Results 8,381-8,400 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented interruption to normal health services both in the community and acute hospitals. While many vital services were maintained or restructured to respond more appropriately to Covid-19 related risks and evolving needs, other services were suspended or delivered on a reduced basis. To ensure services are re-introduced in a safe, clinically aligned...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 564 together. The Deputy may wish to note that the Expert Advisory Group minutes up to mid-May and all Expert Advisory Group advices to the NPHET for the same period have been made available on the Department of Health's website.  Further minutes and advices will be published on an ongoing basis and work is underway to facilitate publication of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The initial focus for acute hospital preparedness for Covid-19 was on building up surge capacity to ensure the maximum possible number of critical care and general acute beds were available to cope with the predicted number of Covid-19 cases requiring hospitalisation. The acute hospital system and critical care service coped, largely due to the success of public health measures in flattening...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Health services must strive to deliver a safe service in all circumstances. In order to mitigate the spread of Covid 19 in health settings public health guidelines in relation to social distancing must be followed.   The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to the provision of more health services in the community, increases in capacity, including bed, ICU and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: In early 2020, baseline permanent adult critical care capacity in Ireland was reported by the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA) to be 255 beds. Funding for a further 40 adult critical care beds, and two paediatric critical care beds, was provided as part of the response to Covid-19 in March 2020. Daily situational reports provided by the HSE during recent months have reported potential...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: It is recognised that the impact of COVID-19 on society in general as well as on those living in long term residential care setting has been considerable. The introduction of physical distancing, isolation, reduced social activities and restricted contact with family and loved ones has changed the accustomed daily routine and usual dynamic of social interaction for residents of those...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) Regulations 2020 (SI No. 121 of 2020) were signed by the Minister for Health on 7 April 2020. Schedule 2 of the Regulations sets out essential services that are exempted from the restrictions and therefore can continue to be provided. This includes (at 15(b)) podiatrists (also known as chiropodists) as these services are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the issue raised are service delivery matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (30 Jun 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his kind words at the start. I really do hope we will all work together; it does not mean we always have to agree. Sorting out the healthcare system and making sure we get that care is something we all agree on. I am sure we will disagree on some of the hows and whens and so forth. I broadly agree with what the Deputy is saying. Like him, we listen to the doctors...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree. According to our public opinion tracking research, the level is now 45%. I imagine that is variable. It is probably variable by public transport compared with retail, or by types of retail or different workplaces and different parts of the country. It will be interesting to see whether there are some areas where there is a lot of compliance. The solidarity and uptake in the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Home Inspections (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising this and acknowledge his kind words. The Deputy has raised this issue and continues to do so, and is advocating strongly on it. It may be useful if I read out the official position which sets out the statutory framework on what is happening. Before I do so, I will answer the Deputy's questions directly. I took down three, but I think there were more....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Home Inspections (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy and I am with him in this regard. I wish to acknowledge the pain and suffering of the Meehan family. The situation and the case we all saw reported is heartbreaking and shocking. I cannot begin to imagine what the Meehan family have been going through over the past few months. We owe it to them and to every resident in every nursing home to ensure there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Inquiries (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: In 2016 the Minister for Health was provided with background information on the subject matter of correspondence received from the family concerned. Based on this information, which was compiled by Department officials, a response was conveyed to the family in letters subsequently issued in September and October of 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Provision (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Commissions of Investigation (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Commission of Investigation (certain matters relative to a disability service in the South East and related matters) ("the Farrelly Commission") is an independent statutory Commission of Investigation. The Commission commenced its Phase 1 investigation in May 2017. The first phase of the Commission's work is to investigate the role of public authorities in the care and protection of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 871 together. I intend to publish the briefing document I received on my Department's website shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the queries raised by the Deputy relate to service issues, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (7 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: My Department and the HSE have ensured that there has been a continued focus on meeting the needs of people living with dementia throughout the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Dementia Understand Together Campaign, led by the HSE and working with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland (ASI), a range of initiatives and resources have been developed, to ensure that people living with...