Results 21,461-21,480 of 46,014 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: Improving access to hospital treatment is a key priority for government. Budget 2019 announced that the Government had further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase fund (NTPF) increasing from €55 million in 2018 to€75 million in 2019. My Department is working closely with the NTPF and the HSE to finalise a Scheduled Care...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Decision Making (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: Part 8 of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 provides a legislative framework for advance healthcare directives (AHDs). An AHD is a statement made by a person with capacity setting out his or her will and preferences regarding treatment decisions that may arise in the future when he or she no longer has capacity. Section 91 of the Act relates to the development of a code of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Alcohol Pricing (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: It is necessary to seek a revised Government Decision to implement minimum unit pricing of alcohol products as the original Decision envisaged implementation simultaneously with Northern Ireland. I intend to seek that revised Decision in early 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services Provision (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: A pigmented lesion clinic is available to people in the South/South West Hospital Group at the South Infirmary Hospital in Cork. Funding for 2019 has been sought for a range of cancer services linked to the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026. Allocations will be finalised in the near future in line with the final amounts made available to the HSE in the National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Data (18 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tony Holohan, for his clinical leadership. I thank the incredible Geraldine Luddy-----

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: -----who is here with me this evening and who has been over so many days. I thank Mr. Ronan Horgan, Ms Aoife O'Brien, Ms Bronwyn Conway and Ms Noelle Waldron for all the work they have done in the Department in making sure that we were well briefed and in a position to brief Members of the Oireachtas as we went through the various legislative Stages. I thank my own team, Ms Joanne Lonergan,...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: -----who did incredible work on this issue over so many years. Despite their small number, these Senators succeeded more than once in putting this matter on the agenda of the Oireachtas when it was not on the agenda of the majority. It is on their shoulders that we stand tonight. At the end of such a long journey, it is astonishing to reflect on how far we have come in the past year. We...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: It is a momentous day. It is an historic day. It is a day that I am humbled and proud to be a part of. There are so many people I want to thank that it will not be possible to thank them all. I begin by thanking the Cathaoirleach for the way in which he has chaired this debate with fairness and impartiality throughout recent days. I thank the Members of Seanad Éireann for the...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: Reference was made to the criminalisation of doctors. Doctors are watching this. We need our doctors and we want them to provide this service. Many doctors are stepping up to provide this service so I just need to reiterate the wording in the legislation which refers to doctors carrying out terminations on the grounds allowed for in the legislation, forming a reasonable opinion and acting...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Senators for their contributions and the work they put into the drafting of these amendments. They have put a lot of work into what is a very sensitive and important area that we are all determined to get right. As Senator Bacik said at the start of her contribution, I am conscious that while we are talking about the issue of criminalisation in the final grouping of amendments -...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: I have nothing further to what I already said on Committee Stage.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: I am responding to the debate on the amendments.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: We have acknowledged the fact that I amended the Bill in Dáil Éireann to include student nurses and student midwives. Senator Bacik outlined for Senator Mullen where this had been done in the legislation and he has accepted this. As for medical practitioners, including student medical practitioners, the advice I have received indicates that the definition included in the Bill...

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: No. Pharmacists are included in the context of having a conscientious objection, as outlined eloquently by my colleague Senator Reilly who is a doctor and quoted from the code of conduct for doctors.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: Perhaps I should speak at some point.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: To get back to the amendments, Nos. 28 to 32, inclusive, I do not have anything useful to add other than to refer to my comments on Committee Stage in which I clearly outlined the way conscientious objection is protected in this Bill. We are at an impasse in terms of people's viewpoints on that and I propose that Seanad Éireann rejects the amendments.

Seanad: Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2018)

Simon Harris: That is not true.