Results 20,201-20,220 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy's party leader raised this matter in the Dáil last Tuesday week and referred to me making this "political promise", as she calls it, against official advice. I hope the Deputy or Deputy Michéal Martin will clarify the official advice I was not following because I clarified for the House this afternoon that I followed the advice of my officials, including the Chief...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy has said I was advised month on month to end the repeat smear tests by officials, I presume, or medical experts working for me or the HSE. I ask her or her party leader to clarify who advised me to do that. I have told her in this House that I worked hand in glove with the officials in my Department, including the Chief Medical Officer, at a very intense time. I could reference...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Accuracy is important. I did not know about this last November; I knew on 5 December that there was a potential issue highlighted by Quest Diagnostics that might or might not have required action, and that work was being done in that regard. I understand that only as recently as this week did my Department finally receive the report from the HSE as it was a major body of work to, first,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: With some laboratories the backlog is beginning to decrease as levels begin to return to more normal levels, but it has not decreased in all laboratories. Currently, the average waiting time is 22 weeks, which is far too long for women, for whom I understand it is causing significant concern. I want to see it reduced. Extra capacity is key in that regard. I should point out that not all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 67 and 68 together. The safety features delegated regulation introduces new rules for the supply of medicines from 9 February 2019. As Deputy Brassil noted, the safety features include a form of an anti-tamper device and unique identifiers embedded in a two-dimensional barcode on the pack. The purpose of the regulation is to improve patient safety...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: A rare moment of harmony is to be welcomed. I thank Deputies Brassil, O'Reilly and McLoughlin, along with other Deputies, for their advocacy on this issue and for highlighting people's concerns. I will reflect on Deputy O'Reilly's comments and revert to her. We will adopt a pragmatic approach. Once the new system becomes live on 9 February, it should be considered to be in a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: It is fair to say that in recent weeks concerns were raised by hospital pharmacists and other pharmacists about who might be prosecuted for a breach of the statutory instrument, as noted in my initial reply. Pharmacists who are employees of a pharmacy owner or the HSE are concerned that if they were to dispense a medicine where the pharmacy was not connected to the new system through an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Perhaps we should but I would like doctors to decide that. The national review of specialist cardiac services is independently chaired by the very eminent Professor Phillip Nolan who is president of Maynooth University. He is an independent chair. The aim of the national review is to achieve optimal patience outcomes at population levels. The scope of the national review is broad and was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: That was a good effort but there is no linkage between the national children's hospital and the decision to provide a cath lab in Sligo.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Let me explain why that is the case. We will make that decision on the cath lab in Sligo based on the clinical advice and the report that will be given to us by the national review group in June. I do not think that is being a commentator; that is asking medics and patients to come together under an independent chair and look at the best and fairest way to distribute specialist services...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on this project. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, visited the project this afternoon. I am pleased to advise that construction is currently under way for the National Forensic Mental Health Service Hospital and is due to be completed at the end of the year. It is anticipated this new facility will open in 2020,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy mentioned the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, RCOG, review. As he has done so, and in the interest of completeness, I want to take this opportunity to inform him and the House that I am pleased to say slides have begun to transfer to the RCOG. This was an issue causing concern and it is now under way. As the Minister for Health, I rely on clinical advice....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dietician Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Calleary for the question. In line with the all-party vision set out under Sláintecare, the Government is prioritising investment in the expansion of primary care services, including dietetics. Overall funding for primary care increased by more than €50 million, or 6.1%, in the HSE's national service plan for 2019. Among other things, this will enable the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dietician Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Some of my statistics are not exactly in the order the Deputy has asked for, but I will get the information for him from the HSE. The number of clients waiting for treatment at the end of 2018 was down to 523 from 700 in 2017. Of these, the number waiting for more than 26 weeks was 216. I will try to get the Deputy more information. I do not have information in my briefing on those under...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cardiac Service Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Deputy McLoughlin has plenty of influence within the party structures and the Government structures. I thank Deputy MacSharry for the question. The Government is committed to ensuring that all citizens have access to safe, high-quality and evidence-based care, in line with international norms. Sligo University Hospital, which I had the pleasure of visiting recently, provides high-quality...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Abortion Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes and for many others, it facilitates access. It means that people can access services on the island of Ireland without having to travel to another island and stay overnight in the United Kingdom or experience high air fares and so on. It means being able to visit a GP in the Republic at an early stage of pregnancy to access services at primary care level. However, the Deputy should not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Abortion Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Of course.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Abortion Services Provision (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I would like to work with the Deputy to arrive at that point also. I would also like to work with her and groups in Northern Ireland on the support the 24/7 helpline we now operate can provide for women, regardless of where they live on the island. It ensures women can talk to qualified healthcare professionals and councillors and that all of their options can be signposted in terms of how...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question and acknowledge the significant advocacy work he has done in this area. The unprecedented demand for cervical screening in 2018 owing to understandable concerns of women, as well as an increased uptake of screening, has led to long and very regrettable delays in the reporting of results. The fact that new women have opted into the programme for the first...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cancer Screening Programmes (5 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: While the Deputy said I was in a unique position to know certain things and while I accept that, as Minister, I have access to officials, advisers and the Chief Medical Officer, no one, including the Deputy or me, could have known the degree of public unease that would develop in this situation last year, the length of time for which it would go on or the number of women who would take up the...