Results 1,841-1,860 of 2,965 for speaker:Robert Dowds

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: Does that mean our negotiators have been much less effective than negotiators in countries such as Spain or the United Kingdom?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: What has been happening seems to be a scandal in that so much money is being wasted which could be much better used elsewhere. Clearly we need to have the drugs, but if we could have them at, for example, a 50% reduction it would leave the health services in a much better place financially. What percentage savings can we expect?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: It has reduced by €5.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: Is it correct that in some cases the HSE is reimbursing pharmacists by between 40% and 90% of the actual cost of the drug? If so, why is that the case?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: By not playing in that space is the HSE not losing out on the possibility of saving money for the taxpayer?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: I ask Mr. O'Brien to explain what he means by that being an area in which the HSE cannot play. On behalf of the taxpayer, I would like the HSE to play in it, if it would reduce our bills. I did not quite get one aspect of the point Mr. O'Brien made.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: I welcome Mr. O'Brien and his staff. How many qualified accountants does the HSE have?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: It would exclude hospitals, for example.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: How has the figure changed in the past two or three years? Has it increased or decreased?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: Does Mr. Woods regard the number as adequate?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: To what extent?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: To what extent will that help to improve financial operations within the HSE?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: What areas will benefit from savings when the proportion of qualified accountants improves?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: What is the projection for savings in this regard?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: Would it have a bearing on the questions asked by Deputy Kieran O'Donnell?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 40 - Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive Financial Statements 2011 (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: I agree with Deputy Kieran O'Donnell that given the state of the nation's finances, the better value we can achieve in all services the better. I refer to the prescription drugs issue. I acknowledge attempts are being made to tackle the difficulties associated with it. Prescription drugs account for 17% of the overall budget compared to 9% in Britain. The State pays 50% more than EU...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Organ Donation: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: How do they compare to politicians?

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Remuneration (24 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: 201. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the fact that the proposals of the Croke Park extension has been rejected by the trade union movement, if he will give consideration to amending the proposed changes in the pay and conditions of members of An Garda Síochána to better reflect the anti-social hours of work which Gardaí must do, the danger that...

Public Sector Pay and Conditions: Motion [Private Members] (23 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: The result of the ballot must be accepted by all of us. I acknowledge that it was very difficult for public servants to be asked yet again to accept any pay reduction or a worsening of their conditions of work. Like others, I recognise that public servants have made a very great contribution to efforts to tackle the appalling financial state in which the country finds itself. I commend...

Topical Issue Debate: Banking Sector Remuneration (23 Apr 2013)

Robert Dowds: In supporting Deputy Kevin Humphreys I will mention two points, the first of which has been passed to me by Deputy Peter Mathews, for which I thank him. The CEO is on the equivalent of nine Deputies' salaries. I appreciate that we only have 15% of the vote in the bank, but it would send a very important message to the people if we were to use it against such a high salary. We are in the...