Results 13,541-13,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Topical Issue Debate: General Practitioner Services (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE is committed to the provision of high quality GP services through the GMS GP contract. GMS GP posts are filled in line with the HSE's human resources recruitment guidelines. Periodically, challenges can be experienced in regard to the permanent filling of GP posts. In areas where this challenge is experienced, every effort is made by local HSE management to ensure the provision of...

Topical Issue Debate: General Practitioner Services (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There is a panel of 830 patients. Unfortunately, this is relatively small from the point of view of a GP. Unless it is heavily supplemented by private patients and private incomes, it can be hard to operate a practice on that basis. The panel may be small from the point of view of an applicant GP. The service is, of course, very important to the community itself. The rural practice...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the particular query raised, 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 with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Spinal conditions, including scoliosis, in children and young people are predominantly managed at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin (OLCHC). It is acknowledged by all that waiting times for surgery are unacceptable and the HSE, Children's Hospital Group and OLCHC are actively working to address them as quickly as possible and exploring all short, medium- and long-term...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Magdalen Laundries (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Justice and Equality welcomed the passing by Dáil Eireann of the Redress for Women Who Were Resident in Certain Institutions Bill on 18 February 2015. Seanad Second Stage deliberations on the Bill took place on Tuesday of this week. When the Bill has completed its passage in the Oireachtas, the final provisions determined and the legislation commenced, the HSE will be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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: Departmental Funding (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to any support or assistance which may be available to the group in question. 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. In relation to funding, my Department administers a National Lottery Discretionary Fund, from which...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In December 1988 the Tierney committee was set up to examine the need for a medical genetics service in Ireland and to recommend how such a service should be organised. Its report in 1990 recommended that "the medical genetics centre in Dublin should be based in Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin", and that other centres should be established in Cork and Galway. The genetics service at Crumlin...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: All individual initial referrals to the Department of Clinical Genetics at Crumlin are via a general practitioner. Self-referrals are not seen. However, where there is a clinical requirement, because of an identified clinical genetic issue, to see additional members of a patient’s family, these family members can access the service without a GP referral.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff Remuneration (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Regarding my own Department, the majority of staff (97.5%) receive their payslips on-line. At present payslips are posted to 5 weekly paid staff and 4 fortnightly paid staff as they have no access to the on-line payslip available on the Department's internal computer network. During the year, on request, payslips may also be posted to those availing of the Shorter Working Year. The estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Social Insurance Data (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to follow up on this matter and to respond to the Deputy directly. 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: Hospital Appointment Status (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, as this is a service...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staffing (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has been advised by the HSE that representations have been made by the IMPACT Trade Union for the establishment of the grade of Assistant Psychologist. I understand that the HSE is examining this proposal.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Rare Diseases Strategy Implementation (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Rare Disease Plan for Ireland, which is a generic policy framework for rare diseases, was published in July 2014. One of the principal recommendations in the Plan was the establishment of a National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases. This programme will be responsible for, among others: - Mapping, developing and implementing care pathways for rare diseases; - ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, as this is a service...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 188 together. As these are service matters, 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 with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to look into this matter and to respond to the Deputy directly. 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: Appointments to State Boards (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Approval to proceed with the process for the appointment of a Director of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Council (PHECC) was conveyed to PHECC in December 2014. Section 27 (2) of S.I. No. 109 of 2000: the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Establishment) Order, 2000 provides that the Director shall be appointed by the Council. In these circumstances, the recruitment process in relation to this...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The introduction of standardised packaging has the support of the Government and has been considered and approved by Government. As the Deputy is aware, the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014 was passed by the Seanad and completed Second Stage in the Dáil during 2014. The Bill completed Committee Stage in the Dáil on 17 February 2015 and Report and Final...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultants Recruitment (26 Feb 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Beaumont Hospital is facing some challenges in the recruitment of renal transplant surgeons to fill three current vacancies. Highly trained transplant surgeons can be difficult to locate and the hospital continues to carry out an international recruitment campaign.