Results 1,981-2,000 of 2,283 for speaker:Matt Shanahan

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

Matt Shanahan: I thank our guests for attending this morning. I have used the word "frustration" a number of times at meetings of this committee. I am deeply frustrated today, and I will state why. Doctors differ and patients die. We are talking about tracing and so on when testing is the key. Rapid turnaround testing would do an awful lot to prevent a surge of Covid. I brought antigen tests to NPHET...

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

Matt Shanahan: With respect, we know the delay that will result from PCR testing if we have very high test numbers. A delay is critical; Dr. Henry and I both know that. Why have we not even sought to have antigen testing as an addendum to PCR testing?

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

Matt Shanahan: This is not a personal criticism of Dr. Henry but I believe the perfect is the enemy of the good here. With regard to the point on specificity, antigen test specificity is 90%. I am not sure the rate for PCR is much higher, to be honest. I am not an expert in this area but I certainly know there are other options besides those being pursued by NPHET. I and others in the medical space...

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

Matt Shanahan: I thank Ms O'Beirne. I am rather short on time. This would all be very reassuring but when I go back through the minutes of the committee for more than six weeks, the statements are that we are looking at these. When we will get to a point when we will stop looking and actually implement something? This is what people want to see. This is the frustration that people outside of the public...

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

Matt Shanahan: I thank Mr. Reid and I accept this but in any industry we look at peers and if we look at countries such as Austria, France and Germany and state we should not yet be doing what they are, then something is wrong. I know of two doctors who returned to Ireland and signed up for work as part of Be On Call for Ireland but they will not get an extension to their work contracts. The contracts...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: Can we expedite it?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: The programme for Government outlines that the Government wishes to establish a national medicines agency to set a fair price for drug reimbursement. I can tell the Minister that that process is not working. I am aware of applications for drug reimbursement which would save the State millions but which are not being approved because headline discounts of up to 50% are required. No...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: I reiterate the importance of the aviation sector to Ireland. As the Minister of State probably is aware, Ireland has the world's largest aircraft leasing centre. In addition, particularly in respect of Ryanair, there is the question regarding services into Cork, Shannon and Knock. Will the Minister of State give an update on Waterford Airport's application for funding under the Department...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: 4. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the trials of proposed pre-flight airport testing and airport protocols before entry here; the stage of the process; the position regarding the overall situation in relation to air travel into and out of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25992/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: Our aviation sector is in crisis. I ask the Minister to update the House on the trials of proposed pre-flight airport testing and airport protocols before entry into Ireland, the stage of the process and the position regarding the overall situation in relation to air travel into and out of the country.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: I thank the Minister of State. It is abundantly clear that the aviation sector is in crisis. As has been documented internationally, we have imposed tighter strictures on the level of activity in the sector. We have Brexit coming down the tracks and people will need access to air travel in order to create new connections and to open new markets. I am not sure how widely we have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: 168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the contracts of private bus operators with respect to public service obligation agreements through Bus Éireann; if contracts have been renewed and agreed with operators; if consideration has been given to supporting private operators running private bus services which may have to reduce to 50% capacity; and if she will make...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: I thank the Chair and the witnesses this morning for their candid comments, which are welcome. Dr. Schaffer spoke about the new learnings in nursing homes and how the implementation of new infection protocols and the additional use of PPE were proving very successful. Is that a strategy we can continue to use in the context of nursing homes? Would it give us almost 100% protection against...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: I have a question for all the witnesses. Is the perfect the enemy of the good? We have been speaking about the need for rapid testing and a number of rapid tests are starting to become available. I have given information to NPHET in respect of rapid testing with a basis in antigen testing. There does not seem to be an appetite to implement something where a test could be turned around in...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: Do any of the contributors believe that mandatory mask wearing in all public settings, even on the streets of Dublin, can dampen down the disease for both young and old?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. As a Deputy who sits on the Covid-19 committee I am quite happy to meet NPHET, the Department and the officials next week. We will have a far better chance then to see where the trajectory of this disease is going and we will get the opportunity to ask those questions. Furthermore, if it is not working, we will get the chance to hear the follow-up plan which we...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: The point I was making was purely on a review of the funding for the service and the activity. It was nothing more than that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: I thank the Taoiseach. I ask that the Government and the Taoiseach's own office move the Office of Government Procurement review. We have had a specification and a build tender capable on this project since January of this year and we are now expected to wait another four months while we approve an approval for a total spend of €6 million, while every week we are deferring diagnostic...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: In terms of looking after patients, both general medical and Covid-related, we need to look at the best configurations for their care. I would like to speak briefly about University Hospital Waterford, which is a model 4 hospital in the south east. It provides medical services and acute care services to a population of 520,000 to 615,000, depending on which report one reads. It certainly...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Company Liquidations (22 Sep 2020)

Matt Shanahan: 117. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment his further plans to engage with the liquidators appointed to a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25052/20]