Results 801-820 of 1,143,287 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Colm Brophy OR speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:Claire Kerrane OR speaker:Seán Canney OR speaker:Mary Butler OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Robert Troy OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Catherine Murphy OR speaker:Neasa Hourigan OR speaker:Johnny Mythen OR speaker:Noel Grealish OR speaker:Martin Kenny OR speaker:Cathal Crowe OR speaker:Verona Murphy OR speaker:Niamh Smyth OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Catherine Connolly OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:Patrick Costello OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Jack Chambers OR speaker:Denise Mitchell OR speaker:Cian O'Callaghan OR speaker:Anne Rabbitte OR speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Malcolm Noonan OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Seán Fleming) in 'Committee meetings'
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. We have probably discussed this aspect on a few occasions in the context of this Bill. The 6% rate was a recommendation from the Health Insurance Authority. A report was done and a range recommended between 5.5% and 8.6%. The 6%, therefore, is right down at the lower end of the range. The Deputy's question is a very fair one, why not bring it down further. The report...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I am just going to comment briefly. I would bring the rate down to zero to be honest. I just do not see why these providers should make a profit. We are probably not going to get into this debate, but I cannot understand how a Government committed to universal, single tier healthcare can think it is acceptable these companies are making any profit at all. I cannot see how they are...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: People before profit.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: Absolutely, and in healthcare more than anything. I am just using this opportunity to say this, because unless there is an intention to get rid of that at some point, the Government is perpetuating a fundamentally iniquitous situation where these companies are, essentially, exploiting people's vulnerability for profit.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for that contribution. If we were to move the margin down to zero, any sector would then fold up its tent.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: Excellent
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I think there are two sides to this point. As discussed earlier, there is the side where we have people in Ireland who have health insurance out of fear. Everything we have been doing for the past four and a half years has been to move away from that and provide a public health service we can be incredibly proud of and that gives people brilliant care when they need it. At a simple level,...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister's response in providing clarity on how free HRT will be rolled out. If I am reading what the Minister has said right, there are any number of ways in which this could have been done, including providing free GP consultations, but what the Minister has gone for is free medicines and free products, stating this is the best way to do it. I would like clarity on this...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Danny Healy-Rae: I welcome the provisions for the ladies who reach the menopause age and they are very welcome. I hope it will be of benefit to all of them. I have other questions on the nurses protesting outside the hospital in Tralee today. I understand it is because of the embargo that started last November which is still carrying on. A girl who came home last March after a career break-----
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Catherine Connolly: Deputy, these are very specific amendments and I am going to have to hold you to them.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: They are all on the topic of HRT.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Catherine Connolly: There is limited time. There is a guillotine.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Danny Healy-Rae: I will finish now.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Catherine Connolly: I know but I have an obligation to tell you that we are discussing amendments and we must stick to them.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Danny Healy-Rae: All of this is relevant to providing a service. If we do not have the nurses or GPs on board we cannot operate the service. The main question is why the Minister closed the ophthalmology unit in Tralee general hospital. There are 800 people on the waiting list there. If someone gets hit in the eye or something steel or whatever goes into someone's eye, and there are accidents happening...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Catherine Connolly: Does Deputy Boyd Barrett have a question?
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Richard Boyd Barrett: I want to hear the Minister's response about the charging and the margin.
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: I cannot get into ophthalmology in this debate but I am more than happy to speak to Deputy Healy-Rae about it offline. I will respond to his relevant question on the healthcare providers who are required to support patients. With regard to the margin for pharmacists, the current situation is that pharmacists will have two types of patients. These are patients with medical cards and...
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
David Cullinane: Why does the State not just cover the entire cost?
- Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2024)
Stephen Donnelly: For the reason I gave previously. We had a choice. This comes down to option 1 or option 2. We could have looked to cover GP fees-----