Results 21-40 of 2,744 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Is the Minister saying it will be in the next few weeks?

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I want to move on to scenario planning. In general, the simple way of planning for things is that we look at what is likely to happen based on what has happened in the past. Things continue on and they go along a line. However, because this is a novel coronavirus and we do not know exactly what path the disease will take, there are several different possibilities that have profound...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I suppose I can ask about it at a meeting of the Covid-19 committee. I want to speak to international travel within Europe. Every country has its own road map and part of that is reopening international travel, and every country is coming up with different rules. There is a lack of symmetry or reciprocity in this. A person may be quarantined on arriving in a country but would not be...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Minister.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Mr. Daly and Mr. Taylor for coming in. I want to ask Mr. Daly about the distribution of PPE. I understand it was chaotic for a while and nobody was getting anything. Now I believe we are at a stage where some people are over-supplied and some are under-supplied. That is the experience of my colleague, Councillor Róisín Garvey in Clare, who tells me she went around with a...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Have the infection control rules that are apparently needed affected the operation of the nursing homes at the moment? We talk about congregated settings. Typically, people are sitting in sitting rooms, watching TV, sharing rooms on occasion or whatever. Nursing Homes Ireland has received guidance from the Department of Health on how they should operate from the infection control point of...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Are there very few new entrants to the nursing homes? Is it the case that people are not being admitted any more?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I think it is fair to say that many people, even before the pandemic, would have preferred to stay in their home than go to a nursing home. They might have had a fear but now that fear is much greater and it is among families as well. Government policy is to move more towards home care and having a statutory home care package and away from relying on the fair deal scheme alone. This...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Mr. Taylor mentioned that the average length of stay in a nursing home is two years. I am sorry to ask this but does this equate to life expectancy?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Ossian Smyth: If fewer people go to nursing homes and more home care is taking place, does Mr. Taylor expect that future nursing home stays will be shorter? Hospices have the shortest expected length of stay. Will future nursing home stays be shorter, for example, for one year? Will Mr. Taylor describe what fits into the gap between home care and nursing homes?

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (3 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: 612. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which private hospital capacity is being used in County Limerick to relieve pressure on University Hospital Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8844/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: 592. To ask the Minister for Health the hospitals in which patients have contracted Covid-19 in the hospital setting; the number of cases and the number of deaths per hospital from Covid-19 contracted in the hospital setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10973/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Acquired Infections (16 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: 593. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients who contracted a hospital-acquired infection while being treated for Covid-19 in hospitals here; the hospitals in which infections occurred; and number of hospital-acquired infections. [10974/20]

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I want to ask first about the status of the Covid tracking app. I understand that this app will always be in addition to normal contact tracing, not a replacement, but it could make the tracking effort much more effective. If we are in a situation where we are at risk of future infections or a second wave, it could be very good to have this additional measure in place. Has beta testing...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: The Minister has been asked by a number of Deputies about the reopening of hairdressing services, to which he has said that he will consult NPHET and the latter will come back with recommendations. Ultimately, it is a decision for the Minister and the Cabinet as to how to proceed in this matter. There is no personal benefit for me in asking this question as it is a long time since I had any...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Minister. I would like to discuss how it is proposed to monitor the risk of a second wave of infections. There are worrying signs. For example, the schools in Beijing have been closed again. I understand there are 12 states in the United States that have a rising rate of infection. On what basis will the Government decide to roll back on particular measures? For example, is...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: Several months ago at the start of this epidemic I asked about sick pay for people who do not have it and the introduction of emergency measures to prevent the virus spreading. If people who traditionally do not have sick pay are forced to go to work, the virus could spread as a result. Emergency measures were brought in by this House. I am receiving telephone calls from constituents who...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: My questions today are aimed at whoever of the witnesses feels most qualified to answer. I will start with the differences between outcomes for nursing homes in the public and private sectors. I understand that about 80% of older people are in private nursing homes. Has any analysis been done on the outcomes in terms of infection rate or mortality rate between the public and the private...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: There have been a number of changes to how we are dealing with the nursing homes. These emergency measures include, for example, greater subventions and the use of additional use of PPE, which comes with a cost. Given that we are relying on the private sector and private facilities must, presumably, ensure they earn enough money to be able to pay their staff, is this considered sustainable?...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Ossian Smyth: If we continue with the existing measures in nursing homes, for example, requiring that visitors do not have physical contact with residents and that all staff are masked and gowned and limiting group activities, it will seriously compromise the quality of life of people who live in nursing homes. Strict infection controls and measures for visitors' use of PPE could be acceptable in acute...