Results 17,121-17,140 of 26,766 for speaker:David Cullinane

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: There are 380 staff carrying out swabbing. Laboratories might be more difficult because some of that work is done is hospitals as we know. I understand there are two industrial laboratories involved. How many staff are involved in testing, either in hospitals or in industrial laboratories, and how much laboratory space is being used? Approximate figures will suffice.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: I am looking for the numbers.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: The living with the virus plan refers to recruiting 500 staff. Mr. Reid indicated 380 staff are currently involved in swabbing and, as such, 500 is a substantial additional number which will be welcome. Where are we with that number? What work are we talking about? Does the figure of 500 refer to swabbing only or is will these staff do other work? Is it for staff in the laboratories?...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: I have that information. I am tight on time so can I get the numbers first? If 700 swabbers will be recruited, what will the baseline of swabbing personnel be once the HSE has recruited those 700 staff? How quickly does Mr. Reid anticipate that those 700 will come on stream?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: Basically, Ms O'Beirne is saying that from a swabbing perspective, we will move from a figure of 300 to 1,000. Is that correct?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: The living with the virus plan mentions numbers of 700 new staff for swabbing and 500 contact tracers. However, it does not give any benchmark or targets for turnaround times or how many tests should be carried out per week. Surely even for scrutiny purposes and also just to have a strategy, there should be a target of how many tests or, at least, what capacity we should have. The target...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: I do not want to be rude but, with respect, I have ten minutes. The question I asked was not what was happening in other countries. It was why there is no target in the plan for turnaround times. I know there might be an aspirational target of 24 hours. There is no target with regard to how many tests should be carried out per week. I am asking why that is the case. I have a number of...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: However, the Minister for Health said that was not enough.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: I want to ask a number of questions about turnaround times so I will conclude on this by saying it would be more helpful if we had targets. As I said, the Minister has said he has requested an options paper. I am not sure about the status of it, what work has been done or when it will be presented to him, the Government or Cabinet. It would be very helpful if we had a target turnaround...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: As such the median end-to-end turnaround time for a positive result is 2.9 or three days. Is that fair?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: Does that include contact tracing? If contact tracing was included as well, would that increase the turnaround time?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: What is the median end-to-end turnaround time from referral to contact tracing being complete?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Update on Testing and Tracing and Rising Incidence in the State (29 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: That falls short of a lot of the targets we set in our document. That is my point: we need to get better and we need to get sharper. I welcome the fact that there will be additional staff but we need much more robust targets and to get much better at this. I want to put one final question to Mr. Reid about staffing. I am looking at the Be On call for Ireland pool. I have been contacted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 205. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps that can be taken regarding health and safety concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27524/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 211. To ask the Minister for Health the number of vacancies across the health service by CHO, hospital group and hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27360/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 215. To ask the Minister for Health the occupational and regional breakdowns and associated costs of the 2,760 staff for 2020 and the 7,500 recruitment target for quarter 1 of 2021 outlined in the winter plan 2020-21; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27407/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Information and Communications Technology (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 223. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the HSE does not have a single integrated finance and procurement information technology system; his plans for ensuring a system will be put in place; if an integrated system will be expedited due to the failings the current system is causing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27462/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 226. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons in the Be on Call for Ireland pool; the number who have been assigned or placed in services; the number of staff hired through Be on Call for Ireland with HSE contracts; the number with agency or temporary contracts; the reason staff are being hired as agency or temporary staff when there is a demonstrated need for them to be employed...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 227. To ask the Minister for Health if he will advise on an item of correspondence (details supplied); the steps that he or his Ministerial colleagues are taking to ensure compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27486/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Sep 2020)

David Cullinane: 228. To ask the Minister for Health the reason some community testers and contact tracers and those offered jobs through Be on Call for Ireland and other recruitment pathways to join the health service are only being offered temporary employment through agencies and are not being employed directly by the HSE or his Department; if this is congruent with the objective of employing a dedicated...