Results 23,721-23,740 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Alcohol Treatment Services (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The  funding for services tackling foetal alcohol syndrome in each of the past five years has been allocated by the Health Service Executive, therefore I am referring this PQ to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The Health Promotion Unit of the Health Service Executive has responsibility for promotion of policies in relation to public health.  Within the Department, we have surveyed units which engage in public information campaigns and responses returned are as follows: Year  Campaign Cost € 2018 Healthy Ireland - communications and citizens engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Proposed Legislation (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: As indicated in my previous response to you (on 13 November last) the purpose of the General Scheme of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017 is to regulate assisted human reproduction (AHR) activities occurring in Ireland. This includes providing for the establishment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority here.  I would re-iterate that the State can only...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Respite Care Services (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Respite care is an essential component to ensuring older people with care needs in the home, including those with dementia, can be cared for in their community and close to their carers. Respite beds offer additional assistance to families and carers thus helping to alleviate the ongoing stress associated with providing care. The provision of respite can often assist with avoidable acute...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care of the Elderly (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme Data (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The information that the Deputy seeks is not readily available.  Therefore, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The Programme for Partnership Government contains a Government commitment regarding the development of a dedicated Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Unit in Beaumont Hospital, to be progressed in the context of a new model of care. A model of care for people with Cystic Fibrosis in Ireland is being developed by the National Clinical Programme for Cystic Fibrosis. It...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (20 Nov 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 Appointments Status (20 Nov 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 Consultant Recruitment (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly. 

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Reform (20 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the cross-party Oireachtas Committee report, Sláintecare, recommended the establishment of regional health bodies to better support and underpin the delivery of new models of integrated care and population-based service planning and delivery. In response, the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy approved by Government during the summer commits to the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: It was my understanding when I wrote back to Deputy Boyd Barrett that the matter had been resolved, but in light of his intervention I will make further inquiries and revert to him today on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I am pleased that the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, and I were today able to announce funding for 550 extra home care packages in the period between now and the end of the winter. This will help significantly to address the issue about which Deputy Butler rightly talks of trying to reduce the number of delayed discharges in order that people can actually-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I believe over 300 will be in place by the end of the year, but I will revert to the Deputy in that regard. I believe there will be 300 this year and 200 next year. We will see a reduction in the number of delayed discharges. I have specifically asked the Minister of State to lead a task force in the Department which will work with the HSE to drive down the numbers. At the request of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I will decide on its publication when I receive it. I have to receive and approve it. I expect to receive it by the end of the month.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: I take the initial point made by the Deputy as partisan and look forward to debating health policy with him on another occasion. On CervicalCheck, he is correct that there have been capacity issues owing to the fact that many women sought reassurance during what was a very fraught and difficult period in the public health service and sought and obtained an additional smear test. Women who...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The Minister of State is right in that the funding will be provided for those beds. In answer to Deputy McConalogue, I note that we have increased bed capacity, with 240 more beds in the system this year and 79 more due to come on stream between now and the early part of next year. We have asked the HSE to determine how to deliver the 2,600 beds. The Letterkenny short stay unit is in that...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Reviews (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Persons over 70 years of age do not have automatic eligibility for a medical card, however, under the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Act 2013, they do have a simplified application process where, when a person attains the age of 70, the medical card income limits are €500 gross income per week for a single person and €900 gross income per week for a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: The recommendations in the Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities Report in relation to medical cards were, firstly, to remove the requirement that work undertaken for the purposes of the medical card earnings disregard must be of a "rehabilitative" nature and, secondly, to increase the earnings disregard.  The first recommendation was implemented by the HSE last...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (21 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: Minocycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic which is authorised in Ireland for the treatment of infections caused by tetracycline-sensitive organisms.  It is not currently authorised as a treatment for schizophrenia.  The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), the competent authority for medicines in Ireland, have advised that there is a clinical trial registered in the UK...