Results 6,121-6,140 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has advised that the internal audit report has not yet been issued. It has indicated that it is on the agenda for the executive's audit committee at its next meeting on Thursday, 27 April 2006 and that it is expected the report will be published in the coming weeks. This process will have to be completed before any progress can be made on the issues in question.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Responsibility for improvements in specialist health services in the former south-eastern Health Board area now rests with the Health Service Executive. The executive has advised that several capital developments have been progressed in recent years to facilitate the improvement of health services in the area. Principal among these are the major capital developments at South Tipperary General...

Written Answers — Hospital Procedures: Hospital Procedures (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of births by caesarean section. Approximately one in five births are now performed through this procedure. The decision to perform a caesarean section is a clinical one that is taken by qualified medical practitioners. Reasons suggested for the increasing caesarean rates include more widespread availability of foetal monitoring with...

Written Answers — National Repayment Scheme: National Repayment Scheme (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the repayment scheme including the recruitment of an outside company with experience in handling mass claims to manage the scheme within the parameters agreed by the Government. The company will provide an independent assessment of the amount of repayment due to each applicant under the scheme. It will also help to reassure the...

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Tackling the current difficulties with accident and emergency services is the Government's top priority in health. The service being provided to some patients in accident and emergency departments is unacceptable and must be improved. Our objectives are to reduce the numbers waiting for admission, the time spent waiting for admission, and the turnaround time for those who can be treated in an...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102, 108 and 114 together. At the request of the Department of Health and Children, a committee was established by the former Comhairle na nOspidéal to review arrangements for the provision of neurosurgical services and consultant staffing nationally and, following consultation with the interests concerned, to make recommendations on the future organisation...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Responsibility for the provision of and improvements to specialist health services in the former western Health Board area rests with the Health Service Executive. The executive has advised that the following developments are planned for the current year. At University College Hospital Galway funding of €16 million has been provided to commission new units which include the opening of 22...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Proposals for a new employment contract for consultants working in the public health system were recently tabled by the management side in the consultants' contract negotiations. The new contract will be a first step towards the introduction of a consultant-provided service and the appointment of large numbers of dedicated public hospital and community-based consultants, working in teams....

Written Answers — Home Help Service: Home Help Service (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I fully appreciate the valuable role played by the home help service in enabling people who might otherwise need institutional care to remain in their own homes. I do not deny that home helps were poorly paid in the past and that this was not acceptable. However, the rate of pay and the conditions of employment for home helps have significantly improved since 2000. Home helps are paid in...

Written Answers — Organ Donation: Organ Donation (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 187 together. The annual organ donor awareness campaign, organised by the Irish Donor Network and administered by the Irish Kidney Association, highlights the necessity for organ donation generally. The campaign, which my Department supports, highlights the need for organ donors by promoting the carrying of an organ donor card. My Department has...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: All medical practitioners have a responsibility to ensure their practices are safe and their skills are up to date. In this regard, I have pursued a number of important policies and actions, in particular the introduction of a new contract for hospital consultants, which is intended to include provisions for clinical audit and competence assurance and the introduction of a new medical...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I am fully committed to the national roll-out of a cervical screening programme in line with international best practice. My Department has requested the Health Service Executive to prepare a detailed implementation plan for a national programme. The plan is to have cervical screening managed as a national call and recall programme via effective governance structures that provide overall...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Regarding an insurance-based funding model, the issue of what is an appropriate method of funding the health services was discussed in the health strategy of 2001, which remains Government policy. The conclusion in the strategy was that the present system should remain as "there is no compelling evidence that any alternative approach to the tax-based system would deliver significant...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Prior to the establishment of the Health Service Executive, parliamentary questions concerning access to services, by individuals or in specific geographic areas, were referred to the chief executive officer of the relevant health board or ERHA for direct reply. The parliamentary affairs division of the HSE, which was established in April 2005, provides a central contact for all Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. This includes responsibility for considering new capital proposals or progressing those in the health capital programme. Accordingly, my Department will request the parliamentary affairs division of the...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 131 and 188 together. I recently received the report Small Hospital, Big Service, referred to by the Deputies, which was published by the Nenagh Hospital Action Group. The report will be examined by the Health Service Executive in the context of its role in the management and delivery of health and social services. I understand that an independent...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive employers agency has tabled proposals for a new consultant's contract which envisages consultants practising exclusively in the public sector. The impact of the new contract on proposals to locate private facilities on public hospital sites is one of a range of issues that will fall to be considered as part of the transition arrangements to a new contract.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Responsibility for improvements in specialist services in the former north eastern health board region rests with the Health Service Executive, HSE. The executive has advised that a number of capital and service developments have been progressed in recent years to facilitate the improvement of specialist health services in the region. Principal among these developments are the establishment...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Medical Inquiries: Medical Inquiries (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 145 together. The report of the Lourdes Hospital inquiry was published on 28 February. Since the publication of the report, I have met with many of the key stakeholders including Patient Focus, the Health Service Executive, the Medical Council, and the management and medical board of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. I have listened carefully to the views...