Results 25,521-25,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (16 Jun 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: Ambulance Service Staff (16 Jun 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 Services (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the particular patient query raised, 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 (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In order to comply with the commitment which I announced in January, of a maximum permissible waiting time of 18 months by the end of June and 15 months by year end, the HSE has put in place specific measures to address waiting lists more efficiently. This will be done in collaboration with acute hospitals, the Special Delivery Unit and the National Treatment Purchase Fund. The HSE, in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: International Agreements (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a comprehensive free trade and investment treaty currently being negotiated between the European Union and the USA. The negotiations cover three main areas: Market access; Cooperation between the EU and US regulators; and Trade Rules. Objectives of the agreement include promoting closer collaboration between regulatory...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital Status (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is the statutory body responsible for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital. The new hospital, as you are aware, will be co-located with St James's Hospital, and ultimately tri-located with a maternity hospital to be developed on campus. In addition to the main hospital, the project includes two satellite...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staffing (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 605 together. 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: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed below. Length of time on Career Break Number of people 0-6 months 0 6-12 months 1 1-2 years 2 2-3 years 0 4-5 years 1 5+ years 0

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The details sought by the Deputy are set out in the table. I will advise the Deputy separately if any such payments were made during 2015. It is the policy of the Department to keep costs in relation to the use of photographers to a minimum. Photographers are usually booked through the Press and Communications Office. From time to time individual units may incur other photography costs....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Consultancy Contracts Data (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Press and Communications Office of the Department liaises with the media on behalf of the Department and does not use the services of public relations companies. The Department has not spent any money on public relations consultants between July 2014 and December 2014. I will revert to the Deputy should there have been any such expenditure during 2015. It is the policy in my...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 609 and 612 together. My Department operates a shared ICT service which, in addition to supporting the business of the Department of Health also provides IT support for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. While my Department does engage external contractors for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Parliamentary Questions (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 610 and 611 together. The Department receives around 8,000 parliamentary questions annually, it processes more than any other Department. The Department commits considerable ongoing attention and effort to the efficient discharge of responsibilities in this important area. The Parliamentary Affairs Unit ensures that the information requirements of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Appointments to State Boards (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The nomination and appointment process for boards of bodies under the aegis of the Department of Health is set out in legislation. In line with Government Decision S180/20/10/1617 of 2014, relating to the advertising for expressions of interest in vacancies on State Boards, and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidelines, my Department in conjunction with the new Public...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Food Safety Standards Regulation (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Food legislation is harmonised throughout Europe and Member States may not adopt national measures which prohibit, impede or restrict the free movement of goods which comply with EU legislation. Because high caffeine drinks are not recommended for certain population groups, specific EU labelling requirements apply for beverages exceeding 150 mg/l. of caffeine. The labelling must specify...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Freedom of Information Requests (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the table below. - 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Received* 214 192 169 340 239 223 153 Granted 54 71 44 67 54 34 26 Part-Granted 53 38 68 171 93 81 34 Refused 43 29 12 55 32 32 21 Internally Reviewed 11 8 5 8 10 3 4 Affirmed 3 5 2 5 6 1 0 Varied 7 2 1 1 3 2 4 Annulled 1 1 2 2 1 0 0 Appealed to the Office of the Information...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Process (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 619 and 623 together. Twelve Bills initiated in my Department have been published since September 2013. Information sought by the Deputy on those Bills is set out in the table below. In regard to pre-legislative scrutiny, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children held hearings on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill in March to April 2015. The Health...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested is detailed in the following table: Year Subsistence €000 Taxi €000 2011 75 17 2012 138 22 2013 148 30 2014 94 19The information in respect of 2015 is currently being collated and will be provided to the Deputy when it is available. My Department was audited by the Revenue Commissioners for the period from 1 January 2012 to 5 September 2014 in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Reports (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: It is the policy in my Department only to engage the services of external consultants where it is felt to be appropriate and cost-effective, taking account of Government decisions and policy on the matter. The information requested by the Deputy is presented in the following table for the period March 2011 to June 2014, as set out in my reply of and is as per my reply to the Deputy of July...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Charges (16 Jun 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff Recruitment (16 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. In relation to the...