Results 16,661-16,680 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: More people than ever are receiving home help services.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I suggest Deputy Stagg brief himself on the facts because he has been saying the same thing in this House for 11 years. There are 53,000 families in receipt of home help services, which is the highest number ever. There are 11,000 home care packages. When we continue with the roll out of our primary care supportsââ
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: There is loads of money. That is not the case. There is almost â¬16 billion.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I am prioritising services for older people, cancer services and the screening programme.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: No country has introduced the vaccine without a proper screening programme. The screening programme only began in September.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: There are many other countries that do not have it either, as Deputy Reilly knows.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The HSE has â¬1 billion extra and it could always do with more.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: We do not have unlimited resources.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: We do not have unlimited resources. The last time Deputy Connaughton's party was in office there were no home care packages.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: Yes, there is, from a zero base.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: Given the circumstances in which we find ourselves, with the economic challenges we face and the support we need to provide for social services in health, education and social welfare, this Bill is appropriate. On 16 December, Deputy Reilly advocated to respected journalists that the medical card for over 70s should be means tested. I have not seen that corrected.
- Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: About 5% of them will lose it.
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As I said on closing the Second Stage debate, the financial sustainability of the automatic entitlement to a medical card on reaching the age of 70 is not possible. I said that the general medical card numbers are increasing by approximately 3% per annum and for the over 70s the numbers are increasing by approximately 7% per annum. Given that a couple, both of whom are in their late 60s,...
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: It is a matter for the House, not for me, to decide which document we are discussing.
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I know Deputy Reilly is not. I want to make it clear that I have no role in having amendments ruled in order or not. It is a matter purely for the Houses of the Oireachtas.
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, subsection (2), lines 3 and 4, to delete "this Part by virtue of section 45(5A)" and substitute the following: "Part IV of the Act of 1970 by virtue of section 45(5A) of that Act". This is a technical amendment to clarify that the reference is to Part IV of the 1970 Act. The services under Part IV are in-patient and out-patient services, provision of...
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: There are a number of matters to which I want to respond in respect of issues raised by Deputy Shatter. I will then turn to technical issues. The Bill was drafted by my Department in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and was personally overseen by the Attorney General. In the intervening period between the remarks made by Deputy Shatter yesterday and today, the Attorney...
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: If we have all the exceptions that people are talking about and so many people are going to lose their cards, then the saving will be immense indeed. From what I am hearing, all kinds of people will allegedly lose their medical cards. Section 3 is the heart of the legislation. We had a discussion earlier about principles and purpose. The essential purpose of the legislation is to withdraw...
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: It has been the practice for State benefits in the medical card area and in other areas like housing to treat cohabiting couples on the same basis as married couples for many reasons. In the early part of the new year I hope the House will deal with the civil union Bill which will address issues relating to same-sex couples and bring equality there. In all this we need to be conscious of...
- Health Bill 2008: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: No. We are treating people, whether they are married or single, on the basis of income. It is exactly on the same basis. It is based totally on equality. The Deputy earlier claimed that what we are doing is unconstitutional. If that were the case, if a couple has a social welfare pension and one party passes away, the remaining party gets the benefit of that for a period of, I believe,...