Results 21-40 of 26,857 for speaker:David Cullinane

Written Answers — Department of Health: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: 41. To ask the Minister for Health the steps she has taken to expedite regulation of psychologists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34744/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (26 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: 334. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the strategic review of general practice; the steps concluded thus far; the steps remaining; the timeline for completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35073/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes (26 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: 92. To ask the Minister for Health the steps she has taken to increase investment in public nursing homes and improve regulation of the nursing home sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34747/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (26 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: 335. To ask the Minister for Health further to the report of the expert taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacy, the cost of a common conditions scheme; if her policy on this scheme has changed from her predecessor; if her Department has completed the work referred to in response to Parliamentary Question No. 366 of 10 July 2024; and if she will make a statement on the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister, the Ministers of State and all of the officials. The Minister mentioned inefficiency, high costs and the money that we spend in the healthcare system. Obviously, we want to get maximum efficiency. What was the figure that was approved in budget 2025?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: No, what was actually approved? I am not asking about the Revised Estimate. What was approved in budget 2025?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: What is the difference between the two?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: I just want to get to the productivity and savings task force issue. That was set up by the previous Minister. I am looking at the update for February 2025 and I looked at a previous update. There was the publication of a previous action plan that had redacted targets but in the February one, the targets were not redacted. The document states that there was a recalibration to the original...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: There was no variation. I am reading from the Department's own report. It says there was a recalibration to the original plan and this included revised savings targets. If Mr. Curry is telling me it was the same, there were no revised savings targets.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: It does not say that. It refers to including revised savings targets. That suggests that the figure had changed. We will come back to that and perhaps the Minister can give us unredacted versions of the previous plans. We are being told here that no change was made. I want to know if that was the case. I want to see the original documents, if that is possible, so we can see the targets...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: That figure is a very small amount of the overall budget. We are talking about efficiency and savings. When I look at the figure of €633 million, it is significant in its own right but less so in the context of the overall budget, and it is over two years rather than one year. Is it the Minister's view that those targets are sufficient or would she be looking to increase those targets?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: -----but we had to provide an additional €1.5 billion last year to essentially plug a hole in what were cumulative deficits that had built up over a number of years. We were not allocating sufficient funding to deal with even existing levels of service. We had many discussions in this committee with the previous Minister for Health, the head of the HSE and the Secretary General of...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: It is small and it is important. I am not saying it is not important-----

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: How much did we spend on agency in 2024?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: We were told by the head of the HSE that very significant savings needed to be made in this area, including converting-----

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 38 - Department of Health (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

David Cullinane: Bear with me, because I am not finished my question yet-----