Results 17,221-17,240 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: The timeline works logically. On 12 February, I answered a parliamentary question stating I expected to receive Dr. Scally's report shortly thereafter, because I did. On 13 February, my Secretary General was at a committee meeting and reiterated that, because he too expected it. On 14 February, Dr. Scally visited my Department and said he would require a longer period. On 15 February, he...

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

Simon Harris: Dr. Scally sent me a copy of it. We all have the same information.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Different countries do slightly different things. If my memory serves me correctly, the Danish programme referenced by Deputy Gino Kenny does not include children and our programme does. Different countries are trying different things because we are at a very early stage in terms of continuing to assess the medical evidence. I approach the issue from a very simple point of view; if one is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Reports (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Heydon for this important question. The report of the independent review group established to examine the role of voluntary organisations in publicly funded health and personal social services was published by me in February this year. It makes 24 recommendations covering areas such as the governance of voluntary organisations; dialogue, engagement and contractual processes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Reports (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and I support Deputy Heydon in that regard. I am aware of the very good work of KARE in the Deputy's constituency and in mine, and the very good work of so many voluntary organisations across the country which are an integral part of the health service. We could not do without them. They were providing services long before the State bothered to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Reports (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I agree with Deputy Heydon that it is an excellent report. I thank Ms Catherine Day, Ms Jane Grimson and Ms Deirdre Madden for doing that body of work. In the report we heard from the voluntary sector that the organisations do not mind complying and providing information but they object to the level of bureaucracy and want us to make it simpler, in particular for smaller organisations, and...

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

Simon Harris: I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that the development of the primary care centres in Portumna, Gort and Headford is being progressed. Planning permission has been obtained for the Portumna development, and the HSE expects to enter into a lease agreement with the developer in quarter 3 of this year, which is quite shortly. Previous efforts to develop primary care centres in Gort...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Do not drag me into it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is the Battle of Clontarf.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: To break out a bit of harmony after the previous question, I thank Deputy Gino Kenny for his role in advocating for medicinal cannabis. We may not fully agree on the approach to take but I acknowledge the Deputy's sincere commitment on the issue of medicinal cannabis and helping people from a compassionate point of view. I also acknowledge Deputy Micheál Martin's work on this issue....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: My approach to this, which the Deputy and I have discussed on many occasions, is that I have to be led by the views of clinicians. I take that approach because they are the people who have the medical expertise and we need them to buy into the programme. In some countries politicians have pretended to introduce programmes that had no clinical support whatsoever. The success of this...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: We are making progress.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is fair game, when the Deputy asks a question on wanting to recruit more consultants, to point out that the policies she puts forward would result in fewer consultants.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: In 2012, Sinn Féin believed consultants were paid too much.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is not like Deputy O'Reilly to be unruly. I tried to look at a document Sinn Féin published in November 2016 under the tile, Framework for New Pay Agreement, but it does not seem to be available on its website today. I suppose the party wants to try to hide the fact it believed these people were paid too much and it wanted to tax them more and reduce their salaries. Let us see what...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy says, I preside over a health service that has seen more than 90% of GPs - the front-line doctors in our communities - accept the new agreement and contract that I have put to them. It is probably unheard of to achieve such massive acceptance of a deal, in this case one which will invest €210 million more in general practice. I preside over a health service that has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The 10% increase in the assessment threshold for GP visit cards was implemented at the start of April. The budget for this would have been held back as a reserve in my Department. I say that from memory. If my account is inaccurate, I will send a note to the Deputy. My position is to allow the new CEO, Mr. Reid, who has only been in the office for a few weeks, and the new board, which has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Every Government of every hue monitors healthcare spending on an almost monthly basis in the run up to any budget. My message to the HSE is to deliver the service plan in full and, in parallel, to put in place greater controls in respect of individual managers. We have discussed this matter in the House. One cannot have individual managers recruiting without paying heed to the budget. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her question. The number of consultants working in the public health service continues to grow year on year. It increased by 125 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, or just over 4%, in the year to the end of May. I will get the clarification for the Deputy on these 125 WTEs and how many are on the specialist register. I do not have that information with me. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The management of health services finances is always challenging, as we have seen since the HSE was set up. There is a range of supplementary figures going right back to the start of the HSE that I could put on the record of the House. The indications are that performance so far this year is better than last year and, as the Deputy has acknowledged, significant efforts are under way on the...