Results 1,781-1,800 of 26,350 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: It is 6,000 or 7,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: I welcome that, but this is my point. We were able to hire 6,000 or 7,000 additional staff into the health service in 2023, yet we are told the cap for next year is 2,200.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: Is it fair to say that there are thousands of people we could recruit into the public system but we will not be able to do so because the funding will not be there to do it. In the past three years, there was substantial net growth in staff. We all accept and welcome that. However, is it not fair to say that next year will probably see a much lower increase than any of the previous years?

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Policies (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: 195. To ask the Minister for Health if he has examined reclassifying large section 39 organisations, which are core service providers in partnership with the HSE, as section 38 organisations; if he has examined the potential cost of such a measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51377/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: 196. To ask the Minister for Health to list in full all health national strategies, policies, clinical programmes and action plans, in tabular form. [51378/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: I will return to some of the discussion we had earlier. The dark cloud that hangs over the health service at the moment is the level of funding. There is a dispute as to whether the level of funding is adequate, as Mr. Gloster knows. I will not go back over all of that ground but funding is going to determine what we can do for the rest of this year and into next year. When he was last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: Mr. Watt proffered a figure, with which Mr. Gloster agreed, and I hope I am right about the sequence. Can Mr. Gloster remind us what the figure was, the anticipated figure and the rate of health inflation? I know health inflation is a global issue but what is the percentage here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: Yes. I want to know the percentage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: Last week, the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform appeared before the finance committee. When he was asked whether health inflation could be as high as 17% he responded by saying, "Absolutely not." He also said, "I am not aware of what that is based on." He basically said that he had no knowledge of the rate of health...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: Hold it there. If Mr. Gloster is right, and the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is right, then the Department of Health failed to inform him as to what heath inflation is. It got worse because Mr. Gloster also said that at least two thirds of the deficit for this year will recur into next year. That is the figure Mr. Gloster gave - two...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: He estimated that the majority of it would recur next year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: I understand that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: That is my point. Again, that was put to the Secretary General. About the majority of the deficit for this year recurring next year, the Secretary General stated "That position has never been presented to me" and "It would not have arisen". How did the HSE and the Department of Health fail to inform the Secretary General that the majority of this year's deficit was going to recur next...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: I want to make a point to the Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: I understand, but this is an important issue. I will make this point. We are facing into a year in 2024 where the head of the HSE has directly said that the health service is not adequately funded. We know all of that and do not need to go back over all of that ground. However, it strikes me as incredible and unbelievable that the Secretary General in the Department of Public Expenditure,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: It is the Department of Health. I understand that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Winter Preparedness in the Hospital System: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: The pause means gone. I will come back to next year. What was the net increase in staff in the HSE or what is the projected net increase for 2023?

Health Service Recruitment Freeze: Motion [Private Members] (21 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: Every single patient and healthcare worker in this State should watch back the Minister's response to our motion here today. What they will see in the Minister's response is that he spent most of his time attacking Sinn Féin. He points to the North which, obviously, Ministers do every time they are under pressure. What the Minister failed to point out is that in the last two elections...

Health Service Recruitment Freeze: Motion [Private Members] (21 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: €1.3 billion is a lot-----

Health Service Recruitment Freeze: Motion [Private Members] (21 Nov 2023)

David Cullinane: The Minister for Health was looking for more money.