Results 23,481-23,500 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Irish Blood Transfusion Service: Irish Blood Transfusion Service (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: On 3 December last, I received a copy of an internal audit report of the Irish Blood Transfusion Services Board, IBTS, on discard blood products. The audit involved a search of available records to determine if blood or blood products were issued or sold to commercial companies and what volumes were involved from the 1980s to date. This audit was carried out at the request of the chief...

Written Answers — Control of Infectious Diseases: Control of Infectious Diseases (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 24 and 28 together. The strategy for the control of antimicrobial resistance, SARI, was launched in June 2001. Since then, approximately €20.5 million in funding has been made available by my Department for this purpose. Of this, approximately €4.5 million has been made available in the current year. This SARI funding is in addition to normal hospital...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, HSE, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the development of a new ambulance station in Monaghan. A design team is currently working on this...

Written Answers — Health Service Executive: Health Service Executive (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Health Service Executive has informed me that the initial cost of developing the HSE logo was €3,146.00, including VAT. Subsequent costs were...

Written Answers — Health Strategy: Health Strategy (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 27 and 41 together. The strategy "Primary Care: A New Direction" recognises that the provision of modern, well equipped, accessible premises will be central to the effective functioning of primary care teams and networks. Therefore, one of the key objectives is to facilitate and encourage the development, where appropriate, of modern, well equipped, user...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I met with a delegation from the Cancer Care Alliance last week which included representatives from the western, north-western and south-eastern areas. I listened carefully to the delegates' views concerning the development and improvement of oncology services at regional level and, in particular, radiation oncology services, breast cancer screening and capital funding for oncology...

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 31, 42, 50, 76, 88 and 135 together. The areas referred to by the Deputies are part of a ten point action plan on accident and emergency services, which I announced on the publication of the Estimates for 2005. A sum of €70 million is available to the Health Service Executive this year for these initiatives. I have met with senior management of the HSE and...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: A statutory complaints framework is provided for under the provisions of Part 9 of the Health Act 2004, which was enacted in December 2004. This provides for the establishment of a statutory complaints framework to apply to complaints about the actions of the Health Service Executive or a service provider. The establishment of such a framework follows on the commitment in the health strategy...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of CAT scanning services in hospitals. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Health...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I had a meeting earlier today with representatives of the University of Pittsburgh's cancer institute and EuroCare International at which they outlined their plans to provide acute hospital services, including radiotherapy, in Waterford, for patients in the south-eastern area. I am in the process of developing an overall policy framework which will identify the policy issues which need to be...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 36 and 37 together. The report of the panel reviewing the events surrounding the death of Róisín Ruddle was published on my Department's website earlier today. First, I wish to express my sympathy to Róisín's parents and to her extended family. They have been through extremely difficult times in the past and the publication of the report of the panel...

Written Answers — Health Reports: Health Reports (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I welcome the recent Pollock report commissioned by the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland on the treatment of cystic fibrosis in Ireland. The Health Service Executive, which has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services, recently met with the association and has agreed to its request to establish a working...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: Protocols for the diagnosis and treatment of clinical conditions are matters for the attending doctor and his-her patients. The use of any particular diagnostic test such as the RAST test, either in its own right or as an alternative to another test, would be a decision that a doctor and a patient would make given the nature of the condition involved and, in particular, any specific features...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the issues raised by the Deputy. Accordingly, my Department has requested the executive to investigate...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 43, 52, 68, 73, 78 and 87 together. My Department is at present considering the nature of the legislative changes required to enable effect to be given to the decision to introduce doctor visit cards. I have received legal advice that an amendment to the Health Act 1970 is required in order to enable effect to be given to this decision. My Department is...

Written Answers — Environmental Pollution: Environmental Pollution (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: Ventilation standards in houses are a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government who has general responsibility for the construction industry. I have no plans at present to launch an information campaign on the lines suggested by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Reports: Health Reports (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: The Government's policy on radiation oncology is based on the report entitled "The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland". The report was prepared by a multidisciplinary group of experts in radiation oncology, medical oncology, public health and palliative care, including representatives of bodies such as the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Irish Cancer Society and...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: The Health Board Executive commissioned an international expert in cervical screening to examine the feasibility and implications of a national roll out of a cervical screening programme. The examination included an evaluation of the pilot programme, quality assurance, laboratory capacity and organisation and the establishment of national governance arrangements. The expert's report was...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 53 and 99 together. The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Responsibility for the issues raised by the Deputies rests with the national...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (10 Feb 2005)

Mary Harney: My Department approved a total of nine top level management posts, comprising a chief executive officer and eight national director posts, in the Health Service Executive, HSE. The national director posts have, subsequently, been filled either on a substantive or acting basis. An interim chief executive officer of the executive has also been appointed. My Department is currently considering...