Results 24,261-24,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is well aware that I do not have the authority to hire, fire, promote or demote staff. I know there is an election coming but standing up in the Dáil Chamber and asking me to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy seems to do so quite regularly none the less.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There clearly is an election coming given the Deputy is standing up-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Along with other acute hospitals, University Hospital Waterford has prepared a capacity plan to help address the expected increased demand for services this winter. Measures include opening additional beds as required, managing patient flow, appropriate discharges, internal surge capacity both in terms of beds and staff and prioritising diagnostics for inpatients to facilitate earlier...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Like all emergency departments or certainly all major emergency departments, the emergency department at University Hospital Waterford experiences overcrowding and this has increased this year. Nobody is denying that. It is worth pointing out that of all the major city hospitals, Waterford performs the best in terms of overcrowding. There are eight people on trolleys in the hospital this...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure that in health there will ever be enough money to do everything one would like to do, but we have a very substantial budget and there should be enough to maintain the existing level of service and improve it in some instances. To clarify, the €600 million Supplementary Estimate this year does not fill a hole. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and I sought...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There is the additional €280 million and the €125 million in savings. In the budget proposal from the party opposite, it proposed an additional €380 million for health but did not make any provision for the Lansdowne Road agreement. Assuming the party opposite does not intend to renege on that, it is providing €280 million, which is pretty much the same as we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Almost entirely, the one-off income requirements are provided for. If the Deputy wishes to add €270 million to the €600 million and to the €280 million he can. We actually managed to have the one-off payments resolved this year. If one adds up the figures, they amount to more than €1 million. Elective surgery is cancelled more frequently than we would wish, but...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Why would the Deputy's party provide an inadequate amount for health? The Deputy is accusing the Government of doing pretty much exactly what his party put in its own pre-budget submission.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Since my appointment as Minister for Health, I have sought to put in place a realistic budget for health and social care. Improved budgetary parameters reflecting the growing strength of the economy have enabled me to secure additional funds for health and social care in 2015 and 2016. The gross current Estimate for the health sector for 2016 is €13.175 billion, an increase of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that University Hospital Waterford has experienced staffing and recruitment difficulties in the Dermatology Department. However, I can assure the Deputy that the HSE and the South/South West Hospital Group is committed to restoring the dermatology service as soon as possible to full operation. There are three approved consultant dermatologist posts in University Hospital...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of and have been monitoring the situation in relation to the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. The HPV vaccine protects women from developing cervical cancer. The vaccine is available free of charge from the HSE for all girls in 1st year of secondary school. This is in accordance with the recommendation received from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee. In Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Data (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have been advised by the HSE that 27 patients from west and north Clare are currently receiving dialysis under the care of University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway. Of these patients, 21 are receiving their treatment in Limerick, and the majority are aged between 35 and 50 years. The remaining 6 patients are receiving dialysis care in Galway, and they are between 30 and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In January, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient and day case treatment and outpatient appointments of 18 months by 30 June and 15 months by year end. In June, the HSE reported a performance against the 18 month maximum waiting time of 99.6% for in-patient/day cases and 92% for out-patients. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The UL Hospitals Group is currently performing much better than other regions or hospital groups in managing wait times. Plans are in place to ensure that by year end, all appointments offered will be within the maximum permissible waiting times. The Group has developed a comprehensive plan to manage the expected increase in ED presentations over the coming months. Key measures include: -...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Air Ambulance Service Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Following a Government decision last July, the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service has been established on a permanent basis. This very valuable service ensures that seriously ill or injured people in more remote areas have timely access to appropriate high quality clinical care. The service is targeted mainly at western counties, where the road network may not allow for timely transport...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of and have been monitoring the situation in relation to the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. The HPV vaccine protects women from developing cervical cancer when they are adults. The vaccine is available free of charge from the HSE for all girls in 1st year of secondary school. This is in accordance with the recommendation received from the National Immunisation Advisory...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Improving timely access to care is a key priority for the Government. In January, I put in place maximum permissible waiting times for inpatient 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 €51m to ensure that these maximum waiting times are achieved. The funding provided is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE has advised that Beaumont Hospital has appointed a design team, incorporating architects and healthcare planners, to undertake a feasibility study on the location, size and cost of building a new Emergency Department at the hospital. This is currently at stakeholder consultation phase, with a number of proposals being considered and the report is expected to be available in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (22 Oct 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.