Results 14,901-14,920 of 26,731 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: There is one line in the report which I find interesting or fascinating, depending on how one reads it. It fits into last night's programme, and the Chairman is right that we will not go into it. On page 3, the last paragraph reads "While for the most part the findings of the analysis raise serious issues, on the other hand, nothing was identified which could not be fixed and there is every...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: When we have the complete audited reports could we bring them in?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Would that happen anyway routinely?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: We will see what comes of the audited accounts.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: This correspondence raises some interesting questions. I will not go into them all because we have to move on but I have seven questions arising from the individual's documents that I believe would be good questions for the Secretary General. Could I submit those questions to the clerk? Given that other members have not seen them they could be submitted in my name. Perhaps these questions...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is perfect.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I welcome the witnesses, especially Mr. Reid; this is his first appearance before us in his new role. I have listened to what Mr. Reid has said over the past hour in responding to questions from members. To paraphrase what he said about spending, whether current or capital, the HSE gets a pot of money and that money then has to be managed. He and I might have a view on the size of the pot,...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Let me just stop Mr. Reid there. If it is not cost containment, is it the position that, if a hospital manager believes that they have to spend more than they have been given to meet demand, they are not obliged to come in on budget? I can give examples in Waterford, where hospital managers have showed me a draft of a document that talks about cost containment. Is cost containment not a...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I know that, but they are looking at cost-containment plans on the foot of a letter from Mr. Reid. In Waterford, for example, the cost-containment plan looks at limiting surgical theatre space over a number of months during the summer, where savings can be made in cleaning contracts, agency spend and overtime. There is a whole range of other areas. They are all designed to make sure they...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Did Mr. Reid know that some cancer patients were sent home because of issues with theatre capacity? Five patients were affected. I am sure that Mr. Reid is aware that being booked in for some kind of cancer treatment is life-altering. There is a psychological aspect involved in a person building himself or herself up physically and mentally for this type of treatment. The person goes to...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is fine.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I might just talk Mr. Reid through this because when we are looking at what is happening the best lens we have is our local hospital. I have no problem whatsoever with Mr. Reid and the HSE ensuring that health spending is contained. That is one of Mr. Reid's and the HSE's core functions and it should be. I have no problem, therefore, with that. I certainly accept that he has come into...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: There also has to be an examination of where the money goes. I always look at things logically. There will be different situations in different hospitals. They will all have different needs, different geography, different capacity and different levels of expertise in different specialties. They all have their unique characteristics. One thing that we can logically do regarding waiting...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I accept that. My specific question, however, was on capital projects and the perception that they can take a lifetime from conception to delivery. It is almost like turning a big oil tanker around. There is a long wait for people to see delivery. We table parliamentary questions and the responses refer to a capital project being in a queue and that there is a business case at this stage...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: -----is what is the process? Why does it take so long at times to get from an idea to delivery? Is the first step a business case? If the witnesses do not have time to set it out here maybe they can send a note to the committee on what the stages are in capital applications. We had better understand it. A business case is developed by hospital management in conjunction with the group and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2019)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2019)

David Cullinane: On the same issue-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2019)

David Cullinane: On the planned economic assessment of the Mercosur deal, the Minister, Deputy Bruton, was Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the past. He will know the south east is still an underperforming economy, although there has been some recovery. The Department will have carried out many economic assessments in that region given that it still does not have the same level of employment...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2019)

David Cullinane: The region needs the agribusiness sustain the regional economy. I am sure the Minister is aware that this is a massive issue for farmers across the State, but particularly in some regions, such as the south east.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2019)

David Cullinane: Given that the Department has already carried out numerous economic impact studies for all the regions, why is there a need for a further one on this issue when the Minister knows full well the importance of the agrifood sector to the south east?