Results 2,941-2,960 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I want to refer to the issue of geographic disparity raised by Deputy Carroll McNeill. I am glad there was an acknowledgement we are short of eight special classes in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown region alone. One of the reasons given was a lack of physical space for these and I want to know if there is any plan to resolve this in respect of the capital programme or temporary buildings....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Will any new spaces be available? With regard to the deficit of eight classes, will any of those be provided this year and is there a plan to bring that down to, say, seven or six in the coming school year?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I want to ask about the reopening of special schools and special classes in comparison with all the other schools. As we know, in March, all schools in the country were shut downen masse, regardless of how many pupils were in a class or what type of distancing was present. I guess this was a blanket approach to dealing with an immediate problem. However, in reopening them, perhaps we can...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I have a question about distance learning. Children are seeking to be taught by teachers over video connections. The representatives of Inclusion Ireland told us earlier that they estimated from their survey that 11% of homes with a child with disabilities did not have equipment such as a laptop or tablet to connect to and receive that education. The total number appears to be...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Special Educational Needs: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (25 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the witnesses.

Emergency Bed Capacity: Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I would like to start with a question about queuing in emergency departments. The acute hospitals emptied during the pandemic. There was a determined effort to make space available in case of a surge, the discharge of patients into long-term residential care was encouraged and funded and meanwhile patients were not admitted because they were not presenting for fear of catching coronavirus....

Emergency Bed Capacity: Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Given the recent history, people in an acute hospital are naturally reluctant to be discharged to long-term residential care. That is now more true than ever. A particular problem arises with discharges. Elderly people are sent back to live with other elderly people. Someone who is cocooning will worry that somebody coming from the hospital may have coronavirus. It has become very...

Emergency Bed Capacity: Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I am talking about the physical constraints in emergency departments where people are too close together or do not have beds or wards while they are waiting to go into the acute hospital. Beyond the physical constraints, however, are the recruitment problems. It is no good having a bed and a ward without staff. In the event of a second wave or another infection or coronavirus, we will need...

Emergency Bed Capacity: Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I would like to ask the Minister about visitors to residential care facilities. Many people have not had a chance to have physical contact with their parents or grandparents since March. They can now see them through a screen but it is not quite the same thing. There is a balance between quality of life and infection control. None of us will live forever. The idea of keeping people...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: My questions today are aimed at whoever of the witnesses feels most qualified to answer. I will start with the differences between outcomes for nursing homes in the public and private sectors. I understand that about 80% of older people are in private nursing homes. Has any analysis been done on the outcomes in terms of infection rate or mortality rate between the public and the private...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: There have been a number of changes to how we are dealing with the nursing homes. These emergency measures include, for example, greater subventions and the use of additional use of PPE, which comes with a cost. Given that we are relying on the private sector and private facilities must, presumably, ensure they earn enough money to be able to pay their staff, is this considered sustainable?...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: If we continue with the existing measures in nursing homes, for example, requiring that visitors do not have physical contact with residents and that all staff are masked and gowned and limiting group activities, it will seriously compromise the quality of life of people who live in nursing homes. Strict infection controls and measures for visitors' use of PPE could be acceptable in acute...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Is it planned to have physical contact between families and guests or visitors and residents?

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Minister. I would like to discuss how it is proposed to monitor the risk of a second wave of infections. There are worrying signs. For example, the schools in Beijing have been closed again. I understand there are 12 states in the United States that have a rising rate of infection. On what basis will the Government decide to roll back on particular measures? For example, is...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Several months ago at the start of this epidemic I asked about sick pay for people who do not have it and the introduction of emergency measures to prevent the virus spreading. If people who traditionally do not have sick pay are forced to go to work, the virus could spread as a result. Emergency measures were brought in by this House. I am receiving telephone calls from constituents who...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I want to ask first about the status of the Covid tracking app. I understand that this app will always be in addition to normal contact tracing, not a replacement, but it could make the tracking effort much more effective. If we are in a situation where we are at risk of future infections or a second wave, it could be very good to have this additional measure in place. Has beta testing...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: The Minister has been asked by a number of Deputies about the reopening of hairdressing services, to which he has said that he will consult NPHET and the latter will come back with recommendations. Ultimately, it is a decision for the Minister and the Cabinet as to how to proceed in this matter. There is no personal benefit for me in asking this question as it is a long time since I had any...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: 592. To ask the Minister for Health the hospitals in which patients have contracted Covid-19 in the hospital setting; the number of cases and the number of deaths per hospital from Covid-19 contracted in the hospital setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10973/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Acquired Infections (16 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: 593. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients who contracted a hospital-acquired infection while being treated for Covid-19 in hospitals here; the hospitals in which infections occurred; and number of hospital-acquired infections. [10974/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: 612. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which private hospital capacity is being used in County Limerick to relieve pressure on University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8844/20]