Results 21,361-21,380 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I will deal with that in a moment.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: It is about licensing and accrediting health facilities, which we have never done in this country but for which legislation is currently being prepared. It is about providing an information regime to allow information to be used to improve services to patients. This is the agenda for the next two years as far as health is concerned. With regard to the issue raised by Deputy Gilmore, we do...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: -----that is no longer accepted, including by the people at the National Rehabilitation Hospital.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: The problem with the Opposition is that it has a magic-wand approach to health. Fine Gael favours compulsory private health insurance. It talks about it as fair care.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: -----let us find out the cost of that policy. The Labour Party favours compulsory social insurance. However, there is no magic wand in health. The issue is not about how to raise the money.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: The issue is about how to allocate the resources, however they are raised - whether through taxation or compulsory insurance or a combination of both. Contrary to the view of the Opposition-----

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: -----the best health systems in the world do not favour a fee-per-item approach, which is seen as out-of-date and too costly, with too much emphasis on unnecessary diagnostics. That is a fact.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I have suggested to the Joint Committee on Health and Children that it might consider the operation of Kaiser Permanente or the Veterans Health Administration in the United States. Other health care systems are also moving away from that model. I say this with sincerity. We have established a group, led by Professor Ruane and with many experts from Ireland and overseas, which will report...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: -----and no matter what patient turns up or where, the money will be always there to look after the patient.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: We talk about saving money. I spent last summer arguing with Deputy Reilly about taking on costs in the pharmacy sector, which will save us €250 million this year. This Deputy, who is the leader of the Opposition as far as health is concerned, opposed me all the way as I tried to obtain better value for taxpayers' money. There is no point in pretending-----

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: -----that we should take tough decisions, only to oppose them one by one when they are taken.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: Letterkenny is north of that line.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: The Deputy knows that technically that cannot happen.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: The Deputy would not wish that on her.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (23 Mar 2010)

Mary Harney: A draft employment control framework for 2010 for the health service is currently the subject of discussion with the Department of Finance. Employment control frameworks have been used for a number of years in the health sector to give effect to Government policies on the number employed in the health sector. The 2009 framework gave effect to the Government decision on the moratorium on...