Results 17,621-17,640 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I covered that when responding to Senator MacSharry’s amendment. The regulatory powers in the Bill already allow for these matters to be prescribed by the Minister so I do not propose to accept these amendments as they are not necessary. The regulations would provide for the manner in which the name is printed on the pack and include colour, font type, size, positioning and...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: It is specifically stated in another section of the Bill that the bar code cannot be interfered with for any purpose, such as electronic messaging, etc. That applies to the pack in general, by inference. I believe it is already covered off. I will be happy to discuss the matter further with the Senator. If we can find a way of improving this provision, we will certainly look at it....

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I reassure Senators that most of this area is prescribed in the law. We must put regulations before the House. The Bill states in section 3(3): Every order (other than an order under section 1(3)) or regulation made by the Minister under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order or regulation is...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Senator for raising that issue because it gives me an opportunity to debunk a myth that is put out by the tobacco industry that there has been an increase in smuggling and illicit sales in Australia. There is no evidence to support that. There are studies, which the Senator's colleague, Senator van Turnhout, pointed out on the last day, sponsored by the tobacco industry...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: We will introduce the regulations at the same time we enact the legislation. I accept fully that many statutory instruments go through unremarked upon, unnoticed and not noted. We are very fortunate, however, to have some wonderful non-governmental organisations such as the Irish Cancer Society, the Asthma Society of Ireland, COPD Support Ireland and many others. Even if the Members of...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I thank the Senator again for his concern and the amendment which aims to include specific provisions in the Bill for the packaging of cigars. However, the Bill as it stands makes provisions for the packaging of cigars in section 10 on retail packaging of other tobacco products. Section 10 sets out requirements which apply to all tobacco products, including cigars. Therefore, I do not...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I share the Senator's concerns. There are great concerns around this matter, particularly the idea that they would be marketed as a lifestyle choice and act as a gateway to smoking. If one asked most smokers why they started smoking one will find it was because they thought it looked cool and were intrigued by the imagery of it all. In most cases, the first cigarette a person smokes will...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I am acutely aware of the fact that I could find myself standing in a different type of dock. For this reason, while I share his sentiments, I will shy away from using some of the language of which the Senator has availed. What we are trying to do is protect children from ever taking up this heinous habit and help those who have become addicted to overcome their addiction. We will do...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: While I do not wish to be seen to be declining every amendment, this proposal is not necessary as the Bill states that the Minister for Health may make regulations on any matter referred to in the Act, as prescribed. As such, the inclusion of the phrase, "by the Minister by regulation", as set out in the amendment, is not necessary because it is already provided for in the body of the Bill....

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The reason this is specifically mentioned is because, under the directive, the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide content of a tobacco product shall not be printed on a unit packet or any other form of retail packaging of a tobacco product. We will be transposing that into law. There is no wriggle room in that regard. I hear what the Senator is saying about making the information available,...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: I thank all the Senators who submitted amendments to this Bill and I also thank all those who have contributed to the Bill's progression through this House. I am particularly pleased there were no dissenting voices regarding the Bill. This demonstrates in practice what has been concluded in an EU study, that is, the Irish public have a strong willingness to adopt public health measures...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: There has been significant focus recently on the challenging resource constraints within which the HSE is operating. While the budgetary targets this year are particularly constrained, it is important to recognise that similar financial and resource constraints have applied in each of the past number of years as a direct consequence of the emergency financial situation the State has had to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: It will not take me two minutes to respond to Deputy Kelleher.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: As they say, one can avoid the facts but they will not avoid you. Deputy Kelleher alludes to 2008. Would he tell us what the Supplementary Estimate was in 2009? Would he like to tell us what it was in 2010? In his party's last year in government, it was nearly €600 million in health. Let us deal with the facts. In 14 of the past 17 years there have been Supplementary Estimates...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: We have made it very clear what is happening this year. We have a national service plan for the HSE, in regard to which patient safety is a clear priority. There are other things in it, including an expansion of the transplantation service. Last year was a very successful year one, with more transplants carried out than ever before. We have also put in place diabetic retinopathy screening...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ministerial Appointments (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: In order to address concerns about persistent underperformance which had arisen in a number of hospitals in Galway-Roscommon, a CEO was appointed to the Galway-Roscommon Hospitals Group which was subsequently extended to become the West-North West Hospital Group in January 2012 and Mr. Daly was appointed chair of the non-executive board on 29 May 2012. My Department and the HSE first became...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ministerial Appointments (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: The last question is astonishing in some respects. Is the Deputy suggesting anybody with business interests is not fit to be chair of a board? I do not accept this. It may be the Sinn Féin way and the Sinn Féin's Ireland of the future, but it certainly is not the Government's view that people involved in private enterprise, with a tremendous skills set in terms of organisational...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ministerial Appointments (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: Bluster and nonsense are more particular to the Deputy and his style, but I have made it very clear what happened, that Mr. Daly stood down and that I regret the fact that he did not disclose his shareholding to the board. The Deputy asked me a range of specific questions which I am not in a position to answer, but if he writes to me for further details, I will have no issue with giving him...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ministerial Appointments (25 Jun 2014)

James Reilly: More fiction from Sinn Féin.