Results 16,721-16,740 of 21,514 for speaker:Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: HIV Incidence in Ireland: Discussion (1 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I join the Chairman in welcoming the delegates whom I thank for preparing and making their presentations to us on World Aids Day. I will have to leave the meeting and may not be able to await their responses. However, Deputy Sandra McLellan will brief me afterwards. I have another engagement, but I wanted to be here for the presentations especially. Mr. Mulligan talked about the figures...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: As I indicated on Second Stage, I will not be opposing the passage of the Bill. I have to accept it in the context of the reality in the provision of healthcare and its funding. I am a strong opponent of private health insurance and I object to it on principle. At its core, it is immoral that people can buy access to healthcare on the basis of the strength of their income stream or net...

Rent Certainty and Prevention of Homelessness Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Fr. Peter McVerry, well known to all of us in this House as a Trojan campaigner for the homeless, said yesterday on RTE’s "Morning Ireland" that homelessness is even worse today than this time last year. He said:The situation is much worse than last year. 270 beds were opened and within four weeks they were full and the numbers sleeping on the streets were beginning to climb again......

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: 2. To ask the Minister for Health while acknowledging the findings of the European Medical Agency in regard to the Gardasil vaccine, if he will acknowledge that there are many young women who are extremely ill and suffering from symptoms such as complex regional pain syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome but who are not eligible for any State support; if he is aware that some...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I seek advice regarding the Minister's intention to address the dreadful circumstances that a not insignificant cohort of young women, and their families, face, consequent, they believe, on the Gardasil vaccination at school.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The Minister's reply will offer no comfort to the 130 families associated with the campaign group, REGRET. The Health Products Regulatory Authority has received 919 reports of adverse reactions and events associated with the use of Gardasil in Ireland. This could affect many more than the 130 families we know about, given that the condition can present by degrees. The 130 girls are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: What I would like to see of course is a situation where everyone would be entitled. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The Minister has made the exception in respect of some specific areas of need, in particular children with cancer symptoms, only in the very relatively recent past. We are not only looking at the 130 young women of whom we know - there are possibly many more - but also...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: We have to take on board the facts they outline. I am appealing to the Minister. The representatives of Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma, REGRET, will be before the health committee later today. What would the Minister say to them if he were, as I am, a member of the health committee?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: 5. To ask the Minister for Health given the decision by members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation to initiate industrial action on 15 December 2015, the steps he is taking to address the real crisis across our hospital network, specifically through the recruitment of additional staff, including consultants, nurses and midwives, and the provision of additional bed capacity through...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am mindful of the decision of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, membership to initiate industrial action later this month. I want to establish what steps the Minister is taking to address the real crisis in our hospital network. It presents in particular in the context of accident and emergency departments but is not confined to those units in terms of staff recruitment,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Whatever about the proposed action of the INMO, the crisis continues and is likely to continue until such time as we properly resource our acute hospital network. I refer to the Supplementary Estimate the Minister is bringing forward and which, I understand, will be brought before the Joint Committee on Health and Children in the coming week. Has the Minister built into that Supplementary...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: In terms of the Supplementary Estimate, could the Minister indicate the breakdown in terms of how the overspend will be addressed, as he would regard it, up to this point in 2015, and the additional moneys he has secured? I presume that is the case in order to address the deficiencies, in terms of resourcing, in the numbers of consultants doctors, nurses, midwives and other professional...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: What about engagement with the INMO?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I asked the Minister whether he had any expectation the INMO decision regarding 15 December would be revisited.

Other Questions: General Medical Services Scheme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: 8. To ask the Minister for Health if he acknowledges the level of uncertainty and the lack of clarity pertaining to the practice of general practitioners charging medical card holders for blood tests; if he is aware that General Medical Service patients are being charged, despite the fact that under the Health Act 1970, it is stated a general practitioner may not charge the patient if the...

Other Questions: General Medical Services Scheme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I seek to establish the level of the Minister of State's awareness of the uncertainty and the lack of clarity surrounding general practitioners charging medical card holders for blood tests. What steps are being taken to eliminate the ambiguity in this matter?

Other Questions: General Medical Services Scheme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I concur and believe it is quite clear and specific under the Health Act 1970, as amended, that GPs should not be charging general medical scheme card holders for blood tests. However, the evidence is not just anecdotal that we know that this is happening. This notification is now appearing-----

Other Questions: General Medical Services Scheme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ----in general practices-----

Other Questions: General Medical Services Scheme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: -----that reads very clearly, "Important notification". I will read it. It states that from 1 January 2016-----

Other Questions: General Medical Services Scheme (3 Dec 2015)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I beg your pardon. I am reading it.