Results 16,381-16,400 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015. For many decades health insurance has operated alongside our public health service and has grown and developed. Health insurance in Ireland is based on a core principle of community rating. All policy holders are charged the...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is the basic salary before the performance bonus and almost all of them get the performance bonus.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is sterling, incidentally.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is an article which reads, "NHS warned of exodus of young doctors as registrations to work abroad soar". Some 98% have just voted to strike.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is in the English newspapers.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their contributions to the debate and the broad support from most parties for the Bill. I am concerned that some of those who spoke against the Bill and intend to vote against it have got the wrong end of the stick. They seem to suggest that the Bill is designed to support or subsidise the health insurance industry. That is not the case; the purpose of the Bill is...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Referral to Select Committee (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-Committee on Health pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tribunals of Inquiry Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Expenditure in 2015 to the end of October on the Hepatitis C & HIV Tribunal amounted to €13.8 m. To the end of 2014, the Tribunal had cost in excess of €1 bn, including awards, legal fees and administrative costs. Expenditure will continue in the coming years and the amounts involved will depend on the number and timing of cases brought forward and on the outcome of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (19 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: Hospital Transfers (19 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. In relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Care Professionals (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167, 175 and 198 together. I expect that the Physiotherapists Registration Board will soon make the necessary by-laws under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to allow it to establish its register early next year. On this basis, the title of physiotherapist will be protected for the exclusive use of the board's registrants when the register's 2...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Care Professionals (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Psychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister for Health may, by regulation, designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met. In...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Trusts (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The comments referred to by the Deputy were made in the context of current reorganisation of Ireland’s healthcare delivery structures and, specifically, the Hospital Groups transitioning to more autonomous Hospital Trusts in the future. The reform is not about privatising hospitals. This Government does not support the privatisation of hospitals which will continue, in the main, to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is responsible for the collection, collation and publication of Inpatient and Day Case waiting lists. Waiting list information is published on the NTPF website at the end of each month. The information is presented in different report formats, i.e. by National/Trend, by Hospital/Group, and by Specialty. The most recent Inpatient/Day Case waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Based on the Emergency Department Taskforce’s Action Plan, additional funding of €74 million was provided to the HSE in April 2015 to increase the number of long term nursing home care places and reduce the waiting time for the funding of such places, as well as providing additional transitional care beds and home care packages to provide viable supports for those no longer...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff Data (19 Nov 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: Parliamentary Questions (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive has a commitment to answer 75% of Parliamentary Questions referred to it for direct reply within fifteen working days. Its performance against this target is monitored by my Department through regular meetings with the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the HSE. As the Deputy is aware, I introduced a procedure whereby if a Deputy has not received a response within...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (19 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: Health Services (19 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. In relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Data (19 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.