Results 1,001-1,020 of 26,303 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I make the general point I have raised at this committee and publicly that funding for existing levels of service for health in 2024 was grossly underestimated. The deficit for last year was quite significant and very little of that was put into the base for 2024. It was always going to be the case we would quickly see spending ahead of profile in health, and that is what we are seeing. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Would Mr. Watt take my point-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Would Mr. Watt take my point about the south east as an example?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Does Mr. McCallion want to come in quickly on that issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: As a general point, while there is a logic in the small hospitals framework, a commitment was given to build a centre of excellence in Limerick. Closing three emergency departments and having one emergency department servicing the region clearly has not worked if we look at all the issues that have arisen. Of course we need additional capacity in Limerick. We need to broaden our horizons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: What I am saying is that we are now in May. I have been contacted by healthcare trade unions and have met many hospital managers in recent months and the issue of pay and numbers has come up. Staff in the health service are becoming increasingly frustrated with the recruitment embargo. It is having an impact. When I talk to people on the front line, including hospital mangers, nobody...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Is this caught up in tension between the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform, and the Department of Health?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: What is the next stage then? There is a paper with the Minister. Mr. Watt is saying there are a number of options. What next? Does it go to Cabinet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I will finish by saying it is unsatisfactory that we are into May and we still do not know what the pay and numbers will be for the health service. No manager can plan and we cannot hold anybody to account. We do not know what the final outworking of it will be regarding additional recruitment. I have a quick final question. The figure of 2,200 of net additional increase has been put...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Safe staffing should have been separate. We were told there would be 2,200 additional posts for new measures but now it seems that some of it is safe staffing, so it is actually less than that. It is far less than the number that has been recruited in the past number of years. It is unsatisfactory.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: This is one of these issues that are subject to public commentary. It is important for us to get some clarity on some issues so the public fully understands what this is and what it is not. In his opening statement, Mr. Watts states the agreement presents no loss of sovereignty, which is an important statement to make, and that it does not mean Ireland will be forced to put in place...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: There is something I have seen out there in the public domain, mainly on social media, and I would like it to be clarified. This will not impact on how we administer vaccines. We have a voluntary system here. This will not commit us to any mandatory vaccine regime.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: In summary, public health measures will remain the competency of the member state.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Voluntary vaccination, which is the position of the Government, cannot change unless the Government changes it and certainly would not be changed through this treaty or agreement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: We had very helpful commentary by the World Health Organization during Covid on public health generally and how we see it and how we see public health services. There was the notion of solidarity among member states first and foremost. As was said, nobody is well until everybody is well, or whatever the phrase was. Public health is very important and globally equity is important in terms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I have several questions. One is on public health measures and that they would still be the competency of the member state, for example, lockdowns and other public health responses. My other questions is on vaccines. At present they are not mandatory and nobody is asking for them to be mandatory. There is some online commentary that this is what the treaty is about and the purpose of my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dental Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: 10. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to expand public dentistry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19778/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: The problem is that for many parents and many children that is not happening. A number of weeks ago I raised the case of Aiveen , a young child with early-onset scoliosis. Her family crowdfunded for her to go to America to get specialist treatment. She got that and is now doing very well. She certainly did not get the support from the HSE. Her family had to depend on the public coming in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: The tragedy of all of this is that most of those beds have come far too late. There is no reason those beds should not have been funded years ago. Everybody knows that when the decision was made to close Ennis and Nenagh emergency departments, additional capacity was needed in Limerick. It was promised that it would be a centre of excellence. It has not been able to perform as that centre...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I am all for reform in that hospital and every other hospital, but I was one of those members, including Deputy Crowe, who attended the briefing for the Oireachtas health committee. We met with the head of the HSE and clinicians, hospital management and healthcare trade unions. All of them, to a man and a woman, told us that the big problem in Limerick is capacity. We need reforms but...