Results 11,481-11,500 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services (2 Jul 2019)

David Cullinane: 443. To ask the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant orthodontists in the south-east in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019, by county (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27927/19]

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Yes. It is welcome that there is a process in place to meet staff members on individual contracts. There seems to be some movement in that regard. I have spoken to some staff members who may have their contracts reviewed and be put on normal contracts. That shows that there was a problem. Even the response from Ms Forbes in which she states it is a complex matter is a massive step...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is fair. We will see what we get back from it.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: The Commissioner states the matter has been referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. It is not appropriate, therefore, for us to comment on it and he is correct that he is not in a position to do so either. We noted that his previous correspondence contained a mistake that everyone accepts was inadvertent because he was not given prior notice of the issue and may not...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: There is one line in the report which I find interesting or fascinating, depending on how one reads it. It fits into last night's programme, and the Chairman is right that we will not go into it. On page 3, the last paragraph reads "While for the most part the findings of the analysis raise serious issues, on the other hand, nothing was identified which could not be fixed and there is every...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: When we have the complete audited reports could we bring them in?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Would that happen anyway routinely?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: We will see what comes of the audited accounts.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: This correspondence raises some interesting questions. I will not go into them all because we have to move on but I have seven questions arising from the individual's documents that I believe would be good questions for the Secretary General. Could I submit those questions to the clerk? Given that other members have not seen them they could be submitted in my name. Perhaps these questions...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is perfect.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I welcome the witnesses, especially Mr. Reid; this is his first appearance before us in his new role. I have listened to what Mr. Reid has said over the past hour in responding to questions from members. To paraphrase what he said about spending, whether current or capital, the HSE gets a pot of money and that money then has to be managed. He and I might have a view on the size of the pot,...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Let me just stop Mr. Reid there. If it is not cost containment, is it the position that, if a hospital manager believes that they have to spend more than they have been given to meet demand, they are not obliged to come in on budget? I can give examples in Waterford, where hospital managers have showed me a draft of a document that talks about cost containment. Is cost containment not a...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I know that, but they are looking at cost-containment plans on the foot of a letter from Mr. Reid. In Waterford, for example, the cost-containment plan looks at limiting surgical theatre space over a number of months during the summer, where savings can be made in cleaning contracts, agency spend and overtime. There is a whole range of other areas. They are all designed to make sure they...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: Did Mr. Reid know that some cancer patients were sent home because of issues with theatre capacity? Five patients were affected. I am sure that Mr. Reid is aware that being booked in for some kind of cancer treatment is life-altering. There is a psychological aspect involved in a person building himself or herself up physically and mentally for this type of treatment. The person goes to...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: That is fine.

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I might just talk Mr. Reid through this because when we are looking at what is happening the best lens we have is our local hospital. I have no problem whatsoever with Mr. Reid and the HSE ensuring that health spending is contained. That is one of Mr. Reid's and the HSE's core functions and it should be. I have no problem, therefore, with that. I certainly accept that he has come into...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: There also has to be an examination of where the money goes. I always look at things logically. There will be different situations in different hospitals. They will all have different needs, different geography, different capacity and different levels of expertise in different specialties. They all have their unique characteristics. One thing that we can logically do regarding waiting...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: I accept that. My specific question, however, was on capital projects and the perception that they can take a lifetime from conception to delivery. It is almost like turning a big oil tanker around. There is a long wait for people to see delivery. We table parliamentary questions and the responses refer to a capital project being in a queue and that there is a business case at this stage...

Public Accounts Committee: Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2018
2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Department of Health
Chapter 16 - Control of Private Patient Activity in Acute Public Hospitals (27 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: -----is what is the process? Why does it take so long at times to get from an idea to delivery? Is the first step a business case? If the witnesses do not have time to set it out here maybe they can send a note to the committee on what the stages are in capital applications. We had better understand it. A business case is developed by hospital management in conjunction with the group and...

Post-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2019)

David Cullinane: In the absence of any real development on Brexit, the big news emanating from the European Council last week was the regrettable failure of Heads of Government to find unanimous support in working towards a target of net zero carbon emissions across the European Union by 2050. That is very worrying. While the House might disagree on how Ireland will achieve net zero carbon emissions by...