Results 1,101-1,120 of 1,371 for speaker:Máire Hoctor

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The Senator is using the term "capital sum", not us.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The person would be assessed only on the interest of the bank deposit. I understand the Senator's questions and I appreciate that the person in question might not have a house. For example, he or she could have only half of a house.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: He or she might need to pay rent. All of these matters would need to be taken into account in an assessment. Only the interest on what is lodged in a bank is assessed.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The phrase "similar investments" was included to refer to, for example, shares. We are still discussing the interest generated from a lump sum lodged.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: We must recognise that this legislation provides that the Minister, following a review, can only increase rates. They cannot be reduced. The Senator referred to inflation, but protection is provided for on page 5, line 29, which reads, "specified for the purposes of this section".

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: It must be pointed out that the Minister cannot reduce the gross income limits.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: It is not appropriate that HIQA be involved in the administration of the medical card scheme. I will repeat what the Minister, Deputy Harney, said on this issue. She said she wanted to make the position in relation to discretionary medical cards to the terminally ill very clear. She said that terminally ill patients will not be affected by any cap on the issue of discretionary medical...

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I am sure Senator Twomey is aware, as am I, of many cases where once it was made known to the HSE that a patient was terminally ill, it immediately fast-tracked the issuing of a medical card for that person. I must be fair to the HSE in that respect. The Minister, Deputy Harney said that 70,000 people currently avail of discretionary medical cards. She also said that terminally ill...

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I do not propose to accept this amendment. The matter referred to is of an administrative nature and does not warrant imposing an obligation on the Minister to make monthly reports to the Dáil.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The figures are €700 and €1,400.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: My statement remains the same; I do not propose to accept the amendment.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I do not propose to accept the amendment. The matter being referred to is of an administrative nature and does not warrant a report to the Oireachtas. I will not be accepting the amendment.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: We have no means of calculating the amount people who do not pay. Therefore, the amendment does not stand up.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The Senator's proposal would impose an unnecessary administrative burden. I do not accept the amendment.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I still see no sense to the proposal.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I have no more to say on it. I already stated that I will not be accepting——

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Yes, we can get that information directly from those sources to update our records.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The Senator will appreciate that there is sometimes a time lag between the death of a person and the registration of his or her death. There are also cases, of course, where deaths are not registered. As a GP, Senator Twomey will appreciate that doctors are requested and obliged, indeed, to inform the HSE when patients die and——

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: ——-when there is a change of address, for example.

Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Where the information is available to the GP, he or she is obliged to inform the HSE so that it can have its records updated.