Results 17,441-17,460 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: There may well be cuts around administration. Time and again people in this House scream about bureaucracy, administration, travel and subsistence, but when we implement cuts there is more criticism.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: The Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, will be here later to deal with the specific issue the Deputy has raised.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: There may well be cuts to voluntary organisations, but, if so, they will be around administration, as there is in the voluntary sector generally. We have 600 voluntary organisations in the disability sector in Ireland. Last year, they had to take a 1% cut in their administrative budgets and this year there will be a second 1% cut in that administrative budget. Unless we do that, we will...

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: I am aware that going into an accident and emergency department where the doctors treating one have no specialist training is unsafe and is not recognised by anybody. Earlier this afternoon, I had a meeting with Professor Tanner of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, an accident and emergency unit consultant from Beaumont Hospital and others on trauma and the importance of auditing....

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: Many of the consultants have been recruited and are part of the group I mentioned earlier.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: There are 400 doctors and 1,400 nurses in the mid-west. We do not get the outcomes we should with this huge number of clinicians in the region because of the fragmented nature of the service they provide.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: We have 12 surgeons spread across four hospitals. This does not deliver the best outcome for patients. The intention is that these surgeons will work as part of a surgical team doing the more acute work in Limerick and the less acute work in Ennis, Nenagh and St. John's. We know more patients from Clare and Tipperary will be treated in their local hospital as a result of the...

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: I am in discussion with the National Cancer Screening Service with regard to colorectal screening. It is the next screening programme we want to put in place and I want to see that happen as quickly as possible. I have not provided additional money for it this year but I am in discussions with the National Cancer Screening Service on these issues. All the cancer experts available to me...

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: I already answered "No" to this question. I want to state to all Deputies, in particular Deputy Reilly who comes in here week in week out and opposes every reform——

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: He has not taken on a single person in the health service. Every vested interest is represented by him in this House and it is about time we heard from him where he would make the changes.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: Every reform is opposed by Deputy Reilly. With regard to the HIQA report, it will be published. I have not seen it but I understand it has not been completed. As soon as it is completed, I will——

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: I hope it is published as quickly as it is completed. This is the intention. We do not sit on reports like that.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: It is not complete and it is a complex task to carry out an inquiry of this kind, as Deputy Carey well knows.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: Anybody that may be adversely affected by the findings must be given an opportunity to make a contribution. HIQA is no different from any other organisation carrying out an inquiry. It must follow due process.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: Deputy Reilly is a doctor and it is about time——

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: It is about time Deputy Reilly stopped going around the country playing politics with patient safety because that is what he is doing. Politics before patient safety.

Challenges facing the Health Service: Statements (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: It is about convenience and not quality.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: My Department has asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to reply to the Deputy as a matter of urgency in relation to Parliamentary Question No. 457 of 27 January 2009.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive's Info Line Callsave No. 1850 24 1850, which deals with the over 70s medical card queries, is fully operational and the Executive is not aware of any functioning problems with the line.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (10 Mar 2009)

Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.