Results 24,321-24,340 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: Each year the HSE prepares for the influenza season by procuring seasonal influenza vaccine which is provided free of charge to all individuals at risk of influenza and complications. Annual seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and the HSE to individuals at risk of severe...

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

Leo Varadkar: ED overcrowding is a key priority issue for the Government. I convened the ED Taskforce in December 2014 to provide focus and momentum in dealing with the challenges this issue presents. The Director General of the HSE is co-chairing the ED Taskforce Implementation Group until March 2016. He has taken this decision in order to ensure that all relevant parts of the health services,...

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

Leo Varadkar: Significant additional resources are being provided to address the current difficulties in acute hospitals and in particular the emergency departments. Additional funding of €74 million was agreed by Government in April this year. This funding was used to increase the number of long term nursing home care places and reduce the waiting time for places, as well as providing additional...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (22 Oct 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 scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (22 Oct 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: Medicinal Products Availability (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 255 together. My Department does not have information on shortages in other markets nor am I aware of any specific shortages relating to adrenaline supply in other European countries. In terms of the North of Ireland, it is a very different market from the Republic’s in that it shares the large UK market for pharmaceuticals. There are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the initiative the Deputy refers to involving the supply by a medication manufacturer of adrenaline auto-injectors to schools in the United States of America is part of a marketing strategy by that company. In relation to the Statutory Instrument which I signed on 15 October 2015, making a number of rescue medicines available for use in emergency situations by lay...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Supply (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I had previously indicated to this House that new provisions in relation to supply of emergency medicines would be forthcoming. There was considerable public interest in this matter and when I signed the new regulations into law last week, I considered an early public announcement was appropriate to ensure that organisations and individuals were aware of this important initiative as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Open Disclosures Policy (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 to 260, inclusive, together. A National Policy on Open Disclosure was developed by the HSE and the State Claims Agency and launched in 2013. The Policy is designed to ensure an open, consistent approach to communicating with patients and their families when things go wrong in the provision of healthcare. It is important that patients and their...

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 together. The HPV vaccine protects girls 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 NIAC which indicated that the HPV vaccine should be offered on an annual basis to all...

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

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific query raised by the Deputy, 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: Nursing Staff Remuneration (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 283 together. Fourth year undergraduate student nurses undertake a 36 week rostered placement as a part of their degree programme. When doing so, they are not qualified nurses and require supervision. The replacement ratio for student nurses replacing staff nurses is 2:1. Student nurses participating in the 4th year rostered clinical placement...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (22 Oct 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 scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disposal of Hazardous Waste (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 274 together. 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: Health Services Access (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. 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: Ambulance Service Response Times (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.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme. There are no plans at present to amend these regulations to include narcolepsy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Difficulties in recruiting nurses is not solely an Irish issue. There is an international nursing shortage. This is being experienced by other English speaking countries including the UK, Australia, and Canada. Our nursing training programmes are internationally recognised, making our nursing graduates very attractive to other countries. Our health service has been through a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Delays (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.

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

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific query raised by the Deputy, 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.