Results 23,821-23,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Charges (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 440 together. The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to  public in-patient hospital services including consultant services and to public out-patient hospital services. As provided for by the Health (In-Patient Charges) Regulations (S.I. No. 543 of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 449 together. At the outset I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the family involved in this case. The Deputy will appreciate that I have a limited role in individual cases and do not have access to individual patient files or personal information. I am informed that the HSE and the Coombe Hospital have been in contact with this...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 specifically precludes me from directing the HSE to prioritise a treatment for any individual. In these circumstances, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot intervene on the lines suggested. I should also draw the Deputy's attention to the National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. 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 matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Care Professionals (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Psychotherapists and counsellors are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. However, the Act provides that the Minister for Health may, by regulation, designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met. In...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is clear that long waiting times for scoliosis surgery both in Crumlin and in Galway are unacceptable. As Minister for Health, I am determined that these waiting times are to be addressed as a priority, with the focus on additional resources and capacity. Scoliosis in children and young people is predominantly managed at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, 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: Hospital Waiting Lists (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) is responsible for the collection, collation and publication of Inpatient and Day Case waiting lists. Waiting list information is published on the NTPF website at the end of each month. The information is presented in different report formats, i.e. by National/Trend, by Hospital/Group, and by Specialty. The most recent Inpatient/Day Case waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Alcohol Advertising (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland has a significant alcohol problem which needs decisive and innovative action to address it. A broad range of complementary measures is required to successfully reduce consumption of and the harms associated with alcohol misuse especially amongst young people. The Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012contains recommendations which take a multi-pronged...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Health I consider meeting any organisation in the health area that requests to do so. However due to scheduling commitments and other diary events such as Cabinet and Dáil business I am not always available to meet all who request a meeting. In Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the regulatory authority for medicines in Ireland. There are 2...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Last year I announced the extension of BreastCheck, the free breast screening service, to women aged 65-69 years, in keeping with EU Guidelines. Previously, this service was available to women aged 50-64 years. I am pleased to confirm that the first invitations to the extended age range have issued and that the screening of 500 women in this cohort will take place this year. Earlier this...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Last December I convened the ED Taskforce to assist in dealing with the challenges presented by ED overcrowding and significant progress has been made to date. Additional funding of €117m has been provided in 2015 to relieve pressures on acute hospitals including reducing delayed discharges, lowering the waiting time for Fair Deal funding and providing additional transitional care...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Improving waiting times for scheduled care for patients is a key priority for the Government. In January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end. The HSE was provided with additional funding of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 473, 474 and 475 together. The safety of service users is of paramount importance and steps need to be taken to anticipate and avoid things going wrong and to reduce the impact if they do. All employees including medical staff are required to disclose and report incidents in line with the HSE's Safety Incident Management Policy. Creating a culture of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, 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: Abortion Legislation (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution states that: 'The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.' Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Attorney...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Legal Cases Data (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested regarding the number of legal cases ongoing or which took place from 2011-2014 and associated costs is not immediately available and will be collated and forwarded to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity. Details of legal cases taken by or against other bodies under the aegis of the Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff Data (1 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: One employee in my Department is on a contract of indefinite duration and is on an incremental pay scale. I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on the aspect of the question that relates to their employees. In relation to Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of my Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated.

Rent Certainty and Prevention of Homelessness Bill 2015: First Stage (26 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: No.