which are under construction with the assistance of tax incentives since such incentives were introduced; the number of beds thus provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26312/09]

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (7 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 277: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if all surgical non-consultant hospital doctors working in the mid-west network of acute hospitals are registered with the Medical Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27803/09]

Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: It has been recognised for some time that there is a need for legislation on assisted human reproduction. We have no legislation whatsoever in that regard. The information that came out today that sperm has been created in a test tube makes the need for legislation all the more urgent. Is the Government planning to have legislation in that regard in the autumn?

Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Jan O'Sullivan: It was referred to a Dáil committee.