Results 16,641-16,660 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Written Answers — : (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Health Study: Health Study (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: No delay is anticipated in receiving the final report of this study, which is due in June 2010.
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The management of public health aspects of Legionnaires Disease is carried out in accordance with multidisciplinary guidance which has been produced by the Health Service Executive â Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSE â HPSC) and covers the prevention, environmental health management, contact tracing and surveillance of cases of Legionnaires Disease in both hospital and community...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: My Department has no office accommodation rented or leased in Galway City. The position regarding the Health Service Executive and the other agencies is a matter for the agencies themselves. My Department is asking them to reply directly to the Deputy in this regard.
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (10 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together. The Government is committed to ensuring the delivery of the best quality health services possible, in an effective and efficient way. Ensuring patient safety is of paramount importance, so that people can have confidence in the services and that the best possible patient outcomes can be achieved. It is essential that we prioritise...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I thank Deputies who contributed to the debate. In response to the two Deputies who spoke immediately before me, one year ago next Sunday the Fine Gael spokesperson on health, Deputy James Reilly, told the respected journalist, Ms Aileen O'Meara, that medical cards for those aged over 70 years should be means tested. It is hard to believe he made this comment less than a year ago.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: In response to Deputy McGinley's comments on the Voluntary Health Insurance, the granting of a medical card did not affect private health insurance policies except in respect of the VHI's plan P. Approximately 25,000 people have the plan which covers the inpatient hospital charge. The VHI has informed me that while there is no evidence that people exited the plan, anyone who did so may...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: Deputy Tom Hayes raised the affordability of nursing home care, which is an important issue. As Deputies are aware, if somebody is in a publicly funded or publicly provided bed, 95% of the cost is paid by taxpayers. If, however, he or she is in a private bed, some 60% of the cost is paid by the person being cared for. This is a major burden on families and individuals and a cause of...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I am not suggesting that. However, persons aged 66 and 67 years may earn a maximum income of â¬298 â as a couple â to qualify for a medical card. What we are doing for those aged over 70 years is substantially ahead of that. Expenditure on medical cards in general is increasing by approximately 3% per annum, whereas the increase for the medical card for those aged over 70 years is...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I will not deal with issues of trust. I will let someone else be objective about that. Regarding the issue of same-sex couples, which was raised by Deputy Noonan, this legislation applies to cohabiting couples and husbands and wives. It does not include same-sex couples. We could not include them for legal reasons until we have the civil union Bill. There is an existing medical card...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I will not go into who agreed to it. Each side did their job. I am not going to get involved in that. We cannot change it, other than through changing this legislation because the fee was based on an Act of the Oireachtas passed in 2001. Everyone agrees it was not fair or appropriate to have perverse incentives for general practitioners operating in better-off areas against those operating...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: We have not done a longitudinal study in Ireland. Discussions are currently under way between Dr. Kenny, a leading geriatrician at St. James's Hospital, my Department, the HSE and others on this area. To have a longitudinal study one must take a long period of time to get the data. There must be base data and outcome data.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: We could not possibly have any evidence on the over 70s medical card, which only became operable in 2002. If Deputy Reilly is telling me a study was published in 2004ââ
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: A longitudinal study is not a two-year study.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I understand a longitudinal study takes a minimum of 15 years. The study being done on children will take 15 to 20 years.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: It is a fact that life expectancy in Ireland has greatly increased over the last decade, which we all welcome. It is acknowledged by many experts that 50% to 60% of the increase in life expectancy in Ireland is a result of better health interventions. The remainder is a result of the growth in our prosperity. The result is that a child born in Ireland today will live longer than a child...
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: They are not being cut.