Results 21,921-21,940 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Hospital Acquired Infections. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: I presume that if litigation arises it will involve the institutions concerned, namely, hospitals, which have their own insurance policies. The Health and Safety Authority has a specific remit in regard to the health and safety of workers. It does not have the expertise for this job which is a clinical matter. This is not a matter of basic cleanliness, in which we are all expert. One must go...

Hospital Acquired Infections. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: I said that the HSE is in the process of putting in place a parliamentary affairs division that will be fully resourced. The intention is that, by the autumn of this year, Members of the Oireachtas and others will have very speedy access to responses such as the one that the Deputy seeks from me. The earlier part of the Deputy's question concerned what I have done since taking up office...

Hospital Acquired Infections. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: Some things are basic, but with others one must be in the back office ensuring that everything is run to the highest possible standard, and that is what we intend to ensure.

Hospital Acquired Infections. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: Yes, there will be a proactive campaign, beginning with the hygiene audit during July and August of every hospital in the country. The results will be published and we will also have a public awareness campaign, mainly but not exclusively around the hospitals. I hope that we will also be able to provide for a mechanism whereby people can bring it to the authorities' attention if they are...

Hospital Acquired Infections. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: My apologies. Later this year we will be updating the Medical Practitioners Act 1978. As the Deputy is aware, the medical profession is self-regulated with statutory backing. We will have an opportunity to debate what may or may not happen. If people have specific complaints, it is a matter for the Medical Council. It is not a matter for political intervention regarding clinical decisions....

Cystic Fibrosis Incidence. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: I have seen the report that the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland commissioned from Dr. Ronnie Pollock. The report confirms that Ireland has the highest incidence of cystic fibrosis in the world. It reviews existing hospital services for people with cystic fibrosis in the context of accepted international standards and concludes that the services available for such people are not of the...

Cystic Fibrosis Incidence. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: I have met the CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland as part of my dealings with another group. I would be more than happy to meet other representatives of the association. The Department of Health and Children receives approximately 600 letters, including many invitations, every four days. I assure Deputy McManus that I would be happy to meet representatives of the Cystic...

Cystic Fibrosis Incidence. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: This year. The money was provided to recruit additional staff, including a locum consultant, a physiotherapist and other nurse specialists, and also to provide additional bathroom facilities to avoid the infection issues to which the Deputy referred. Together with what is currently happening, additional space is being made available at St. Vincent's Hospital for cystic fibrosis patients. This...

Hospital Services. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will appreciate that, on taking up office at the end of September 2004, the bulk of the capital programme for that year had already been committed. This included prior approvals under the multi-annual health capital programme to progress major developments in the acute hospital sector. In addition, significant investment had already been approved earlier in 2004 in respect of minor...

Hospital Services. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will be aware that some of the works at Monaghan General Hospital have been completed, therefore, there is a gap between the approval of funding for capital infrastructure and the use of whatever improvements take place. I must come back to the Deputy on the CAT scan question. There is no CAT scan facility in Dundalk which has a higher number of patients who travel to Drogheda. I...

Hospital Services. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: The HSE is putting in place a parliamentary affairs division. The functions of the health boards only transferred to the HSE on 15 June. By the autumn, a fully resourced and well functioning division will be in place, which will provide speedy responses to parliamentarians. This was sought and discussed during the passage of the relevant legislation. Four hospitals are located in Drogheda,...

Hospital Acquired Infections. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 62, 108, 109, 125, 140, 148, 241, 313 and 314 together. Prevention and control of hospital acquired infections is a priority for me and for the Health Service Executive. The director of the national hospitals office has engaged external consultants to carry out an independent hygiene audit of every hospital this summer. The results of the audit will be...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (16 Jun 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.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (16 Jun 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.

Written Answers — Health Reports: Health Reports (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: My Department is advised that the work of the inquiry is at an advanced stage and will be completed shortly. I have received a request from Patient Focus for an advance copy of the report prior to publication and I would hope to be in a position to meet this request.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: The net total amounts voted for my Department for each year from 1997 to 2004 and the surplus amount surrendered in each of those years are set out in the table below. Year Net Total Amount Voted Total Surplus Surrendered â'¬m â'¬m 1997 3,201.335 1.567 1998 3,609.033 2.562 1999 4,150.954 10.489 2000 4,619.449 5.700 2001 5,992.685 1.263 ...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 59 together. New facilities for the national expansion of BreastCheck are included in the Health Capital Investment Framework 2005-2009. My Department recently gave approval to BreastCheck to advertise for the appointment of a design team to work up detailed plans for the design and construction of the clinical units at University College Hospital,...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: BreastCheck has indicated that it received 50 requests to participate in the procurement process which will be carried out in accordance with EU procurement procedures using the restricted procedure. BreastCheck anticipates that the shortlisting, interviews and fee negotiations will be complete by the end of July 2005.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (16 Jun 2005)

Mary Harney: My Department provided additional revenue funding to the former Midland Health Board in 2002 and 2003 for the development of acute hospital services. The board indicated that part of this funding would be used to support the development of special care baby units in the region. A new special care baby unit has been commissioned at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, while a second unit...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (16 Jun 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.