Results 13,141-13,160 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Sláintecare Implementation Strategy refers to the findings of the Health Service Capacity Review, which highlighted the need for some 2,600 additional hospital beds over the next 15 years. The National Development Plan investment of €10.9bn in overall health infrastructure, includes various projects for increased capacity.  The Health Service Executive is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Under the contract, the new children's hospital is due to be completed by the end of 2022 and handed over to Children's Health Ireland to open in 2023 after a period of commissioning. There will be delays associated with the requirement to cease works on the site of the new Children’s Hospital due to Covid-19 restrictions and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: An agreement was reached with GP representatives in March 2020 to ensure people who were experiencing coronavirus symptoms have access to free GP Covid-19 assessments and test referrals. The agreement was reviewed in June and expanded to ensure that arrangements are in place also for free GP Covid-19 assessments and test referrals outside of GP practice hours. In September, the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department. The NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Waste Management (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I am aware that some private waste disposal companies consider a lower tariff for disposal of waste for persons who may have a larger amount of waste disposal due to a medical condition or disability and require medical certification to verify this. However, in the first instance waste disposal is a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment. 

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 provides for, amongst other things, the electronic transmission of a patient's prescription from their GP to a pharmacy. This measure was put in place in response to Covid-19, to reduce the need for patients to visit their GP to collect their prescription. GPs are reimbursed by the HSE for medical...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 380 together. The National Development Plan stated that, “New dedicated ambulatory elective only hospital facilities will be introduced in Dublin Galway and Cork. These facilities will provide high volume, low complexity procedures on a day and outpatient basis, together with a range of ambulatory diagnostic services. The high volume of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services Provision (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: There has been significant engagement between the Ministers for Health, the Chief Medical Officers, and the Departments of Health in Ireland and Northern Ireland throughout this pandemic. A Memorandum of Understanding was formally agreed by the Chief Medical Officers of the Department of Health and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland on Tuesday 7 April to strengthen North South...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: Psycho-oncology supports for cancer patients continue to be developed in designated cancer centres and community cancer support centres in line with the National Cancer Strategy. The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) emphasises psycho-oncology services as a core part of complete cancer care.  While individual  programmes are not in place for different tumour types,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Data (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the HSE had to take measures to defer most routine scheduled care activity in March, April, and May of this year. This was to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Cards (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020 was enacted on 2 August 2020. This Act provided for the necessary legislative amendments to the Health Act 1970 (as amended) to increase the weekly gross medical card income limits for those aged 70 and over to €550 per week for a single person and to €1050 per week for a couple. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: I am pleased to inform the House that the prescribing of Best Value Biologic medicines is leading to significant savings for the health service, which is assisting us in facilitating access to new, innovative medicines for patients. The HSE is actively engaged in implementing effective policy levers across a number of domains and under several initiatives, including the Acute Hospitals...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Support Services (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly. 

Written Answers — Department of Health: Protected Disclosures (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As I have stated previously, and as the Deputy will appreciate, I am not in a position to confirm whether or not a protected disclosure of the nature referred to in this question, has been notified to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: You will be aware that the situation regarding COVID-19 has been, and continues to be, an evolving situation. COVID-19 is still having a major impact both here in Ireland and elsewhere. On Tuesday 15 September the Government published ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’. This Plan outlines our medium-term strategy for COVID-19 and sets out a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Services (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (10 Dec 2020)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of healthcare equipment, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.