Results 16,081-16,100 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital Status (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: On 10 August 2015 the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) submitted a planning application for the new hospital and satellite centres to An Bord Pleanála. Much of the work undertaken for the project on the Mater site was transferable to the project in its new location. This includes in particular development of activity projections and capacity requirements,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific query 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: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme is operating very well since it was established on 10 November 2014. It was estimated that 350 women would apply to the Scheme, but in fact 578 applications have been accepted by the Scheme and as at 16 October 2015, 311 offers have been made. The Scheme has brought to an end years of uncertainty and costs for women who have undergone surgical...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Regulation (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and the Health Insurance Authority oversee the maintenance of a competitive and sustainable health insurance market, under the provisions of the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2014, and monitor developments on an ongoing basis to ensure that the market is regulated appropriately. Community rating is a fundamental cornerstone of the Irish health insurance system. Under community...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Prescription Charges (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Between 2009 and 2014, the HSE's expenditure on reimbursed medicines remained stable at under €2 billion. Aggregate spending on the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme, the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) and the Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme has reduced since 2009, despite an increase in numbers eligible for the schemes and the introduction of more expensive new medicines. The...

Topical Issue Debate: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I am taking the debate on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, who is elsewhere on Government business. The Irish pensions system is made up of a number of schemes based on criteria such as contributions paid, income need and other factors. These ensure that people have an adequate income when they...

Topical Issue Debate: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and believe the anomaly he pointed out may be dealt with by moving from a yearly average system to a total contributions approach. I understand there is an issue where people return to the workforce. Often we encourage people, particularly nurses, to go back to the workforce in later life and I would not like to see them lose out as a result. The...

Topical Issue Debate: Vaccination Programme (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies Moynihan and O’Sullivan for giving me an opportunity to address the House on this issue. I want to acknowledge the concerns of families who believe their daughters have experienced adverse reactions and health issues after receiving the HPV vaccine. As the House will know, the vaccine protects against two high-risk types of HPV that cause 73% of all cervical...

Topical Issue Debate: Vaccination Programme (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am very concerned about this whole debate, where it is going and the comments made by some of the Deputies opposite. I am alarmed to hear we are getting into this space again. Deputy O'Sullivan is almost implying that there is some sort of plot from the pharmaceutical industry against people, that it is all about those in the industry making money and that this is not based on evidence or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Human Reproduction (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In February 2012, the Department of Justice and Equality published guidelines on citizenship, parentage, guardianship and travel document issues in relation to children born as a result of surrogacy arrangements entered into outside the State, where it is intended that the child and the intending parents will reside within the State. In February of this year, I received Government approval to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff Recruitment (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Health Business Services HR (National Recruitment Service) conducts the majority of recruitment on behalf of the HSE. All of this recruitment is conducted under legislation, the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004, which is underpinned by codes of practice. This includes recruitment for the majority of nursing posts. These codes of practice can be found at...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Lottery Funding Applications (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department received an application for National Lottery funding from the organisation referred to by the Deputy. Applications for National Lottery grants far exceed the resources available. The lottery fund for 2015 has recently been allocated and, unfortunately on this occasion, it was not possible to assist in this particular case. My Department is in the process of notifying...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staffing (3 Nov 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: Hospital Appointment Status (3 Nov 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: Health Services Provision (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Nov 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 Appointment Status (3 Nov 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: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 655 together. The total estimated expenditure for my Department in 2015 as published in the 2015 Revised Estimates for Public Services 2015 is set out in the Table. - Current Capital Total €'000 €'000 €'000 Gross Total 12,294,521 382,409 12,676,930 Deduct Appropriations-in-Aid 455,471 250 455,721 Net Total 11,839,050...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Recruitment (3 Nov 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: Registration of Nurses (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The NMBI has advised that between 1 January and 13 October 2015, 1,841 applications for registration have been received. This compares with 770 applications for the same time period in 2014, an increase in 139%. Both the growth in volume of applications and significant staff departures within the NMBI have added to the delays. The number of applicants who received registration decisions...