Results 42,821-42,840 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population. In response to the Deputy's question, I will highlight that any decisions about further changes in screening, including introducing new programmes, will be made on the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (31 Jan 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (31 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 Health: Health Services (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The Community Ophthalmic Services Medical Treatment Scheme (COSMTS) was established in 2004 as a pilot project in response to an identified need. The Scheme engages four practices across seven locations to provide medical and minor surgical care to patients outside of the acute care setting. This allows hospitals and eye clinics to focus on treating more complex conditions. The treatments and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this question relates to a service matter, I have referred to the HSE for direct response.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (31 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. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Immunisation Programme in Ireland, which includes the influenza immunisation programme, is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. NIAC make recommendations on vaccination policy to the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer Parliamentary Questions 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: General Practitioners that hold GMS contracts for the provision of services to medical card and GP visit card holders, are required under their contract to make suitable arrangements for emergencies outside normal practice hours. Over 2,500 GPs currently hold a GMS contract, and while they are not obliged to, most GPs participate in GP Out of Hours cooperatives to meet their outside of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: You describe yourselves as populist.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Let the Tánaiste respond.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising the issue. It is undoubtedly the case that gardaí need to be able to access expert medical help if they are dealing with somebody who has severe mental health issues. As Deputy Pringle is aware, we are in the middle of a significant investment in primary care in Donegal, including multiple primary care centres and enhanced community care teams...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy Griffin very much for raising the issue. We are fully in support of a preventative approach, as the Deputy set out. I will pick it up with the Department and see where it is at in terms of whether the company has applied, whether the health technology assessment has been done and the view of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics on whether those things have been done in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: It is a matter of policy within our health service, and many health services around the world that during the winter surge, we prioritise people coming into the emergency department over scheduled care. It is a normal way to balance the capacity we have available and to prioritise emergency department attendances and admissions. It is done in Connolly Hospital and in hospitals around the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: That is the first part of it. The second part of it is that the Deputy is right and the staff are right to call for more capacity. We have added 1,100 extra beds and 26,000 extra staff. Thanks to the great efforts of those staff, including, undoubtedly, the staff member referred to by the Deputy, the waiting lists are falling now. They have fallen for two years in a row, and they will fall...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: There are several more years to go. Thanks to the work of our healthcare workers, however, we are now clearly moving in a better direction.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. I have to say this is news to me. I am meeting representatives of the ICGP here in about two and a half hours. I have also spoken to them on the phone regarding this scheme in respect of deploying GPs to the Iveragh Peninsula and around the country, so there has never been any question about the lack of funding. In fact, my ask of the ICGP will be to see if we can go...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I am happy to be before the committee to consider the Revised Estimates for the Department of Health for 2024. I will be joined shortly by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. She sends her apologies. She is taking a Private Member's Bill in the Dáil at the moment. I am joined by officials from my Department, Ms Louise McGirr, Mr. Kevin Colman, Mr. Patrick McGlynn,...