Results 701-720 of 1,041,963 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Thomas Pringle) in 'Committee meetings'
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: It is free HRT, of course it is, but we cannot expect pharmacists to prescribe without a fee or a margin. They do it today.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: Who will pay the margin?
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: We have been very clear from day one that the funding is for the full cost of the medicines or devices to be covered. This is what the State is going to fund.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: If there is a charge, it is not free.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I have a question. Is it free or is it not free? Will the Minister explain because it is not coming across very clearly? The State is covering the costs of the products and the HRT.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: The cost of the medicine.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: But there is a margin. Who will pay the margin and how much will it be? How much is it likely to be? Why is the State not paying the margin?
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: I have the same question.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputies. It is the same question and the same answer. What we are doing is funding the costs of the medicines and the devices. What is not included is the GP visit, which is just as relevant. I know the Deputy is not asking about the GP visit but it is just as relevant because it is for a prescription. Half the country now has access to free GP care. For the other half...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Róisín Shortall: What is the timeline involved? Is it years away?
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: It is a bit away but it is certainly part of the planning. The latest information I have is St.Vincent's, that is, the national maternity hospital, is still the preferred location for that. On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, sometimes a spirited response is required.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I am all for that.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I know you are. I was smiling because, like the Deputy, I speak to healthcare workers every day. He heard me repeatedly accept everything is not perfect. I am the first to admit that. We deal with it every day. We are about halfway through the journey that needs to be taken. It goes to something Deputy Healy-Rae was saying, which is that I am acutely aware the vast majority of the...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: It is not.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I accept that and I am not suggesting everything is perfect. The Deputy talked of an application for a new CT scanner. That will be looked at. The capital budget is bigger than it has ever been. The Deputy did not say and may not have been told that last year and this year two new X-ray machines were funded, there is a national pelvic floor health centre in St.Michael's and additional...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Róisín Shortall: On a point of order, everybody is pressed for time and the Minister is going way off the script.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I will finish on this.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Róisín Shortall: It is one thing to respond to points raised but the Minister is going way off the subject.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Catherine Connolly: I was giving the Minister some leeway but there is no more leeway. The Minister has time to address the amendments. There is no time limit but we are not addressing the amendments and we are setting a precedent for other Members.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: We do not want to do that.