Results 22,541-22,560 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (10 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. Cariban is not licensed as a medicine in Ireland, as it does not have a marketing authorisation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority or the European Medicines Agency. For Cariban to be reimbursed through the community...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Data (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families. However, the provision of a safe service for all of our patients is also paramount. The HSE advise that the elective Arthroplasty (joint replacement) service at University Hospital Kerry (UHK) has been suspended to allow for a review of the infection...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: With regard to the request for additional support for Neurology services referred to by the Deputy, the level of funding available for the Department of Health in 2019 was set out in the Estimates yesterday and the quantum of services to be provided by the HSE will now be considered as part of National Service Planning process.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services Provision (10 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: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE is preparing its draft Capital Plan for 2019 and on completion it will be submitted to my Department for consideration. It requires my approval together with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. When approved the HSE will publish the schedule of projects on its website. As with all capital projects, the further development of the health care...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I want to begin today by sending my deepest sympathies to the family of Emma Mhic Mhathúna and especially to her children. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis. Emma was a woman who strongly advocated for a better health service and shone such a bright light on why that is required in areas such as oversight, governance and accountability that clearly need so much improvement....

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Senators for their contributions. There were many similarities in the themes being raised, many of which I can relate to and support. I will try to respond to a couple of them. The very issue Senator Buttimer outlined in raising the challenges public representatives feel - this is not about public representatives - on behalf of citizens is one of the reasons we need to reform the...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Ciarán Devane is the chair-designate so it is a him. Senator Lawlor made a number of suggestions about how we can improve the legislation. I particularly like his idea of making sure there are always patient advocates. He also asked whether that provision should be strengthened or if it should feature in legislation. I will reflect on that before Committee Stage. I will also reflect...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I am very pleased to be back in the Seanad for what is the concluding stage of the most important piece of public health legislation that will be enacted this year. I welcome the opportunity to take Senators through the amendments made in the Dáil. Obviously, that is all we are doing at this stage because the Bill has been passed by both Seanad Éireann and Dáil Éireann....

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: They refer to different parts of the Bill but their effect is the same.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: This is not related to the issue of labelling but only to the amendments that the Dáil made on labelling. Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 propose that the health warnings and information required on notices in licensed premises and on websites where alcohol products are sold online should be both in Irish and in English. The health warnings and information required in section 12, which deals...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Each bottle in the box will be labelled.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: While this is not related to any of the amendments, but to address the point Senator McDowell made, in recognition of his help with the Irish language piece earlier, my understanding is that each bottle as opposed to just the box will need to be labelled. That will be a matter for environmental health officers.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: It is like who put the fig in the fig roll. The bottles are labelled before they are put into the box.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: This relates only to size. Amendment No. 5 removes the requirement for evidence-based and health-based warnings to take up at least one third of the size of printed material on alcohol bottles. This was something that the Seanad debated and decided it would like the label to be like this. This requirement was an amendment to the Bill that was accepted on Report Stage in this House and I...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: These are all entirely technical consequential amendments arising from the insertion of the warning on the link between alcohol and fatal cancers, so the amendments do not relate to that debate, which was settled in this House and revisited in the other House.We had a debate on how best to address the matter and whether it should be done by regulations or primary legislation. Senators had...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: That is a point for the drafters, but it is a fair point.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: This is a very special day. People in these Houses work very hard on a daily basis but every now and then, we reach a moment in time when a huge body of work comes to finalisation and today is one of those days. Senator Black raised the question as to whose day this is; this is a day for the next generation of citizens in our country, for the young people growing up in Ireland today. They...