Results 10,381-10,400 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: It could be because of the recovery. We will have that debate somewhere else.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: I know that the important health matter raised by the Deputy is a matter of genuine concern for people. I expect people to be able to see this legislation next week. I have already asked the Government Chief Whip to get it into the House and through both Houses as quickly as possible. While I do not wish to speak for the HSE, I am aware that it is preparing people to be able to register...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: No, that will not-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: Correct.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: I am giving the Deputy my word that nothing will delay it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: Legislative change is needed here. I hope and expect to bring the legislation to the Government on Tuesday so that I can get the Bill published and bring it through both Houses as quickly as possible.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: I will endeavour to meet the Our Children's Health group next week to provide an update on the timing.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: Sure.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: It has been suggested that the NTPF reviews itself. As the Minister with responsibility for appointing the independent non-executive board of the NTPF, I think we need to be careful not to impugn the professionalism and expertise of the people on that board when we make comments. I do not suggest that the Deputy has done so. The board of the NTPF, which is the structure through which the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: Sorry. Go ahead.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: It is accountable to me. The acute hospitals division within my Department monitors the fund and reports to me on it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: The Deputy may be asking a question to which she knows the answer. The current chief executive officer is on secondment from the HSE but the position has been advertised publicly and the recruitment campaign to fill that post is under way.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: There are two parts to the answer. I would be dissatisfied if the NTPF, the HSE and the Department were not working closely together and were not closely linked because that is the only way we will solve the waiting list challenge. The Deputy is entirely correct. The interim arrangement in respect of the head of the NTPF is not to the satisfaction of any of us given the enhanced role the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: Yes. I am satisfied that the structures are robust enough but my Department has a role in this regard. The NTPF is accountable to my Department as one of its agencies. I often hear misinformation relating to the fund. The Committee of Public Accounts has examined the operation of the fund and I expect it will continue to keep an eager eye on its work because it receives a significant...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: NTPF officials monitor the people they pay with taxpayer's money to deliver a service, not themselves. The NTPF outsources services to public and private hospitals, saying, "We are paying you this to provide that", and they monitor that. Their role in many ways is to contract services and to make sure they are delivered in an efficient way within budget for patients.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: I am.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: It is not. As I tried to say in my opening statement, the anomaly payment was part of the talks with the public sector unions earlier this year and that matter will be dealt with centrally by Government.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: Most of the questions are specifically for the HSE. I will ask the director general and his team to deal with the structure and management posts because detail is important in respect of those headline figures. The Senator asked whether we would review management structures within the HSE. There is a commitment in the programme of Government, and the decision made by the Dáil to...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: There is no question of anything being referred to a committee. We are going to publish a waiting list plan next week, at the end of this month, and in response to Deputy O'Reilly’s question, we will share it with this committee. I expect that significant measures to reduce waiting times in CUMH will be a part of that. In fairness to the HSE, the detail of those measures will be in...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)
Simon Harris: I apologise to the Deputy.