Results 3,721-3,740 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: With the agreement of members, we will take the next presentation before taking questions. Is that agreed? Agreed. I call Mr. Barron.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank Mr. Barron. The directive has not yet been transposed into Irish law. Will Mr. Barron give us a timeframe on when this will happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: To give a practical example, if Deputy Seán Conlan needed his hip replaced he could telephone a private hospital, and not just a public hospital, in Stuttgart, have the operation there, pay for it himself and be reimbursed for the amount it would have cost to have had it done in Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: After putting Deputy Conlan on the spot I call on him to speak.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy. I call Dr. Alasdair McDonnell and he shall be followed by Deputy Seán Crowe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Yes, Dr. McDonnell did and he said he was going to be brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: With regard to Donegal, I will not defend the indefensible and I do not do Donegal sensitivity but I came across a statistic yesterday that there are 5,000 frontier workers in the north west. There is quite a lot of mobile occupation and we are nomadic people in Donegal.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Mr. McDonnell was using Donegal as an example and there are other counties as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Members went over time because this is such an important issue. It is also an emotive issue but there are practical solutions to hand. We want to help and we want to contribute. I will give the witnesses an opportunity to respond but before doing so, I wish to acknowledge the fact that 2016 is the target for the opening of the radiotherapy centre in Altnagelvin Area Hospital, which will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I am conscious that we have another presentation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: In fairness, there is a conflict of interests.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Of all the joint ministerial representations North and South, the most high profile public advocates of pragmatic cross-Border co-operation are the Health Minister, Edwin Poots, MLA, and the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I am conscious of the time. I call Mr. Barron.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank Mr. Barron and I am conscious that Ms Gildernew wishes to make a brief contribution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the delegation who have shown commitment to cross-Border co-operation. While one can get caught up in issues concerning quality, quantity and so on, the wide range of people who are present in today's delegation is a sign to members that the Department is committed to the process. A range of issues exist, such as the provision of paediatric cardiology in Belfast and Dublin, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Does Senator Moran wish to make a suggestion?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Yes, the Senator should revert to the witnesses in respect of any specific questions that were not answered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion with Commissioner for Victims and Survivors (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: We will now meet the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors, Ms Kathryn Stone OBE. It is not the first time the committee has met Ms Stone. Some of us met informally last May. We welcome her back and appreciate her being here. We are looking forward to her informing us about the work of the commission in promoting the interests of victims and survivors. I also welcome Mr. John Beggs,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion with Commissioner for Victims and Survivors (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: Will Ms Stone indicate a date for the conference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion with Commissioner for Victims and Survivors (6 Feb 2014)

Joe McHugh: I am sure members will have suggestions and feedback on the Haass discussions. We held a session to consider the disappointing outcome of the discussions and members will reflect our reaction as a committee.