Results 17,201-17,220 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: They can, and different women can make different decisions as well.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Absolutely, I am very well aware of that. Each case is different as well. We are not legislating to say that this is how all cases will be dealt with, nor are we asking the labs, support groups or patient advocates to agree that everyone goes this route. It will be individual cases.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes. These are not ideas I have come up with; we have brought in some of the most learned minds and a judge who specialises in clinical negligence, Mr. Justice Charles Meenan, to come up with a model. There does not seem to be any legal avenue available to compel external agencies to attend. That is not welcome news but it is the truth. If this was a matter of just the State, it would be...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes, and people have the right. We cannot trump our court system and its place in our Constitution.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: That is an ethical question with which we all have been grappling. As a great supporter of our screening programme, I know the Deputy remembers that, as Minister for Health, my first priority had to be the continuance of screening. I hope Deputy Bríd Smith believes me on this. It would have been great to be in a position to have the capacity here in our own country. As Dr. Scally has...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Responding to the second question first, absolutely, 100%. Anybody who works for this State and works for our health service will be expected to co-operate fully. That is not just my expectation; in fairness to the new director general of the HSE, I know it is one he shares as well. In response to the first question, it is a matter for the tribunal to decide when to commence its hearing....

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is important as to whether our courts decide to hear an appeal, which is a matter for them, and, when they do decide to hear it, whether they decide to hear it quickly.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I am not suggesting that the Deputy is doing this but, for people watching, I would not like it to be interpreted as a delay in the establishment of the tribunal. That may not be the case.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I am happy to provide that.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It would be a matter for the tribunal to determine whether to proceed, depending on the individual case.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Industrial Disputes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy on the integral part support staff grades play in our health service. He knows of it from his personal experience and we all know of it from our use of the health service. Whether it is moving patients from an emergency department to a ward, helping to discharge a patient, keeping our hospital clean or providing a good hot meal, these staff are integral members of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Industrial Disputes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I agree that significant pain and hardship was inflicted on many people in this country as a result of the economic crash. We have been working to try to rebuild the country from that point. We increased the minimum wage several times, particularly after it was cut by €1. We prioritised low-paid workers in the public service stability agreements and nearly all the reductions under...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The report of the trauma steering group was approved by Government in 2018 and a HSE interim implementation group is currently progressing its four immediate actions, the first of which was the recruitment of a national clinical lead. Mr. Keith Sinnott has been appointed to that position. The second action relates to orthopaedic trauma and major trauma bypass protocols, the third relates to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is correct that this will involve revenue and capital costings. The overall estimated maximum staffing requirement suggests that an indicative estimate of revenue costs of €53.6 million on the cost of developing orthogeriatric fracture liaison services is included. This can be considered as a gross cost which carries a need for careful examination because there are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Services (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will agree that it is important that this decision will be made by clinicians and an independent assessment panel and independent of me and the House. Deputies regularly raise with me the cases of constituents who are in hospital as a result of a very bad trauma and need to be transferred to another hospital which can better deal with their complex needs. This is about ensuring...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Industrial Disputes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 111 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. I will answer the questions in the context of the Labour Court tomorrow starting three days of intensive hearings and engagements on this dispute regarding some of the staff in our healthcare service represented by SIPTU. It is important to say that staff in the public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is an important question. I accept Deputy Kelly's bona fides regarding this matter. All I can tell him about is the chain of correspondence, meetings and parliamentary questions regarding my situation. Dr. Scally made it clear that he expected to give me a report at the end of February. That was the information I relayed to these Houses. It then took Dr. Scally longer to complete the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Primary Care Centres Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Rabbitte. She is correct that we had an excellent day at the Tuam primary care centre. It is a really state-of-the-art centre of which I am aware the community in Tuam is very proud. There are now requests from that primary care centre to put in X-ray facilities. This is the next big step. We have over 120 primary care centres open. The big prize is getting the diagnostic...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Primary Care Centres Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: On the broader issue of dental services in the country, as the Deputy probably knows, I launched our new dental strategy, Smile agus Sláinte, a couple of weeks ago. The previous dental strategy was published in 1994 and was working from dental data from the 1980s. Another reason we end up with such dental difficulties is cost. Regarding the plan to roll out free dental care to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 69 together. Deputy Kelly has taken a deep interest in this. As he will be aware from responses to previous parliamentary questions, I met Dr. Gabriel Scally to discuss the progress of his supplementary report on 31 January, following an excellent meeting I had in my Department with members of the 221+ patient support group, which Dr. Scally kindly...