Results 27,261-27,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (27 Jan 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 Appointments Administration (27 Jan 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 would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Infectious Disease Screening Service (27 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for attention and 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: Community First Responders Network (27 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Last Thursday 21 January I was delighted to be able to launch the CFR Network. It is rare that pre hospital care in Ireland is recognised for the hard work that goes into it. So it was great to be part of such a positive development. However 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disease Incidence (27 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I wish to thank the Deputy for the question raised. As there are 2 investigations ongoing into this case, I am not in a position to discuss service delivery issues at this time. It is expected that the investigations will be completed at the end of the first quarter and further disclosure may then be available.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Correspondence (27 Jan 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 (22 Jan 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 Staff (22 Jan 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: Hospitals Capital Programme (22 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Your question in relation to capital expenditure on community hospitals in Cork South West and Bantry General Hospital between 2011 and 2014 inclusive has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply as the delivery of the health care infrastructure is a service matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staffing (22 Jan 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 Waiting Lists (22 Jan 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 would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, as this is a service...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (22 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Health’s policy on smoking is to promote and subsequently move toward a tobacco free society. Ireland’s current policy document,Tobacco Free Ireland, sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free (i.e. with a prevalence rate of less than 5%) by 2025. Smoking cessation is a key goal if we are to meet that target. The appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (22 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (22 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014,has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has...

Other Questions: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I would point out that 4,000 nurses have not resigned. Rather, the number of nursing posts has been reduced, which is not quite the same thing. Between 2008 and 2013, the number of nursing posts reduced by approximately 5,000 but this is offset in large part by the fact that nurses work additional hours under the Haddington Road agreement and also by the graduate nursing programme....

Other Questions: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am sure the Deputy is not accusing the media or the people who write the headlines of lies.

Other Questions: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: No, I am not: I am disputing the Deputy's understanding of them. It may well be the case that 11,000 nurses have left the service in the past five years but it is also the case that 6,000 nurses have come into the system. As such, the net reduction in nurses is approximately 5,000 but this has further reduced to 4,500 because the number of nurses increased in 2014. As I said, this is...

Other Questions: Accident and Emergency Department Waiting Times (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Government regards trolley waits of over nine hours as unacceptable. I acknowledge the difficulties the current surge in emergency department activity is causing for patients, their families and the staff who are doing their utmost to provide safe, quality care in what are very challenging circumstances. All hospitals have escalation plans to manage not only patient flow but also...

Other Questions: HSE Expenditure (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I wish once again to convey my sympathies to the family of the woman at the centre of this case. As the House will know, this case concerned a woman who was brain dead, pregnant and on life support for a number of weeks in a hospital in the State. An application was brought to the High Court by the woman’s family to withdraw somatic life support. Clinicians decided not to do so...

Other Questions: HSE Expenditure (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Nobody is trying to gag Deputy Coppinger. With the greatest of respect, I do not believe she is the kind of person who would or could be gagged. She need have no fear about that. An issue of privacy and decency arises and the family has asked for privacy and for its confidentiality to be respected. We should endeavour to do that to the greatest extent possible. All of this was heard...