Results 6,261-6,280 of 12,773 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the witnesses, in particular those who have come before us and have been generous with their time. The SIPTU submission states: There is no doubt that the experience of the pandemic has taught us many lessons. These experiences must form part of our planning for the future. In many cases, services were unprepared and did not have the essential equipment or training to support and...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I will pause Mr. King there for a moment. Have the trade unions been involved in planning for a second wave? In that regard, have they had sight of the additional capacity we all know is needed? Have they had sight of the additional capacity the HSE has sourced? Has it sourced additional capacity? What has been the level of engagement in terms of preparation?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: Ms Keogh is right that there must be a whole-of-system approach. Has Ms Ní Sheaghdha any observations to make?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: There will certainly be very strong opposition to any suggestion of a recruitment moratorium from the Opposition benches. That is not acceptable. I was struck by what Ms Murphy said in her opening statement with regard to how she, in particular, and other staff are feeling overburdened, burnt out and overwhelmed. Those are very serious words. I sincerely hope the powers that be in the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I will put a ten minute timer on my phone because I do not want to eat into anyone else's time. I have a number of questions, several of which relate to staffing. We all know, and the witnesses know as well as I do, that low staffing levels contribute to an inability to practise proper infection control. When a place is short-staffed it makes it almost impossible. This morning, we heard...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I have been hearing for decades from employers that it is the workers themselves who want the flexibility of precarious work. In my experience, that is not the case. While I respect there may be a small number for whom three-month contracts are sufficient, the vast majority, as articulated by their representatives, want those permanent contracts and it is good to see that commitment. When...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: This morning, we heard from representatives on engagement on planning for a potential second wave. I will not get into the ins and outs of the infection rates but we have had acknowledgement that the infection rates among healthcare workers were unacceptably high and we know staffing has a contribution to make in this regard. I assume the HSE is planning, even if it is not talking to the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: The HSE always factors in a certain amount of absenteeism, sick leave, maternity leave, etc. into the workforce plan, winter initiative, winter planning and all the rest. What percentage is it factoring in for this plan in terms of healthcare workers who may be absent as we face into a potential second wave?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: Absolutely. We heard evidence today from a trade union that staff were so worried about the prospect of losing their premium pay and other allowances that there was a suggestion they may have come to work sick. Is consideration being given to ensuring people are not out of pocket in any way? The witnesses know as well as I do that the basic rate is the basic rate, but many people working...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: What payments would be made, if overtime is not being paid? Would the unsociable hours premium, twilight or anything like that normally be stacked into the payment? Is there a flat basic rate?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: My final question relates to the HSA. I understand the line Minister responsible is the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar. I have raised an issue directly with him. As it currently stands, the HSA does not have a role in inspecting healthcare facilities. Acquiring Covid in the workplace is not considered to be an occupational injury, notwithstanding the fact that it was acquired as part of a...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I am asking if the witnesses have a view as to whether an infection acquired in the workplace should always be considered a workplace injury.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: Is Dr. Kelleher saying that internal debate is ongoing within the Department, between the Department and the HSE, or with the representatives of workers and all stakeholders?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I am asking the HSE to have that debate. Is there someone specific who would need to ask Dr. Kelleher in order to spark that debate? It strikes me as an important debate.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: It is a fairly urgent matter so it would be much appreciated if it were dealt with in days rather than weeks. Dr. Kelleher might correspond with me to advise at what stage his thinking is. It seems to me that the matter does not require a scientific interpretation. It is simply a fact that an injury acquired as a part of one's work is considered an occupational injury under normal...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank our witnesses for all of the information they have provided and for their commitments to follow up on some of the information requested. As an aside, I welcome the fact that some Independent Members are now joining Sinn Féin's call for a domestic supply of personal protective equipment to be made available. We were a bit of a lone voice in that regard so it is very nice to have...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: Is it considered on a per item or per procedure basis or is it about obtaining a certain number of theatre hours or CT scan hours or a certain amount of diagnostic capacity? Is it a matter of a certain amount of money for a certain procedure, with a reduction if a certain amount is bought? I am confused about that. I have been looking at this for a while and it strikes me that not much...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I am sorry, but when Mr. Woods says things such as that it will depend on how the market responds it does not fill me with a massive amount of confidence. The market responds by making as much money as the market can make and Mr. Woods knows that as well as I do. The catch-up programme is something I raised with the previous Minister for Health on a number of occasions. We know there has...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: The 80,000 women who will receive a test will be additional to the normal 20,000 tests that fall due every month. Presumably they are the women who would have had their smear test in the normal course of events if it was not for Covid. Does the HSE have the laboratory capacity for that? I had suggested an information campaign and I am glad that it was taken up. If they all respond between...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Louise O'Reilly: I am not certain that that answers my question but I will move on anyway. There are 97 people on trolleys today. I have always used the INMO figures that track it and do not want to get into it with Mr. Woods. What is the status of additional capacity in the Arena in Limerick and in City West? I know there was talk earlier about using and creating modular capacity. For the capacity...