Results 9,961-9,980 of 45,736 for speaker:Simon Harris

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: That is unfair.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I am.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I will try to be succinct with my answers. In response to Deputy Fitzmaurice, I reserve the right to try to put more funding into the NTPF. I am currently considering that but am waiting to see the HSE's proposals in its action plan for waiting lists for 2017. As the Deputy knows, we have already put €20 million into the NTPF for this year. This is the first year in long number of...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Moynihan. He has been a passionate advocate for a greater role for our level 2 and level 3 hospitals to take the pressure off our level 4 hospitals and the point he made is very good. It is policy and we need to look at what more we could do. As the Deputy knows, I visited Roscommon. There is huge potential, and not just in terms of the endoscopy unit which we opened there,...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I have not been saying that. There are already some proposals to see what we can do with Merlin Park University Hospital. I agree there is a need to look at some non-acute services that could perhaps be provided on the Merlin Park University Hospital site. In the context of Deputy Tóbín's comments about horse manure, he can use any phrase he wants. Quite frankly, however, he...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: Excuse me-----

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I will answer the Deputy's question.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The Deputy asked me about three points and I am answering the three points. I am not going to defend the indefensible. When I see something that is appalling and unacceptable, I will call it out as such. I will tell Deputies what I, as Minister, will do to mitigate it and I will also tell Deputies what I expect from the people who receive €14.1 billion of taxpayers' money to fix the...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge Deputy Buckley's track record in pursuing mental health issues and being a strong advocate in this area. If he sends me details of the first matter he raised, I will have it examined. I am not aware of the issue he raised in regard to the ambulance service but will have it checked out by my officials and revert back to the Deputy. We need to expand our ambulance fleet...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: 12 o’clock In response to Deputy Cowen, I am not partisan or petty on this, in that the NTPF was set up by the Fianna Fáil Party in government and the Fianna Fáil Party sought the reinstatement of it. While there have been differing views in my party, I am of the view that it is a useful and effective vehicle, at least in the short term. While people want to have...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: We cannot usurp the Public Service Pay Commission process. That process is due to report in a matter of weeks and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has set out the process for addressing issues of pay and allowances. I believe issues of allowances and pay will need to be looked at if we are serious about recruitment and retention in the future and I believe the public sector...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Connolly for the specific questions. I will try to be as specific as I can. I presume the meeting on 12 December last the Deputy referenced is where I met the clinical director while I was in Letterkenny.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I had a conversation. Let me be clear, I believe there is a need to do more in Merlin Park. I want to see the Saolta Hospital Group and the clinical director in the Saolta Hospital Group------

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: If the Deputy will bear with me a moment, I will address the three parts. The hospital group has made a submission on Merlin Park. There is merit in the suggestion that more can be done in Merlin Park. We are about to have a mid-term capital review this year and I have asked that the HSE consider it in that context. That is the situation in that regard. In respect of University Hospital...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I try my best.

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The INMO executive council met yesterday. I am deeply disappointed that it rejected the proposals, although I respect the right of its members to do as they wish. What is really important is they have now provided three weeks and six days before a work-to-rule takes place across the Irish health service, a work-to-rule that I believe, and the INMO has conceded, would be detrimental to Irish...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: I will. With regard to accountability, I appreciate the point Deputy McGuinness makes. I am clear on what I am accountable for but there are other people accountable for other elements of the health service. When I ask for them to be held to account and for them to redouble their efforts, I do not mean it to excuse me of my responsibilities. When I talk about accountability, I am talking...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: On Deputy O'Dowd's point, I want to be very clear that I have confidence in the director general of the HSE to do his job. However, I do not have blind confidence in anybody and I am not going to start writing blank cheques for anybody. Everybody in every role in the health service, from the person working on the front line to the person managing a hospital, big or small, needs to be...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Statements (9 Feb 2017)

Simon Harris: The full picture must take on board the submission the GPs and the community made to me. I want to meet the GPs from Portlaoise in the coming weeks.