Results 8,221-8,240 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (9 Nov 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 Cards: Medical Cards (9 Nov 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 Aids and Appliances: Medical Aids and Appliances (9 Nov 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.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: Are there any nice things? I have not heard the Deputy mention any.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy should tell me what they are.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "—welcomes the Government's commitment to promoting patient safety and high-quality health services and in particular to the setting up of the independent health information and quality authority which will progress the safety and quality agenda in the health services through setting and...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: The idea that we should put one patient ahead of another simply because of a political word——

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: ——is not acceptable. Take, for example, breast cancer. In 2003, about 76 surgeons performed operations for this condition in 35 hospitals around the country. Some 39 of the surgeons operated on less than five cases in a whole year. We know from international experience that such a low volume of surgery is dangerous, the survival rate is poor and the outcomes are bad. As we seek to...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: I was criticised for rushing the Health Bill through in 2004——

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: ——Deputy Connolly will have his chance to speak — because I was anxious to ensure that the new organisation should be up and running as quickly as possible. I was criticised for that happening too quickly. Now I am being criticised because the HIQA Bill is not fast enough. In March this year, I decided to publish the heads of that Bill. I got 70 submissions in the three months it...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: I am simply saying the Opposition had an opportunity to put forward its perspective——

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: ——and I just make the point that I got nothing. I was criticised for not having consultation on the Health Bill and I decided I would have consultation on this Bill, as I have had on the Medical Practitioners Bill and the Pharmacy Bill. It is good to have consultation and there must be a timeframe for it. Although many other organisations saw fit to have an input and were taking many...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: I want to answer one other question. I have been asked why the Leas Cross report sat on my desk.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: I was asked by Deputy Twomey why the Leas Cross report was not published sooner and what was the legal advice. The report was commissioned by the Health Service Executive. The HSE received strong legal advice that it could not publish the report unless those who could be identified through it by virtue of the jobs they held had the opportunity to have their perspectives taken on board. I...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: If any of us was the subject of criticism, in all fairness, we are entitled to respond and to have that response considered. That is the reason it has taken a long time to get to the position we reached last Friday. Finally, as regards last Friday, I am now being criticised because I did not turn up at the press conference. If turning up at press conferences is a sign of commitment,...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: Yes I am. The HSE has recently established a steering group to implement the Teamwork Management Services report and to oversee a programme of improved safety and standards across the acute hospital network in the north east. This group is led by the national hospitals office and the project group is led by Dr. Eilis McGovern, a consultant surgeon from outside the region. The HSE has begun...

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: It will be independent.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: I said it will be independent.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: It will be independent.

Health Services: Motion. (14 Nov 2006)

Mary Harney: Can I advise the Deputy that it will be independent——