Results 14,921-14,940 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Treatment Abroad Scheme (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. Through the National Contact Point (NCP) office the HSE provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive on its website - - and also by phone. Where a patient has adhered to the published administrative process in seeking a refund of the cost of healthcare...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Lottery Funding Applications (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has received an application for funding from the 2015 National Lottery allocation from the organisation in question. This is among a large number of applications currently being assessed by my Department. The organisation will be informed of the outcome of the application as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 and 484 together. My Department administers a National Lottery Discretionary Fund from which once-off grants are paid to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. Any additional funding that may be required for a project, over and above the lottery grant, is a matter for the organisation. Details of grants paid...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this 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: Health Services Provision (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In February of this year I received Government approval to draft the General Scheme of a Bill for assisted human reproduction, which will include provisions relating to numerous aspects from the beginning to the end of the assisted human reproduction process. As I have previously stated it is currently not the case that the public funding of fertility treatments will be included as part...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Health Policy (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for policy and legislation in relation to drinking water quality. Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for the provision of public water services. The Government recently approved a National Strategy to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water which was prepared by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centre Provision (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE has responsibility for the provision, maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and 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: Hospital Appointment Status (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, 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 up the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, 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: Organ Donation (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Two consultant transplant surgeons left the renal and pancreas transplant programme at Beaumont Hospital at the end of last year, one on retirement and the second on leave of absence for professional development purposes. Four consultant transplant surgeons remain and the renal transplant programme is continuing. Given the limited number of surgeons who specialise in transplantation, the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Universal Health Insurance (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is committed to a major reform programme for the health service, the aim of which is to deliver a single tier health service where access is based on need, not ability to pay. This is the most fundamental reform of the health service since the foundation of the State and it is imperative that we get it right. The White Paper on universal health insurance was published on 2...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Universal Health Insurance (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The initial measures in the health insurance area were designed more to make the current system sustainable rather than to create a new one. During the financial crisis huge numbers of younger people in particular pulled out of health insurance, thereby making the existing system unsustainable. For a community rated health insurance system to work we need young healthy people paying in so...

Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Staff Recruitment (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Connaughton for raising this issue. Delays in processing nurse registration applications are directly connected to the volume of requests arising from current initiatives to attract and retain nurses. My Department and the Health Service Executive are collaborating in sourcing several solutions to the issues affecting nurse recruitment and retention. The background is...

Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Staff Recruitment (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Additional resources have been provided and consultations are taking place on the matter with stakeholders, including Nursing Homes Ireland. The Deputy makes a valid point about efficiency. While I am not sure precisely how applications are processed, I would be concerned if applications were allowed to mount before being examined one by one. In such circumstances, an application could be...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to outline the concerted actions being taken to reduce waiting times, nationally and in University Hospital Waterford. I recognise fully that too many patients are waiting too long for treatments and that this needs to change but reducing wait times is not that simple. If it was simple, it would have been done by now. As the Deputy will be aware, it...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Obviously, operational responsibility for the hospital lies with the hospital management and the South/South West Hospitals Group board. I do not individually manage 50 hospitals. That is not something any health Minister has ever done or could ever do. However, I can discuss the issue in general. I find it hard to get my head around the figures also.

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have them and I find them anomalous.

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: No, I have them. In pointing to the anomalies, the Deputy makes a valid point. I wonder if the major increase we have seen in people waiting in the last couple of months is a reflection of the fact that the numbers were not accurate before rather than anything else.