Results 42,761-42,780 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Facilities (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: This Government has invested significantly in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) in recent years, including in major capital projects. In 2019, UHL had a Budget of €265m. The current closing budget for 2023 is €383m, representing a growth in budget of €118 million – or 45% - in just 4 years. Work on a new 96-bed ward block at UHL commenced in October 2022. The...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Facilities (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The Government and the HSE is committed to accelerating the delivery of a second 96-bed inpatient block at UHL. Planning for the enabling works for this block was granted in Q4 2023. These enabling works will be carried out directly adjacent to the 96-bed block currently under construction at UHL. This will create the lower part of the next block over which the proposed second 96-bed block...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Facilities (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the surgical hub planned for Limerick to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The Recruitment Pause is still in place except for Disability services, Consultants and Graduate Nurses and Doctors. The reality is that the HSE exceeded its 2023 funded workforce targets, which is neither affordable or sustainable. As of the end of December 2023, there were 145,985 staff working in our health service. This was an increase of 8,239 since the start of January 2023. The HSE was...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Waiting Lists (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Abortion Services (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The purpose of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2022 is to ensure safe access to TOP services for women, and service providers and their staff throughout the country. The Safe Access Zones Bill has passed all stages in Dail Eireann and is awaiting Committee Stage in the Seanad, I am committed to progressing this legislation as expeditiously as possible...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Inquiries (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 543, 552 and 556 together. Government approval has been secured for the establishment of an inquiry which will examine the licensing and use of sodium valproate in women of child-bearing potential in the State. This inquiry will be designed to give a voice to patients and their families while looking at the use of sodium valproate in Ireland since it was first...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Primary Care Services (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Appointments Status (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. In relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Service Executive (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to you in relation to this matter. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Firstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic. In January 2022, the Government announced a once-off, ex-gratia COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Eligibility criteria for the payment were set following...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Nursing Homes (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Deputy may be aware the Framework for Safe Staffing is an evidence-based approach to determine safe staffing and skill mix for nursing. It is determined by patient need and demonstrates impact through the measurement of a range of outcomes. The Framework comprises three phrases. Since 2018, two safe staffing policy documents have been published, Phase 1 focused on Adult General and...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Firstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their continuous efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic. In January 2022, the Government announced a once-off, ex-gratia COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Eligibility criteria for the payment were set...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Policies (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Hospital Appointments Status (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. In relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE is experiencing success in improvements in recruitment and retention with 26,172 more staff working in our health service than there were at the beginning of 2020. That’s a 21.8% increase, meaning that for every 5 people working in the health service in 2020, we now have 6. The reality is that the HSE had already exceeded its 2023 funded workforce targets, which was...