Results 7,401-7,420 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I thank all those Members who have contributed to this debate and thank them for their support. It is not too often we get that level of support for a Bill. There is no question but that this is an important Bill and I will try to respond to the issues in the order in which they were raised. Senator MacSharry opened the debate and I welcome his support. He remarked that there is no...

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: Although I am not entitled to interfere in the day-to-day running of the VHI, as its sole shareholder I will demand on behalf of its customers that there should be serious discounting of the fees charged by consultants when they carry out procedures in private hospitals that could and should be carried out in primary care facilities. I do not mind whether such procedures are carried out by...

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: Absolutely. I have nothing but admiration for young people who achieve 580 points in the leaving certificate. When one thinks about it, one will appreciate that they must operate with a 3% margin of error. It is an extraordinary achievement by any standard. My view is that if people have achieved that, they are entitled to study medicine.

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I have covered the question of social justice, which was mentioned by Senator Healy Eames. I reject the suggestion that we said we would pass this legislation in the third quarter of 2011. We said it would be published in that quarter. Senator Byrne also spoke about this point. Nobody is more keen than I am to see this Bill passed expeditiously. People are wondering whether we are...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. In this regard I have established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), which will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The SDU is working...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: Responsibility for the enforcement of food labelling legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and its official agents, which include the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Local Authorities (LAs) and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA). Traceability figures are counted separately to food labelling...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I am concerned that private health insurance is becoming harder to afford, especially for older people, as insurers increasingly tailor their insurance plans towards younger, healthier customers. Under Universal Health Insurance, everyone will be insured for health care and the current unfair discrimination between public and private patients will be removed. In the meantime, I am focusing...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: Building on the achievements of 2011 the SDU will work with the NTPF, the HSE Clinical Programmes and hospitals to minimise patient waiting times in emergency departments and reduce waiting periods for in patient and day case elective surgical care. The improvements already won have to be secured and continually improved upon. There is a specific SDU liaison process in place for all of...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 219 and 220 together. I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. In this regard I have established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), which will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: During the last quarter of 2011 the SDU sought proposals from hospitals for measures that could be taken to avoid excessively long delays for large number of patients waiting in Emergency Departments. This initiative initially concentrated on hospitals that were contributing most to the overall problem and was later extended to all hospitals which had patients waiting. It was in the context...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together. As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy. Question No. 238 answered with Question No. 237.

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together. The Government has determined that, in line with its commitment to reduce the size of the public service, health sector employment numbers must be reduced to approximately 102,000 in 2012. The cumulative impact of staff reductions from this year and previous years represents a significant challenge for the health system in delivering...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: It was a specific condition of the 2010 Voluntary Early Retirement scheme that persons availing of the scheme would not be eligible for re-employment in the public health sector or in the wider public service or in a body wholly or mainly funded from public moneys. The same prohibition on re-employment applied under the 2010 Voluntary Redundancy scheme also, except that the prohibition is...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (9 Feb 2012)

James Reilly: A combined adult cystic fibrosis inpatient designated bed facility and respiratory unit has been identified in a vacated ward site on the CUH campus. Provisional plans and costings for the unit have been progressed. The hospital has established a working group to progress this facility and is working in partnership with the Build4Life organisation. The HSE is currently examining the proposal.