Results 27,761-27,780 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I received no such advice.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: Will the Deputy clarify what he would like me to address?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: First, I am absolutely determined to get moving on these hospitals. A great deal of work has been done and I am bringing a memorandum to Government on it. I entirely share the Deputy's determination that we get these hospitals-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I will present the memorandum tomorrow. The position the Deputy has laid out is one of the core discussions. The very strong recommendation from the Sláintecare programme office and the team that has done the work is that these hospitals should be day case facilities. There is a contrary, and very reasonable, view being expressed by some in the clinical community that they should...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: The most important thing is that we get moving and stop talking about what may happen in the future. I think we are both agreed on that. Do we need more operating theatres, outpatient facilities and day case facilities? Yes, we do. The question the Deputy is asking is whether, as well as that, we need more inpatient beds. The answer is that we certainly do, and they must be provided....
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I want to be clear that I absolutely have not said anything like that. I would not like what I am saying to be misrepresented. I am saying we need more operating theatres, outpatient facilities and day case facilities and, on the Deputy's point, we certainly need more inpatient beds. We are completely aligned on that. The only question is where one puts those inpatient beds. Should they...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: Yes, it is. The stark reality we are faced with right now is that we have a huge number of men, women and children waiting for care. What I want, and I am sure we all agreed on this, is a single-tier public health system that can handle capacity for the entire country. While we are building that capacity up, we will have to use all the capacity we have on the island in the best way...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: Chairman, can I come back briefly on that, as an important statement has been made? I understand that we all have to come in here and do what we have to do but I want to be clear about how important universal care is, and we are all agreed that it is important. It is one of the most important projects in our Republic.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: When the Deputy says he cannot see any progress-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: Can I respond? What the Deputy said was that he does not see the progress. I reiterate this for people who are watching because I would hate people to think there is no progress on one of the most important projects in our republic. This year, we will have added more beds to the public system than any year on record. This year, we will have hired more people into the public system than...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for genuinely acknowledging that the changes we are making are exactly to that end. I am appointing the head of the Department and the head of the HSE to this role. They report to me and I will report in to the Cabinet, so this is being managed at the most senior level, with clear lines of direction and accountability on that. With regard to the regional health...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I agree with what the Secretary General has just said. His analysis feels right to me.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I understand that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: The Secretary General has just given a detailed one. I would agree with that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I understand that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I can repeat what Mr. Watt said if the Deputy likes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for the question. We are talking about two different sets. One was an advisory group and the other is an implementation group. SIAC, the Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council, had a three-year term and was due to finish up on 24 October. This group did not report into me but reported into the director of Sláintecare and I was not aware of any further...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I am answering the questions.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)
Stephen Donnelly: I have the same view. I think ultimately, as Mr. Watt has said, Ms Magahy was frustrated. I think probably the structure of the Sláintecare team needed to be changed and that is exactly what we are doing. As to why Professor Keane resigned, he referenced a resistance to change. As the Deputy will be aware, in his letter to the council that he chaired, he felt the environment was such...