Results 14,821-14,840 of 46,014 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Data (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together. As these questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (27 Sep 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 scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families. Reducing waiting times for the longest waiting patients is one of this Government's key priorities. Consequently, Budget 2017 allocated €20 million to the NTPF, rising to €55 million in 2018. Over recent years activity in acute...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Organ Donation (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: In July 2017 the Government approved the preparation of a General Scheme and Heads of a Human Tissue Bill. The General Scheme will include provisions for an opt-out system of consent for organ donation. Under this system, consent will be deemed unless the person has, while alive, registered his/her wish not to become an organ donor after death. However, the next-of-kin will always be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Funding (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The Department of Health does not directly fund volunteering organisations. Any funding provided would be by the Health Service Executive in the context of Budget 2018 and in the HSE National Service Plan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: It is relatively short but we have copies on the way. I am pleased to have an opportunity to provide the joint committee with an update on the mid-year review of my Department's Estimate for 2017. We have provided a comprehensive briefing to Deputies and Senators giving detail of the Vote position to the end of July, a summary of health service expenditure by service area to the end of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for raising a wide range of issues. I will begin by thanking Deputy Kelly and, indeed, the members of this committee for the leadership they have shown on the HPV vaccine. It is important that we speak with one voice in respect of this matter. Adults in this country are dying needlessly of cervical cancer. Every year, approximately 300 women will contract cervical...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: The national children's hospital was due to start earlier-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: Other than that, the projects are proceeding in accordance with the plan and we will spend all our capital funding this year. The Deputies highlighted the importance of primary care. When the former Deputy Rory O'Hanlon was Minister for Health at the end of the 1980s, he spoke about the importance of making a decisive shift to primary care. Every Minister for Health since then has done...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I will have to get that for the Deputy. I do not have it in my folder. On the fair deal scheme, we are in a much better situation with that than we were in past years, when the scheme was underfunded. There were extraordinarily long waiting periods. When the Deputy's party was in government with ourselves - happy days - the waiting times relating to the fair deal scheme reduced to four...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: We are all aware of people in the community telling us that they find the fair deal scheme does not work for them, be it a farmer, small business owner or people who might wish to rent or sell their house and wish to be able to keep a greater proportion of the proceeds. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, is reviewing a number of those issues. That might expand the pool of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I did not do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I did not do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: There are particular challenges in the mid-west and I will not take away from that. Equally, the CEO of Beaumont Hospital could also point to particular challenges such as those involving older people. Every public hospital in the country is facing serious challenges for a variety of reasons. Some need more beds while others have poor infrastructure or difficulty attracting staff. They...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: That is true.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: I do not dispute that. Deputy Kelly's logic is that different parts of the country are different. There are probably similar issues in some Dublin hospitals-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: Perhaps the Deputy will allow me to finish. Some Dublin and rural hospitals are performing far better than others. I have never heard anybody pointing out where good practices are leading to improvements in the number of patients on trolleys and patient experiences. Perhaps I do not do so enough. There is not sufficient consideration within the health service of why Beaumont, Cavan or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: If one puts in those extra resources-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 38 - Department of Health (27 Sep 2017)

Simon Harris: It is my job and I am determined to do it and am doing it. If those resources are put in place, who will then take responsibility for delivering an improvement for patients? Over many years and Governments additional resources have been put in place that are not linked with additional-----