Results 36,521-36,540 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Assisted Human Reproduction (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Egans were in with us as part of the group when we announced this. It was a great honour to meet them. The answer to the Deputy’s question is "Yes". On whether the retrospective element requires the new agency to be set up, the answer is "No". We are very deliberately putting the legislation together in such a way that parents will be able to go for court orders and it will not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: GPs are contracted under the general medical services, GMS, scheme to make arrangements for their patients to be able to make contact outside of normal practice hours. Commonly, GPs are working with co-operatives to do this. SouthDoc is an excellent service, which provides an important service to people in counties Kerry and Cork. I acknowledge the commitment of the nurses, doctors and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully acknowledge that, particularly around Castletownbere and other areas, it is a great worry for parents or anybody else that getting to a GP could involve a long and difficult drive at night. That is not something we want to see. There are several things we are doing which will take time but will make a big difference. For example, we are trebling the number of GPs in training. That...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I am very happy to look at the situation in Bantry General Hospital. We are expanding access to the medical assessment units as part of an expansion in urgent care. If there is a shortage of fleet in the Deputy's area, I will talk to the National Ambulance Service about that. We have invested a significant amount of money in the service this year and last year. It is expanding and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I am very aware that despite all the progress on Covid, long Covid is causing a great deal of suffering for people. We heard some testimony earlier on "Morning Ireland", which the Deputy may have heard, from people who are suffering from long Covid. We also heard, however, from the clinical leads about what is happening, and it is clear services are being put in place, as they must be. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree with the Deputy on all that. The good news, as he said, is that for the vast majority of people, a relatively short amount of rehabilitation and health support leads to full recovery. I have met patients whose lives have just been turned upside down. I have met patients in my own constituency. I have met patients in Tallaght hospital who are being treated in the long Covid...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: We do not want anybody waiting long for this for obvious reasons. Part of what we are doing now with these new clinics around the country is staffing having them. We will have 14 clinics, and then the St. James's facility as well. People can also get initial treatment from their GP, which is an important message. Where more specialist care is required, we are putting these new services in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully agree with the premise of the Deputy's question. Before getting into what we are doing to speed it up, it is important to state that in spite of an extremely cumbersome process that leads us to being able to put new infrastructure in place, the Government has over the past three years expanded infrastructure, added critical care beds, diagnostics and primary care centres at a rate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: In answer to the Deputy's first question, each of those projects is a separate project in terms of the €100 million versus €200 million. It will not come as a surprise to any of us that several of those projects will cost well in excess of the €200 million but, critically, even where they will, and where the public spending code to date has five separate approval stages...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I will try to give each 20 seconds. Regarding Galway and the smaller projects, I fully agree that is an issue in Galway and right across the country. It takes us too long. A few things need to happen. Capital allocation needs to be sufficient and, second, there needs to be much more efficient processing of these. I could not agree more. We are working with the HSE. I am engaged...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I was reviewing the Deputy's question yesterday and was not sure whether he was specifically interested in the new genetics strategy, in the heel prick test, or in some other localised services. I asked the Department to make contact with the Deputy. I do not know if that happened. I apologise if my answer does not exactly reflect where the Deputy wants it to go.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: The Deputy might clarify in his response and I will try to be more useful. I will answer about the new genetics and genomics strategy, which will address exactly the issues the Deputy has raised. A number of important developments are under way. I start by acknowledging the premise of the question, which is that Ireland's genetics and genomics services are not where they need to be. We...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: Regarding how many staff have been recruited and the plans to scale up the service, I will ask the Department to revert about its thinking and aims on that. The Deputy asked a question specifically about Crumlin. Children's Health Ireland Crumlin is a hospital which currently provides genetic tests. The genetics lab conducts cytogenic analysis and molecular genetic analysis. I am aware of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I will ask the Department to revert to him on the intended timescales.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I acknowledge the Deputy's ongoing advocacy for Ennis Hospital to improve resources and, ultimately, services for his constituents. The medical assessment unit, MAU, pathway for 999 patients was introduced in Ennis Hospital on 9 January and Nenagh Hospital on 7 February. This pathway allows patients who meet agreed clinical criteria to be transported to an MAU rather than an emergency...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I will correct what I said. The 51 WTEs are not a national but a regional deployment. It is just within the hospital group. Ennis Hospital will see an additional 20 WTEs just for this programme. It is a very significant increase in investment. The hospital group has been approved for more than €5 million in funding to essentially extend the opening hours, as the Deputy quite...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy very much for that. There has been and will continue to be ongoing investment in Ennis Hospital. We will need to see exactly what the final opening hours for the MAU will be. Local clinicians will gauge patient demand. If we are to have staff there at night, patients need to be coming in to warrant them being there. Otherwise, we would employ them during the day to...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: I very much welcome today's Private Members' Bill and the opportunity to discuss the very important topic of assisted human reproduction. I will begin by recognising the work of the two Senators sponsoring today's Bill, Senators Fiona O'Loughlin and Catherine Ardagh. Both Senators have worked tirelessly in advocating for these new services in women's healthcare, for new investment, and for...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: We are looking for the timed amendment. It is that motion.

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Apr 2023)

Stephen Donnelly: That seems to be the case.