Results 16,861-16,880 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (16 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I was very sorry to learn that the late individual referred to by the Deputy was left exposed for a period of time on the Whitworth ward in Beaumont Hospital and that his dignity was compromised. It is not the standard of care that anyone aspires to. You will appreciate that I receive a large volume of requests to meet individual patients or their families to discuss their cases. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Remuneration (16 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Pursuant to a "Chairmans Note" to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, the Department of Health and the HSE are to consider the issues of pay for student nurses during the fourth year 36 week placement with the nursing unions. This matter is the subject of direct engagement between my Department, the HSE and the nursing unions at present. Separately, the current rates of pay for the placement,...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Compensation (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am taking all Topical Issue matters. I should be getting some sort of allowance.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Compensation (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, who is elsewhere on Government business. Under the Compensation Acts 1941 and 1945, a member of An Garda Síochána maliciously injured on duty can make an application for compensation. It is the responsibility of the Minister...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Compensation (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As I said in my opening remarks, the assessment of each application for compensation is dependent on receipt of reports from the Garda authorities, including the Garda chief medical officer, and on receipt of information from the applicant's legal representatives. On average, both of these parts of the process take up more time than the decision-making process undertaken within the...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this subject and for giving me the opportunity to speak on it in the House. The tertiary referral service for cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery in the south is provided at Cork University Hospital, CUH. This includes extensive interventional cardiology services and a 24-7 cardiac catheterisation laboratory. In 2010, following an €85 million...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know if funding was made available in the past or whether it was spent. If it was made available, I have not been so informed but it may have been some time ago. The recruitment embargo no longer exists and some 4,000 staff were hired in the health service in the past year. We are not back to where we were but we are not far off it. At the rate we are going, we will be there...

Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Dowds for providing me with the opportunity to speak on the subject of rehabilitation services for stroke survivors. The aims of the HSE's national clinical programme for stroke are to improve the quality, access and cost-effectiveness of stroke services in Ireland and I am pleased to report that significant improvements in stroke services have been made, as Deputy Dowds has...

Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I worked for a period of time in care and medicine for the elderly and have a limited knowledge and a particular interest in stroke. The Deputy was in the Chamber for the previous discussion on heart failure which is another area in which we should do a lot more. We know that there are very cost effective interventions in the area...

Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. Decisions on which medicines are licensed for use in Ireland and which are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds by the HSE on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE. The NCPE conducts health technology assessment of pharmaceutical products for the HSE and can make...

Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: On Deputy Maloney's question, I am advised by the NTP that it plans on doing the health technology assessment in the first quarter of 2016, with a view to making a recommendation report in the second quarter. I will ask for that to be expedited, although there are other technologies and drugs in the pipeline also. However, it is important that everyone is treated equally and that no one...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive (HSE) operates a protocol for the disposal of surplus property assets. This protocol sets out three options. 1. Does a State Agency require the property? 2. Open market sale, subject to favourable market conditions. 3. Community/voluntary use will be considered only if points 1 and 2 above do not materialise. Any proposals for the property in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The wide range of requests from the HSE for additional capacity in 2016 was considered as part of the annual estimates process in preparation for the 2016 Service Plan. This included a request for an increase in critical care capacity across a range of hospitals with an estimated full year cost of €15m. The 2016 HSE Service Plan, published on 16th December, includes provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Recruitment (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408, 473 and 474 together. I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on these matters. 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 matters with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Governance (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In 2012, my Department engaged with an expert from the UK NHS (Mark Ogden) to examine the financial management of the Health Service Executive and make recommendations regarding strengthening and improving the management of its finances. The report made a number of recommendations to improve the financial management process within the HSE. Particular reference was made to managing the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Original Estimate As Published in REV €'000 €'000 €'000 €'000 €'000 Dept of Health & HSE (Vote 38 + Vote 39) 13,748,306 13,644,751 13,624,281 12,773,535 12,294,512 Adjust for Child & Family Agency -557,470 -566,710 -563,610 ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, 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: Departmental Projects (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table. The information reflects the current position with delivery of commitments continuing and further planned review of achievements scheduled for early January. No Priority Current Status Priority Area: Healthy Ireland 1 Introduce major Public Health Bills (Alcohol, Standardised Packaging of Tobacco, Licensing of Sale...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Funding (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Admissions (17 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, 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.