Results 12,021-12,040 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospitals Inspections (22 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter and for the opportunity to update the House on the response to the recommendations of the HIQA report on the unannounced inspection of Tallaght hospital. As Minister for Health, I take the prevention and control of health care associated infections very seriously and I welcome the publication of this report. Health care associated...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospitals Inspections (22 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I have worked in Tallaght hospital in the past and I did some of my training there. It is a hospital that I am very fond of. I have worked in the medicine for the elderly services and therefore I know the William Stokes unit well. I was there last month. The fact that the hospital has hired a new microbiologist and has put in place additional resources is welcome. It is important to put on...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Infectious Diseases Epidemic (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 133 and 146 together. The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak to be a Public Health Event of International Concern on 8 August 2014. The total number of cases by 17 October in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is 9191, with 4546 deaths. The WHO officially declared the outbreak in Senegal over on 17 October, and the outbreak in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Inspections (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Since late 2012, the Health Information and Quality Authority has been carrying out a monitoring programme against the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) in hospitals throughout the country. HIQA inspection reports are published on a routine basis. As Minister for Health, I take the prevention and control of HCAIs very seriously....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Trade Agreements (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014 is a public health measure, the objective of which is to make all tobacco packs look less attractive to consumers, to make health warnings more prominent, and to prevent packaging from misleading consumers about the harmful effects of tobacco. Standardised packaging of tobacco products, also known as generic packaging, means...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Food Safety Standards Regulation (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is aware of the recent World Health Organisation study and is considering its recommendations. The use of energy drinks has increased considerably in recent years and therefore we have asked Safefood to consider the current evidence and the World Health Organisation's study. Safefood will then advise my Department as appropriate, of any necessary future actions.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Bed Data (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Charges (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Charges for long-stay in-patient services, which may include respite in-patient services, were provided for under the Health (Amendment) Act 2005 and came into effect on 15 July 2005 under the Health (Charges for In-Patient Services) Regulations 2005. The Regulations have been amended on a number of occasions since 2005, most recently by the Health (Charges for In-patient Services)...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Organ Donation (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE has a bilateral arrangement in place with the UK National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service. Any organs that are not utilised in Ireland are offered to the UK system through the NHSBT who manage the process of organ donation for all of the UK. Similarly, Ireland is offered organs that are not utilised in the UK.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Registration of Nurses (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 does not require written consent of the Minister of Health to increase the nurses' and midwives' retention fee. As previously advised, my Department has no role in setting or approving registration fees by the Nursing and Midwifery Board (NMBI). The NMBI may set fees, determined by the Board, for the annual registration fee.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Capital Programme Expenditure (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Health capital allocation for 2016 will be €450m and will be made up of a combination of Exchequer funding and funding from the proceeds of the sale of the National Lottery. Work on the Capital Plan 2015-2019 is under way and the overall funding available will be allocated across the relevant programmes for the period. As the Deputy will be aware, the health infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the Non-Commercial Semi State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, no bonus payments were made to staff in 2013, or to July 2014.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the committee for the invitation to attend and I look forward to robust quarterly meetings with the committee. I am also joined by Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and officials from my Department, including Mr. Jim Breslin, the Secretary General, and Mr. Fergal Goodman, the newly appointed assistant secretary with responsibility for primary care. Mr. Tony O’Brien,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The 2015 budget is challenging, but its targets are achievable. We are entering a two-year process in which we aim to stabilise the budget and allow for existing service levels to continue, along with some enhancements in targeted areas. Members of the committee will know, as much as I do, that despite the additional spending power, next year is still going to be a real challenge. There...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I will go first, followed by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and Mr. Tony O'Brien. Obviously, a lot of things have been raised here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I will start with Deputy Kelleher's remarks. The situation in emergency departments is variable. We have roughly 50 emergency departments across the State. In some, it is rare for patients to be on trolleys - St. Vincent's hospital is one example of that - while in others it is intermittent, but in certain hospitals it is almost always the case that there are large numbers of patients on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Mr. Hennessy can give further information on that. It is a matter I inquired into this morning. Some of them were offered an alternative community midwife while others were not and were offered hospital care instead. Community midwives in Ireland are independent contractors and cannot be forced to take on women if they do not want to. Where a community midwife is available and willing to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: If I misunderstood, perhaps the Deputy can clarify the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (23 Oct 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As that was a clinical case, I had virtually no involvement with it. As is the case with any patient and doctor, what happens between the patient and the doctor is not something politicians have much involvement with. With regard to symphisiotomy, I had not heard the allegation. I am interested to have any information on it, but I should clarify that symphisiotomy is not a crime in...