Results 1-20 of 1,091,149 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Denis Naughten OR speaker:Jack Chambers OR speaker:Paul Murphy OR speaker:Mary Butler OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Duncan Smith OR speaker:Robert Troy OR speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Ivana Bacik OR speaker:Joan Collins OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:Micheál Martin OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:Neale Richmond OR speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:James Lawless) in 'Committee meetings'

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

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister, the Ministers of State and the officials for attending. There are just a couple of things that come to mind. It would appear that a better picture is emerging in the context of funding for health service that will lead to improvements for consumers right across the country. That is to be welcomed. How did the underspends to which the Minister referred come about?...

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

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister. The underspends in question, in terms of their description, are misnamed.

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

Bernard Durkan: There should be an alteration in the description. The Minister has explained that. It should be done in order prevent people being misled and to enable those who may expect the moneys to be sent in their direction to know that this is or is not a possibility. They have to plan as well. In relation to the State Claims Agency and negligence claims, the total allocation of €485...

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

Bernard Durkan: Have these been quantified? Have the areas where positive changes can be made with obvious beneficial results from the point of view of patients and in the context of the risk and cost to the health service been flagged? To what extent has a breakdown of the €485 million referred to, including legal fees, been obtained and what were the extent of the legal fees involved, if known?

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

Bernard Durkan: As a result of action taken.

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

Bernard Durkan: In terms of a reduction in the number of incidents, how will be able to monitor the extent to which potential catastrophic incidents can arise? What evidence exists which shows that the prevention of incidents is well in hand, as needs to be the case? The follow-on from that is the financial liability. How quickly will we see the effect of and be able to judge the preventative measures...

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

Bernard Durkan: All I will say is that this Department specialises in health. Insofar as possible, we need to prevent as many accidents or errors in procedures as possible in every way possible to ensure the money in the health budget is spent on health as opposed to legal fees. I saw something about the OPW. I have had some interaction with the OPW recently. While I cannot find it at the moment, the...

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

Bernard Durkan: Okay. Is the expenditure normal? Has it been tested? The OPW has had a propensity to slightly exaggerate costs.

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

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

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

John Lahart: I thank the Minister, the Ministers of State and their teams. I will take up the same theme. The Minister is talking about 6,500 appointments, essentially. These are new positions between this year and what is projected for next year, yet the INMO and Fórsa are protesting today. What does the Minister say to them?

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

John Lahart: I will move on to a few quick questions. I will briefly note the comparison of health spending in Ireland with other European countries. We are about halfway up or down the league table, depending what way you look at it. Are there any statistics available on international comparisons in regard to getting bang for the buck, outcomes and so on? I do not need the Minister to answer this now...

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

John Lahart: Where is that available? Is it on the HSE website?

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

John Lahart: I want to raise an issue that is good news and a matter of continuing interest. It is relevant to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, who is here. One of the most interesting points the Minister mentioned in his opening statement concerns the demographic challenge, which is alarming. The statistics are really interesting. Our population is at its largest since 1850, with an increase of...

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

Mary Butler: The Deputy is right that we have an ageing population, but we are also living longer. We have one of the highest life expectancies in the EU, as deemed by the World Health Organization, with women reaching 84 years of age and men reaching 82.5.

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

John Lahart: We have one of the highest age expectancies in the European Union.

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

Mary Butler: Yes, in the EU 27, as deemed by the World Health Organization. A really interesting statistic is that we have 400 fewer people in nursing homes under the fair deal scheme this year than we had in 2019. This shows that the investment in home care, day care and meals-on-wheels services is working. When Sláintecare was being devised, it was estimated that we would need 30,000 fair deal...

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

John Lahart: A note on that would be worth getting. My final question is one concerning what may be the smallest sum in the Supplementary Estimate, namely, the dormant account funding of €2 million. I am interested in why the Dormant Accounts Fund was raided and for what purpose. I am being dramatic in using the word "raided". Does the Minister have a note on the specific uses of that funding?

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

John Lahart: I am happy to wait and get a note. The Cathaoirleach might wish to move on to the next speaker.

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

John Lahart: Is it a regular allocation?

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

John Lahart: It is a small figure but it caught my eye. I thank Mr. Curry.