Results 28,621-28,640 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Planning (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Emergency Planning in Ireland is structured around the "Lead Government Department" principle. There are currently 41 emergency types, each with a Lead Government Department (LGD) set out in Annex 'A' to Strategic Emergency Planning Guidance. The Government Department that is responsible for an activity in normal conditions retains that responsibility during a major emergency. When an...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance Provision (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I am committed to a major agenda of health reform, in line with the commitments contained in the Programme for Government and our policy statement, Future Health. I want to push ahead as soon as possible with key reforms in areas such as extending free GP care on a phased basis, improving the management of chronic diseases, implementing key financial reforms including Money Follows the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Prices (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) monitor the factors that contribute to costs on an ongoing basis. The cost of private health insurance is influenced by issues such as the number of persons and the age profile of those holding private health insurance, ongoing medical innovations which can have an impact on the cost of care and the cost of claims. I am determined to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE have advised that there are currently 7.5 WTE consultant posts in Letterkenny being filled by agency (hourly rate of pay) consultants as follows: WTE's No. of posts Posts filled Department 2 Have been filled by Agency Staff since August 2014 Paeds and MAU 0.5 Has been filled since June 2009 Radiology 1 Has been filled since April 2011 Radiology 1 Has been filled since July...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital is a tertiary referral centre and receives referrals from all counties in Ireland for complex orthopaedic care, in addition to the provision of the national surgical bone tumour service. The Hospital has advised that it has experienced an unprecedented increase in demand for in-patient treatment throughout 2014. This is consistent with trends in other...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultants Contract Issues (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The current consultant contract which was negotiated in 2008 provides for the regulation of private practice and includes mechanisms for ensuring compliance by consultants with the permitted ratio of public to private practice. The HSE has advised that appropriate application of the mechanism for monitoring of public:private mix levels by individual consultants takes place at local hospital...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy may wish to note that the Guidance Document to assist health professionals in the implementation of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act identifies clear referral pathways for assessment under Section 9 of the Act. For example, if a GP considers a pregnant woman’s life to be at real and substantial risk from suicide, he/she should refer her urgently to the local...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Expenditure (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In Vote terms the Health Service Executive Vote 39 is showing a net current deficit of €260m against profile at the end of September. However, receipts from the UK which were profiled for November were actually received in September; when this is excluded, a net current deficit of €432m emerges. In income and expenditure terms the HSE is reporting a year to date net...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is currently developing a new National Maternity Strategy in conjunction with the HSE. This Strategy will determine the future model of services to ensure that women have access to safe, high quality maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. As part of the development of the Strategy, it is proposed to review and evaluate current maternity services. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Legislation (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution states that: 'The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.' The interpretation of Article 40.3.3 was considered by the Supreme Court in Attorney General v X (the Xcase...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Symphysiotomy Redress Scheme (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In July this year the Government announced a comprehensive response to the long standing and sensitive issue for around 350 women who have undergone surgical symphysiotomy. The key response is the establishment of an ex-gratia payment scheme, which will cost around €34million. In addition, there is a commitment to the continued provision of medical services, including medical cards...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is continuing to modernise and reconfigure its services to ensure emergency pre-hospital care is delivered in an appropriate and timely manner. A significant reform programme is underway, which will provide a clinically driven, nationally co-ordinated system, supported by improved technology. The National Service Plan 2014 provided additional funding of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As indicated in previous replies, I fully support the proposed extension of the Breastcheck screening programme to the 65-69 year age cohort. The timing of the implementation of this extension of the service will depend on the availability of resources and is being considered in the context of the Estimates process for 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Regulation (EC) 883/2004 deals with the coordination of social security, including health care, for those moving within the European Union. Under its provisions, persons residing in Ireland who are attached to the social security system of another member state, are entitled to receive health care services in Ireland at the cost of that member state provided they are not subject to Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Planning (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 464 together. Emergency Planning in Ireland is structured around the "Lead Government Department" principle. There are currently 41 emergency types, each with a Lead Government Department (LGD) set out in Annex 'A' to Strategic Emergency Planning Guidance. The Government Department that is responsible for an activity in normal conditions retains...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Consent (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: Consent refers to the giving of permission for an intervention or receipt or use of a service. The principle of informed consent in health care practice is set out in the HSE’s National Consent Policy, an extensive body of Irish case law, as well as specific guidelines and regulations for individual health care and social care professionals. The HSE National Consent Policy provides...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Home Accommodation (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 to 339, inclusive, together. All nursing homes are subject to the same core standards and regulations in relation to quality and safety in order to ensure the well-being of their residents. All public nursing homes are currently registered with the Health Information and Quality Authority. However given the age of public facilities (25% are over 100...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Agency Staff Expenditure (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In certain instances it is not possible to fill vacant posts through recruitment and it is necessary, in order to support service delivery, to employ locums as an alternative. In Letterkenny, there are currently 7.5 WTE consultant posts being filled by agency (hourly rate of pay consultants). The costs associated with agency usage are part of a hospital's annual budget. It must be stressed...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Properties (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Appointments to State Boards (30 Sep 2014)

Leo Varadkar: In May 2012, Professor Niall O'Higgins was appointed as chair of the Mid Western Regional Hospital Group, now the University of Limerick Hospitals Group (ULHG). In January and February 2013, a further six members were appointed to the Board. The term of each appointment is three years. The HIQA Tallaght Report recommended that boards should be of a sufficient size (up to a maximum of...