Results 26,681-26,700 of 46,081 for speaker:Simon Harris
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I accept the concerns Deputy Bríd Smith has raised, the sincerity with which she has raised them and the legitimacy of looking at them. CervicalCheck published information on the company's website tonight as follows:Our cervical screening samples are sent to one of three contracted laboratories. One of these in the US and two are in Ireland. The reason we use a US laboratory is because...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I fully accept that.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I do.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I am willing to stay here as long as it takes. There is no Fine Gael politics here.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: This is a serious issue and I do not intend to engage in a shouting match on it. Deputy Boyd Barrett should note that there are mistakes and errors made in this country and in many different countries. The Deputy has a viewpoint - others agree with him – that sending this screening service or the reading of the smears to the United States was a mistake. Deputy Boyd Barrett has asked...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I think the disclosure of women's health information to women at the earliest possible opportunity would have prevented a great deal of pain, hurt, suffering and worry. I fully agree with that.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: As Minister for Health I regularly have to deal with serious issues from the past. I will not be found wanting in terms of working with people to try to deal with these issues. The issues raised by Deputy Joan Collins will be investigated but they will not be investigated by me. They will be investigated by people who have an expertise in this area. They will be investigated by people who...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I appreciate the good faith in which the comment was made. I am not going to decide - the Deputy would not expect me to - quality assurance methods on the floor of the Dáil but I will reflect on his point. Part of the international peer review - whatever the mechanism or structure - which I hope can get to work quickly, will look at how our screening programme compares with results in...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: The IMO and the NAGP are involved in discussions with the HSE and CervicalCheck.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: No. They believe it can work and I believe it can work. I checked that before I announced it.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I will. It is not on its own. It is part of a suite of measures that we need.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I am accountable to the House for my role as Minister for Health. I do not have some of the answers nor would I be expected to in respect of some of the questions Deputy Bríd Smith asked. I refer in particular to the awarding of a contract in 2008 by the HSE or the screening programmes. Other witnesses will appear before the Joint Committee on Health tomorrow. They will be much more...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: No, I do not have the results.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I cannot get into an exchange about press statements on the floor of the Dáil. These are individual women's smear tests and individual women have a right to know what is in them. In the last number of days since this came to light I have spent time making sure that individual women know, as they should have known. It is worrying that the paternalistic culture suggested that they were...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I am not saying anybody is wrong. We have to look at all these issues as part of the inquiry. Concerns were clearly raised by eminent people. They are very eminent and far more qualified to speak on this than I am, including Dr. Coulter-Smith. Other views were also raised by other people. There was a process and a robust debate in 2008. A decision was made. However, the Deputy has to...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. The person who told me is not the person who did not do the job. I was told by the chief medical officer this evening that he was informed by the-----
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: -----serious incident management team based in the CervicalCheck offices. The Deputy can imagine what was my reaction.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: The response would not have contained parliamentary language. Along with everybody in this House, I have been working in a responsible manner to try to put facts into the public domain and get to a point where we can establish answers for women, care for the women who have been let down and try to ensure we have a screening programme that can be improved as a result of Ms Phelan. This...
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: The HIQA mechanism has teeth but I am happy to engage with the Opposition on this. I suggest we do that after the Oireachtas health committee meeting tomorrow.
- National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)
Simon Harris: I appreciate that the Deputy has said this is too serious an issue to play party or personality politics with it. I appreciate the responsible way in which he and his party, along with most Members of the House, are approaching this sensitive matter. I want to work with all people in government and the Opposition in getting answers. I fully endorse the idea that this cannot be an...