Results 9,021-9,040 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As Minister for Health, I do not have responsibility for private hospitals, including in relation to charges that they apply to patients. Neither do I have a role, in the commercial decisions taken by any health insurer regarding the treatments or services provided in their products, as long as insurers comply with minimum benefits and other regulations, health insurance providers are free to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Deputy will be aware, I do not have responsibility for private hospitals, including in relation to charges that they apply. Neither do I have a role, as Minister for Health, in the commercial decisions taken by any health insurer regarding the treatments or services provided in their products, provided that the regulatory obligations set out in Minimum Benefit regulations and other...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to pause most elective scheduled care activity with effect from the end March 2020. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19 related activity and time-critical essential work. This decision was in line with the advice issued by National Public Health Emergency Team...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Funding (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (22 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Responsibility for overseeing reporting on costing of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing is the responsibility of the Minister for Health in the first instance. However, costs are overseen through the Health Budget Oversight Group, comprising representatives of the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, the Department of Health and the HSE. Government has to date sanctioned...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Order for Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Before I move the Order for Second Stage, with the permission of the Acting Chairman, Deputy Durkan, I would like to give an update on where we are in terms of Covid. There is some good news. On the one hand, the number of cases per week has been rising, which is something we have all been watching. In the past four weeks, the number of cases went from 61 cases in a week to 93 cases, to...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Order for Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." It is my pleasure to introduce the Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020 to the Dáil. Today marks another important step in working towards achieving the Sláintecare principle of universal access to care at low cost or no cost. This Bill provides for two key measures that...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank all of the Deputies for their contributions, many of which were thoughtful and detailed in terms of the specific legislation before us and the two measures it contains. There has been a wider constructive debate around healthcare as well. It is a conversation we need to keep going. I have taken pages of notes. We will find more opportunities for continuing that conversation,...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Section 2 concerns the income limits for those over 70 who apply for the medical card. I will use this opportunity to respond to Deputy Cullinane and the other Deputies who have, understandably, asked questions about timing. It is a question many people are asking. I will answer a similar question on GP eligibility when we get to that section, seeing as we are strictly adhering to sections...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: That is not what I said.

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I agree with the Deputies. We are looking to put this together as quickly as possible. What I wanted to clarify for the House is the factual position. This measure was contingent upon savings. Those savings have not materialised. As we all know, the opposite is the case and the healthcare system is looking for significantly more cash to deal with the Covid pandemic. For the information...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputies for the questions. They are exactly the right questions. I made my position on this very clear in the past; general practice does not have enough capacity. The contract was signed more than 40 years ago and a new one is urgently needed. Some very good work was done to augment the existing contract, including moves towards the management of chronic disease in the...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Deputy Cullinane and I are in danger of vigorously agreeing with each other. I agree with him. He says that we propose to increase the workload without increasing capacity. We do not. I am saying the opposite of that. That is the reason for the phased approach. There are several steps to this. We in this House need to create the legal framework for it, and that is what we are doing...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Correspondence (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a matter relating to an application for registration with CORU, it has been referred to CORU for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drugs Payment Scheme (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. On 11 June 2019, the HSE Leadership Team approved access to the drug Nusinersen (Spinraza) for children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type I, II or III on an exceptional and individualised basis. The HSE decision process...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Sector Pensions (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 which came into effect on 26 December 2018 provides for an increase in the compulsory retirement age of most public servants recruited prior to 1 April 2004, from age 65 to age 70. Under the Act, any relevant public servant as defined in Section 2 of the Act who had not already reached his/her compulsory retirement age before 26...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (23 Jul 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare property estate. With regard to the HSE owned health centre at Spital Street, Cloyne, the HSE has advised that the property is currently unoccupied as it requires significant upgrade works in order to make the building habitable. The HSE does accommodate First Responder Training in the St Raphael’s...