Results 13,461-13,480 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: We have a realistic budget in place. The Vote for 2015 represents the first increase in funding in seven years and a greater increase than was proposed by the Deputy's party in its alternative budget submission last November. The figures we have for January show spending is in line with projections. In other words, there is no evidence at this stage of any significant overspend. There...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: At 8 a.m. this morning there were approximately 420 patients on trolleys across 28 acute hospitals. That number will fall dramatically during the day, as it always does, probably by half. Of course, it is still not acceptable that anybody should be on a trolley for more than nine hours. What was in Dr. Tony O'Connell's letter, which was not addressed to me but to others in the HSE, was...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Emergency department, ED, overcrowding and eliminating very long waits for inpatient, outpatient and day case treatment are key priority issues for me and for the Government and I acknowledge the difficulties the current surge in ED activity is causing for patients, their families and the staff who are doing their utmost to provide safe, quality care in very challenging circumstances. All...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The figure the Deputy gives may also include people waiting a few weeks-----

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There is a big difference between somebody waiting a few weeks for an appointment or investigation and somebody who is waiting several months. It has been the case for a very long time, including when the Deputy’s party leader as Minister for Health promised to abolish waiting lists in two years and broke that promise, but we can both accept that in Ireland there have been far too...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It sometimes really amazes me that people actually elect Deputy Broughan. I can absolutely assure him that there is no money I am not spending.

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Whether I am a neoconservative is entirely irrelevant. I absolutely assure the Deputy I will spend-----

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: -----any money that I-----

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's follow-up question was about promises. I am not making any promises and that is-----

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The only promise I will make is to work night and day and do everything I can to improve our public services and make insurance affordable for more people. The Deputy mentioned specifically the issue of consultants. One thing I have achieved in office is an agreement on pay scales for new consultants. Over 30 new posts have already been advertised. I am in the same boat as the Minister of...

Other Questions: Drugs-related Deaths (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Drug-related deaths are a human tragedy for the families and friends of the people involved and have a considerable impact on communities and society as a whole. While there are no easy solutions to addressing the problem, the Government is committed to stepping up the effort to reduce the number of drug-related deaths. The latest annual figures from the national drug-related deaths index...

Other Questions: Drugs-related Deaths (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The objective is to reduce the number of drug deaths. At least for the years for which we have the most recent figures, the number of drug deaths has decreased slightly. There will be two developments this year that I hope will improve circumstances. First is the naloxone project, which is to make naloxone available to users, their families, friends and those who work with them to reverse...

Other Questions: Drugs-related Deaths (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Long-term methadone maintenance may be the best option for some people. It is certainly not the best option for everyone, and that is why we are increasing the number of detoxification beds this year. We will certainly consider all these issues in the context of the next national drugs strategy. I very much welcome the Deputy's input into that. On the specific question on the naloxone...

Other Questions: HSE Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the Deputy's previous parliamentary question relates to the number of patients outsourced by Letterkenny General Hospital under the 2013 outpatients initiative. The HSE has advised me that all patients from the 2013 waiting list initiative who have not been seen, diagnosed, treated and discharged back to their GP have all been accepted back to Letterkenny General Hospital...

Other Questions: HSE Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I may have misspoken in my previous reply. Patients requiring review were reinstated on the public waiting list to have them scheduled in chronological order. All paediatric patients concerned have received their treatment. What happened is that about 2,700 patients were outsourced, in effect. They were sent for private treatment. Many were discharged back to their GP. Others...

Other Questions: HSE Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am happy to be corrected if I am incorrect but I am informed they were put back onto the point in the public waiting list they would have been on anyway, so in that sense they have not been disadvantaged. That is not to say they have been well treated, which is a different matter entirely. If I were to provide the funding it would have to come from somewhere else, and that would mean...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance Expenditure (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: A report titled The impact of the financial crisis on the health system and health in Ireland has been produced by the World Health Organization with full co-operation by my Department. The report emphasises the need for reform of our health services and acknowledges that this Government is the first in the history of the Irish State to commit to the principle of a universal, single-tier...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware that every aspect of our health service has had to try and do the same, or more, with less. This has only been possible through everyone's best efforts. However, this year is the first year in a long time where the overall health budget has actually increased. I look forward to being in a position, as economic conditions further improve year on year, to continue to press for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Blood Donations (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is responsible for providing a safe and reliable blood service to the Irish health service. Blood, and the products derived from it, are an integral element of healthcare delivery. A major objective of the organisation is to ensure that it always has the necessary programmes and procedures in place to protect both the donors and the recipients of blood...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the challenge that the recent surge in activity has presented for patients and the staff of the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar who are doing their utmost to maintain standards of care. Addressing this issue, nationally and locally, is a priority for me and for the Government and the Deputy will be aware that I established the Emergency Department Taskforce at the end of...