Results 62,921-62,940 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: In the days of the health boards, the regions had access to their own facilities and provided for them, which is a subject we have discussed here on many occasions. That is apparently being addressed at present. We have been informed and hope it is being addressed and that such regionalisation will occur. I fully accept what Professor McCormack says. Otherwise, the inflow all comes to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: We accept and understand that. We have to build in all the support facilities that are required at the same time. Otherwise, there is no sense in having one part of the accommodation available and a gap for the next part. If we were to ask Professor McCormack to come back in six months' time, having addressed the issue in the intervening period, could he say to us with reasonable...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I will finish with this point. I realise we are running short of time. It is correct that Professor McCormack has to take patients one at a time. Some patients may be more acute than others and require more urgent treatment. Is there any way that he can address those cases in the short term in order to, first, eliminate some part of the waiting list?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Thank you, Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Earlier, I asked if in six months' time we would observe a sizeable impact on the erosion of the waiting lists, the answer to which was in the negative, but I would like to put it again. In order to do our job as a committee, we need to know what length of time it will take to put in place what is required from the witnesses' vantage point, utilising all of the services and facilities. My...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome Ms Hardiman and thank her for coming before the committee again. From the earlier discussion, it appears that we have a completely unacceptable situation in terms of scoliosis treatment. The matter needs to be dealt with, as a matter of urgency. Covid has been deemed to be a factor. However, we have evidence to the effect that Covid was not a factor from one of the earlier...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Do the CHI's plans for the current year involve the kind of things that we were told about the utilisation of the downtime in theatres, etc? Is that part of the plan for 2022?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Why is not possible to do this on a continual basis if this is effective for a time? We have an urgent situation on our hands, and have had for some time so why is not fortuitous to do that now on a continual basis until we work our way out of the crisis?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: We agree that it is good planning. I have another question that arose from the earlier discussion. I want to learn about the availability of appropriately trained staff to deal with the situation that arises. Is Ms Hardiman satisfied that the requirements will be met?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: After the first ten minutes of this morning's meeting, I wrote down three or four times the need for a plan. It was an obvious point. Reference has been made to the regions and it is proposed to address that. Cork, Limerick and Galway have been identified in this respect. There has been no reference to the midlands or the north west, including Donegal, Sligo, Mayo or such areas. Due to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Delays in Accessing Scoliosis Treatment and Surgery: Discussion (11 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: Thank you.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 17. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when oral hearings as part the social welfare appeals process will be reintroduced to facilitate a more forensic evaluation of disputed decisions affecting payments to various applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57921/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 37. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which further changes in social welfare supports are needed to address issues arising from the increased incidence of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57920/21]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 226. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received correspondence from the National Lottery in connection with concerns expressed by the public in respect of the inordinate amount of time that the major prize has been carried over; if this is as a result of technical or other reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58172/21]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 227. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if concerns expressed by persons regarding the carryover of the top National Lottery prize for almost six-months warrants a review which might indicate if this is as a result of policy changes or technical issues such as hacking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58175/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 281. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the degree to which the processing of various applications for social welfare payments continues to be in line with best possible waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58176/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 282. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the degree to which she and her Department continue to ensure the making of a basic payment to applicants of social welfare payments while the primary application is being processed in order to alleviate hardship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58177/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 283. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which waiting times for payments in respect of means-tested applications compare with those for contribution-related payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58178/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 284. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the availability of exceptional needs payments in order to alleviate exceptional needs situations that have arisen in the context of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58179/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (25 Nov 2021)

Bernard Durkan: 285. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a facility can be found and arranged for expeditious oral hearings online or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58180/21]