Results 20,921-20,940 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: As I said, we are six and a half hours in and no one is batting anything away. We will be here all day and will answer every question. We will stay for as long as members want to discuss the matter. There is a view which is not confined to my party or the Government, of which I am a member. It is shared across the Oireachtas. It is that getting in some external expertise, such is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: We will publish the report. For the record, the HSE appointed the company and commissioned the report. It would have followed due process in respect of there being a conflict of interest, the procurement process and the like. Deputy Boyd Barrett asked a series of questions about procurement. I am not suggesting they are not valid, but there would be serious concerns if they were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I am happy to give that commitment which I gave to the Deputy in writing, but I am happy to give it at this committee. I have been dealing in a bi-partisan manner with all Oireachtas Members from Waterford, as the Deputy is aware. He has also been operating in that way. This project will proceed. It is very important and we have had numerous discussions on it. It affects not only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I became Minister for Health in May 2016 and would have started-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I accept I was Minister for Health and would have started engaging with the Children's Hospital Group. I will have to check and revert to the Deputy. I have no recollection of that but I will check. I recall that there was a discussion and debates in the Oireachtas about the merits and importance of the project and getting out information about the clinical benefits but I do not understand...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I take as noted Deputy Brassil's comments on the nurses' dispute. We will have an opportunity to debate that in the morning but I hope that between now and then, there will be a continued effort to get this back into some formal engagement because that is the only place where it will be resolved. The floor of the Dáil is a perfectly appropriate place to discuss it but it is not going...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes, I do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The top query coming into the helpline from women was if they could have a repeat test. I will answer the question in full.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Chairman might give some latitude on this because it is quite important. The repeat smear test was one of the top queries coming in. GPs were also ringing the helpline asking if they could give women sitting in front of them a repeat free smear test. I discussed the issue with my officials, including senior officials well known to this committee and the Chief Medical Officer, all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: The Chief Medical Officer agreed with my proposal that we would, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: It was my idea. I want to be clear on this because it is quite clear. I fed back into my Department that women were contacting me about the matter, people were emailing me, Members of the Oireachtas were raising it, all political parties were raising it, GPs were raising it, it was coming up on the helpline, and asked if it would be an appropriate thing to do. The answer I was given,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Not to my recollection.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Not to my recollection. The people I would have spoken to in advance of that decision were the assistant secretary in my Department with responsibility for the acute hospital sector and the Chief Medical Officer. Certainly they were supportive of the decision and the proposal, and drafted the memo and the press statement. It is important to say that we put into the memo and it was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: We just talked about armies. I engaged with two people primarily on this: the Chief Medical Officer and assistant secretary I referenced. Having worked with me, they both thought that it was appropriate as part of the reassurance measures. The Deputy's party colleagues also thought so and I think they were correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I did review the decision. I want to give the Deputy the correct date. If I do not have it I will revert to her. From my memory, I think it was in October after the publication of the Scally report. I will confirm the timeline for the Deputy because I do not have it before me and I do not want to mislead her. From my recollection it was in October post the publication of the Scally...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I think there is a benefit of hindsight thing going on here. The Deputy must remember we were waiting for Dr. Scally's report to provide reassurance to the women of Ireland as to whether the programme was safe, if they needed to get new smears. There was considerable unease on the matter. Many Members of the Oireachtas, women and GPs recommended that we do this. I think it was the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I cannot remember the specific date. I was aware of the backlog. I was dealing with this on a constant basis and was having meetings on issues to do with CervicalCheck, if not weekly, fortnightly. As soon as the backlog became apparent, I would have known about it. I was well apprised about it. I can get the Deputy a specific date on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: When Dr. Scally's report provided reassurance, that was when I made my decision that on foot of official advice, we should now reconsider the issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: I left out one piece of information from my previous answer which is important. This issue was also the subject of ongoing monitoring and discussion at the steering group which included doctors, officials and patient representatives who were supportive of the monitoring of this. The patient representatives, who are my concern, were supportive of this measure. I received advice that in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion
Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (6 Feb 2019)

Simon Harris: Presumably the date in October I am referencing is 21 October, when I received a submission from officials that suggested that in light of the Scally report we should move to end the cycle. My officials then would have conversed. I accepted their recommendation in full. They can attest to that. My officials would have conversed then with the HSE as to when it would be operationally best...