Results 15,401-15,420 of 21,206 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I want to ask a short question which relates to the service plan. It has been indicated that it will be published on 25 November.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: It will be completed.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: On 25 November.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: In respect of the four CEOs of the hospitals who wrote to Mr. O'Brien recently, there was an indication that there would be consultation or communication between those persons and the HSE. Can I take it that is under way?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Is there an ongoing process of dialogue in respect of the funding of those hospitals?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am aware of that. I am asking Mr. O'Brien from whence the figure arises. Does he know?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Can the Department shed any light on it?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I have acknowledged the report, but is it the case that there are no firmer grounds than a Government decision and that the figure falls within a speculative range?

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Right. Savings of €113 million or €133 million are being speculated about. Notwithstanding the report, which is a projection and not a perfect science, this is the target for the cuts to medical cards in addition to what has already taken place.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Setting a target, or having a figure like that handed down, is the very definition of precooking an outcome. Mr. Hennessy, Mr. McLoughlin and Mr. O'Brien have been at pains to emphasise that there is no change in the qualifying criteria for a medical card, and specifically a discretionary medical card. The witnesses cited section 45 of the Health Act 1970 and have underscored the fact that...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Mr. McLoughlin-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Can Mr. McLoughlin please do me the courtesy of addressing my questions? We are being called for a vote.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: No; I am leading the questions. If Mr. McLoughlin would demonstrate a level of courtesy, I would appreciate it. The fact of the matter is that this case is representative of many and the child, in accordance with the established law, was adjudged to merit a full medical card under the Health Act 1970. Under the same legislation, the view now is that she does not qualify. The child has not...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: In the first instance, Mr. McLoughlin, because he has been the most vigorous proponent of the idea that there has been no policy change. This position leaves the parents of Katie Connolly somewhat gobsmacked.

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not wish to be confrontational at this hour of the day, but that is so patently not true. The law has not changed. The law has been in existence since 1970. Katie Connolly is five years old, which puts her date of birth in 2008. She was granted the medical card with due regard and in accordance with that legislation. The judgment was that, given the seriousness, complexity and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I welcome the witnesses. I wish to pick up on the last statement made by Mr. O'Brien. The difficultly, of course, is that the HSE has cited budget savings of €113 million arising from medical card "probity" as he put it. I do not think it is consistent for him, on the one hand, to say we must wait and see what the outcome of the medical card reviews will be and, on the other, to...

Public Accounts Committee: 2012 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 22 - Eligibility for Medical Cards (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Okay. Please explain the logic behind the figure.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (14 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I support Deputies Shane Ross and Kieran O'Donnell. It would be appropriate to call in the Governor of the Central Bank at this time. I wish to raise another issue on the State's procurement practices. As members will know, there is a new office for centralised procurement and a move under way to save substantial moneys for the public purse, which is welcome. However, there are some...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 85: In page 75, to delete lines 19 to 37, and in page 76, to delete lines 1 to 23.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I will press it.