Results 20,661-20,680 of 45,836 for speaker:Simon Harris

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.

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

Simon Harris: It is essential that we learn, and the learning will go well beyond this project. I imagine there will be learning across the board for capital projects.

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

Simon Harris: I reappointed it.

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

Simon Harris: I can briefly reply.

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

Simon Harris: The reason the steering group structure was put in place in 2017 relates to the fact that we have three different elements going on here. We have the integration of three hospitals and the legislation and bringing together involved in that. It is a major body of work to take three voluntary hospitals and put them into one statutory hospital. Many people thought it would never happen but it...

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

Simon Harris: That is the first point. The second point I make is one I made clear in my letters to the members when I reappointed the board in 2017 for continuity as the project was under way. I pointed out that the Oireachtas would shortly pass legislation giving me the power to appoint a different board should I choose to do so. It is a power I have today and it is one on which I will reflect when I...

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

Simon Harris: No, it was not. It was a reminder to them that factually the Oireachtas was about to give me a new power to reappoint or appoint a different board. I have that power today thanks to these Houses of the Oireachtas. The people on the board were reappointed for a term running to 2023 but they were reappointed in the knowledge that the new legislation would trump such reappointments. I must...

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

Simon Harris: I will ask the Secretary General to give his perspective on that. My perspective is that the structures were put in place for the purpose of co-ordinating those three distinct bodies of work.

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

Simon Harris: My view is very clear that the Accounting Officer for the project is the Secretary General, Mr. Breslin, who under law is Accounting Officer for the health Vote. That was the point Mr. Robert Watt made to the committee. It is a matter for it to decide how it wants to pursue that matter. I understand Mr. Watt is accountable to committees of the Houses, including the Committee on Budgetary...

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

Simon Harris: I do not deny anything, but I do know that €983 million was the projected cost of delivering the hospital project on the St James's Hospital site. We are comparing the projected cost in 2017 of delivering the hospital project on the St. James's Hospital site with the projected cost now. We are not comparing the cost with the cost of delivering the project on any other site....

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

Simon Harris: It is not that I deny it; I have yet to see a report or expert opinion that suggests it is the case.

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

Simon Harris: Where is the evidence? If it is evident, it being a variation of the word "evidence", where is the evidence?

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

Simon Harris: Where is the report?

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

Simon Harris: No, I am in love with evidence.