Results 17,141-17,160 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Maternity Services (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and the Deputy for their agreement. I am conscious of the personal tragedy for the family at the centre of this sad incident and am very anxious not to intrude on its privacy. I would like to express my sympathy to the family concerned on the sad loss of their child. I am advised that following an obstetric clinical incident in Cavan General Hospital in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Maternity Services (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I refer the Deputy to my earlier statement that the family's views will be included in the overall report of the review team and that a final report from the external review committee will be submitted to the HSE in the coming weeks. I agree with the Deputy and share his concern that people would be reassured of the safety of the service. To make a general point, we have an excellent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Maternity Services (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I have no issue with that. I will have to discuss it with the HSE. Certainly, it will be made available to the family, there is no question about that, and then, in conjunction with them, redacted, if it is to be published. I have no issue with that.

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: How long do we have left?

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: Is Deputy Durkan lurking?

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 57 together. The Government agreed in December 2011 to address the European Court of Justice ruling of September 2011 and to work with the VHI in its application process for authorisation by the Central Bank of Ireland, CBI, subject to further Government consideration of any application for authorisation. Despite good progress, it was not possible to...

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy opposite and I believe all Members will welcome this development. As for universal health insurance, it obviously broadens the market and offers all insurers opportunity within the market. The VHI, being the dominant player, has seen a reduction in its market share down to 57%. Nonetheless, it remains responsible for 80% of the payout and therefore has a huge role with...

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: As his party's spokesperson on finance, I am sure the Deputy would be the very first person to castigate the Government, were it to continue to allow ongoing tax bills to accrue that have risen from €400 million to €450 million and which would have been €500 million this year. Pressure must be brought to bear upon the insurers to reduce the cost of private health care.

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: That pressure would not exactly be felt were the Government to turn around and continue to hand tax breaks to the insurers' customers to meet their increasing premium costs because they failed to address their underlying cost base.

Other Questions: Health Insurance Regulation (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: Deputy Kelleher has had his little say.

Other Questions: Health Services Staff Data (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I thank Deputy Durkan for his question. Although the HSE has the capacity to recruit where it is necessary to do so in order to ensure patient safety and to support service delivery, there is evidence that there are, at present, difficulties in recruiting certain front-line staff including consultants, NCHDs and specialist nurses. I am currently progressing measures to ensure we will have...

Other Questions: Health Services Staff Data (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: Professor Brian MacCraith's report will address the issues with reference to NCHDs in particular. I do not believe the issue of the salary rate in this country is what bothers them, although this will always be part of it. They believe they do not have a clear career path. It can take up to 12 years or more to become a specialist in this country whereas it takes six years in other...

Discretionary Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: In Sinn Féin maybe.

Discretionary Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: At the outset, I want to reject out of hand the notion that there is any deliberate culling of cards as Deputies Ó Caoláin and Kelleher allege. During the course of the debate yesterday, and again this morning during Question Time, Deputies continued to insist that there has been a change in policy in the application of discretion. I reject this. The health service must operate...

Discretionary Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: It is important that Deputies understand the facts, and do not twist them so as needlessly to frighten people. Since the Government came into office, approximately 6% of those who held medical cards issued on a discretionary basis in March 2011 have been found ineligible. In other words, the vast majority still have a medical card. Of those who had medical cards issued on a discretionary...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: The Special Delivery Unit continues to support front line staff in our hospitals to make significant progress including at University Hospital Galway and all across the West North West Hospital Group, although significant challenges remain. The SDU can confirm that: - Each site has a documented unscheduled care improvement plan which is continually reviewed and updated; - Key areas of system...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: I would like to thank the Deputy for her question. As I have not introduced any measures on the area to date, I assume the Deputy is referring to the recent announcement by the Health Service Executive that the use of e-cigarettes will no longer be permitted in any of its facilities or campuses. The ban commenced on 1 May, as part of the HSE’s Tobacco Free Campus policy, which, in line...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: The provisions of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) encompass a number of measures to protect workers welfare and safety, including a maximum 48 hour working week - averaged over a reference period, daily and weekly rest periods and the granting of compensatory rest where the working day exceeds 13 hours. Under the Directive, the 48 hour average working week became a requirement for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance Provision (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: It is my intention to have the legislation for Universal Health Insurance (UHI) in place by early 2016 and to then proceed to have the new system fully implemented by 2019. The price of premiums for the UHI standard package will be set by the health insurance companies. Price setting for these products is likely to happen closer to the implementation date. The State will subsidise or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Diabetes Strategy (14 May 2014)

James Reilly: The Paediatric Diabetes Working Group was established in 2011 under the auspices of the Paediatric and Diabetes Clinical Programmes. One of the recommendations from the Diabetes Expert Advisory Group was that Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (pump therapy) should be the primary treatment option in children, especially those aged less than 5 years of age; and consequently, the working...