Results 281-300 of 1,090,139 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Gary Gannon OR speaker:Robert Troy OR speaker:Michael Moynihan OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:David Cullinane OR speaker:Mary Butler OR speaker:Malcolm Noonan OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Brian Leddin OR speaker:Pauline Tully OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl OR speaker:Niamh Smyth OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Alan Farrell)

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: They are measured each year. There is an accurate understanding of the number of catastrophic birth injuries and, indeed, other patient safety issues. It is taken very seriously. The patient safety office in my Department is very involved in this. The HSE is also very involved. We can certainly provide some detail in terms of the numbers. For example, the legal fees relating to the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The OPW was mentioned in the context of the Brexit infrastructure in Dublin Airport and the two ports.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I will ask Ms Louise McGirr to provide the details.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I would prefer the Minister to answer that.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister, the Ministers of State and the officials who are here. I wish to make one point or observation, which is important for me to make. The Minister might recall that when we had discussions about Supplementary Estimates last year, which was also after budget 2024, this committee clearly set out our concern that the health service was not properly funded for existing...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy Cullinane for that. I will answer his second question first. Ms McGirr is on the task force and is well placed to give the Deputy an update on his first question. On the changes to work practices, what we are doing is pursuing what was called for in Sláintecare. For me, there are three pieces to this, namely, structural changes to get better productivity, operational...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: In fairness, I have given the Minister a lot of my time to respond to that question. I want to get on to a second point as quickly as I can as well. I just want a figure for my first question. How much has been achieved by way of productivity and savings since the task force was established? The breakdown, if there is one, can be provided to us in writing. Second, what scientific...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: A total of €100 million in the context of the health budget is not a success story.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: Of course, there is more to do. Some €100 million is nowhere near what can and should be saved. Even in respect of the issues the Minister raised regarding how money can be saved, €100 million does not stack up. We have not even got to agency spend, where I argue a lot more can be saved. If a note can be given on exactly that, it would be important. I am sure we will debate...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The figure of 2,000 is contested. My Department has written to the INMO seeking the figures. It has not provided those to us. We wrote again to the INMO this week seeking those figures. Nobody has cited these 2,000 roles. If and when we get the list of those posts, we will of course take that very seriously.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: Is the Minister saying that no roles have been abolished? Is he saying that zero roles have been abolished or is he just disputing the 2,000 figure?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I am saying that we keep hearing this figure that there are-----

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: Let us park that for one second. That is a figure. Is the Minister contending that no posts have been abolished that were vacant on 31 December 2023? Is it his contention that no posts have been abolished or is he simply saying that the figure of 2,000 is something he wants verification on? That is an important distinction.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: It is. Something that is very clear - let us just stick with nursing and midwifery for now but it applies across the board - is that the total funded positions in nursing and midwifery today are well higher than they were this day-----

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: We know that. It is my last question, and the Minister did not answer it, with respect. I accept what he said. That is not in dispute. What is in dispute is that there were vacant posts on 31 December 2023 that were abolished. If the Minister is disputing the figure from the INMO, has he the HSE's figure? I am asking him a very straight question. He is the Minister. Have posts been...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I will answer the Deputy's question. We need to see the INMO or Fórsa figure of 2,000. We will verify it. It is the case that there are teams, be they in the community or in hospitals, which are under a lot of pressure. There are teams that might have had one or two vacant posts in January, where they do not currently have agreement to hire into those posts so I-----

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: You do not know the number.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: -----absolutely accept that.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

David Cullinane: You do not know the number.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: The point is there are thousands more posts now than there were. What can be done? Hospital managers and regional executive officers can redeploy. Ultimately, there are thousands more posts today than there were this time last year. We are talking about an overrun of €1.7 billion. We have to get away from a world where individual hospitals, and it is mainly the hospitals rather...