Results 21,121-21,140 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- MRSA Incidence. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: There were 445 reported cases of MRSA blood-stream infection in 2002, 480 cases in 2003 and 550 cases in 2004. The figure for the first six months of 2005 is 314 cases. The increase in the reported number of cases of MRSA in recent years is mainly due to increased surveillance as a result of more laboratories participating in the reporting process. It is difficult to identify the number of...
- MRSA Incidence. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I accept the issue is about more than washing hands, although all the international evidence and the expert medical advice available to me would suggest it makes the single greatest contribution. It will be a matter for the HSE. The audit, which will be published by the end of this month, will give us baseline figures and will provide interesting data, hospital by hospital, which can be...
- MRSA Incidence. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I do not have that data. My reply stated that many people die from underlying conditions. I do not think that information is available.
- MRSA Incidence. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I stated that while some people with MRSA die, they also have underlying conditions. I do not have a breakdown as to how many die purely from MRSA and I do not think anyone has that data.
- MRSA Incidence. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: It is not only the Minister for Health and Children who is not able to tell the Deputy, nobody else can tell her either because we do not have that data recorded. People acquire MRSA in many settings and not exclusively in a hospital environment. As I said, the HSE will work on a hospital by hospital reporting mechanism. If it is possible to separate the data and establish if somebody died...
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 114, 126 and 144 together. In January 2005 I increased the income guidelines used in the assessment of medical card applications by 7.5%. In June it was apparent that the effect of rising income in our successful economy meant that the target of 30,000 additional medical cards would not be achieved. At this time I simplified the means test for both medical...
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: It is true that somebody in those circumstances, depending on their outgoings, can qualify for a medical card. For example, the basic income is â¬266.50 per week with a child dependant allowance of â¬76, child care expenses of â¬220, housing or mortgage payments of â¬190 and travel to work of â¬50. We gave a number of examples last week and published the data. The whole purpose is not to...
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I am not a great fan of universal payments to everyone regardless of means because that hits those who are not as well off unfairly, that is, if relatively rich people get the same benefits as less well off people.
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: When one applies something universally to a class of individuals â in this case, children â it can be unfair on others because one has a finite amount of resources. All the evidence suggests that the medical need is greatest among lower income families in particular. That is what we are doing with the traditional medical card and the doctor only card. Given that we increased the income...
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I do not accept this because using gross income is not a fair way of calculating entitlement. That is why there are deductions for tax purposes, such as PRSI, travel-to-work, mortgage repayments and child care. For example, a single mother with one dependent child can earn more than â¬584 a week and still get a full medical card depending on her outgoings. Travel to work could cost â¬40 a...
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: There was a commitment on medical cards in the election manifesto of my colleagues in Government. We will get more than 200,000 medical cards with the doctor-only cards.
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: We must become less fixated with numbers and target the needs of families, children and the elderly. The way the Government is doing this, particularly discounting income outgoings, will ensure many people who traditionally would not have qualified because of their gross earnings will now come into the medical card net with either the full or doctor-only card. The doctor-only card meets the...
- Medical Cards. (18 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: When we introduced the doctor-only card, no special deal was done with Deputy Twomey's colleagues, notwithstanding the fact that it was sought.
- Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: The estimated cost of employing a newly qualified registered general nurse for one year is approximately â¬38,426. This figure is made up of the salary at first point of staff nurse general scale, â¬27,757, plus premium pay estimated to be 25% of basic salary and employers PRSI of 10.75%. The estimated cost of employing a newly qualified registered psychiatric nurse for one year is...
- Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: The payscale for public health nurses at 1 June 2005 is as follows; â¬42,465, â¬43,196, â¬43,820, â¬44,804, â¬45,936, â¬47,032, â¬48,136, â¬49,377, â¬50,532. In addition to basic salary public health nurses are entitled to a specialist qualification allowance in recognition of their midwifery qualification. The value of the allowance at 1 June 2005 is â¬2,558. Estimates for the cost...
- Written Answers — Cancer Strategy: Cancer Strategy (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: I expect the National Cancer Forum to submit the new cancer strategy to me by the end of this year. On receipt my Department will assess the policy implications, including costs. I will then bring the new cancer strategy to Government. I will publish the strategy as soon as possible thereafter.
- Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: The General Medical Service's general practitioner contract details the range of treatments and services to be provided by the contracted GP to all people who are medical card holders notwithstanding their age. The GMS contract makes reference to certificates only in respect of work absences and provides that the GMS GP is required to provide the first and last certificates to explain work...
- Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act, 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy. All people aged...
- Written Answers — Legal Proceedings: Legal Proceedings (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: My Department has been informed by the State Claims Agency that it is aware of at least one legal case where the Minister for Health and Children is named in a legal action being taken by a patient who has contracted MRSA.
- Written Answers — Nursing Home Charges: Nursing Home Charges (13 Oct 2005)
Mary Harney: The Government has agreed the key elements of a scheme for the repayment of long stay charges for publicly funded residential care. However, full details of the scheme have yet to be finalised. Officials from my Department are currently in discussion with both the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners in relation to repayments to be made under this scheme including any tax...