Results 22,321-22,340 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I am making the case for the full delivery of Sláintecare over ten years. What a Government or the Oireachtas will be able to deliver in 2019 and 2020 is a variable. It will be dependent on the choices the Deputy's party makes and on the choices and decisions of the Government. I expect that we will have funding allocated to Sláintecare this year that will enable progress. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: On the funding overrun, the Minister for Finance is a greater authority than me in commenting on these matters, particularly at this time of the cycle. He has made clear that he believes the funding overrun in health, which sadly is not a new phenomenon and is a reflection of the need for Sláintecare and a more efficient accountable transparent model of funding and delivery, will not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes, my understanding is that the health overrun will not affect the Minister of Finance's ability in terms of his spending or tax plans in the health space. On the assets, I will ask Ms Magahy to respond later to that question because she has a body of work to do in mapping out people need and the capital and infrastructural need over the next number of years. On the comment that the HSE...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: We are not there yet. I am sure the Deputy will agree that I could not make announcements in that regard in such a public forum. These are conversations to be had with representative bodies at an appropriate time. This is about where people work. Many of the people working in the HSE today may work in a devolved regional entity into the future. The HSE has employees throughout the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Ms Magahy would like to respond to another question asked by the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I will respond briefly to the three matters raised by the Senator. I fully agree with him that the hospital in Cork needs increased capacity, There is a particular need for acute hospital space. As the Deputy has rightly said, the population has grown significantly, but the bed base has not. That is why we announced an acute hospital development for Cork in the capital plan. We also said...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: It is as good as any other way of getting it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I agree with much of what Deputy Durkan stated. One of the things we are lacking in the health service is data. I think that is the reason the Sláintecare committee put such a focus on ehealth. I am pleased that we are going to be able to deliver the ehealth agenda in full because of the ability it provides in tracking that to which Deputy Durkan referred in terms of where the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I accept that. I stated that in the Dáil and at the IMO conference and I say it here because it is the truth. We have an issue with the retention of healthcare professionals. One could argue the toss about recruitment because the stats show that people sign up to be nurses and doctors but the length of time people stay in the health service is a cause of concern. Mr. Duffy and the...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Order for Second Stage (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Second Stage (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." As legislators in the national parliament, we hold a very privileged position, never more so than when we act on the instruction of the people in a referendum. On 25 May the people gave us a very clear message: to legislate for the introduction of abortion services in this country. Today we begin the job they have given us of making the law...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Second Stage (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Hear, hear.

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Medical Services Scheme Review (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 170 together. There are no proposals at present to amend the current assessment guidelines for the granting of eligibility for medical cards or GP visit cards. However, I will ask my officials to discuss the Deputy's suggestion with officials in the Department of Housing and it should be noted that the gross income limits are reviewed annually and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Provision (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Data (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for it to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Community Intervention Teams (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As previously outlined to the House, my Department has engaged with the HSE this year to identify the location and mix of beds across the hospital system, which can be opened and staffed in 2018 and into 2019 in order to improve preparedness for Winter 2018/2019. My Department has received a proposal from the HSE to increase acute and community bed capacity, which identifies 609 acute...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (4 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The Act specifies the criteria for decisions on the reimbursement of medicines. As Minister for Health, I do not have any statutory power or function in relation to reimbursement of medicines. For a medicine to be considered...