Results 50,981-51,000 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: They have some neck. Many of the difficulties and delays experienced in emergency medicine or accident and emergency departments reflect system-wide issues. To deal with the current pressures on acute services both in the shorter term and in the longer term I shall outline briefly some of the key actions that I have taken. It has been widely documented that there are a number of patients in...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: All except a small single-digit number. All closed beds in the Mater hospital have been reopened. I will supply the Deputy with the figures.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: As part of the winter initiative package in 2000-2001, I provided additional funding of some €40 million aimed at alleviating service pressures and maintaining services to patients. Part of this investment package was aimed at the recruitment of additional emergency medicine consultants and consultant anaesthetists. To date, 20 additional emergency medicine consultants have been recruited....

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: In 1997 when this Government came into power there were 14 consultant posts and there are now 51. I will deal with Mallow hospital later. The Deputy need have no worries in that regard. The Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition has done far more for Mallow hospital than the Deputy or his party ever did.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: The availability of senior medical staff in emergency medicine departments should facilitate rapid clinical decision-making, enhanced management, diagnosis and treatment of patients. With regard to primary care, emergency medicine departments sometimes have to deal with injuries and conditions which are more appropriate to a primary care setting. Government support for the development of...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: They voted for the measure and then went on before the last general election——

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: ——to promise free GP care for everybody, irrespective of means.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: Where is the consistency in approach? There has been a dramatic increase in the numbers participating in the drugs payment scheme since it was reformed by my predecessor some years ago and which opened it up to the public to a greater extent than previously. There has been a significant expansion of that scheme in terms of the numbers who avail of it and in terms of the expenditure attached...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: Regarding Mallow and Fermoy hospitals, the acute hospital review under Hanly never looked at Mallow but that will not prevent——

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: ——Deputy Sherlock from endeavouring to enhance his or his successor's electoral opportunities on the back of Mallow hospital once again.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: It seems to be all right for the Labour Party to make any sort of announcement it wishes before the general election but the Government can make no announcement before the general election regarding anything to do with health or it will be portrayed as electioneering.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: Day after day Labour Party and Fine Gael politicians are running around the country trying to wrap the local hospital around them. I visited Mallow hospital recently and witnessed the increased Government expenditure on that hospital, which has resulted in increased staffing, increased activity and equipment, and better facilities.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: The Government looks after Mallow hospital.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: I was down there already. We had a very constructive engagement with the consultants——

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: ——and with the staff.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: It is about time we stopped trying to downgrade hospitals such as Mallow with rhetoric. We must accept that such hospitals have a significant role to play——

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: ——in the future of Irish health care. This Government is planning the most ambitious programme of change in the health service for over 30 years. The key elements of that programme will be a significant rationalisation of existing health services agencies; the establishment of a health service executive which will be the first ever body charged with managing the health service as a single...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: I will let the Opposition worry about protecting the status quo. The Government will get on with reforming structures so that more money goes straight to where it is needed, to direct patient care.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: On a point of order, the figures are not mine but were produced by another body.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion. (4 May 2004)

Micheál Martin: The charge of manipulation is unfair and unjust.