Results 26,601-26,620 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: In a report published last December, HIQA identified serious patient safety concerns over the lack of coordination between Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) and the National Ambulance Service (NAS). Following discussions, the HSE and Dublin City Council have agreed in principle to address the identified weaknesses, through the provision of a single point of contact for all emergency calls in Dublin....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy may wish to note that I am obliged to prepare and lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas an annual report on the terminations of pregnancy that have taken place in accordance with the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act by 30 June this year. I will not be releasing any information on the operation of the Act before then. I am not aware of any inquiries or investigations...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Mortality Rates (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The first annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System (NHQRS) was published on 5 March 2015. This is the first time that the Department of Health has published a report that focuses solely on the quality and safety of health services. The selection, analysis and presentation of the indicators in the report used readily available information and were approved by the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Recruitment (12 Mar 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 Services (12 Mar 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: Health Services (12 Mar 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: Air Ambulance Service Provision (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am currently considering the report of the emergency aeromedical support service establishment group, which sets out a number of options to place the EAS on a permanent basis. With regard to the statistical information sought by the Deputy, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Data (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. The Health Insurance Authority, the independent statutory regulator of the private health insurance market in Ireland, provides my Department with information returns on a twice-yearly basis showing the numbers insured with in-patient health insurance plans, in the age categories outlined in the table below. This data is compiled in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for two categories of eligibility for all persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility or limited eligibility for health services. Persons with full eligibility (medical card holders) are entitled to a range of services including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance (12 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The White Paper on Universal Health Insurance, which was published on 2 April 2014, outlines the UHI model for Ireland. Under UHI, everyone will be insured for a standard package of health services and will have their choice of health insurer from a mix of private health insurers and a publicly owned health insurer. In paving the way for UHI, it is important that we lay a solid foundation...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am presenting the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2015 to the House as an emergency measure on foot of a judgment yesterday by the Court of Appeal on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. I am grateful for the support received from my colleagues in the Dáil yesterday in bringing the legislation to this stage. I also express my appreciation to this House for agreeing to deal with the Bill at...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Or historic.

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senators for their contributions to the debate and their support for this important legislation. On the broader issue of drugs policy, I would not like the impression to go out that this issue has in some way been deprioritised by the Government. That certainly is not the case. In 2015, for the first time in several years, there has been no further cut to the budgets of local drugs...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultants Recruitment (11 Mar 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: Legislative Process (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: This information is being compiled in my Department and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Legal Cases (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The query raised by the Deputy is a matter for the HSE. Accordingly, I have asked the HSE to collate this information and respond directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Prices (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Lifetime Community Rating (LCR) is being introduced to encourage people to take out private health insurance at a younger age. Encouraging more people to join the market at younger ages helps spread the costs of older and less healthy people across the market, helping to support affordable premiums for all. Private health insurance is optional. There is a nine month grace period, which...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Risk Equalisation Scheme (11 Mar 2015)

Leo Varadkar: No subsidy or state expenditure occurs under the Risk Equalisation Scheme. The Scheme is designed to be Exchequer-neutral, and is neither a cost nor a benefit to the State. The Stamp Duty Consolidation Act provides for the collection of the community rating levy by the Revenue Commissioners from insurers in respect of all policies written. The Health Insurance Acts provide for all of...