Results 17,561-17,580 of 46,081 for speaker:Simon Harris

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this issue. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, has been working very closely with the IFA on it. We agree there needs to be greater equity and fairness for farming families and small business owners in the fair deal scheme. I expect the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, to have definitive proposals on this very shortly which he will bring...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Heydon for raising this very important issue. We had a very important and informed public consultation, and I published its results just after Christmas. I expect to be in a position to go to pre-legislative scrutiny this year. We will make a lot of progress on it in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Administration (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The most recent NTPF figures published for December 2017 show that there was a total of 41,678 people on the Outpatient waiting list for hospitals in the Children's Hospital Group. 65% of these children (26,958) are waiting up to 12 months and 35% (14,720) are waiting over 12 months for a first Outpatient appointment. The HSE has confirmed there have been challenges in addressing the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Neuro-Rehabilitation Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation 8 has a service arrangement with ABI Ireland to provide neuro-rehabilitation services in the Midlands area covering Laois/Offaly and Longford/Westmeath. Acquired Brain Injury Ireland is funded by the Health Service Executive and is a dedicated provider of community-based neuro-rehabilitation services for people with acquired brain injury...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The current Programme for Partnership Government commits to improving services and increasing supports for people with disabilities, particularly in the areas of early assessment and intervention for children with special needs. Since the commencement of Part 2 of the Disability Act in June 2007 the HSE has endeavoured to meet its legislative requirements as set out in the Act. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Overcrowding (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: Tackling overcrowding in Emergency Departments (EDs) is a key commitment of the Government. Accordingly, as part of Budget 2018, €30 million in additional funding was provided in 2017, and a further €40 million is being made available in 2018, to manage the expected peak in demand for our health services over the winter period and strengthen capacity moving forward. Since the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Staff (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The shift of healthcare delivery towards primary care remains a key priority for the Government and, indeed, is one of the key features of Sláintecare. Primary care centres facilitate the shift from acute care to primary care because of the range of multi-disciplinary services they can provide and the role they can play in keeping people out of the acute hospital setting. I...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Overcrowding (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: Tackling overcrowding in Emergency Departments (EDs) is a key commitment of the Government. Accordingly, €30 million in additional funding was provided in 2017, and a further €40 million is being made available in 2018, to manage the expected peak in demand for our health services over the winter period and to strengthen capacity moving forward. Since the start of winter, 170...

Written Answers — Department of Health: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The purpose of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. It is intended that the final legislative amendments needed to enable Ireland to comply with the Convention will be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Reports (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Trauma Steering Group was established by Government to bring about better outcomes for the 1,600 patients who suffer a major trauma in Ireland every year. The Steering Group was clinically led, chaired by Professor Eilis McGovern, and with key input from patients, and its recommendations are evidence based. The vision for a national trauma system set out in this major report is to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Child Care Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The tender process for the Diabetes Day Centre is underway with short-listing of contractors due to be completed shortly. Once a contractor has been selected, funding approval will be required in order to progress with the appointment of the contractor. The project has a timescale of 9 months once building works commence.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Infectious Disease Epidemics (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 64, 65 and 181 together. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans by bites from infected ticks infected. The infection is generally mild affecting only the skin but can occasionally be more severe and highly debilitating. Lyme disease is diagnosed by medical history and physical examination and can be a difficult diagnosis to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 89 together. The Deputy will be aware that leaks in the roof of the building that houses Merlin Park University Hospital's orthopaedic theatres occurred last September, necessitating the closure of both theatres in the interest of patient safety. An engineer’s report found that, in order to secure the integrity of the building, a full repair...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: Demand for access to Occupational Therapy (OT) and Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) services is challenging as evidenced by the volume of clients being treated in 2017 and the number of referrals to the services. Over 335,000 OT clients were seen and almost 90,000 referrals were made to the service. Over 279,000 SLT clients were seen in 2017 with just over 52,000 referrals made to the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Air Ambulance Service Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcommitted to the expansion of the Emergency Aeromedical Services. In that context, the Department is engaging with the National Ambulance Service and a charity that delivers pre-hospital emergency care with a view to the establishment of a community based, charitably funded Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in the South. Over recent months there...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Galway City Ambulance Base has been situated on a temporary site on the grounds of Merlin Park Hospital since the summer of 2014, to facilitate the construction of a car park on the grounds of the University College Hospital Galway. The relocation initially was to be of temporary duration of 6 – 8 months. However, due to other developments at University College Hospital Galway in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centres Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: As the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Data (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Funding (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: In 2017, we achieved much in relation to the provision of mental health services, helped in no small part by the substantial increase in mental funding over the last few years. Since 2012, the Government has increased the Mental Health Budget by almost €200 million, or 28%, to over €910 million today. Budget 2018 made allowance for an additional €57.5 million for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 39, 46 and 81 together. In Ireland the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) an independent committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland which comprises experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics, and public health makes recommendation on vaccination policy in Ireland. Their recommendations are...