Results 81-100 of 1,091,096 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív OR speaker:Joe Flaherty OR speaker:Patricia Ryan OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke OR speaker:Jackie Cahill OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív5 OR speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív57 OR speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Emer Higgins OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn OR speaker:Ivana Bacik OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Peter Burke OR speaker:James Browne) in 'Committee meetings'

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

Stephen Donnelly: I am taking it very seriously. We have had several debates in the Dáil on exactly this, which I think the Deputy might have been involved in. I wrote to the Chief Medical Officer recently to ask for a full review. There are certain areas, particularly in more disadvantaged communities, where they simply do not have enough staff. There are other areas where they are well resourced....

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

Róisín Shortall: It is the ultimate early intervention service. It is madness and very wrong if there are widespread vacancies. The presentation referred to facilitated access to hundreds of thousands of diagnostic scans for GP patients. Will the Minister clarify how that system works at the moment? I am hearing mixed views on it. In some cases, people are saying they can no longer go to a hospital for...

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

Stephen Donnelly: The scheme is GP access to diagnostics. I will get the exact figure for the Deputy but I think it is approximately €46 million this year. It is very expensive. It is brand new. We started it in 2021. It is very expensive but has been very popular with GPs. To be honest, it is probably one of the reasons we see such an increase in referrals to the outpatient lists because more...

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

Róisín Shortall: Is the Minister saying that anybody who is referred for diagnostic testing by a GP is entitled to that free of charge?

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

Stephen Donnelly: Yes.

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

Róisín Shortall: The point was made to me by somebody that they were going to a private provider because VHI did not reimburse if it was done in a hospital. What is the situation regarding that?

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

Stephen Donnelly: If it is a referral from a GP, private health insurance is not needed. It is free.

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

Róisín Shortall: Is that for any diagnostic test?

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

Stephen Donnelly: Certainly, for the ones I have listed. There may be ones, cardiac CT, for example, that are not covered. I imagine there will be some tests that are not covered but the ones I have listed are.

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

Róisín Shortall: Chair, can I have two minutes to discuss the drugs services? I will be very quick on this. There is a lot of concern across the board about community drugs task forces - local and regional drugs task forces. The allocation to them has more or less stayed static for several years. I think it is €4.2 million this year.

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

Róisín Shortall: I am talking about the drugs and alcohol task forces.

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

Róisín Shortall: That is for other things apart from the task forces.

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

Róisín Shortall: I am specifically asking about the task force funding.

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

Róisín Shortall: It is modest given the work of task forces which are the lynchpin in disadvantaged communities in terms of responding. It does bring together the various partners.

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

Róisín Shortall: A point I want to make about the task forces is that increasingly they are aiming to be partners in the provision of community services, whether that is family support or bringing together education partners. The task forces are facilitating a lot of that joined-up thinking and activity to have a comprehensive response in areas where drug use is very prevalent. The task forces are saying...

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

Róisín Shortall: In a tight labour market that is just hopeless.

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

Róisín Shortall: I thank the Minister of State.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Second Stage (15 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have a short time. I welcome the budget and especially the work the Minister has done over the years. It is a fact that the Minister is hardworking, efficient and effective. I also pay tribute to her staff around the country. As a TD and public representative for 50 years, and I suppose I drive everyone mad by ringing up about clients, but I have to say on the record that the Minister's...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Second Stage (15 Oct 2024)

Mattie McGrath: On a point of clarification, is there something happening other than Hallowe'en at Hallowe'en? We want the Bill finished by Hallowe'en.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Second Stage (15 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There will be a treat when you turn up at the door.