Results 23,521-23,540 of 45,836 for speaker:Simon Harris

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: This is not relevant.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: There will be fewer people on waiting lists. This legislation is to protect people.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Quite significantly.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: They are not affected.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Thank you. The section of the Bill and the amendments we are discussing do not refer to any of the broader issues that have been raised. Section 14 is trying to design an environment that is alcohol free in areas that are frequented by children. It is about making sure we protect children from alcohol advertising. What the Bill is endeavouring to do, on this basis, is ensure the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman and the committee for the invitation to discuss the implementation of Sláintecare. I am pleased to be joined by Ms Laura Magahy, who was recently appointed as executive director of the Sláintecare programme office. She was appointed following a comprehensive recruitment process and brings a wealth of experience to the role. I formally welcome her to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The question as to whether the office should reside in the Department of Health or the Department of the Taoiseach was discussed at this committee, and I made my views very clear on that at the time. The Minister for Health is accountable to the Oireachtas for the delivery of the health service under Sláintecare, subject to the health Acts and the powers and functions of the HSE. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Chair is correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: The Chair has identified an issue that will have to be addressed as part of the normal budgetary process. When the implementation plan was launched in August, I made the point that the Government has decided that the resourcing of Sláintecare, which is something in which all political parties have a role to play in a minority Government, is a matter for the Estimates process. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I will do my very best. I thank Deputy Donnelly. Certainly, when I look to reform I will definitely look to the future and I will not the past. The way that people have endeavoured to reform the health service has created many of the current problems. The establishment of a national entity, an idea most political parties agreed with, was botched. As a result, we have layers of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: We will not have time for a back and forth debate. While I take the Deputy's point, I do not agree that Sláintecare is not the key to addressing many of these challenges, including waiting lists. Delivering what Sláintecare calls on me to deliver is key. With one week to go before the budget, I cannot answer the Deputy's question on how much I am seeking, or perhaps his party...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I will ask Ms Magahy to come in on the matter of workforce planning in a moment. On the overspend, as my colleague, the Minister for Finance and for Public Expenditure said, possibly at a Committee on Budgetary Oversight meeting last week, he and I are actively engaging in addressing what will be a requirement for supplementary funding for the health service this year. I am very confident...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I take that point. I would point out, however, that there were extra occupational therapy posts this year, extra speech and language therapy posts recently, and more than 140 assistant psychology posts. I will ask Ms Magahy to do some work on that. I also ask her to speak about how we will plan for the workforce for the delivery of Sláintecare.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: This is something I and Ms Magahy have discussed in recent days. I agree with Deputy O'Reilly on the word "entitlement" rather than eligibility and we will revert to using entitlement. The idea is that every citizen in this country should be entitled to access care in their community. We want universal entitlement and universal access to primary care. The second thing is important, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: I hope that I am right, but we will legislate. I will come back with the specific number in one moment. However, I do want to legislate for waiting times. I spoke to the Scottish health minister about this last Friday. I want to do it and make sure that we can deliver them. The elective-only model was how they did it in Scotland. We have given a commitment to picking three sites next...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Each year we will have to say what we are doing the following year and show how much it will cost and how we will deliver it, so yes that is the position about annual plans.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: Before Deputy O'Reilly leaves, the particular action is 5.1.6. I apologise to Deputy Kelly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: University Hospital Limerick has one of the most acute situations in terms of a lack of bed capacity. The Deputy has highlighted it here many times. They are working very hard at hospital level to develop and deliver on a modular proposal. My understanding is that they sought planning permission and that there may be a further appeal there. That information is subject to correction; I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: It depends on the completion of the planning process.