Results 28,101-28,120 of 46,346 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff Recruitment (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: One cannot describe a situation where we will hire 2,000 additional staff this year as a recruitment embargo. An embargo suggests that we are not hiring any more people. In other words, that we are stopping recruitment. We are not doing that; we are going to hire 2,000 more people. However, what we are expecting hospital groups and CHOs to do is something that every other public service...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Paediatric Services (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this important question. Children’s Health Ireland has advised that recruitment is well under way to secure the required staff for the opening of the outpatient urgent care centre at Connolly Hospital and that the majority of staff have been recruited, with start dates over the forthcoming weeks and, in some cases, months. A total of 13 consultant posts are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Paediatric Services (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I have no doubt this service will see additionality from July in regard to paediatric healthcare. I take the points the Deputy makes that if we are just taking a doctor from here to there, that is not additionality. I genuinely have no doubt it will bring additionality in terms of extra appointments for children. I outlined in my last answer the volume I expect as a result of this centre...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Paediatric Services (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thought that might be the case.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Paediatric Services (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I expect we are likely to know in the month of June but I will confirm that with Children’s Health Ireland and write to the Deputy. The Deputy is entirely correct that this requires a lot of planning. I make the point that, thanks to the legislation passed in this House, which the Deputy co-operated on and supported, we now have Children's Health Ireland, which is one hospital...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Facilities (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 215 together. I thank Deputies Durkan and Heydon for asking these important questions about Naas General Hospital. I was delighted to visit the hospital on a number of occasions with Deputies Durkan and Heydon. There are, as the Deputy said, two distinct capital development proposals for Naas General Hospital at present. The first development...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Facilities (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is entirely correct and I assure him that not only will the Department take an interest in this but I will take a personal interest in it. I know that Deputies Durkan and Heydon will continue to monitor this issue in the House. It is important for people to know exactly what the mental health unit will involve. The Kildare and west Wicklow mental health service proposes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Hospital Facilities (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: Development phase three, which is the exciting new development for Naas hospital, including the endoscopy unit but much more than that, is, I understand, at tender stage. This consists of accommodation, ancillary services to support the endoscopy unit, a physical medicine unit, a physical therapy unit, an oncology unit and a day procedure department. It will also include a duplex reverse...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 15 together. I am taking these questions on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, who is at a dementia conference today. Improving access to home support is a priority for the Government. Over the past four years, we have seen a considerable increase of nearly €140 million in the budget, which has grown from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: Absolutely. The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, and I are keeping in very regular contact with the HSE on this issue because apart from the societal impact of not providing home support and the impact on a family, it can have a significant knock-on effect on hospital admissions, the use of hospital beds and delayed discharges, to use a phrase I do not like. The Minister of State...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I have no doubt we could do that. In advance of the introduction of the fair deal scheme, the question of significant delays in accessing nursing home care was a very persistent one in this House, probably tabled by Deputy Durkan, who is known for his parliamentary questions, and by many other Deputies. The fair deal scheme, which was landmark legislation, brought through by the former...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Screening Programmes (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 34 together. I thank Deputies Donnelly and O'Reilly for their important and timely questions. We began to discuss this issue last week and it is quite right and important that we keep it on the agenda in the House. On the State and lawyers, it is very important that the State accepts liability in regard to non-disclosure in any of these cases, does...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Screening Programmes (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputies' suggestions are very helpful and constructive. I concur that this is an issue on which we must all work and pull together and I have no doubt that we will do so. "Yes" is the short answer to Deputy Donnelly's question as to whether I will endeavour to find a mechanism to brief health spokespersons or the health committee on the legal advice or rationale behind any approach I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Screening Programmes (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies again. My guidance to all those working in the health service is to continue providing the services we provide to women and men. Those services that have saved lives since we introduced CervicalCheck screening programme during the time in government of Deputy Donnelly's party. The mortality rates relating to cervical cancer have decreased by 7% each year. This is a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan for this question, which relates to an area in which she takes a keen interest. I am answering the quesiton on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, who is unavoidably detained. Drug and alcohol task forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in local communities and in ensuring that a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I take what Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan says very seriously. I know from her constituency what a very positive impact the task forces can have in a community with rampant drug problems. I very much appreciate that point. I will indeed ask Minister of State, Catherine Byrne, to take the Deputy's comments on board as part of her review on additional funding. We all agree that this is an area...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not disagree with what the Deputy says and I take her comments about funding on board. I would also make the point that it is about more than funding. It has to be about the way we treat people with drug addiction. For a country that likes to consider itself progressive, tolerant and inclusive, the way we only treat people with drug addiction through the criminal justice system is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Eugene Murphy for this important question on Roscommon community mental health services, the reason for their transfer to County Galway and plans for the replacement of these positions. Community healthcare west has confirmed to me that three senior clinicians in the Roscommon area are in the process of leaving their roles. They are leaving to pursue career opportunities...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I again thank Deputy Eugene Murphy and appreciate his very sincere interest in this. As a constituency Deputy, he has rightly come across families who are interacting with these services and who are dependent on them. He is entirely right that people build up a rapport, a personal relationship, a trust, and a bond with people working in our mental health services. It can be upsetting for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: It is lovely to hear such positive feedback about the really important impact our front-line staff are having on the Deputy's constituents in Roscommon, and I will make sure that is passed on to the people working in the mental health services in community healthcare west. I will indeed seek an update on the recommendations from that review, and I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Jim...