Results 5,301-5,320 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Smoking Ban: Smoking Ban (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: Since the introduction of the workplace smoking ban in March 2004, compliance with the legislation has consistently been over 96% indicating the success of this important public health measure. In 2005 the Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society examined the effect of the workplace ban on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in 42 Dublin bars and among 73 bar workers. The study...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: I am committed to ensuring that acute hospital services at national, regional and local level are provided in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. In particular I want to ensure that services are provided safely and in the setting most appropriate to patients' needs. I want to see a health system that is providing a service quickly, efficiently and safely. I have made it clear to...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: As Minister for Health, I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. The Government is committed to establishing a Special Delivery Unit (SDU) to improve access to the emergency and elective care system. Extensive work is currently being undertaken in designing the Unit, which will be modelled, in part, on the...

Written Answers — Constitutional Amendments: Constitutional Amendments (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: One of the priorities of the Programme for Government is to hold a referendum to amend the Constitution to ensure that children's rights are strengthened, along the lines recommended by the All-Party Oireachtas committee. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is currently considering this issue, with the Attorney General, and will bring it to Government in the coming months. A...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The Health Service Executive is not planning to cut funding for the HSE West (Mid West Area) in 2011. The budget for health services in the Mid West Area for this year was allocated in January at €605m and this remains unchanged. What is apparent from the April accounts is that the Mid West Area is overspending by approximately €4m a month for the first four months of this year. While...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 301 together. At the outset, I would like provide some details as to what has happened to date in regard to this matter. In 2008, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government commissioned an independent report on the site conditions at Haulbowline. The assessment involved analysis of soil, slag, dust, surface and ground water...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The HSE established a National Clinical Programme for Diabetes within the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Directorate. A clinical lead is in charge of the programme and a multidisciplinary working group, representing a number of nursing and allied health professionals, podiatrists and GPs, as well as the Diabetes Federation of Ireland are working through a number of key projects. The key...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The HSE recently published the report of the National Audiology Review Group. The report contains a comprehensive set of recommendations to address the inconsistencies and inadequacies in audiology services. Work is now underway to improve access and deliver high quality, consistent audiology services around the country. In addition to the estimated €11 million exchequer funding available...

Written Answers — Cancer Incidence: Cancer Incidence (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: A Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland, containing 55 recommendations, was published in 2006 and significant progress has been made in implementing these recommendations. The focus of the Strategy is on the development of a culture of quality, measurement, outcomes, education and research and increased service capacity. The National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) was established by the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The Government is committed to fundamental reform of the delivery of child protection services and in this context a new agency with dedicated responsibility for this service is to be established. Preliminary work has commenced on a range of matters relating to the establishment of the new agency including consideration of the various functions to be discharged, the legal framework necessary...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The HSE recognises that it is of paramount importance that there is no impact on services to patients as a result of the recent redeployment of staff from St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown and community services. This redeployment is being carried out in line with the agreed health sector redeployment protocol, provided for under Chapter 6 of the Public Service Agreement. This...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: I am committed to ensuring that acute hospital services at national, regional and local level are provided in a clinically appropriate and efficient manner. In particular I want to ensure that as many services as possible can be provided safely in smaller, local hospitals. We need to ensure the most appropriate organisation of acute services in each region. I believe that the clinical...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: Employment Control Frameworks (ECFs) have been used for a number of years in the health sector to control numbers employed in line with Government policy. The current ECF provides for the moratorium on recruitment (introduced in March 2009) in order to achieve the reduction targets specified in the frameworks. However, it also provides for targeted growth in a number of specified grades to...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The National Service Plan 2011 commits the HSE, within the limits of its Voted allocation of €13.456bn, to delivering activity levels for 2011 which are broadly in line with 2010 levels. This is being facilitated by the continued pursuit of improved efficiency in the way acute hospital services are delivered. In particular, the focus is on reducing inpatient care activity levels through...

Written Answers — North South Ministerial Council: North South Ministerial Council (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: Both Health Ministers meet under the auspices of the North South Ministerial Council. I plan to attend the next North South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting scheduled for 10 June. A North South Ministerial Council Health Sectoral meeting will be scheduled for the coming months. This will provide a specific opportunity to review existing arrangements for cooperation in health and explore...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: A statement on the issue of waiting times for endoscopies was issued by Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin on 24 May 2011. A copy of this statement was forwarded to my office on the same day. There has been a very significant increase nationally in the number of children presenting to Crumlin Hospital with possible bowel diseases which has led to an increased demand for diagnostic...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: This Government is embarking on a major reform programme for the health system, the ultimate objective of which is to ensure equal access to healthcare based on need, not income. This objective will be achieved through a single-tier health service supported by universal health insurance. The health reform process is a comprehensive and complex task that requires careful planning and...

Written Answers — Constitutional Amendments: Constitutional Amendments (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: One of the priorities of the programme for Government is to hold a referendum to amend the Constitution to ensure that children's rights are strengthened, along the lines recommended by the All-Party Oireachtas committee. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is currently considering this issue, with the Attorney General, and will bring it to Government in the coming months. A specific...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: I have approved a review of the decision to abolish payments to student nurses during their 4th year pre-registration rostered placement. The nursing unions have been invited to contribute to the review process. My Department has advised the unions that submissions will be accepted up to the 3rd June, 2011.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (31 May 2011)

James Reilly: The HSE has appointed two independent experts, both with many years experience in nursing practice, to carry out a review into this matter. The investigation commenced on the 5th of May and it is anticipated that it will be complete, at the latest, by the 1st August. The responsibility to register with An Bord Altranais is a matter for each individual nurse as a member of the nursing...