Results 27,361-27,380 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together. The new children's hospital will be co-located with St James's Hospital, and ultimately tri-located with a maternity hospital to be developed on campus. The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is the statutory body responsible for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital. Since the decision...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Incidence (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: Definitive data on the consequences from Chernobyl on the incidence of cancer in Ireland is not available. The National Cancer Registry (NCR) publishes data in cancer incidence, treatment and survival in Ireland. This data can be accessed on the NCR website (). Responsibility for radiological protection in general rests with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Surgical Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme commenced on 10 November 2014. Applications are being assessed by former High Court Judge Maureen Harding Clark. The Scheme has in the region of €34 million available and participants will receive awards at three levels - €50,000, €100,000 and €150,000. The Scheme was designed to be simple, straightforward and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (21 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The influenza vaccine constitution for the 2014-15 for all countries in the Northern Hemisphere was advised by the World Health Organisation in February 2014 and the HSE tendered for and acquired vaccines to contain these three viruses: - an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus; - an A/Texas/50/2012 (H3N2)-like virus; - a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like virus. In mid to late December,...

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan 2015: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senators for a very interesting and informed debate over the past few hours. Before I go into my substantive response, one or two individual cases were raised. Senators will appreciate that I do not have any patients' charts on my desk and it would not be right for me to comment on individual cases but perhaps those cases were raised more to illustrate a point than to seek a...

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan 2015: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: What we need are targets that are based on patient outcomes. We need to do proper a clinical audit as to what happens to the patient, not when the vehicle arrives, and that is now being done. Dublin fire brigade already does a clinical audit and for the first time the national ambulance service will start doing a clinical audit this year and that will give us patient relevant information,...

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan 2015: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There are quite a lot in mental health and that is where there is a particular issue because of the possibility of retiring at the age of 55. The latest HSE recruitment campaign for nurses received 3,700 applicants and that is the number currently being processed, and future recruitment drives are being planned to encourage nurses to return to Ireland. The number of nurses employed fell by...

Seanad: HSE National Service Plan 2015: Statements (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am pleased to address Members of the Seanad on the HSE's National Service Plan 2015. I know that Members may also wish to discuss emergency department overcrowding and influenza. I am happy to update Members on both of these matters also. As the HSE service plan is now in operation, it is time that I update the House on the contents of the plan and my priorities for the health service...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to thank the Senator for raising this important issue. Under the Health Act 1970, as amended, eligibility for health services is based primarily on residency and means. The Senator will be aware of the publication of the report of the expert panel on medical need for medical card eligibility, and the medical card process review in November 2014. A key recommendation of the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I studied this matter a lot last year and I have considered it repeatedly since then. The conclusion I came to - and I still take this view - is that until we have universal health care and everyone is entitled to health care, one will always have anomalies and injustices. There will always be somebody who is just above the threshold and does not meet the assessment criteria. However, we...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: There may not be, but there was in Belgium.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I do not suggest that there is in this case. This is a company that is very aggressive in the way it prices its medicines. The door is never closed to a new medicine. The company can present new evidence, a better price, or both. I call on the Seanad to stand behind the taxpayer in the interests of patients as a whole and support the HSE national drugs committee in its efforts to ensure a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I think it may state "now" but it should be "not".

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE national drugs committee and the HSE as a body corporate is always open to pharmaceutical companies to make new applications or revise applications. Members may be interested to know that Alexion as a company has a revenue of €1.15 billion, had profits of €253 million and equity of €2.4 billion. The chief executive officer of the company is paid €12...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Senators for raising this important issue. As Senators will know, I cannot comment on individual cases and I make no decisions on individual patients. There are no patients' charts on my desk so my remarks relate to the issue at hand and not any individual patient. The HSE has statutory responsibility for the decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Health has no proposals to amend the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act or to revisit the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the competent authority for the regulation of medicines in Ireland. Medicinal products can be placed on the market in Ireland only after a marketing authorisation is granted by the HPRA...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (20 Jan 2015)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for 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: Hospital Services (20 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 Expenditure (20 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 Appointment Delays (20 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...