Results 35,101-35,120 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Although GPs will ordinarily accept new patients who hold a medical or GP visit card on to their GMS panel, a GP may choose not to accept such a patient. Where a GP chooses not to except a new patient who holds a medical or GP visit card, the HSE may request, in confidence, the reason for that decision. Additionally, the GMS GP contract stipulates that the maximum number of medical card...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: My Department and the HSE have met with Irish Medical Organisation to discuss a pathway towards a reformed consultant led public health model in Ireland and related matters. I hope that engagement will continue over the coming weeks with a view to reaching agreement. We want to work with our public health specialists to ensure we have a public health model in place that best meets the future...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: My Department has agreed a mechanism with our Northern Ireland counterpart whereby Ireland’s Passenger Locator Form system will be used to contact international passengers who travel through Ireland to Northern Ireland, to advise them of their requirement to fill in a UK passenger locator form and informing them of specific public health advice. This will commence this week. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: A mandatory home quarantine regime for all travellers arriving from overseas, including international passengers arriving via Northern Ireland, has come into force in order to mitigate risks posed by variants of concern. The operationalisation of designated quarantine facilities is being advanced on a cross-departmental basis as a matter of priority, including the drafting of primary...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Cards (11 Feb 2021)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Epilepsy Incidence (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Brainwave – the Irish Epilepsy Association (Epilepsy Ireland) This project is a Sláintecare funded initiative. The purpose of the project is to develop a Pathway of Community Care Supports for people with Epilepsy in Ireland. Context: The cumulative incidence of epilepsy is about 68/100,000 giving approx. 2,000 new diagnoses each year. Of the 40,000 PWE in Ireland, about 70% are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tuberculosis Eradication Programme (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE were requested, in 2019, to undertake an updated review of the epidemiology of TB in Ireland, considering the public health impact of having no BCG vaccination since April 2015. The review was completed and the National TB Advisory Committee (NTBAC) met to consider its findings on 16 December 2019. My Department has been informed that the view of the Committee was that universal...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As you will be aware, Ireland is currently at Level 5 of Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19. At Level 5, people are asked to stay at home as much as possible unless they have a "reasonable excuse" for leaving. The Regulations providing for these measures are set out in S.I. No. 701 of 2020 and S.I. 29 of 2021. Regulation 4. of SI 701 sets out a non-exhaustive...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The Deputy is advised that the existing guidance on vitamin D was updated in November 2020 and advises that adults aged 65 and older take a 15 microgram (600 IU) daily supplement for bone and muscle health. An evidence synthesis paper on vitamin D and COVID-19 prepared for NPHET was discussed at its meeting of January 28. The NPHET agreed that efforts should be made to increase awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The NPHET keeps all issues in relation to COVID-19 under review, including modes of transmission and the role that ventilation can play in mitigating transmission. These matters were discussed most recently at its meeting of 21stJanuary. COVID-19 is a new disease, and the effect of ventilation on the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is still unclear, however...

Covid-19: Motion [Private Members] (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “recognises: — that like most of Europe, Ireland experienced increasing Covid-19 infection rates over the winter months and by December and January infection rates were accelerating rapidly with consequent increases in hospitalisation and mortality rates;...

Covid-19: Motion [Private Members] (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I welcome the opportunity to discuss Ireland's response to Covid-19 and I thank the Deputies in the Labour Party for tabling the motion. I have read it carefully and it contains many very good ideas, many of which are in line with approaches being taken or being considered by the Government at present. I look forward to an ongoing constructive debate throughout the House as we navigate our...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 689 and 885 together. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 690 and 697 together. Daily vaccine numbers are now being uploaded to the Covid-19 public dashboard since 8 February 2021 (). This includes a breakdown by dose, cohort and vaccine type. Daily vaccination figures are sourced from the HSE’s vaccine information system. Daily figures will be available on the Covid App shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 692, 828 and 928 together. The European Commission has to date authorised the use of three COVID-19 vaccines in Ireland following recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). All of the approved vaccines comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. In addition, authorised vaccines are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ministerial Correspondence (10 Feb 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The HSE has adopted RNA PCR as the gold standard test for diagnosing Covid-19. This is consistent with international best practice. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommend that nucleic acid amplification tests, such as RT-PCR, should be used to detect suspected, active SARS-CoV-2 infection. The advice of the WHO and...