Results 661-680 of 6,020 for speaker:Martin Conway
- Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Weather Events (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: We all share our solidarity with the people whose properties have been so badly affected by what happened over the last few days.
- Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Weather Events (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: I thank the Minister of State and Senator Cummins for raising an important Commencement matter.
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: I thank the Acting Leader for outlining the Order of Business. One important issue missing from the schedule this week is the substantial debate we should have on the flooding that has taken place over the last week or so. I am sure everybody will join me in expressing solidarity and support to the unfortunate people in Midleton, Waterford and other parts of the country who found that their...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: I thank the witnesses for coming in today on what is an issue that is concerning an awful lot of people. When the preparatory work for the budget started and the Department engaged initially with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, what was the initial ask in terms of funding? How much additional funding did Mr. Watt look for?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: What I am trying to get a sense of is what is the difference between what was requested and what was given. What Mr. Watt actually requested was clearly because he felt he needed it to effectively run the Department of Health for 2024 and also accommodate the ambitious targets. I am trying to work out what is the difference between what the Department actually got and what Mr. Watt...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: So what the Department secured then was less than 50% of that.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: In his opening statement, Mr. Watt also spoke about the whole issue of orphan drugs, new drugs, and the spiralling cost of drugs. There is a concern, which this committee has articulated before, that we are slow to introduce new drugs in this country compared to other European countries. Could Mr. Watt quickly elaborate on what was contained in his statement in that regard?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: How much does Mr. Watt expect the overrun to be this year? We are in the third week of October.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: Mr. Gloster is welcome. On the recruitment embargo, he contended that he does not expect front-line services to be affected. However, we all share the concern he articulated on a radio programme last Sunday week. Will he elaborate on how he believes front-line services will not be affected? There is a concern that they will be.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: While I have the opportunity, and I am sure this will not come as a surprise to Mr. Gloster, I will raise concern in the mid-west about funding being made available in the capital programme for a second 96-bed block, which is badly needed. One 96-bed block is under construction and I hope it will open next year. As a result of health and cost inflation and so on, will the timeline for the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: Mr. Gloster does not have a timeline as to when that second 96-bed block will be approved.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: It absolutely did.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: Before the time runs out, Mr. Gloster might comment on the present situation in the emergency department in Limerick hospital.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: That is okay.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: That is fine. I thank Mr. Gloster. There is one other issue I am concerned about relates to what has happened with the budget and longer term strategies. Deputy Cullinane referenced the stroke strategy earlier. In the most recent census, the number of people who identify as having sight loss has increased by 400%. That is almost 300,000 people who now identify as having some form of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: That is great, and I might engage with Dr. Henry directly on that in the coming weeks. On another question, Dr. Henry might give us an update on how the HPV and flu vaccination programmes are going, although it is probably too early with regard to the flu vaccination. In addition, does he have any further update on the Covid vaccination programme?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)
Martin Conway: I have a question for Mr. Gloster on his engagement with the private hospitals. I know the private hospitals made some public comments a number of weeks ago about procuring capacity for the winter surge. How is that going? Have negotiations been concluded and what type of bed stock has been procured?