Results 12,001-12,020 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: It is not desirable for a commercial company.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: Yes. I have not used it, but it has been used in the past.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: Obviously the regulator will be the Health Insurance Authority on health aspects, the Financial Regulator on prudential aspects and the Competition Authority on consumer issues. It will be subject to the same regulatory environment as Vivas and Quinn Health.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: This will not take effect until next year.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: This amendment removes the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister for Finance from their roles in regulating the activities of new subsidiaries, which will be the responsibility of the Financial Regulator after authorisation.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: I am happy to accept this amendment.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: This is a technical amendment to reflect the wording provided in amendment No. 9. The purpose of the section is to allow the board to access capital for the purpose of seeking authorisation without having any borrowing raised for that purpose included within the aggregate limit imposed on other borrowings.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: When VHI obtains commercial freedom, as it will be authorised by the Financial Regulator, the making of orders will not arise. If amending legislation is required it would need to come to the House. However, there will be no orders as such.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: This amendment to the Long Title is proposed to clarify that under the provisions of the Bill the board is to be obliged to apply for an authorisation, which is consistent with the amendments already agreed.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: I believe the Senator is asking if it could be done without reference to general practitioners. The answer is that I believe it could. If they want to be commercially successful they will have to include general practice.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: In fairness, they have buy-in from general practitioners. The answer to the Senator's question is "Yes."
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: This has been an exclusively female debate, with the exception of Senator Twomey. I thank the Senator for providing a degree of gender balance.
- Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: The officials behind me are male, so there has been a male input.
- Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (20 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: Medical cards are made available to people and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of 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 from visiting their...
- Written Answers — Health Service Executive: Health Service Executive (20 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 262 together. The Revised Estimates Volume 2007 provides â¬13,431 million for day-to-day spending by the Health Service Executive which is an increase of 10.6% over the underlying 2006 provision. This substantial increase in funding means that the HSE is being well resourced. It comes in the wake of substantial year-on-year increases for some time...
- Written Answers — Pharmacy Sector: Pharmacy Sector (20 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 to 194, inclusive, 212 to 214, inclusive, and 264 together. My Department has received correspondence from the Irish Pharmaceutical Union and other interested parties concerning the new reimbursement pricing arrangements for drugs and medicines under the GMS and community drugs schemes. Officials from my Department have met with the HSE on a number of...
- Written Answers — Public Health: Public Health (20 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to pest control, which is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has asked the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (20 Nov 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 — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (20 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 to 200, inclusive, together. Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular questions raised by the...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (20 Nov 2007)
Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to have this matter investigated and to reply directly to the Deputy.