Results 7,981-8,000 of 26,380 for speaker:David Cullinane

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: 1052. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22053/21]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: 1053. To ask the Minister for Health if those in mandatory quarantine hotel facilities will be given personalised food menus considering special dietary needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22058/21]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (28 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: 1105. To ask the Minister for Health if he will advise on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22361/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (28 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: 1175. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has engaged with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide funding for and or otherwise ensure access to fibre optic broadband and consistent phone signal for Gaeltacht communities and in particular the communities of...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister and his staff. With regard to the headline figure, that is, the total gross provision figure of €22.13 billion, how much of that does he anticipate will form the baseline for next year as we look towards budget 2022? Obviously, a portion of it is Covid-related and allocated to dealing with issues such as testing, contact tracing, personal protective equipment,...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: If I may interject, my point is that at a policy level, whatever about what the money is spent on, the Minister or the Government could decide that we have to invest more in health. There is a commitment this year to slightly more than €22 billion. Some of that money could be re-profiled and spent in other areas of healthcare, as all present know is necessary. Is the Minister saying...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: I move on to the briefing note we got from the Department. On page 15, under acute services, it talks about a €236 million additional spend on acute beds and says there will be an additional 1,146 beds by the end of 2021 as compared to 2020. What is the anticipated number of funded beds?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: It is €236 million. It is on page 15 of the briefing document.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: Let us stick with the beds for a second. We are told it is 1,146 additional beds. What will be the total number of funded beds we will have at the end of 2021?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: I know that. I am reading from the briefing document we got. If we have different documents and different numbers, it is concerning. It states that, "The funding provided in 2021 will ensure that the [total] number of funded acute beds in the system will increase by 1,146 by [the] end of 2021 when compared to 2020." I have pointed out before and point out again that that is not correct....

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: It does not say that in the briefing note. We had a discussion on this in the past. It is right when it comes to ICU beds but wrong when it comes to acute beds. It gives the impression that there are 1,146 beds for one year, when in fact it is two years. That is what I want to clarify.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: It is over a two-year period, and that is what I was asking.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: Perfect. I move to the issue of the public-only Sláintecare consulting contracts. That was meant to be in place since last June. All new contracts were meant to be Sláintecare public-only contracts. Is that happening and what is the take-up? What engagement has the Minister had with the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, on this issue? Are the IMO and the Irish Hospital...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: From the Minister's knowledge and experience of discussions with the IHCA, is it a positive view? Is it in agreement with the contracts? Does it see it as a way forward?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: Okay. On a related issue, when I talk to hospital consultants, the two-tier nature of the pay is an issue and they want the contracts to reflect that reality. As, if not more important, is the support they get when in their jobs, including access to equipment such as diagnostic equipment and to theatre space. While we might have ambitious plans to increase the number of consultants, we...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: I move on to a number of other issues. I put in a parliamentary question on the CervicalCheck tribunal and I have got the costs back. Before I go into the costs, the most recent response I got back was that there were three cases that have been referred to the tribunal, which seems quite low. Is that the most recent figure? Is it accurate? If so, does it concern the Minister that the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: Is the Minister confident that more women will? I am looking at the costs and some of them seem strange to me. There is €140,000 for furniture and fittings. It also refers to an art allowance. What is that for?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: It is a response I received to a parliamentary question. Sorry, I should have said that. It refers to an art allowance, construction fit-out costs and consultant fees and it breaks down some of the additional spend, including €140,000 on furniture and fittings. I am just looking at the art allowance, trying to figure out what that is about.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: That is right and we would all support that. The Minister might send me on a detailed note on it. I have only two further questions. Has a decision been made yet on the location of the major trauma centre for Dublin?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 38 - Health (Revised) (27 Apr 2021)

David Cullinane: I want to ask a question regarding the national maternity hospital. I discussed this in private with the Minister recently and it is useful to have the opportunity to discuss this publicly. There are concerns about the company which essentially owns the land. My understanding is it is pre the Sisters of Charity. Issues have been legitimately been raised regarding the ownership of the...