Results 15,901-15,920 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Drugs Payment Scheme: Drugs Payment Scheme (14 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together. In order for a product to be reimbursable under the General Medical Services and Drug Payment schemes it must satisfy a number of criteria, including that it is ordinarily supplied to the public only by medical prescription and that it is not advertised or promoted to the public. Nicotine replacement therapies would not normally satisfy...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (14 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for the medical card benefit, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (14 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I presume the Deputy is referring to a recent newspaper report that Quest Diagnostics has made provision in its accounts for the anticipated costs of settling a number of allegations in the United States. These issues were widely reported in 2007. In June 2008 the National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) awarded the contract for cytology laboratory testing for the national cervical screening...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (14 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: There is no charge for either the vaccine or the administration of the vaccine for those for whom vaccination is recommended who have a medical card or GP visit card. Where the patient does not have a medical card or GP visit card, there is no charge for the actual vaccine as the vaccine is supplied free of charge to GPs by the HSE. The fee for administering the vaccine is a matter between...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (14 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: Under the current medical card assessment guidelines, all persons whose weekly incomes are derived solely from Department of Social and Family Affairs payments or Health Service Executive payments, even if these exceed the stated threshold, qualify for a medical card. My Department is unable to assess with accuracy the cost of raising all medical card limits to the lowest social welfare...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (14 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for the medical card benefit. Therefore, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: There was no minimum wage when Deputy Kenny's party was in power.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: It applies to places of employment.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The backdrop to the budget is the serious financial situation that Ireland, like many countries, finds itself in. The events of recent times are, to use a phrase used in a different context, quite bizarre. Household names in banking have gone under.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: In the first instance, the Government had to secure the stability of the banking system, which is fundamental to the operation of the country. Against the economic backdrop that the Government faced, its priority was to secure the economic and social future of the country. This was foremost in our minds in all we did in framing the budget. The Government wished to ensure that where choices...

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The option of firing 10,000, 12,000 or 14,000 public servants is not open to us. I have said previously that I favour a redundancy plan that is based on a full analysis and assessment. In the past, we have had redundancy plans which were not based on a full analysis. If people are superfluous to requirements in one area, while shortages exist in another area, of course that will be dealt...

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: It is.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: They will receive communication within the next fortnight. By the end of the 2008 calendar year, all of them will have been assessed to determine whether they get the full card, the doctor-only card or the cash payment.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: That commitment will be honoured.

Financial Resolution No. 15: (General) Resumed (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: They will not pay the health levy, as I said yesterday. I think the Deputy was at the press conference at which I made that clear. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has indicated that the health levy will not apply to people over the age of 70. I wish to make clear that the higher tax benefit at the marginal rate of tax, 41%, will apply to nursing home charges. That benefit...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office is an independent office established to provide an appeals service to those who wish to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006. The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office has advised my Department, that the claimant referred to by the Deputy lodged an appeal form with the Health Repayment Scheme...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I understand that the Vaccine Damage Steering Group is at an advanced stage of finalising its consideration of this matter and I expect to receive its report and recommendations very shortly.

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: My Department has no record of having awarded any contracts to the company in question. The placing of contracts by an agency is an operational matter for the agency in question. My Department does not routinely hold information of this nature. My Department has referred the Deputy's question to the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Health Service Executive for its attention and direct...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (15 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: Under the Health Act 2004, the management and delivery of health and personal social services is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. This includes operational responsibility for the establishment of Primary Care Teams and Primary Care Centres. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (15 Oct 2008)

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.