Results 6,461-6,480 of 26,037 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Topical Issue Debate: HIQA Reports (11 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Minister for his comments and welcome the commitment to provide a model 3 hospital along with University Hospital Limerick, which is a model 4 hospital. On the issue of the build, we need to know whether the accident and emergency unit will be completed by 2016. We represent the patients and constituents in Limerick and we know that the issue of overcrowding at University...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Joint Sub-Committee on Global Corporate Taxation: Reform of Global System of Corporation Tax: EU Commission and KPMG (11 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have a question for Mr. Kermode.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Joint Sub-Committee on Global Corporate Taxation: Reform of Global System of Corporation Tax: EU Commission and KPMG (11 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: The OECD is looking at global tax, which is a global issue rather than one that applies to one specific country. Will this be taken into account in its deliberations? It provides a degree of uncertainty. Will there be a timeframe on when the deliberations are concluded? Ireland has a single rate and it is transparent. Other European countries have a myriad of rates. Will this be...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: I took a cursory look at the letters which we only received this morning. The trend running through them appears to be that it is important when seeking compellability that it be linked back with the work of the Comptroller and Auditor General. It is looking for a pathway. Will the Clerk confirm this? Reading the letters they appear to be looking for us to show a link with the work of the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes. It is very simple. As an independent committee we must seek independent legal advice and then reply to the CPP. I agree with Deputy Deasy's suggestion that we set a timeframe. We are in a process here. This is nothing different from what we have done with the process to date and we should proceed forthwith.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: They are both in the revolving door.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome Mr. O'Brien, Mr. McLoughlin and their colleagues. I have three items I wish to raise. The first issue, about which I have put the HSE on alert, is the HIQA report on the accident and emergency department at University Hospital Limerick. The second issue is that of salary top-ups, and the third item is medical cards. In saying this I am not being personal, but there has been a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: What is the range of top-ups involved? What has this process taken so long? We dealt with the section 38 agency top-ups months ago. If my memory serves me correctly, the report was commenced in March 2013 and delivered by the executive's internal auditor in July 2013. It is now a year later. Why has this process taken so long? We represent the ordinary people following these...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: Are we just talking about section 38 organisations?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: Then we are talking about €3.2 billion and we are talking about another €900,000.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes, it is €3.2 million and an additional €900,000. Have any of the cases been resolved?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: How many of the 143 cases are unresolved at this stage?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is 58 of the 143, which is approximately 40%. Why is it taking so long?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: If I could just put this in context, the HSE is sending out letters on medical card reviews to those aged over 70. The most recent tranche of letters required a response by 16 June. Today is 12 June which means that is in four days time. If the information is not received by the HSE by 16 June, the medical card will be cancelled by the end of the month. Side by side with that we have 58...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: When was that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is not a case of seeing a link but I am making a comparison between how different groups are treated. We deal with people every day of the week. We are there to represent them. At the moment medical card reviews are causing major hardship and anxiety to a large cohort of the population. Is Mr. O’Brien saying that if the organisations can prove the validity of the top-ups, the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: I would prefer it Mr. O’Brien were to make it clear rather than simple.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: What view does the Department take on the issue?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: What view does Dr. McLoughlin take? If a case is made, will the Department agree to the top-ups being paid?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report and Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 38 - Health
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive
Chapter 21 - Budget Management in Health Service Executive
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (12 Jun 2014)

Kieran O'Donnell: Could I move on to the medical card issue? Much ground has been covered. I wish to speak from practical experience. I will deal with discretionary medical cards for those aged under and over 70 years. All reviews have ceased for those with medical cards aged under 70. Those in the appeals process will keep their cards but those who have lost their cards await the outcome of a Cabinet...