Results 3,481-3,500 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I would like to reply.
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The Deputy has made a number of assertions and, in my opinion, some irresponsible statements which I would like to address-----
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: -----whenever his party members will allow me to speak.
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The concern is as follows.
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I want to make the position clear. When a serious incident such as this one arises the first action that must happen is that the practice stops or, in this case, what was not happening should begin to happen, to make sure that the 30,000 new patients coming in in recent months are properly attended to and that their X-rays are signed off by a radiologist. That was happening. The second...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: -----that those cases are dealt with, that the big backlog is looked into and the patients and the families notified. That was the concern.
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I do not accept the assertions the Deputy has made regarding the suggestion of non-accountability. The protocol sets out that we first identify if there is a need for the service to cease to ensure that any new patients are not affected and, second, identify if there are any patients who have been through the system who need to be followed up to have their care reviewed or amended. That is...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: Regarding the wider position, the director of clinical care has a programme head in respect of radiology, Professor à Laoide, the dean of the faculty of radiology and a foremost clinician in this area, and he will have to work with him in respect of issues that arise out of this but the first and primary focus is about those X-rays that are not cleared that must now be examined by...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: More than 3,000 per week are being examined-----
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: -----and that is regarded by HIQA and others as an appropriate response to the issues being raised here that must be dealt with. I ask that in dealing with this matter and addressing the concerns the public may have that we do not make some of the assertions Deputy Kenny made because they are not founded on fact.
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I have two points to make in reply to Deputy Gilmore. Portlaoise hospital was mentioned previously. I am acquainted with the issues that arise there. It was as a result of what happened in that hospital that a need arose to provide eight centres of excellence for the provision of cancer care and triple assessment. I recall the debate in this House on that issue. The record will show what...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I recall Members in various benches speaking about the need to maintain-----
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I am making a point in respect of the Minister for Health and Children. I can name Members across the benches who-----
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The record will show it. The point I want to make is that it was the Minister for Health and Children, with the support of the Government side, that brought about the changes that have resulted in real improvements for people with cancer care requirements, particularly those with breast cancer. This has been confirmed in recent weeks by a HIQA report. The support for the reform and change...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: It is true and the record will show it. Deputy Howlin was a Minister for Health, as was I, and he will note this has often occurred.
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: I have made a general point. To return to the specifics of the case-----
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: -----it was as a result of events in Portlaoise that we had to decide how to deal with a recurrence of such situations. One deals with them by trying to deal with the clinical needs of the patients concerned, as Deputy Gilmore said. The clinical review in Tallaght hospital is being carried out. It is being conducted by qualified persons such as radiologists to deal with the backlog. I...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: That must happen under the protocol after the clinical review is completed because, as Deputy Gilmore said, the important point is that patients be reassured in the first instance. The unfortunate problem we now face is that, because only two thirds of the cases have been clinically reviewed, one is not in a position at this stage to eliminate the vast majority of people who need have no...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: The facts can be collated in regard to matters before the period in question and we can do that through statements in the House if the Deputies wish. I am obviously setting out the facts available to me this morning. There has certainly been an acceleration in dealing with this issue under new management since mid-December. I am not in a position to say how much work was done prior to...
- Leaders' Questions (10 Mar 2010)
Brian Cowen: That is a cheap jibe from Deputy Quinn.