Results 5,201-5,220 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Aquaculture Licences Applications (24 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 60. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on an application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara for a licence for a fish farm in Galway Bay; the progress made to date in evaluating this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39517/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 1. To ask the Minister for Health the consultation his Department has undertaken with general practitioners in relation to the proposed introduction of free general practitioner care for under fives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40236/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: We have received no further information as to what is happening with regard to the roll-out of universal GP care. We were given a commitment that an announcement would be made at some stage after the summer regarding what would replace the original commitments in respect of long-term illness in the roll-out of GP care. What I find amazing is that it is two years into the Government's term...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: Governments make decisions but the problem is that this Government has not made a decision. The only decision it has made is one of prevarication. It is now two and a half years down the road in respect of a major plank in this Government's commitment to universality of primary care by the end of the Government's term of office.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: We would certainly like to see the proposals at some stage. In the broader context, it is incredible that the Minister has not sat down and discussed how the roll-out would work. Even if the policy decision relates to long-term illness or if the cohort involved is based on age, the reality is that the people who will be responsible for implementing the actual policy will be GPs. What will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I am referring to the implementation of the policy.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Home Care Packages (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 4. To ask the Minister for Health if he will examine the possibility of introducing paediatric care packages for children with life-limiting conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40237/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Home Care Packages (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Approximately 1,400 children have life-limiting illnesses in this country and approximately 340 die each year. Not enough is being done. If one was to be harsh and look at it from an accounting point of view, one would see it is a cost saving exercise. Providing palliative care and supports for children with life-limiting illnesses at home is a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Home Care Packages (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome the Minister of State's reply. The difficulty is there is often a disconnect between what is said here and what actually happens on the ground. The current position is that medical cards are being withdrawn from some of the sickest children in this country. Deputies on all sides of the House are raising this on a continual basis. The Minister of State has said there is a...

Other Questions: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Working Conditions (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. We have had discussions about this issue in the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. We have heard from the Minister and representatives from the IMO and others. There is a clear wish for everybody to address this. I hope Professor MacCraith will come up with a strategy and plan and that resourcing will be put in place. While we...

Other Questions: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Working Conditions (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: The Minister used to criticise it every day for not giving enough.

Other Questions: Medical Card Numbers (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: There is no point in beating around the bush here. There has been a change in the policy for awarding discretionary medical cards. Every Deputy in this House is inundated with people who historically had been awarded a medical card based on health needs on a discretionary basis. I accept that there is no change to the guidelines, because there are no guidelines on discretion. However,...

Other Questions: Medical Card Numbers (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: We can debate this forevermore, but there are now fewer discretionary medical cards out there than was previously the case. At one stage, 80,000 medical cards were given out on a discretionary basis, but that is now down to 59,000. Clearly, there has been a tightening of the discretionary award. I believe this is purely a budgetary exercise, because the fact is that these were given to the...

Other Questions: Health Insurance Prices (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: Some 3% is the straw that broke the camel's back.

Other Questions: Health Insurance Prices (26 Sep 2013)

Billy Kelleher: It is taking the Minister a long time, too.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (1 Oct 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the recent National Transport Authority publication City Centre Transport Assessment Study; the actions he will take following this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40828/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Sector Staff Increment Payments (1 Oct 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 563. To ask the Minister for Health the provision being made for staff employed by voluntary agencies funded by the Health Service Executive to receive public sector increments due over a number of years where those staff are on public sector pay scales and bound by public sector agreements; if the HSE makes provision for such payments in its allocation to those voluntary bodies; and if he...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (1 Oct 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 565. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the proposed general practitioner follow-up care of breast cancer patients as launched by the National Cancer Control Programme is not covered by the present GMS contract and that medical card patients may be charged by GPs for that care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40397/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 568. To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive was aware of the continued success of England’s National Chlamydia Screening Programme for 15-24 year old sexually active persons; the actions being taken by the HSE to replicate this important public health programme here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40422/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Billy Kelleher: 573. To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive is prepared to create an equivalent programme akin to the English National Chlamydia Screening programme and in doing so includes screening for Gonorrhoea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40427/13]