Results 13,481-13,500 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Ambulance services have changed considerably in recent years. With the establishment of the National Ambulance Service, the service is now organised on a national rather than a localised basis. The regional call centre structure has gradually been dismantled and we are working towards the establishment of a single national control centre. Ambulance resources are now deployed in a dynamic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Response Times (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Additional funding of €5.4m has been provided to the National Ambulance Service in 2015 to address service gaps, particularly in the West, by reforming rostering and staffing additional stations. In this regard, 50 paramedic posts have been allocated to East Galway and Mayo. It is also intended to expand the number of community first response teams, particularly in more rural and...

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

Leo Varadkar: The physiotherapy staff level in University Hospital Waterford is currently 20.65 whole-time equivalents, which represents an increase of 2 whole-time equivalents over the past year. Waiting list figures for January 2015 compare favourably with those of June 2014, with 63 people waiting for an appointment in January 2015 compared to 115 in June 2014, despite an increase in new referrals....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Judicial Reviews (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy might be aware, last August the HSE initiated a review to establish all of the facts surrounding the care given to Ms Y. However, Ms Y's legal team has now successfully applied to the Courts for a Judicial Review of this review and I will await the outcome of this judicial review before I decide whether any further action needs to be taken. In relation to legislation around...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ED overcrowding is a key priority issue for me and for the Government and I acknowledge the difficulties which 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 hospitals have escalation plans to manage not only patient flow but also patient safety in a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice, international best practice...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes Policy (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: A core objective of the National Drugs Strategy is the development of a national integrated treatment and rehabilitation service that provides drug free and harm reduction approaches for problem substance users. Harm reduction interventions, such as needle exchange services and methadone maintenance treatment, are an important component of the response to problem substance use as such...

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

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced priority areas for action in 2015 including one which is to modernise the HSE ICT infrastructure. Two significant areas in that regard are to issue the first health identifiers and to increase investment in ICT and eHealth generally. In late 2013 the Government published its eHealth strategy, An eHealth strategy for Ireland, along with the Health...

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

Leo Varadkar: VHI submitted its application to the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) on 16 May 2014. Consideration of the VHI's application for authorisation is a matter for the CBI in its role as independent financial regulator and I cannot anticipate how long that process will take, or its outcome. However, I expect that VHI will be authorised at the earliest opportunity, if approved by the Central Bank.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In 2015, a €5.4m budget increase has been provided to the National Ambulance Service to help address service gaps and provision has been made for 50 paramedic posts in the West. Some of these posts will be used to staff ambulance stations at Tuam and Mulranny. Others will assist in the move from on-call to on-duty rostering. On-call rostering means paramedics remain at home waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Planning for the age extension of BreastCheck to 65 - 69 year olds is under way and screening of the extended cohort will commence in Quarter 4 of 2015. The additional eligible population is approximately 100,000 and, when fully implemented, 540,000 women will be included in the BreastCheck Programme. Due to the number of people who will be added to the breast screening process, and the...

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

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Constitutional Amendments (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution states that: 'The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.' A referendum would be required to amend the Constitution so that terminations in...

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

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Prices (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Government has introduced a series of reforms in recent years to reduce the prices of drugs and medicines which are paid for by the HSE. This has resulted in reductions in the price of thousands of medicines. Price reductions of the order of 30% per item reimbursed have been achieved between 2009 and 2013; the average cost per items reimbursed is now running at 2001/2002 levels. A...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Organ Donation (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The national renal transplant team in Beaumont Hospital carries out all kidney transplants in Ireland. My Department, the HSE and Beaumont Hospital are working together to ensure that available organs are used for transplantation to patients in Ireland. The export of kidneys that become available for transplant is not envisaged. All Transplant Surgeons at Beaumont Hospital also work as...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy Implementation (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department's policy in relation to addiction is informed by the work of a number of key committees set up under the National Drugs Strategy. The Oversight Forum on Drugs (OFD), which I chair, is responsible for considering developments in drugs policies and in dealing with problem drug use generally, at EU and international level. It will oversee the development of a new National Drugs...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (25 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ED overcrowding is a key priority issue for me and for the Government and I acknowledge the difficulties which 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 hospitals have escalation plans to manage not only patient flow but also patient safety in a...

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

Leo Varadkar: I am pleased that agreement has been reached between hospital management and the INMO concerning nursing and midwifery staffing levels at the Midland Regional Hospital. I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the details. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.