Results 11,781-11,800 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Universal Social Charge Exemptions (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: 101. To ask the Minister for Finance the cost in 2017 and in a full year of addressing the step effect for persons whose income rises from just below the universal social charge entry level threshold to just above it; the number so affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28825/16]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: 201. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on recent shortages with the supply of gabapentin; the reason this occurred; and the steps he will take to prevent a recurrence. [28950/16]

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Good morning everyone. I wish to remind everyone in the room to turn off their mobile phones or switch them to airplane mode as they interfere with the sound recording equipment. I welcome everyone, particularly viewers who are watching the live streaming of our meeting this morning. In establishing this committee, the Dáil was giving recognition to the fact that there are considerable...

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Thank you for the presentation. What are Dr. Burke's views on how this committee might determine the basket of care and what is the best practice internationally?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: I will invite members to speak in groups of three and bank the questions.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: What is the new structure?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Is it a national structure?

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: And the hospital groups.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: I had not seen it.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: That private health insurance only contributes 9% to the health spend is remarkable. From memory, I think 77% is funded through the tax system so it seems that represents more than three quarters of the health spend. That should be the starting point on which we build.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: This was raised with us initially by the ESRI when it presented a pie chart showing the different elements of health spending.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Yes, to the total health spend.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: From memory, 77% comes from taxation. Out of pocket expenses-----

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: We can get that chart.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: To clarify the Deputy's question about the division of health spend, we have figures for 2013 which indicate that 77% of total health financing was from taxation, 12% from out of pocket expenditure, 9% from private health insurance, and 2% from private corporations.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: They are significant figures.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: I wish to revisit a number of issues. Total health spend is approximately €19 billion, which puts us close to the top in Europe in that regard. The issue seems not so much to be about how much we spend but how it is spent. It does not necessarily follow that, if we are to have a universal health care system that meets the population's needs, it will entail much additional spending....

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Doing it differently.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: We do not know the basis on which decisions are taken on the allocation of resources.

Select Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Inequality in Access to Health Care: Discussion (5 Oct 2016)

Róisín Shortall: Right. The other issue is that of restructuring. There is restructuring fatigue within the health service and the constant churn of the past 20 years or so has been disruptive. Each time that there is a change in Minister, there is a restructuring. As a committee, we must address the question of how our health services are structured and the administration of health. For example, our six...