Results 11,441-11,460 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Food Safety Authority Role (31 Jan 2013)

James Reilly: The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is a statutory, independent and science-based agency, dedicated to protecting public health and consumer interests in the area of food safety and hygiene. It is responsible for enforcing food safety legislation across the 47,500 food businesses in Ireland. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland's work has never been more important than it is today. It has a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Cost (31 Jan 2013)

James Reilly: On 28th January I met with the top management of the VHI. They informed me of their intention to increase premiums by 8%. I told them in the strongest possible terms that this was not acceptable to me. They have since announced that the premium increase will now be 6%. I remain very concerned about the cost of health insurance. The Government is committed to keeping down the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Care Infrastructure (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: As you are aware the method and timescale for the delivery of health care infrastructure is a dynamic process which is constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances, including the feasibility of implementation. There will always be more construction projects than can be funded by the Exchequer and the Health Service Executive must prioritise infrastructure projects within its...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Food Safety Authority Investigations (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 759 and 760 together. On 14th January 2013, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) confirmed to my Department that test results from one beef burger sample taken from Silvercrest Foods was found to contain horsemeat. The FSAI advised that the level of horse DNA in that sample indicated that horsemeat accounted for approximately 29% relative to the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Capital Expenditure (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 763 and 764 together. The health sector had a combined capital allocation of €399.5m in 2012 and a combined expenditure of approximately €349.963m giving an underspend of €49.537m approximately. The HSE's capital under spend for 2012 is estimated at approximately €40.85m. As part of measures to address the revenue deficit the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: This information is collected and collated by the Business Intelligence Unit within the Health Service Executive. Therefore, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Executive Staff (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 772, 790, 793 and 810 together. The Government is committed to achieving compliance with the European Working Time Directive in respect of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) by 2014. I have emphasised to the HSE the high priority the Government and I attach to this issue. In January 2012, a detailed plan for the achievement of compliance by NCHDs with...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 773, 785 and 841 together. The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Proposed Legislation (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: The Heads of a Human Tissue Bill which willmeet the key recommendation of the Madden Report on Post Mortem Practice and Procedures that no hospital post-mortem may be carried out and no tissue retained without consent/authorisation are at an advanced stage of drafting. The Deputy will also be aware that the Programme for Government envisages the introduction of an opt-out system of organ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (5 Feb 2013)

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: Mental Health Services (5 Feb 2013)

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: Primary Care Centres (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: As you are aware there will always be more construction projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. The primary care infrastructure model offers a good fit for private sector finance and the HSE will continue to work with interested parties to deliver primary care centres. As the delivery of health care infrastructure is a service matter your query has been referred to the Executive for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 780, 800 to 802, inclusive, and 816 together. I am advised that Beaumont Hospital carried out over ninety cochlear implants in 2012 and that over seven hundred patients are currently under the care of the hospital programme which provides rehabilitation and programming on a recurring basis. In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 786 and 787 together. Under the Programme for Government 2011-2016, the Government committed to developing a universal, single-tier health service, which guarantees access to medical care based on need, not income. On foot of this commitment the Government will introduce a system of Universal Health Insurance (UHI). A key stepping stone to the new...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: Improving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Building on work already undertaken by the HSE, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has now taken over the reporting of outpatient waiting time data. The collation and analysis of outpatient waiting time data in a standardised format will reveal the distribution of long waiters across all hospitals. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Capital Expenditure Programme (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: The health capital allocation for 2013 is €397m of which the HSE's allocation is €381m. This €381m includes €40m for information and related services. The remaining €341m which includes €8m to be funded from the proceeds of the disposal of surplus assets is available for construction projects. Work is underway on the Executive's multi-annual...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Cover (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 794 and 812 together. The Government is embarking on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where access is based on need, not on income. Insurance will be provided under a multi-payer insurance model with no distinction between "public" and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: Improving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Building on work already undertaken by the HSE, the NTPF has now taken over the reporting of outpatient waiting time data. The collation and analysis of outpatient waiting time data in a standardised format will reveal the distribution of long waiters across all hospitals. In the first instance, this will allow the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: The issue of Out-Patient waiting lists was essentially an untended problem. The scale of the problem was unmeasured and consequently no special action was taken to deal with it. This Government intends to change that. The Special Delivery Unit is now dealing with the issue of Out-Patient waiting lists on my instruction, with the assistance of the NTPF. Work has commenced on the systematic...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Human Reproduction (5 Feb 2013)

James Reilly: The policy proposals on the regulation of Assisted Human Reproduction and related matters have not yet been submitted to Government. However, last year I instructed my officials to further examine a number of policy issues on this matter, and I am currently considering these proposals.