Results 47,601-47,620 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 160. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects recruitment in specific vital areas of the public sector to become a policy initiative in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11023/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 177. To ask the Minister for Health if assurance will be given that an orthopaedic operation on 24 March 2017 will not be postponed in the case of a person (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10782/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service Provision (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 183. To ask the Minister for Health if post-operative home help will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10819/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services Provision (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 226. To ask the Minister for Health if dental benefit is available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11005/17]

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: I would have a similar problem, but I realise what the Minister is saying. Working inside the Department, they are looking at it from a different perspective altogether. Is it all right if I use the old Vote system? That system gives me an instant bird's eye view of where we were and where we will go. I believe we should know ourselves where we fell short, if we did. We can see straight...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: In making a comparison between the four regions, the following would be my query. To what extent have pressures showed weaknesses, based on the previous performance? I am going on the old document again. To what extent has it been possible to monitor potential hazards before serious difficulties arise with waiting lists or shortages in the delivery of services at any level, either in the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: The most sensitive areas in the current year were in regard to waiting times, accident and emergency difficulties, over-crowding and primary care. Does the Minister feel adequate provision has now been made to ensure that the most urgent cases in terms of overcrowding are unlikely to recur to the same extent?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: I have been out to the headquarters on several occasions. I am not a great supporter of the centralised system at all, and I hope that in the not-to-distant future we can see decentralisation, in the four regions perhaps, and with that simplification. I have brought this up before. The HSE told us a week ago there is no automatic right for a cancer patient to have a medical card. I find...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: This is an area we need to look at to a greater extent in the future. There is an increasing cohort of people who suffer from social and economic deprivation and, as a result, find themselves under medical and mental pressure to a huge extent. Way back in the days of old, we tried to have a programme of identifying families who were at risk for various reasons. We tried to have a case...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: On the same subject, which is also a favourite pastime of mine, I am alarmed by that development. It is the wrong process and the wrong direction at the wrong time. If anything, we need an increase in that area in the public health sector. I can think of a number of our public long-stay hospitals where, compared to ten or 15 years ago, the number of patients has halved. The latter was...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: I can tell you most people find it impossible. However, we will not go there. If you want to move on to the next programme, I will make my comments at the beginning of the next part. It means overlapping for the sake of logistics.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: No, it is not. Can we roll the two into one, Chairman? I was trying to be economic with time.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: The issue of the delivery of services to the disability sector is getting attention now. It needs attention urgently. For example, parents of adults with disabilities worry about what will happen afterwards. On whom can they rely for a service? The issue of decongregation is increasing their concerns. They have become accustomed to living and working in a community with support services...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: Can we discuss the two programmes together?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: Can we discuss this programme with the health and well-being programme?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (2 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: I want to start on this issue. I have been a member of a health board for a long time. One of the things that I learned was that every crucial decision, that was imminent as of today, usually took about ten years of preparation and another ten years of procrastination when it was approved. I congratulate the Minister and his ministerial colleagues for bringing things to a head in those...

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Heritage Sites (7 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 35. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which she and her Department continue to support, maintain, preserve and promote heritage sites throughout the country, with particular reference to the need to ensure that nothing is lost that can be preserved for future generations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11713/17]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Development Policy (7 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 68. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she has identified the primary issues deemed to hinder rural development, with particular reference to the need to maintain a viable rural population thereby ensuring the future of rural schools, post offices and convenience shops; the specific objectives she has set to address the issues in view of the recently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (7 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 338. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of application for maternity benefit in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11959/17]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Turf Cutting (7 Mar 2017)

Bernard Durkan: 433. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which discussions are ongoing with representatives of traditional turf cutters with a view to resolving difficulties in respect of the implementation of SACs and NHAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12138/17]