Results 20,301-20,320 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: It is envisaged that the H1N1 Pandemic vaccination programme will continue into the first quarter of 2010 at least. The duration of the programme will be determined by the uptake rates within the targeted groups. To date over 1.3 million doses of vaccine have been distributed to general practitioners, Mass Vaccination Clinics and Hospitals. Those initially targeted by the HSE are those aged 6...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 85 together. Details of the number of medical card holders and GP visit card holders are provided to my Department each month by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE reflect the position as at 1st November 2009. These figures show that there were 1,461,207 medical card holders and 95,905 GP...

Written Answers — Medical Inquiries: Medical Inquiries (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The Joint Committee of Health and Children also wrote to my Department recently on behalf of the Survivors of Symphysiotomy to request a review and I explained to the Committee that the position regarding a review remains unchanged. The Committee has subsequently written to me with the names of four individuals supplied by Survivors of Symphysiotomy's legal advisors who they believe have the...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The Renewed Programme for Government re-affirms the Government's commitment to the current co-location programme. Preferred bidders have been selected for six co-located projects at Beaumont, Cork University, Limerick Regional, St. James's, Sligo and Waterford Regional Hospitals. Project agreements have been signed for the Beaumont, Cork, Limerick and St James's projects. Planning permission...

Written Answers — Assisted Human Reproduction: Assisted Human Reproduction (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: My Department is developing proposals for an appropriate regulatory framework, including legislation, in respect of Assisted Human Reproduction. The work involves, among other things, examining the approaches to regulation in other jurisdictions and considering the ethical and legal issues that arise. It will also take into account any report by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The optometric schemes administered by the Health Service Executive operate to fulfil its obligations, under section 67 of the Health Act, 1970, to make ophthalmic treatment and optical appliances available to medical card holders. Under the schemes contracting optometrists have agreed to carry out all tests judged to be necessary to determine the patient's need for vision care. The eye...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 84 together. The HSE have not yet been notified of their budget allocation for 2010. When the Government has agreed on the budget allocation for the HSE, it will then be a matter for the Health Service Executive to decide the allocations to individual agencies following on from the Government's budgetary decisions. Until such time as the HSE is...

Written Answers — Health Service Expenditure: Health Service Expenditure (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will be aware that the Government faces serious challenges in respect of public expenditure and has had to take difficult decisions in order to stabilise the public finances. The Government is committed to reducing the general government deficit as part of its strategy for economic recovery which will require a reduction in the level of public spending over the coming years. The...

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) continue to be a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Ireland is not unique in this regard and tackling HCAIs here continues to be a priority for the government and for the Health Service Executive (HSE). In March 2007, the HSE launched a National Infection Control Action Plan. An Infection Control Steering Group is responsible for overseeing...

Written Answers — Health Service Regulation: Health Service Regulation (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: I assume that the Deputy's question is referring to agencies that seek to manipulate women by providing a 'disingenuous' crisis pregnancy counselling and/or information service. While there are no plans to consider a regulatory licensing system proposed by the Deputy, the approach adopted by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency on this issue is, among other things, to further raise the public profile...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The Government is committed to ensuring delivery of the best quality health services possible, in an effective and efficient way. Ensuring patient safety is of paramount importance, so that people can have confidence in the services and that the best possible patient outcomes can be achieved. The HSE commissioned Horwath Consulting Ireland, in association with Teamwork Management Services,...

Written Answers — Infectious Diseases: Infectious Diseases (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) continue to be a challenge for healthcare systems worldwide. Ireland is not unique in this regard and tackling HCAIs here, including Clostridium difficile, continues to be a priority for the government and for the HSE. National Guidelines for the Surveillance, Management and Control of C. difficile-associated disease continue to be implemented on...

Written Answers — Health Service Reform: Health Service Reform (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Expert Group on Resource Allocation and Financing in the Health Sector which I established in April this year under the chairmanship of Professor Frances Ruane, Director, ESRI. This Expert Group has been asked to examine how the existing system of resource allocation within the Irish public health service can be improved to support better the aims of...

Written Answers — Capital Projects: Capital Projects (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: It is not envisaged at this point that there will be new capital projects undertaken directly by my Department in 2010. In relation to the Health Service Executive, the capital infrastructure projects to be progressed in 2010 from within the overall capital funding envelope are currently being prioritised by the HSE, taking account of the NDP targets for division of capital investment between...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, either capitation or fee-per-item, the general practitioner (GP) undertakes to provide all proper and necessary treatment of a kind generally undertaken by a GP to these patients. Accordingly, under these contracts a GP should not demand or accept any payment or consideration for services provided by him/her, including blood tests, where they...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The Implementation Plan for the recommendations of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was accepted by Government and published in July 2009. One of the key recommendations of the Implementation Plan is that an additional 270 additional social workers be recruited by the HSE between 2009 and 2011. As part of the overall approved employment control ceiling for 2009, my...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The Transformation Programme for the North East region has been informed by the 2006 Teamwork Report to the Health Service Executive (HSE) which demonstrated that the service configuration in the region was unsustainable. A series of focused and necessary service changes are being implemented across the region. This Programme is about the reshaping and integration of community and hospital...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: The current postholder was seconded to the HSE for a period of two years, which period expired in November 2009. He has agreed to remain in position for a number of months to facilitate the recruitment of a permanent replacement. Recruitment for the post in question is a matter for the HSE, and I understand that the process is underway and that the post will be advertised in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Primary Care Services: Primary Care Services (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.