Results 14,741-14,760 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (28 May 2008)

Mary Harney: On 6 May 2008 the Irish Hospital Consultants Association voted to accept the terms of the new contract for medical consultants. I am advised that the Irish Medical Organisation has also balloted its members and that the result will be known in early June. The Deputy will be aware that it has taken almost five years to complete these negotiations and it is therefore vitally important that the...

Written Answers — Hospital Procedures: Hospital Procedures (28 May 2008)

Mary Harney: 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 issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Seanad: Health Services: Motion (28 May 2008)

Mary Harney: It is always a pleasure to come to the Seanad notwithstanding the fact that some of its Members think I have no accountability here. It is unusual that I do not as I am here so often. I always enjoy attending debates in this House. If we do not get the basic facts right, we will not have an informed debate. I want to tell Senator Fitzgerald that the HSE is not four and a half years in...

Seanad: Health Services: Motion (28 May 2008)

Mary Harney: I believe the Senator stated "by administration".

Seanad: Health Services: Motion (28 May 2008)

Mary Harney: Irish doctors are the best paid in the world by a long margin, as are all health care professionals. As I stated previously, pharmacists are paid, on average, €100,000 more here than in Northern Ireland, yet we cannot get support for the reforms we are introducing. Under the new regime, we will ensure that as a result of the high public salaries, there is greater concentration on access...

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: It is proposed to take No.16e, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a Council decision on the improvement of co-operation between the special intervention units of the member states of the European Union, Council framework decision on taking account of convictions in the member states of the European Union, draft Council decision on the stepping up...

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: As Deputies are aware, the purpose of these motions is to strengthen Ireland's hand and that of its EU partners in the area of cross-border crime. Countries that have parliamentary reservations have been urged to deal with the issues as a matter of urgency, which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Government are anxious to do. I can agree to the suggestion of Deputy...

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: The issue of a debate on crime is a matter to be discussed with the Whips. The Government is always happy to facilitate debates on important matters. The legislative programme has been published by the Government and I will not go through the 49 Bills to which the Deputy referred. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is a major law-making Department and we have enacted several...

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: I do not accept that.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: The matter of a debate should be discussed with the Whips.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: On the second matter, it was the Government's intention to wait to have a debate until publication of all of the reports which we expect by the middle of June. Deputy Gilmore makes a reasonable request. Even if we did not have these reports, I believe the Government would facilitate a debate prior to the summer recess. The employment agency regulations Bill is due to be published this...

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: I already stated the employment regulations legislation will be published this session. Ireland must make its own decisions on these matters. We have a unique system of social partnership which is different from the social partnership model which exists in many other countries. The Deputy's question is more relevant to the line Minister than it is to me this morning.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: I cannot tell the Deputy the exact day of publication but I am optimistic it will be published shortly. We had a good meeting with the Attorney General and his team approximately three weeks ago and we finalised this complex legislation. I expect to bring the final draft of the legislation to Government shortly. Fast-tracking it through the Oireachtas might be too ambitious. This would be...

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: Nobody is more conscious than I am of the hardship endured by families. The purpose of the legislation is to bring greater equity and fairness to the funding of long-term care for older people and their families. However, it has proved to be extremely complex from a legal point of view.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: It is not just because of that aspect.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: What the Taoiseach said is consistent with the statement on page 16 of the NDP, which is that the plan and the programme for Government are predicated on prudent budgetary policy and they are in line with the EU Stability and Growth Pact. All plans, including the programme for Government and the NDP, must be predicated on that. There is no change in that.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: The directive is a matter for secondary legislation and I will ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to communicate with the Deputy. A noise Bill will be introduced later this year, which may deal with the second issue raised by the Deputy.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: No.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: The mental health amendment Bill will be introduced next year.

Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Mary Harney: There will be legislation to establish the new hospital. Significant work has been done. The board is incredibly active in progressing that project and capital funding has been prioritised for it. I recently met the board, which is recruiting a CEO for the project.