Results 30,421-30,440 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last sixteen months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack. While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in the first quarter of 2021, and the resultant...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The development of new Primary Care Centres (PCCs) is a key component of the efforts to enhance community care, and to deliver care in a location at, or as near as possible to an individual’s home, where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so.  The most recent update available to the Department from the HSE indicates that there are currently 142 operational PCCs...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I can confirm that I have not met with the Independent Scientific Advisory Group. As the Deputy will be aware, the COVID-19 NPHET actively monitors the epidemiological situation and provides advice to Government in relation to the application of public health measures. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Ireland has taken a public health-led, whole-of-society approach to managing the pandemic....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the provision, of a Primary Care Centre in Finglas.  The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to delivering a high quality, integrated and cost-effective health care system. Finglas has been identified as a high priority location for the development of a Primary Care Centre.In 2012, a HSE...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Building ventilation has remained one element of the broader infection prevention and control (IPC) response over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The appreciation of the role of ventilation has evolved in the context of developing experience and evidence; guidance, training, and measures implemented reflects this learning. Links to published guidance are provided below for the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tribunals of Inquiry (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The Programme for Government commits to fully implement the recommendations contained in Dr Scally’s Report of the Scoping Inquiry, and all other reports into CervicalCheck.  Significant progress has been made in implementing the recommendations and associated actions from Dr Scally's report, across all themes and areas of work, by the Department of Health, the HSE and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes sexually active, that is, before a person is first...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: A 23-bed Intermediate Care Unit in Monaghan General Hospital has fully opened to provide step down facilities for patients from Cavan General Hospital.  Five of the beds opened in late 2020, with the remaining 18  opening on a phased basis this year. The services provided in Monaghan General Hospital include Out-patient Services, Theatre, Day Services, Diagnostic Services and a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The National Action Plan on Covid-19 identified the continued provision of cancer care as a priority. Cancer services continue to operate in line with guidance issued by the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). The NCCP continues to closely monitor trends in numbers coming forward to diagnostic services, and the level of attendances for appointments for treatment....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 130 together. The development of elective hospital facilities in Dublin, Cork and Galway is in line with the National Development Plan 2018, the 2018 Health Service Capacity Review and was recommitted to in the Programme for Government 2020 and the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy & Action Plan 2021-2023 (May 2021). Development of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS), based at Custume Barracks, is a nationwide Helicopter Emergency Medical Service provided by the Irish Air Corps in conjunction with the National Ambulance Service (NAS) during daylight hours. The service is staffed by an Air Corps flight crew, an Emergency Medical Technician and a NAS Advanced Paramedic. Reserve support is provided by the Irish Coast...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I have been informed by the HSE that a number of commercial SARS-CoV-2 PCR assays are in use in Ireland, all of which are operated in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions, and the CE marking for the assay. It is the manufacturer that decides the optimal number of cycles for the assay, not the testing laboratory or the HSE.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 133 together. The New Children’s Hospital Project, comprising the main hospital at St James’s campus in Dublin, and two paediatric outpatient and urgent care centres at Connolly and Tallaght hospitals, is a Government priority. The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) has the statutory responsibility and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Maternity Hospital (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 171 together. The Government is committed to the development of the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) planned for the St Vincent’s University Hospital Campus at Elm Park, as set out in the Programme for Government. Significant progress has been made on the capital project, with planning permission for the hospital secured in 2017 and, in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Mandatory hotel quarantine has been introduced as one element of Ireland’s public health measures to combat the transmission of Covid-19 and to protect the population when there is a high risk of importation of infection from Covid-19 and from challenges posed by new variants of concern. Mandatory hotel quarantine is required for applicable travellers who have been in the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 128 together. It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last sixteen months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently as a result of the ransomware attack. While significant progress was made in reducing waiting times from June 2020 onwards, the surge in Covid-19 cases in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (13 Jul 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: GPs are self-employed private practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are approximately 2,500 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme and as at 1 June, 21 panels, or less than 1%,...