Results 16,541-16,560 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I thank all of our witnesses. We would have liked much more time with them but we will do the best we can. I welcome the movement on public health resourcing which is long overdue. I hope it will be finalised shortly. I also welcome the fact that Dr. John Cuddihy said yesterday to the committee that 14-day tracing is due to start shortly. That should allow us to refine and better target...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I know it has. Hopefully, we will be getting that data this week. It has been promised.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I am sorry to interrupt the Minister but my time is short. I know the points he is making. I would ask him to answer the question about the contracts that are being offered.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I have heard that. I thank the Minister.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: On the basis that the Minister's Department will be picking up the tab, perhaps he would check that and report back to us.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I appreciate that. On the question of spending, I accept that a balance must be struck to ensure that we do not delay spending in critical areas to ramp up resources. At the same time, we must balance that against the requirement to ensure that we are getting value for money. We have seen scandals in the UK at the high levels of waste. Can the Minister outline what are the oversight...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Will the Minister send us a note on it?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Could I have one question with NPHET?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Right. We are talking about the need for messaging, not only for young people but across the board. There was a suggestion that influencers would be used, again, not just for young people. I agreed with the Taoiseach that that should be happening. Is any progress being made on that?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Can NPHET tell us what is actually going to happen on messaging and consultation with young people in particular about how we might agree what they can do rather than what they cannot?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I agree with the last point. In cases where the coroner determines the cause of death, is a change made to the numbers?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I appreciate that. I have not been aware of any denotification, as it were.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: I have not seen those figures.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Again, it would be interesting. These issues all relate to transparency. I very much agree with the point the Chair made. As representatives of the people, we should be supporting what the witnesses are doing but the actions they are taking have to make sense to us. We have to be provided with the underlying evidence which supports the decisions. That is not always the case. What we...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Is that generally, Chairman? The HSE is talking about bolting the testing and tracing on to community services. It uses the term "leveraging existing community services". That concerns me somewhat. There is also the question of the role of GPs in this.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: Has the HSE looked at the possibility of a telephone triage service to try to get people who are looking for tests directly into test centres rather than taking up such vast amounts of GPs’ time when that is required for regular health services?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: On a point of order, it is important to point out that the criticism was not of any of the witnesses individually. The frustration people had was that both NPHET and the Minster were appearing before the committee for the same limited period, whereas the expectation this week or last week was that we would have two separate sittings in order that we could have more time for questions.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (30 Sep 2020)

Róisín Shortall: That was what was requested. It is important to clarify that.

Roadmap for Living with Covid-19: Statements (1 Oct 2020)

Róisín Shortall: At the outset I commend Deputy Lahart on an excellent, thought-provoking and challenging contribution. It was really good and very moving. There was so much in it and I hope his Government colleagues were listening because there are major issues about loss in many different ways, the real fear that that will engender anger and the absolute need for people to be given hope. I want to thank...

Winter Plan 2020: Statements (1 Oct 2020)

Róisín Shortall: There is no doubting that the headline figure for the winter plan, €600 million, is very substantial and dwarfs any amount set aside in previous winter plans. It requires and deserves further scrutiny, however. The small print indicates that only one-third of the amount is to be spent in the current year and potentially two-thirds - the funding has not been secured yet - will require...