Results 33,801-33,820 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that it is critically important for the Irish health service to develop the capability and capacity to project its health and social care workforce requirements to enable more effective and efficient planning. Work is well underway in relation to implementing the actions stemming from the National Strategic Framework on Health and Social Care Workforce Planning, including...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Government published its Action Plan in Response to Covid-19, on March 16 2020. In anticipation of the projected surge in Covid-19 cases and the expected impact on the health care system, a major part of the Action Plan was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute hospital care facilities.  A critical element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private hospitals...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Maternity Hospital (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome the announcement by the Religious Sisters of Charity that the Vatican has approved the transfer of the Sister's shareholding in St Vincent's Healthcare Group (SVHG) to a new company, St Vincent’s Holdings CLG.  This development will remove any remaining concerns that religious influence might be brought to bear on the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH).  It also...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Data (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Government published the National Action Plan in Response to Covid-19, on March 16 2020. In anticipation of the projected surge in Covid-19 cases and the expected impact on the health care system, a major part of the Action Plan was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute hospital care facilities. A critical element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Infectious Diseases Regulations 1981, and subsequent amendments, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre is authorised by law to collect information from doctors and laboratories, via Medical Officers of Health, about diagnoses of certain infectious diseases in Ireland. These diseases are referred to as notifiable diseases. The most recent amendment to the Regulations is the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business, published on 1 May 2020, sets out an indicative path to the easing of COVID 19 restrictions and other actions in order to facilitate the reopening Ireland’s society and economy in a phased manner. The Roadmap specifies that decisions in relation to which actions will be taken and which public health measures...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for Government. In recent years, my Department has worked with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) and made considerable improvements to improve access for patients waiting for high volume procedures, including cataracts. At the end of July 2017, the number of people waiting for a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As the HSE has responsibility, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The modification of public health measures approved by Government on 15 May include allowing the phased return of outdoor workers from 18 May with social distancing requirements continuing to apply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: A major part of the Government’s Action Plan in Response to Covid-19 was to urgently ramp up capacity for acute care facilities. A critical element of the strategy was to put in place an arrangement with the private hospitals to use their facilities as part of the public system, to provide essential acute hospital services for the duration of the emergency. Following negotiations...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Contracts (20 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Department of Health spent approximately €1.3 million on external consultants in 2019. It should be noted that not all invoices included hourly/daily rates, of those that did, the average hourly rate was €95 ex VAT. Where daily rates were quoted, a calculation was made based on a 7.5 hour working day. The estimate for consultancy expenditure is set as part of the annual...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Can I make a point?

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Can I ask-----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: May I reply to the Deputy?

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will be brief. I am not going to stand in this House and have any slur made against my name.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I abide, as I expect all of us to do in our workplace, by the public health advice that is given. The public health advice given to the Business Committee, and commissioned, I believe, by the Oireachtas, pertains to how we do our business in a safe manner. Should that public health advice change or should the Oireachtas adopt a different position----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I am more than happy to be here. I am abiding by the public health advice and I suggest Deputy Carthy do the same.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: By the way, I am here and Deputy Carthy can ask me any questions he wishes.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to be in this House again regarding Covid-19 and our national response to it. I am sure Deputy Carthy would like to stay and ask me some questions on the topic, although he is leaving the Chamber now. First and most important, I wish to express my sympathy to the family and friends of those that have been lost to this disease since I was last in this House. I...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Browne for raising these matters. It is timely because, yesterday, I spent much of the day meeting, at the request of Deputy Shortall, the Disability Action Coalition, Disability Federation of Ireland and the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers, which work with and represent people with intellectual disabilities and their service providers. They have done an...