Results 41-60 of 25,334 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Safe staffing should have been separate. We were told there would be 2,200 additional posts for new measures but now it seems that some of it is safe staffing, so it is actually less than that. It is far less than the number that has been recruited in the past number of years. It is unsatisfactory.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: This is one of these issues that are subject to public commentary. It is important for us to get some clarity on some issues so the public fully understands what this is and what it is not. In his opening statement, Mr. Watts states the agreement presents no loss of sovereignty, which is an important statement to make, and that it does not mean Ireland will be forced to put in place...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: There is something I have seen out there in the public domain, mainly on social media, and I would like it to be clarified. This will not impact on how we administer vaccines. We have a voluntary system here. This will not commit us to any mandatory vaccine regime.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: In summary, public health measures will remain the competency of the member state.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Voluntary vaccination, which is the position of the Government, cannot change unless the Government changes it and certainly would not be changed through this treaty or agreement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: We had very helpful commentary by the World Health Organization during Covid on public health generally and how we see it and how we see public health services. There was the notion of solidarity among member states first and foremost. As was said, nobody is well until everybody is well, or whatever the phrase was. Public health is very important and globally equity is important in terms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health (8 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I have several questions. One is on public health measures and that they would still be the competency of the member state, for example, lockdowns and other public health responses. My other questions is on vaccines. At present they are not mandatory and nobody is asking for them to be mandatory. There is some online commentary that this is what the treaty is about and the purpose of my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dental Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: 10. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to expand public dentistry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19778/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: The problem is that for many parents and many children that is not happening. A number of weeks ago I raised the case of Aiveen , a young child with early-onset scoliosis. Her family crowdfunded for her to go to America to get specialist treatment. She got that and is now doing very well. She certainly did not get the support from the HSE. Her family had to depend on the public coming in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: The tragedy of all of this is that most of those beds have come far too late. There is no reason those beds should not have been funded years ago. Everybody knows that when the decision was made to close Ennis and Nenagh emergency departments, additional capacity was needed in Limerick. It was promised that it would be a centre of excellence. It has not been able to perform as that centre...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: I am all for reform in that hospital and every other hospital, but I was one of those members, including Deputy Crowe, who attended the briefing for the Oireachtas health committee. We met with the head of the HSE and clinicians, hospital management and healthcare trade unions. All of them, to a man and a woman, told us that the big problem in Limerick is capacity. We need reforms but...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: 4. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to achieve a maximum of four months waiting time for paediatric spinal surgeries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19774/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: This question relates to spinal surgeries for children with scoliosis and spina bifida. The Minister will be aware that over the past number of months there has been a number of high-profile reports of children and their families having to take the media. Some of those children have been waiting since as far back as 2020 for their spinal surgeries to be done. The families are pleading for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Despite all of the talk that comes from Government and the Minister regarding record investment, record staff, record capacity and all of that, we have children who are waiting. Last week, I raised with the Taoiseach the case of Liam Dennehy, who has been left waiting more than five months for his surgery. Unfortunately, his spinal curvature is going in the wrong direction. I also raised,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: 3. To ask the Minister for Health if he will commit funding to 288 additional acute inpatient beds at University Hospital Limerick, UHL; the timeline for the full implementation of the coroner's recommendations following an inquest (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19773/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Services (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: This question relates to the mid-west region and University Hospital Limerick. I will start by recognising the loss of Aoife Johnston. I pass on my heartfelt condolences again to her family and her parents. Aoife was one of many patients whom we know were failed in that hospital. As the Minister knows, her family are grieving. We have a real challenge and a real problem in UHL. What...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Service Executive (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: 1. To ask the Minister for Health when he will end the health service recruitment embargo; when the HSE will publish its pay and numbers strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19772/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Service Executive (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: This question relates to the health service recruitment embargo, which, by the way, is a Government-imposed recruitment embargo given that in budget 2024, the health service simply did not get the funding it needed. Will the Minister end that embargo and publish the HSE pay and numbers strategy?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Service Executive (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: We have a growing population and demand in healthcare has increased. When we talked a number of times last year about the deficit that existed in healthcare, the Minister and officials in the Department of Health and the HSE cited two reasons for that, namely, health inflation and increases in demand for services, and the Minister rightly said we were not going to turn away patients....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Service Executive (2 May 2024)

David Cullinane: It is not a coarse measure; it is the wrong measure. It simply is wrong and I think Deputy Donnelly knows that as Minister for Health. We cannot seek to improve services in the healthcare system if a recruitment embargo is in place. The Minister cited the exemptions, which I accept are in place for final-year graduate nurses and hospital consultants, but all the other posts are not exempt....