Results 15,881-15,900 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (14 Oct 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: Hospital Appointment Delays (14 Oct 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: HSE Funding (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Whilst it is too early to be definitive on the requirement for Vote 38 in 2015, it is clear that the health sector will require a Supplementary Estimate. The HSE is pro-actively engaged in internal efforts to maximise savings and to ensure that additional measures are identified and safely implemented to mitigate any projected deficits which are within HSE direct control. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (14 Oct 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: Vaccination Programme (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 to 77, inclusive, together. 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...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cancer Screening Programme (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senator MacSharry for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to update the House on the matter. The symptomatic breast clinic at University Hospital Galway is part of a range of services that are in place for women with breast symptoms. Referrals are dealt with in accordance with the guidelines that have been developed by the national cancer control programme. Most women...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cancer Screening Programme (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am the Minister for Health but I cannot answer clinical questions. If the Senator has clinical questions on guidelines on appropriate-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cancer Screening Programme (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: No. I am a physician but I am no longer a registered doctor. Therefore, I am not up to date with everything and will not proffer medical advice. Clinical guidelines and referral protocols are drawn up by the national cancer control programme. If the Senator wants to-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cancer Screening Programme (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: If the Senator wishes to question the people involved in the programme, he can do so. I know that across the health service we have large numbers of inappropriate referrals to specialist clinics which can give rise excessive volumes. It means that patients who need to be seen quickly are not. Therefore, inappropriate referrals are a risk and we should not be trying to get everyone into a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senator Ó Domhnaill for raising this issue and for giving me an opportunity to update the House. Improving waiting times for scheduled care for patients is a key priority for the Government. In January, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by the end of this year....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Senator mentioned earlier that a constituent has been on a waiting list for outpatient treatment for more than two years. With the agreement of the patient, the Senator could pass the details to my office as anybody waiting more than 18 months at this stage is supposed to be referred to another hospital, with the money following them, or referred privately. If that has not happened-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Senator for clarifying the matter as I want to know if there are cases of people waiting more than 18 months to be seen. When I inquire and get the details, the story turns out to be a little different, as it has in this case too. I visited Letterkenny in the past two weeks and met representatives of the cancer campaign and community groups - that was a very good meeting - and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (20 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Officials from my Department met with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in order to up-date him on the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act, 2015. As the Deputy is aware, the Act currently provides for a number of elements to be prescribed by the Minister for Health by way of regulations. While developing these regulations a number of other necessary and practical...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Infectious Disease Epidemics (20 Oct 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: Hospital Procedures (20 Oct 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: Health Services Provision (20 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Rapid access prostate cancer clinics have been established in the eight designated cancer centres to ensure that men who have symptoms of prostate cancer can be seen in a timely way and that they undergo comprehensive assessment with appropriate imaging and biopsies where necessary. The treatment of men subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer is discussed at multidisciplinary team...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (20 Oct 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: Community Care (20 Oct 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: Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme (20 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 445 and 510 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Charges (20 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: All charges for public hospital in-patient and out-patient services are made in accordance with the Health Act 1970, as amended. The charge for public in-patient services is €75 per night, up to a maximum of €750 in a calendar year. The Emergency Department charge is €100 for each episode of care. Exemptions from these statutory charges are extended to certain cohorts...