Results 25,381-25,400 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to outline the concerted actions being taken to reduce waiting times, nationally and in University Hospital Waterford. I recognise fully that too many patients are waiting too long for treatments and that this needs to change but reducing wait times is not that simple. If it was simple, it would have been done by now. As the Deputy will be aware, it...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Obviously, operational responsibility for the hospital lies with the hospital management and the South/South West Hospitals Group board. I do not individually manage 50 hospitals. That is not something any health Minister has ever done or could ever do. However, I can discuss the issue in general. I find it hard to get my head around the figures also.

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have them and I find them anomalous.

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: No, I have them. In pointing to the anomalies, the Deputy makes a valid point. I wonder if the major increase we have seen in people waiting in the last couple of months is a reflection of the fact that the numbers were not accurate before rather than anything else.

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy does not understand what I am saying but if he reads back over what he said, he might. It is important that when the Deputy uses the figures, he understands them. There may well be 400,000 people awaiting an appointment of some sort in our health service. Some of those people are waiting a few days or a few weeks. What matters to most people is how long they are waiting not...

Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Staff Recruitment (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Connaughton for raising this issue. Delays in processing nurse registration applications are directly connected to the volume of requests arising from current initiatives to attract and retain nurses. My Department and the Health Service Executive are collaborating in sourcing several solutions to the issues affecting nurse recruitment and retention. The background is...

Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Staff Recruitment (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Additional resources have been provided and consultations are taking place on the matter with stakeholders, including Nursing Homes Ireland. The Deputy makes a valid point about efficiency. While I am not sure precisely how applications are processed, I would be concerned if applications were allowed to mount before being examined one by one. In such circumstances, an application could be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Records (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: My Department uses industry standard email security devices to assess potential threats in incoming and outgoing mail. It operates a shared ICT service which, in addition to supporting the business of the Department of Health also provides IT support to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. A small...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff Data (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed below: Year Number of Staff 2011 0 * 2012 7  2013 8  2014 6  2015 5  * UHI Unit was formally established in 2012 and has responsibility for research and economic support services as well as policy development on universal health insurance.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, 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: Hospital Investigations (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the 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: Hospital Charges (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 2013, S.I. No. 45/2013, the €100 charge made for out-patient services provided at an emergency department or similar location shall not be payable by a person who has a letter of referral from a registered medical practitioner. A person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (24 Jun 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 Services (24 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, 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: Hospital Appointment Status (24 Jun 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 (24 Jun 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: Infant Mortality (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Many people are affected by infant loss and a remembrance day as suggested would be a poignant reminder. However, it is my understanding that remembrance days such as that proposed by Féileacháin, are often organised by the bodies themselves. My Department therefore, unfortunately would not be in a position to proceed with the proposal of organising such an event.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Expenditure (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In its April Performance Report, the latest published data, the HSE is reporting year to date net expenditure of €4.116 billion against profiled net expenditure of €3.980 billion, leading to a variance of €136m. The Report confirms that the key financial risks are in demand-led areas, as well as in the Acute and Social Care areas. Under the HSE’s...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (23 Jun 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: Health Insurance Regulation (23 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Central Bank of Ireland has completed its assessment of VHI's application for authorisation and has agreed to its authorisation in principle, subject to the provision of a capital requirement. VHI is committed to self-funding the required capital and is engaged in the preparatory work to put the capital in place. Once VHI's authorisation is complete, it will be regulated by the Central...