Results 10,581-10,600 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: The Government's policy on radiation oncology is based on the Report on The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland. The Report was prepared by a multi-disciplinary group of experts in radiation oncology, medical oncology, public health and palliative care, including significant expertise from St. Luke's Hospital and the Irish Cancer Society. The Report has had significant...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the Repayment Scheme and the information sought by the Deputy relates to matters within the area of responsibility of the Executive. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: Medical cards are made available to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. In 2005 the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who do not qualify for a medical card would not be deterred on cost grounds...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: Medical cards are made available to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. In 2005 the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who do not qualify for a medical card would not be deterred on cost grounds...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Leas Cross Nursing Home: Motion. (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: Under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, a commission of investigation may be established by the Government, based on a proposal by a Minister, with the approval of the Minister for Finance, to investigate any matter considered by the Government to be of significant public concern. How the State and its institutions protect vulnerable people is, in my view, a significant issue. It...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Leas Cross Nursing Home: Motion. (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: I thank all the Senators who have contributed. In particular, I wish to acknowledge what Senators Terry and Glynn said about the late Kate Walsh. Wonderful tributes were paid to her yesterday and it is a pity she was not here to hear them. She was a very special person. Many people have portfolios, but her only portfolio was friendship. She had friends everywhere and was a much loved and...

Seanad: Risk Equalisation: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: The changes contained in the scheme before the House primarily give effect in the risk equalisation scheme to the legislation enacted in February last amending the Health Insurance Acts in order to protect our system of community rating. In Ireland the policy of community rating means no health insurer can price people out of being able to afford their premiums as they get older and,...

Seanad: Risk Equalisation: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: I agree with much of what has been said. First, I agree that everybody should have access to health care on the basis of medical need. Everybody in Ireland has universal coverage, which was not the case when the VHI was established 50 years ago. Everybody in Ireland is entitled to universal coverage in our hospital system. The problem is that our public hospitals are a hive of private...

Seanad: Risk Equalisation: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: It is true.

Seanad: Risk Equalisation: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: I am not talking about the psychiatric service. I am talking about the acute hospital system.

Seanad: Risk Equalisation: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Mary Harney: To be fair, psychiatrists in the private system are not the high earners. I am talking about acute services, excluding psychiatry, although private psychiatric hospitals exist, such St. Patrick's, which is a completely private institution. There is a hive of private activity in the public hospital system. Much of my approach recently has been to try to separate that and ensure every patient...

Nomination of Taoiseach. (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I begin by congratulating you on your election to the Office of Ceann Comhairle. We will certainly miss your wit and humour in the Cabinet room. You have been a loyal and committed colleague of mine for the past ten years and I thank you for that. You are a quintessential Irishman and a very appropriate person to represent this House. The Office of Ceann Comhairle is probably not taken as...

Nomination of Taoiseach. (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: ——new interdependent relationships and, as we know, the whole ecology system only works when all forms of human life are cherished and work together. I certainly look forward to working with the new Green Party Ministers in the Government.

Nomination of Taoiseach. (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I strongly believe in collective responsibility and loyalty in Government. That is what I have sought to achieve over the past ten years and that is what I want to achieve with our new colleagues in Government over the next five years. Notwithstanding the programme for Government, which is extremely important, a Government works on the basis of interpersonal relationships, whereby people...

Nomination of Taoiseach. (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: Deputy Grealish and I are happy to support the nomination of Deputy Bertie Ahern for Taoiseach.

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I will share time with Deputy Brennan. I am happy and privileged to be invited to serve for a third time in a Government within a decade. As all Members who have spoken have acknowledged, it is a great privilege to be elected to this House and to have the opportunity to serve in Government. I have been in this House since 1981 and in the Oireachtas for 30 years and the political landscape...

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I find it hard to understand that when an effort was being put together to create what was called a dolly mixture, suddenly, we are reverting to form. While I have had differences with the Green Party, I very much welcome it into Government.

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: No. I welcome it into the Government, where it will be a breath of fresh air. Between 1989 and 1992, I had the privilege of serving as a Minister of State at the Department of the Environment when the environment was not considered to be important by many people. It was in the early days of recycling, of establishing the EPA and of banning smog in Dublin and we have come a long way since then.

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: It is now an issue for every party and the Green Party has genuinely placed this issue on the centre stage of Irish politics, which I welcome. Every small party that aligns with a much bigger party faces the issue of losing its identity. Moreover, there is also the responsibility of being able to give effect to some of one's policies by going into Government, reaching agreement on a...

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I would like to share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Smith.