Results 2,261-2,280 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Proposed Legislation. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: I first express my sincere condolences to the wife and family of the deceased person who died in such tragic circumstances, which is the subject of Deputy Cowley's question. As I have explained to the House previously, a national working group was established by my predecessor in May 2003 to advise on future measures for strengthening the regulatory environment for complementary therapies. I...

Proposed Legislation. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: I do not disagree with much of what the Deputy said. Some of the therapists in question will be regulated under the provisions of the new legislation on health care professionals. It has completed its passage through the Seanad and is due to be taken in this House shortly. That will provide a regulatory framework for many of the professionals to which the Deputy referred, but we need to go...

Proposed Legislation. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: I accept that we need separate legislation to cover alternative therapists but where medical practitioners engage in this kind of activity, which is what was happening in one instance at least, we need to give the council power to investigate proactively rather than for it simply to react.

Proposed Legislation. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: I accept that we need to introduce legislation to cover both types of practitioners.

Cancer Screening Programme. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: The national breast screening programme commenced in 2000 and covers the east, north-eastern, midland and parts of the south-eastern areas of the country. Screening is offered free of charge to all women in those areas in the target age group of 50 to 64 years of age. Since the programme commenced in 2000, cumulative revenue funding of approximately €60 million and capital funding of €12...

Cancer Screening Programme. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: On prostate screening,I took the recommendation from the Cancer Forum. It states that there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend the introduction of a population based prostate screening programme in this country. It goes on to state that this is in line with EU recommendations and that one must introduce cancer screening programmes which have demonstrated their efficacy having...

Hospital Staff. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: According to the most recent Health Service Executive, employer representative division survey of nurse resources, recruitment remains well ahead of resignations and retirements. Employers reported that 765 vacancies existed at 31 December 2004. The vacancy rate now stands at 2.25%. This could be considered to be a normal frictional rate, given that there will always be some level of movement...

Hospital Staff. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: Some 819 additional nurses were employed last year, many of whom replaced people who retired. CSO statistics indicate that there are 12.2 nurses per 1,000 people in this country. Bord Altranais registration figures indicate that there are more than 15 nurses per 1,000 people. In the EU, the ratio is 8.5 nurses per 1,000 people and in Britain the figure is nine nurses per 1,000 of the...

Health Care Strategy. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: The strategy, Primary Care: A New Direction, sets out the Government's broad vision for the development of primary care as the central focus for the delivery of health and personal social care services in a modern health system. The strategy aims to shift the emphasis from the current over-reliance on acute hospital services so patients will have direct access to an integrated...

Health Care Strategy. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: The cost at the time of publication was €1.2 billion. Further costs were estimated to amount to a couple of hundred million euro per annum. We do not have these resources at present. We are increasing spending on health by 10.8%, or 8.5% in real terms. In the United Kingdom, the previous Government advocated a target of 6% growth in spending. It said it hoped to achieve it during its...

Health Care Strategy. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: Construction inflation was running at approximately 25% per annum some years ago because of the level of demand. That is always what happens when a sector overheats. The country is spending €1 out of every €4 running the health service. This is not an inconsiderable amount. We have come an awfully long way, yet we all know of the deficiencies and gaps. It is a question of having a sense...

Registration of Medical Practitioners. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: Under the Medical Practitioners Act 1978, the Medical Council was established as the body with responsibility for the registration of medical practitioners and the regulation of their activities. The function of the Medical Council is to protect the public through implementing appropriate controls on the medical profession. Doctors practising within this State should be registered with the...

Registration of Medical Practitioners. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: I agree with the Deputy. Until I took up this position I did not know that one could practise as a doctor without being registered. One cannot prescribe but it is possible to practise, which is incredible. I am not sure if I sent the heads of the Bill to the Deputies' offices.

Registration of Medical Practitioners. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: I apologise for that. The idea is to work with the Medical Council and others on legislation that will give the council the strongest possible powers. Its powers will allow it to be proactive rather than reactive when a complaint is received. Confidence assurance will be a great guarantee to the public and to patients because it means ongoing training and education. This is important in any...

Registration of Medical Practitioners. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: The Medical Practitioners Act deals with the medical profession and will greatly strengthen and enhance the powers of the council. We want to maintain self-regulation in this and other areas of health care because it is more appropriate and does not involve the State carrying the cost of the regulatory regime. The Health and Social Care Professionals Bill will provide for a host of people to...

Medical Cards. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: The number of medical cards issued and number of persons covered by a medical card for the dates are as follows. In 1997 there were 1,244,459 medical cards, or 34.37% of the population of 3,621,035. In June 2002, 1,207,096 persons had medical cards, or 30.81% of the population of 3,917,336. In September 2004, 1,151,106 persons were covered by the medical card, or 29.39% of the population of...

Medical Cards. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: As people get richer it may well be that fewer qualify. The unemployment rate was 11.5% in 1997 and is now down to over 4%. This year we increased the threshold for the traditional medical card by 7.5% which is twice the rate of inflation. The income guidelines are way out. We have used the best data available which is the Revenue Commissioners' figures. Clearly people's incomes are much...

Medical Cards. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: A 7.5% increase is pretty good.

Medical Cards. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: Many cards have been issued since the beginning of the year and many new people have cards. We are issuing cards.

Medical Cards. (11 May 2005)

Mary Harney: No. People's income is rising faster than anticipated and the data on which these decisions are based are not as up to date as we would wish and yet it is the best available. That is the reality. Incomes are rising faster than any of us realise. Given the limited resources one has to use income data to decide what one can do. The idea of the GP only card is to allow the widest possible number...