Results 10,741-10,760 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy and while I share the sentiment, as I explained on Committee State, the previous risk equalisation scheme in 2003 was mainly set out in regulations. The new scheme, including rates for risk-equalisation credits and stamp-duty levies are strengthened in future by being set in primary legislation. The Houses will have ample opportunity to discuss amendments now and in the...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Deputy Naughten's amendment aims to encourage people to stay or become involved in health insurance and make sure they will go into universal health insurance. The key point there is that universal health insurance will be mandatory so there is no need for incentives to get people into universal health insurance. It will be the law and we have a mandate from the people to do that. It is in...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I reassure Deputy Naughten there is no need for a sunset clause because the provision exists for me to close this by setting the daily rate at nil.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: With the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's permission, I wish to provide the House with some information. On Committee Stage I gave the details of the risk equalisation credits but it would be remiss of me if I did not inform the House, as I informed the insurers, of the new stamp duty rates. I have sent them to the Minister for Finance and he has agreed with my recommendations which, in a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Cost (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 557 and 617 together. I recently published the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2012 on 18 October, which provides for a permanent Risk Equalisation Scheme (RES) to be in place from 1 January 2013. The main object of the Bill is to ensure that, in the interests of societal and intergenerational solidarity, the burden of costs of health services be shared...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Social Welfare Appeals (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The Health Service Executive had responsibility for operating the Community Welfare Service prior to the transfer of this function and the associated staff to the Department of Social Protection on 1 January 2012. I have, therefore, arranged for the Deputy’s inquiry to be referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to him. In the event that there are aspects of his inquiry...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 668 together. NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice, international best practice and by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). There...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Since it was established last year, the SDU has been working to unblock access to acute services by improving patient journeys through the system through encouraging hospitals to better manage their use of bed days and staffing resources and by streamlining waiting lists, including GP referrals. The initial focus for the SDU's Scheduled Care Team has been on waiting times for in-patient and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Sick Pay Scheme (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: As a result of Labour Court recommendations, reformed sick leave rules across the public service are being introduced over the next 15 months: - A halving of self-certified sick leave to a maximum of seven days in a rolling two-year period. These changes have been introduced with effect from 1 November 2012 and should have some effect on staff with a high incidence of such absences; - ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: On 29 June 2012, the Labour Court recommended that the HSE and SIPTU should engage in relation to matters concerning home help contracts and that in the event that there are any outstanding issues, they may be referred back to the Court. The HSE engaged with SIPTU concerning the recommendation and advised that as part of the process it would be undertaking an information-gathering exercise to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: As regards to this particular issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Capital Expenditure (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: My Department's capital expenditure was not under profile by €32m at the end of October 2012. However the HSE's net capital expenditure was under profile by €23m at end October 2012. It is assumed that the reference to €32m is a typographical error. At that time, the HSE stated that while capital expenditure was under profile, the Executive expected that this...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 581, 583, 588, 590, 628 and 667 together. I am committed to bringing a Memorandum to Government setting out the full response to the issue. My Department is considering all possible supports which may need to be put in place for those affected. Any such supports require my approval and the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. A...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The HSE Clinical Programmes Directorate are currently developing appropriate models of care to ensure the delivery of safe and effective services across epilepsy, stroke services and neurology services. This programme of work is ongoing and will inform the most appropriate structure, staffing and organisation of services. With regard to the detailed information sought by the Deputy, as they...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Domestic Violence (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 591 and 592 together. In 2010 the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence was published. It aims to provide a framework for sustainable intervention to prevent and effectively respond to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and is lead by Cosc which is the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Domestic Violence (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: In the context of increased demand for domestic violence services, the HSE is conducting a national and regional review of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services that are funded by the HSE. The aim of this review is to ensure that funding is allocated and informed by need. The four HSE regions have set up governance groups to analyse the information that was gathered in the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Domestic Violence (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 594 to 596, inclusive, together. In 2010 the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence was published. It aims to provide a framework for sustainable intervention to prevent and effectively respond to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and is lead by Cosc which is the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 597 and 672 together. St Vincent's University Hospital (SVUH) is the designated National Adult Referral Centre for patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). The new Nutley Wing at the hospital, built at a cost of just under €29m and opened this summer, is designed to provide a state of the art clinical building which includes up to date isolation...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Staff (4 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: In the health service, agency staff have traditionally been used to meet a short-term service need or where some flexibility in staffing a service is required. Agency staff may be used only in the most exceptional of circumstances and when all alternative avenues have been exhausted. Such staff may only be engaged when signed off by identified senior management. As the specific issue raised...