Results 20,601-20,620 of 45,789 for speaker:Simon Harris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: I will ask Mr. Breslin to take some of the questions about timelines as he is better acquainted with them. On the question of transparency, this should not have happened. I have made it clear to my officials that they should show everything to this and all other committees of the Houses and share everything with them, as appropriate. I am disappointed that the committee has not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes. I am satisfied that the reply on 18 September was an accurate and factual account of the position at the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: It was. I am not being argumentative, but the Government had not made a decision to proceed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: I knew that they were likely to increase, but I did not know the figures. I also knew that commercially sensitive negotiations were ongoing. The question which I have read again was quite specific as to whether the project was within profile and other such things. The Government had not made a decision to proceed with phase B of the project and contingency planning was being undertaken by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: We will get back to the Deputy with both dates. There was ongoing engagement between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on what we were going to do and bringing a memo to the Government to advise on the next steps to be taken. I think I have answered the Deputy's specific questions. The Secretary General might answer the question about the dates, structures...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: There is no evidence to back up the suggestion in the Deputy’s question. We must remember the reason the site was chosen, although I do not intend to reopen that debate. This is not about building a house or a block of apartments. We had to build the hospital in the location that would deliver the best medical outcomes. I made the decision based on the clear advice available to me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: It will have between 14 and 22 theatres.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: It is important to note that consultants and clinicians will not necessarily have dedicated office space in every scenario. It should probably not be considered hot desking but they will be moving around the hospital. We are not building a hospital with copious amounts of office space and numerous meeting rooms. On the contrary, we are ensuring that our children have modern,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: We cannot afford not to do it. Not building the hospital would be a scar on our legacy as an Oireachtas and a Government. We would yet again neglect kids who went through the last economic boom being promised a hospital that was never built because of the parish-pump politics of trying to fit it into people's constituencies on a site for which we could never get planning permission. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: I will not spend two or three minutes saying why we need the hospital, but I will spend ten seconds. If it is so obvious, why have we never done it as a country? Every politician of all parties has talked about it since 1962 but no one has done it. Sometimes the most obvious things need to be said. The other reason I say it, and I presume it is the same reason for the Taoiseach, is that I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is probably thinking about Bantry as well, because we always talk about Bantry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: I am just trying to help the Deputy, not that she needs it. There are two sides to Sláintecare. A large part of it will be funded by current expenditure, through measures such as examining the eligibility framework, reducing the drugs payment scheme, prescription charges, general practitioner contracts - matters in which the Chairman is interested - all of which are part of current...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: I was delighted to visit Bantry with the Deputy and the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, and we made a number of announcements that day that are under way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: It is a good hospital and we will stick to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: No, not that I am aware of. The report must be made public and I want to see it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes. It will inform my decision-making process and I am sure it will inform the work of the committee. We need to show the public why we are making the various decisions we will have to make in the time ahead. It was always my intention to make it public. I will bring it to the Government, publish it, afford people briefings or whatever members of the committee desire, through the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE commissioned the report and drew from a procurement framework. It is important that senior people do this body of work. I heard the figure of €450,000 mentioned at the committee but that is at the upper end because I think the range is between €360,000 and €450,000 and is based on a daily rate payable to the company. It is a fixed figure, therefore, decided by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes, my understanding is that the report is due in March but we will not wait around before bringing it to the Government, publishing it and sending it to the committee swiftly.