Results 7,061-7,080 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I do not want to delay the committee. Is the Minister asserting that the Parliament will not need to revisit this issue and that it can be done by way of regulation in the event of us finding it down the road to be an inhibiting factor?

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: Let us consider this from a practical point of view. Many people want to have private health insurance but cannot afford it. Their circumstances may change but, by that time, they may be over 35 years of age. Even though they want to become involved, they will be penalised. The Minister called it a "back contribution", but it will cost them money either way. If it is just the case that...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: We may not always have a Minister who shares that position of incentivising people of all ages. There should not be a long-term penalty for a person because of circumstances. Very often, it may not be because a person does not want to take out private health insurance. It may be that a person cannot afford to take it out. Then when circumstances change people may want to lighten the...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I shall finish my point. We need to get to the kernel of universal health insurance. We are legislating here for eventualities that may or may not arise even though universal health insurance is stated policy. The Minister must see that a mixed message, to the say the least, is being sent in view of this legislation and the objective. Can I re-enter my amendment on Report Stage if I do...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I shall withdraw my amendment with leave to re-submit it on Report Stage so we can have a fuller debate when we have more time.

Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I welcome another opportunity to speak about Irish Water and its establishment as proposed by the Government. One could argue that it is welcome that this debate is taking place on a Friday, as the purpose of the debate is to hear from all sides and all views. The Opposition has its views, as I am sure Government backbenchers do. We would like to have heard them and to explore them...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (9 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 301. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in detail the measures that will be introduced to achieve projected savings of €95 million from the annual drugs budget as outlined in the Health Service Executive national service plan for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46823/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (9 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 302. To ask the Minister for Health when talks to renegotiate existing pricing agreements with the representatives of the Irish pharmaceutical industry will commence in 2015; if his Department has set a date for the conclusion of these negotiations; the top line priority outcomes of his Department from these negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46824/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (9 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 303. To ask the Minister for Health if the €95 million in projected savings outlined in the Health Service Executive national service plan published on 27 November 2014 include savings to be realised as part of revised agreements on drug pricing to be agreed during 2015 with representatives of the Irish pharmaceutical industry; if so, the amount of savings envisaged; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (9 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 304. To ask the Minister for Health the measures his Department plans to introduce to improve the procurement of medicines in order to realise savings in the drugs budget as outlined in the Health Service Executive national service plan for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46826/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Regulation (9 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 305. To ask the Minister for Health if a health insurer (details supplied) will receive authorisation from the Central Bank of Ireland by 31 December 2014; if not, the extension that will be provided to the health insurer to continue to seek authorisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46827/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (9 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 316. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical cards as of 1 November 2014; the number of general practitioner cards on the same date; the number for each type of card issued on a discretionary basis on that date; and the number for each type of card assigned to over 70s on that date. [46909/14]

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I move amendment No. 1:In page 4, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “(a) by the insertion of a new subsection after subsection (1): “(2) Any insured person who has paid a relevant increase over a continuous period of 10 years shall have their age of entry adjusted to 35 years if they continue to remain insured.”,”.This has been discussed on...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: We were possibly going to agree until the Minister mentioned universal health insurance and this sparked my thought process again. I can accept the rationale of some of what the Minister has said but there is a view that what we and the Minister are trying to do is to stimulate the insurance market, incentivise younger people to take out insurance for the purpose of cross-subsidising those...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I support the basic thrust of the amendment. We have had this debate on Second Stage. The streets of this city and elsewhere have comprised a very public forum over recent weeks and months. Many people may have varying views on how we fund our water and sanitary systems throughout the country but there is a very strong view that Irish Water, as an entity, concept, company and utility, is...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: The reason is they will get the €100 next year; the Minister knows it as well as I do.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: If the Minister gives me the figures, we can debate it further. The purpose of Irish Water, as the Minister says, is to invest and conserve. Certainly, on the basis of any assessment of the proposals that are before us, that will not be the case. Irish Water has been castrated in terms of its ability to borrow on the markets. It will simply be incapable of doing so because it will not...

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: We are talking about children. The Minister cannot hop it or drive down it.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I know.

Leaders' Questions (11 Dec 2014)

Billy Kelleher: So the pre-election manifesto was wrong.