Results 25,781-25,800 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (7 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Two thirds of Covid patients are under 45.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: That is an important message. There is genuine concern in Ireland right now. We are all aware of it. We are all talking to our constituents, families and friends and there is real concern. New measures have just been announced by an Taoiseach for the coming weeks. People are hearing about initial reports and are listening to initial reports and views on the Omicron variant, and they are,...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: If we support the public health advice, let us do that. There are some false claims being put around this evening, like the claim that the rise in transmission in young children is because of a lack of contact tracing in schools. That simply is not the case. The rise in cases in children has followed the rise in cases in the population.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Deputy Ward seemed to be deeply critical of everything the Government is doing on Covid but then he shared with the House that he is doubly vaccinated and got his booster last week. Clearly, we are not doing everything wrong.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I have heard Deputies and I am going to try to step up the engagement. I ask my colleagues in opposition, if they are willing - I know some will not be - to try to go with us on this right now-----

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: -----because the public needs to hear a very clear message from all of us in the Oireachtas. We have an important role to play right now. The country is in a tough spot and people are worried.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I have heard colleagues. We will meet and let us talk about how we can increase engagement. There is a lot of engagement but I have heard colleagues clearly on that matter. However, I have a request of them too. Let us try, for the next few weeks, to work as closely together as we can-----

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: -----to make sure a very clear message goes out to the public on what we can all do and what will work to push this virus back and protect people, families and our healthcare workers.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputies for their contributions this evening. I acknowledge the broad support for an approach in Ireland which is led by public health and by evidence. I acknowledge the broad support for vaccines, the broad support in the House for boosters, the broad support in the House for testing, both for PCR testing and for antigen testing, and the broad support for an approach to...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Hear, hear.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I move: "That the Bill be now read a second time". I welcome the opportunity to present the Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2021 to the House. The purpose of this Bill is to extend the period of application of certain emergency provisions that have been key to the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The emergency provisions that are to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Many staff were redeployed into primary and acute care. Some went back into retirement. An amazing number of people had come out of retirement. Students went back to college. In recent weeks, the HSE has been successfully asking people to come back and has been deploying, where possible, from acute settings. However, the acute settings are under severe pressure and one of the areas we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will caveat my response. I do not think anybody expected to get to Question No. 117, so the note I have does not include everything I would like. I will therefore go from memory, so if some of these figures are off, I apologise ahead of time. Between boosters and third doses for the immunocompromised, approximately 900,000 vaccines have been administered at this stage. The highest...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will respond first to the Deputy's second point, which was what the level of demand is like. As the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was just saying to me, the demand in the nursing homes has been huge. There has been no drop-off. We saw over the weekend very long queues. Obviously, we do not want anyone waiting many hours for a booster, particularly in the winter, but it is at least...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I might come back on the supplementary-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Perhaps I will just finish up on this, Acting Chairman.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I assure the Deputy that no one is proposing anything that would be described as a part-time hospital. He might elaborate on what he means so I can address concerns, if he has them, but I assure him that there is-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I assure the Deputy that no one is proposing a part-time hospital. To answer his exact question on when we will be able to announce where the hospital will be built, with details on its configuration, the number of operating theatres, the number of patients we hope to see, the timelines and so forth, I would like nothing more than to come to the Chamber and, indeed, meet representatives from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (3 Dec 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I wholeheartedly agree with Deputy Cullinane. There needs to be engagement with the health committee and elected representatives from the regions. To answer his question, these will be regional elective hospitals that will not just serve Cork city, County Cork or Galway city. They will be incredibly useful. I suggest to both Deputies that elected representatives from the regions and...