Results 5,521-5,540 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher
- Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: The purpose of the national asthma programme is to ensure that asthma sufferers do not have to present at emergency departments when they have an asthma attack. In any one year, 25,000 people will present at hospital with an asthma attack. Any treatment that can prevent this is of immediate benefit to the patient, as well as reducing costs for the State. Novartis which manufactures Xolair...
- Topical Issue Debate: Taxi Regulations (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: That post office there is closed now.
- Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products Availability (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: Xolair is a medication for the treatment of severe allergic asthma. The product was licensed for use in 2005 but is not reimbursable under any Government schemes. This means it is primarily a matter for hospital pharmacists to decide whether to dispense Xolair to people who have allergic asthma. All available scientific evidence and analysis shows that the medication gives a certain cohort...
- Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: However, it has risen considerably.
- Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: The Minister was in favour of that tax break.
- Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: If I remember correctly, the Minister nearly threatened to resign over that tax break.
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: Humane rules.
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: 6. To ask the Minister for Health to explain the action he is taking to address the persistent fall in the numbers of discretionary medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21249/14]
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: 7. To ask the Minister for Health if he will direct the Health Service Executive to take water charges into account when considering whether to award a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21253/14]
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: 12. To ask the Minister for Health to outline the consultations he has had with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government with regard to charges for persons with high water usage owing to certain medical conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21250/14]
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: Are the questions grouped?
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: There are several of them. Are we reverting to type?
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: I will cut to the chase on the issue. The culling of discretionary medical cards has already been referred to in Priority Questions, Private Members' business and in the House for the past two years plus. Can we have an acceptance from the Government side that there is a major problem? It has been acknowledged in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party. I wish that the Labour Party would...
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: It is the practice.
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: What time do we have?
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: I cannot elicit information on whether there has been change in policy or in practice. However, I do know one thing: there has been a change to many people's lives. These are people in our communities who have had their discretionary medical cards withdrawn or who applied on a discretionary basis but were not granted a card. Last night in the Dáil debate I remarked on the advocacy...
- Other Questions: Medical Card Eligibility (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: We are in the Dáil now, we are not in the Four Courts.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Medical Card Reviews (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: It is the Government that is concerned about the elections.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: We all accept that the health sector must make its contribution to national recovery but we should not expect those who rely on our health services to make sacrifices over and above what would be considered reasonable. The impact this is having on the broader provision of services is now at a critical stage. The INMO has indicated that current staff to patient ratios in maternity units...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (14 May 2014)
Billy Kelleher: The issue of maternity services must be addressed. We all accept that the national review is ongoing but in the meantime we are reduced here to arguing about whether the ratio is 1:48 or 1:55 in the Midlands Regional Hospital. The bottom line is that whether the ratio is 1:48 or 1:55, it is still too high. That issue must be addressed. I do not mind being slightly inaccurate but the...