Results 321-340 of 430 for 5 million speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: ...Act 2011 provided for increases in the State pension age over a period of years. This process began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) previously available at 65, thereby currently standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. The changes introduced in 2011 were on foot of a Government commitment included in the National Recovery Plan published in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 to 293, inclusive, 298, 305 and 306 together. The information that the Deputy seeks is detailed in the following table: Measure Cost €million Increase the Family Income Supplement Scheme by 10% for 2017. 41.0 Increase the rate of Jobseeker's Allowance for those aged under 26 years of age to €188.00 per week. 148.4 Increase the Living...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: ...in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria). Each €1 increase in the weekly personal rate would cost €6.6 million in 2017 and a full year. There is an analogous social insurance payment, Invalidity Pension, which is paid to persons who are permanently incapable of work (subject to satisfying...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Payments (19 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: ...the jobseeker’s allowance scheme such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2016 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure of almost €85 million on the farm assist scheme. Changes introduced in Budgets 2012 and 2013 brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure (17 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545, 546, 549 and 552 together. The cost of increasing the weekly rates of payment for all pensioners aged 66 and over (State Pension Contributory, State Pension Non-Contributory, Widow’s, Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pensioners aged 66 and over, Carer’s Allowance recipients aged 66 and over, Death Benefit...

Health Services: Statements (20 Apr 2016)

Leo Varadkar: ...outcomes and patient safety in mind, a range of measures were implemented by the last Government to seek to reduce the levels of emergency department overcrowding and long waiting times. During 2015, more than €117 million in additional funding over and above the budget allocation was made available to the health service to reduce waiting times for fair deal funding, improve access...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (2 Feb 2016)

Leo Varadkar: ...by the National Ambulance Service. It is important to point out that there has been a significant increase in investment in the ambulance service in recent years. The budget will increase by €7 million this year and it increased by €5 million last year. We now have the emergency air ambulance service, which did not exist until this Government came to office. We have the...

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion [Private Members] (14 Jan 2016)

Leo Varadkar: ...primary focus of Government policy; — that the demand for emergency services is growing in line with overall population growth (1% per year), a projected increase of over 19,000 in the number of people over 65 years; a growing number of people in the old and frail elderly category (nearly 3,000 aged 85 years and over) and the increasing burden of chronic illness in the population;...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the select committee for giving me the opportunity to present the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 38. The total additional funding being sought for 2015 is €665 million. However, this figure is offset by the receipt of an additional €65 million in respect of the UK-Ireland bilateral health care reimbursement agreement, leaving a net requirement of €600 million,...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I am pleased to speak to the House today on Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015. As Senators will be aware, the Bill concluded its passage through the Dáil yesterday unopposed. Health insurance in Ireland is based on a core principle of community rating and for many decades it has operated alongside our public health service. During this time it has grown and...

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ...as many beds as a hospital in which the average length of stay is four nights. It does not get any more work done; it just does it slowly. The same applies to admission rates. In some hospitals 25% of patients who attend the emergency department are admitted, while in others 50% are admitted. The hospital that admits twice as many patients needs twice as many beds. There are many...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (19 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015. For many decades health insurance has operated alongside our public health service and has grown and developed. Health insurance in Ireland is based on a core principle of community rating. All policy holders are charged the...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Substance Misuse (5 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ...Executive and as such, I have referred this element of the question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them. The Report of the National Substance Misuse Steering Group, 2012 reported that alcohol is associated with...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 655 together. The total estimated expenditure for my Department in 2015 as published in the 2015 Revised Estimates for Public Services 2015 is set out in the Table. - Current Capital Total €'000 €'000 €'000 Gross Total 12,294,521 382,409 12,676,930 Deduct Appropriations-in-Aid 455,471 250 455,721 Net Total 11,839,050...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Capital Programme (3 Nov 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ...strategic plan to describe how it will provide more efficient and effective patient services and reorganise its services to provide optimal care to the populations it serves. As part of its 2015 - 2016 winter capacity planning, Beaumont is extending the Day Hospital at St. Joseph's, Raheny from a 2 day to a 5 day service. The Day Hospital provides a multi-disciplinary team for frail...

Other Questions: Ambulance Service Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The budget of the National Ambulance Service will be increased for next year and was increased by approximately €5 million this year. Additional ambulances will be purchased, but how the funding and ambulances will be spread out by region throughout the country is up to the National Ambulance Service and I will be guided by its advice. Deputy Dooley's point is valid and well made....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments (22 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ...Emergency Department at the hospital. This is currently at stakeholder consultation phase, with a number of proposals being considered and the report is expected to be available in mid-December 2015. The HSE is concentrating on applying the funding available for infrastructure development in the most effective way possible to meet current and future needs. Any future investment at...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Savings (21 Oct 2015)

Leo Varadkar: The approved level of non-capital expenditure for the HSE in 2015 was to be supported by the collection of an expected €131 million of outstanding private patient fee income. Negotiations are ongoing with private health insurers in relation to reaching agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding which will address this outstanding debt issue by introducing better payment terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Substance Misuse (22 Sep 2015)

Leo Varadkar: ...Executive and as such, I have referred this element of the question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them. The Report of the Steering Group on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012 noted that the majority of...

Other Questions: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (9 Jul 2015)

Leo Varadkar: An additional €5 million was provided this year to provide an additional 400 home care packages to the benefit of 600 people. The waiting time for a package varies from region to region quite significantly, which is a real difficulty. The HSE has been given flexibility to spend more on home care packages where it is running into trouble in staffing units. Where the HSE cannot get...