Results 13,001-13,020 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Crisis Pregnancy Services (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy's question refers specifically to the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Treatment Abroad Scheme (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: This matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Policy (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Although a proportion of activity in public hospitals involves the provision of care to private patients, the core purpose of the system is to provide services for public patients. Government policy is to ensure there is equitable access for public patients, that the proportion of private activity is appropriately controlled and that the costs of provision of services to private patients are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Reimbursement Service Payments (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Since 2009, a number of reductions have been applied under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (FEMPI) to the fees and allowances paid to healthcare professionals, including GPs who provide services under the GMS scheme. The “distance code” was removed as a factor in calculating GP fees and allowances in 2010 under FEMPI. Certain fees payable to GPs...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff Relocation (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Civil Servants who are interested in transfers to regional offices can seek such transfers through the Departmental Transfer Lists or the Central Applications Facility which was maintained in the context of the decentralisation programme. In addition Civil Servants can also seek transfers through their Staff Association for head to head swaps. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Leave (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (20 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Deputy Martin is undermining the Judiciary.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: I have already met them.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: A core tenet of Government policy is the development of primary care, which is central to the Government's objective of delivering a high-quality, integrated and cost effective health service. The aim is to develop a new modernised GP contract which will facilitate the shift within the health service away from hospital services towards an integrated primary care service in order to deliver...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: I welcome my new colleague in the Department of Health, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, who I know will bring vigour and energy to his areas of responsibility. I do not think there is anything wrong with my answer, because GPs and patients have been waiting for at least three decades for a new GP contract. Within weeks of coming into office, I began the process of engagement to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Contracts (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: My predecessor, now the Taoiseach, is committed to cracking the challenges once and for all as a country that face the health service and he made that clear in one of his first speeches as Taoiseach in this House. I share that view and that commitment. I expect to make substantial progress on a new GP contract this year, but I am also saying that should not be the end of the matter....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: Deputy O'Reilly and I get to hang out another bit longer anyway. I thank the Deputy for her repeated question on what is an important issue in relation to nurse and midwifery numbers in this country. As the Deputy will probably be aware, nursing and midwifery numbers at the end of April this year stood at 36,549 whole-time equivalents, having increased by 625 whole-time equivalents in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: I did not think the Deputy would be. Thankfully, when the INMO members had an opportunity to be balloted on this, over 80% of them voted in favour of these proposals, seeing them for what they are, which is a genuine and sincere effort by nurse representatives in this country, by my Department, by myself and by the HSE to try and increase recruitment and retention of nurses. I will give...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Nursing Staff Recruitment (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: To answer the Deputy's question directly, I am clear that the commitment in the agreement is to have 1,208 additional nurses, not just recruits, working in the Irish public health service. Deputy Louise O'Reilly is correct in saying we need to do everything we can to keep our nurse graduates here. It is also right though, and indeed moral, that as a country we would go to some of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health Care Policy (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his kind wishes and important question. This is a preview of what I imagine will be a more substantive debate on the Sláintecare report in the House tomorrow. Supporting the establishment of the cross-party Committee on the Future of Healthcare in June 2016 was one of the first actions I took on becoming Minister for Health. I commend genuinely the great work...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health Care Policy (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: We will have a lengthier time to discuss this issue tomorrow. It deserves and requires more time. The Deputy is correct that I do have a duty to deliver health reform. Clearly I have to discharge that duty in terms of my membership of the Cabinet and the Government. I formally received the report, which I am happy to describe as an excellent piece of work unprecedented in terms of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health Care Policy (21 Jun 2017)

Simon Harris: I agree fully on the need for new contracts. It is very important, and not just in the area of general practice. There is political buy-in. Every political party and grouping in this House, bar one, decided to sign off on the report. There is a role for Government as well. As the committee members have pointed out, while the committee has costed the proposals, it was not its role to...