Results 18,761-18,780 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period. On January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Following extensive engagement with healthcare unions on the matter, on 19th...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: Recruitment for the Department of Health is carried out by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The PAS Nua strategy (2020 – 2023) identifies areas for action and through this strategy commits to increasing greater knowledge and understanding of diversity in the recruitment market and the Irish public sector. Recruitment and selection processes will encourage and enable access to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Prescriptions Charges (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: The Irish Public Health System provides for two categories of eligibility for persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e., full eligibility (medical cards) and limited eligibility. Eligibility for a Medical Card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended). Individuals with full...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: The temporary Special Leave with Pay scheme re Covid for all Public Servants ceased for all remaining absent with long Covid on 1 July 2022. From 1 July 2022 Special Leave with Pay applies only to new cases for the period of COVID-19 self-isolation, and those remaining unwell and still absent from the workplace will move to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. The Government and I...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Human Reproduction (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: As the Deputy will be aware, international surrogacy raises complex ethical questions concerning areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments and require detailed examination. The issues which arise from Irish people engaging in cross-border surrogacy primarily relate to parentage, guardianship, citizenship and, potentially, adoption. I welcome the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 554 to 557, inclusive, together. Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period. As the deputy is aware, on January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy. Details for other bodies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Departments (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I give the Deputy the assurance in regard to Portlaoise that nothing has been brought to me and there has been no conversation with me in the past two years about anything in Portlaoise hospital other than ongoing investment. I am fully committed to investing in the services for the people in the area, investing in staff and investing in infrastructure. As we said, more than €20...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Departments (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: On top of what I have already said, we can point to additional investment in the emergency department. For example, the nursing complement in the emergency department in Portlaoise, from post-pandemic to now, has increased from 28.5 whole-time equivalents to 36.5 whole-time equivalents, so not only is the service not being downgraded and not only have I had no conversations about that, in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Departments (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully accept that. There is an emergency department plan being put in place for every hospital. There are pressures all over the country. The influx that has been caused by Covid is immense. As we were discussing earlier, May of this year is the highest year on record for attendances to emergency departments, and I emphasise that is in May. We are planning for the winter now.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Staff (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: There is a pressing need to hire a substantial number of additional medical scientists. The workforce stands at a little over 2,100 whole-time equivalents. However, the HSE has done an analysis of the numbers that need to be hired and projected a requirement to recruit nearly 400 this year because many replacement posts need to be filled. The HSE is estimating a need to hire 400 this year...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Departments (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I assure the Deputy that no plans have been presented to me and there has been no discussion with me about any considerations to downgrade any of the services currently in operation at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, including the emergency department. Since 2014, the focus has been on supporting the hospital to develop and enhance management capability, implement change required...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I fully agree that we should not have a situation where somebody with a disability can and wants to go to work, but if he or she does, he or she will go over the income threshold and thereby lose the medical card. We all appreciate how important it is, as the Deputy pointed out, particularly for people with disabilities to retain the medical card. In that regard, I will be happy to discuss...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I am reminded of a session I was at a few years ago in the audiovisual room where this was brought up. Parents of children gave testimony. They had been through awful things. One mother said she had been asked whether her child still had autism. We all understand that is not an appropriate question. It is quite a ridiculous question to ask. My understanding is that some of this arises...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Staff (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 92 together. I thank Deputy Kenny for raising the issue. Like the Deputy, I respect and acknowledge the huge work the medical scientists have done and continue to do. Following the strike action on 18 May and 24 May, health management and the MLSA attended an exploratory engagement at the Labour Court on 25 May for the court to establish whether...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Staff (12 Jul 2022)

Stephen Donnelly: There were various parts to this. An assessment was done in regard to the grade and the following year that was changed as part of benchmarking which led to one of the anomalies. Another anomaly relates to medical laboratory aids. The medical laboratory aids were uplifted from band 2 to band 1 under a job evaluation scheme. This led to an anomaly whereby they were paid more than medical...