From Paddy Healy on Behalf of Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Seamus Healy says emergency action is needed to provide extra staff, beds and resources at South Tipp General. This should be provided from the 30 million Euro HSE emergency Fund.
Kenny says that money is not the Issue
Under pressure from Healy, Taoiseach says he will seek a report from Minister for Health on the Crisis at South Tipp General
Seamus Healy TD
Statement by Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
Professor Ray Kinsella , Professor of Banking at UCD, has supported the view of Seamus Healy TD that the extent of repossessions of homes now in train constitute a major crisis. Taoiseach Kenny has contended in reply to a leaders question from Seamus that the problems are “solvable” within existing arrangements and to say otherwise is scaremongering.
In his column in the Irish Examiner to-day Friday April 4, Professor Kinsella says:
“But there are also developments in the wider economy that impact on health, including mental health, that is left pushed to the outside of a policy calculus on UHI. A notable example is the exponential increase in housing repossession now under way and which will inevitably and inexorably impose the most severe levels of mental stress, and worse, on the health of tens of thousands of householders.
The Government knows this to be the case — the figures cited in the Dáil recently by Séamus Healy TD are truly shocking. TDs have repeatedly referred to the causes of this crisis and what needs to be done. Mainstream politics is in denial.”
Statement by Séamus Healy TD
It is important to thank the families who have persisted in raising these issues. It is also important to thank the Minister for the manner in which he has dealt with the situation and to welcome the report of Dr. Tony Holohan, the Chief Medical Officer, in relation to this matter.
There appears to be unprecedented failures here. It is truly shocking to learn of the lack of respect and due care for families at such a sensitive time. They were treated appallingly. As someone who worked in the hospital services for more than 20 years I am at a loss to understand that. I also find the culture outlined in the report completely foreign to my experience. It appears from the report that there was a breakdown at every level of responsibility and authority not only at Portlaoise hospital, but at national level. I have listened to the commentary on this issue and have read various reports on it. It is not clear from those reports why this happened. It appears to me that the significant reductions in expenditure nationally, including the 11,000 reduction in staff, has put enormous pressures on staff, in particular at Portlaoise hospital. There is no excuse for any staff member at any hospital not treating people with due care and respect or providing quality service. However, there is no doubt that staff are under constant pressure.
I understand that a number of posts at senior level in Portlaoise hospital were filled on a temporary basis only and that 25% of staff, nursing and medical, are agency staff. Deputy Ó Caoláin referred earlier to the ratio of midwife to births at the hospital being 1 to 55 despite that nationally it is 1 to 29.5. This coupled with the aforementioned staffing issues suggests to me that there are serious pressures on staff in that hospital. Another significant matter highlighted in the report is that of the concerns raised by staff at a number of levels. What action was taken as a result of those concerns being raised? It is not clear from the report what happened in that regard. Also, what procedures are in place now to address future concerns raised by staff?
I welcome the HSE statement in regard to the open disclosure policy. I hope it will not be only a policy but will be acted upon on a daily basis within and throughout the service.
Deputy Healy addressing the Joint Committee on Health and Children regarding the National Ambulance Service this evening.
Earlier today Deputy Healy made this statement in addition:
Ambulance Service
Deputy Seamus Healy has condemned any attempt to transfer an ambulance or ambulances from the Our Lady’s Hospital, Cashel base.
Any such transfer would be totally unacceptable and would significantly reduce the level of ambulance cover available for Cashel, Tipperary and the general mid and west Tipperary areas.
In such circumstances, minimum ambulance response times would be impossible to achieve and would potentially have very serious consequences for patients particularly those suffering from stroke, heart attack and road traffic accidents.
Deputy Healy has confirmed his full support for the newly formed Tipperary Ambulance Action Group.
Deputy Healy, who is a member of the Oireachtas Health Committee, will be raising the whole issue of South Tipperary Ambulance Service at today’s meeting (Tuesday 25th February) of the committee which be reviewing the ambulance service and will be hearing presentations from the National Ambulance Service Representative Association, S.I.P.T.U and the Health Service Executive.
Seamus Healy T.D.
087 2802199
Written Answers – Department of Health: Health Insurance Community Rating (18 Feb 2014)
Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
756. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the risk equalisation scheme currently in operation having regard to the fact a significant proportion of the elderly are now insured by companies other than the VHI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8162/14]
James Reilly (Minister, Department of Health; Dublin North, Fine Gael)
The Risk Equalisation Scheme provides for a cost subsidy from younger, healthier people to older less healthy people and the compensation is provided in favour of the individual consumer and not in favour of any particular insurance company. A company with a worse than average risk profile (and therefore higher claims costs) will be a net beneficiary from the scheme while a company with a greater proportion of younger and healthier people will be a net contributor to the scheme but will benefit considerably from having much lower claims costs. Therefore, all insurers are in receipt of payments from the Risk Equalisation Fund in respect of their older customers, based on the number of older persons they have insured. I would encourage all commercial insurers to actively recruit older members to further balance spread of older customers.
Written Answers – Department of Finance: Budget Measures (18 Feb 2014)
Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
205. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will reverse the budget 2014 measure regarding health insurance due to the fact that as a result health insurance premiums have been increased excessively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8154/14]
Michael Noonan (Minister, Department of Finance; Limerick City, Fine Gael)
In the first instance, decisions taken to increase the cost of health insurance premiums are made by health insurance providers and are beyond my control. However, it is the case that in Budget 2014 tax relief for medical insurance premiums was restricted to the first €1,000 per adult and the first €500 per child insured. Any portion of premium paid in excess of these ceilings no longer qualifies for tax relief.
The cost of Income Tax relief in respect of medical insurance has increased significantly in recent years, estimated at €404 million in 2011, €448 million in 2012 and €500 million in 2013. Despite the increasing cost of the relief, the number of individuals insured has reduced over the same period, while at the same time the level of medical cover has decreased on some policies. Against this background the increase in costs is unsustainable. If the relief were to remain unchanged and the trend was to continue, the cost would increase to approximately €1 billion by 2020.
Prior to this reform the State was effectively paying 20% of the cost of all private medical insurance premiums via the system of income tax relief. In effect this means that those taxpayers who could never afford private health insurance, or who have had to give up their policies due to personal circumstances, are providing financial support via the tax system to those individuals who can afford such insurance.
Although it is true that the restriction of the tax relief may have in some cases, led to a net increase in medical insurance premiums payable by individuals, it should be noted that many would only be affected marginally, depending on the cost of the policies that individuals choose to purchase.
The measure to restrict tax relief in respect of medical insurance premiums was approved by the Dáil via Financial Resolution on Budget night and confirmed by the Oireachtas via the enactment of Section 8 of Finance (No. 2) Act 2013, which was signed into law by the President on 18 December 2013. I have no plans to review the restriction in the short term.
