Results 261-280 of 1,044,415 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:Patrick O'Donovan OR speaker:Cormac Devlin OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:Duncan Smith) in 'Committee meetings'
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dental Services (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy and acknowledge his ongoing advocacy in terms of dental services, particularly the children's services and the school-based programme. There have been challenges and children have been waiting too long. A good deal of the delay came about through Covid and the HSE is still in the process of catch-up. The Government invests over €200 million into oral healthcare...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dental Services (3 Oct 2024)
Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister and acknowledge the substantial increase in resources he has got for his Department for the forthcoming year. I congratulate him on his work in the Department together with his Ministers of State. One area we need to address, which I acknowledge I did not specify in my question, is patients with disabilities and complex and additional needs. I am thinking particularly...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dental Services (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. Rest assured there have never been as many staff. We are hearing claims about suppression of posts. The reality is that there are nearly 30,000 more healthcare workers in the HSE now than there were when this Government came in. This week through the budget we have funded another 3,500 new posts. At the end of this year there are about 2,500 funded posts vacant. Not...
- Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dental Services (3 Oct 2024)
Brendan Smith: I appreciate that. I know of the Minister's concern for children with complex and additional needs. I will read a communication that I saw from a parent of a child who got dental treatment. The parent wrote: I feel saddened that those with special needs and who may be non-verbal can often suffer in silence, distress and anxiety due to pain, sadly [my son] suffered for a while before we...
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: There is an obvious role for the contractor to resource the contract and I have called on the main contractor to do exactly that. I am interested in the hospital being built as quickly as possible for children. My main focus is on ensuring that we have a world-class, fit-for-purpose children’s hospital that is open and treating patients. The Minister used the example of a wall being...
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: The Deputy raised a few points. Let me be clear, in that I wanted the State to take ownership of the hospital around now. The contractor told us it would be in October or November, but it has missed its deadline. It has under-resourced the project repeatedly and failed to meet its deadline. I agree with the Deputy about how the hospital development board, which is acting on our behalf,...
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: That is no good to the people of the State who are still funding the hospital or to the children who need it. Does the Minister accept that the levers for holding the contractor to account do not exist? All the levers he has mentioned have been used before and clearly do not work. Does he accept that that has to do with flaws in the contract? Despite all of the tough talk and Ministers...
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: At this point, it would be a futile exercise to second-guess the contract. The contract is what the board has and we must manage the project within it. The board is using the contract to the fullest extent possible. I acknowledge the Deputy’s role in this. He must, and should, put pressure on us. I would were I in his chair, and did. There is value to us speaking with one...
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: We have done that.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I just acknowledged that. I will cite an example that the Deputy’s colleague, Deputy Doherty, raised with me at the health committee. I believe Deputy Cullinane might have been present for it. It had to do with grilles. Clearly, he had been given information. I believe he was acting in good faith. He made an impassioned contribution and said that this was a design flaw and,...
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: The claims were right. A remedy was found that produced cuts.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: -----approximately €24 million and delay the project by months.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: They were correct.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: That is clearly what he had been told and he brought it-----
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh: We must move on, please.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I will finish on this, as it is important. Not only were the claims not correct-----
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: They were correct.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: -----but the total cost was not €24 million. It was €200,000-----
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: The Minister is focusing on the cost. The claims about the grilles were correct.
- Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (3 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: -----and the board got a third party to complete the work in a matter of weeks. We should be united in shining a light on this.