Results 27,201-27,220 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I have a duty to inform people of the information.

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: What I have learned in recent days is that the only thing I can say with absolute 100% certainty is what I know. That is why I want to have a statutory inquiry to establish the exact answers to the Deputy's very important questions about who knew what, when and where. As the Deputy can imagine, in recent days and since last week I have spoken extensively with my departmental officials. I...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The Deputy has the document I had, as it was given to me, with the exception that the personal information of Ms Phelan has been redacted. The Deputy asked a very specific question about when my Department knew about or became aware of the advice of the National Cancer Control Programme and the National Screening Service. My understanding is that it was in the immediate days before the...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes, I have a date-----

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I do not have the date on the letter, but I am informed that my Department was first made aware on 6 April. I expect my Department to provide the Deputy will all relevant dates tomorrow at the Oireachtas committee meeting, but 6 April was the date on which my officials tell me that the Department was first made aware. On the evening of 16 April, the note to which the Deputy refers, arrived...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: No, my Department did not know on 6 April about 208 other patients, about Dr. Flannelly's correspondence with Dr. Hickey, or a range of other issues. Knowing what we now know, namely, that there was a much more widespread issue for women in this country, clearly it was an issue of significant patient concern. On the press statement, if one reads the statement, one will see that it was...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: It was emailed to me and I was given a hard copy.

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that I do not think it is acceptable that I am coming into the House to address it on such an important matter and that I am hearing this information only moments before coming into it and hoping I have enough time to explain to it, factually, what I have been told. If I had more detail, Deputy O'Reilly would have it right now. I provided my best indication of the detail...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I have been fully truthful and open on this issue since I became aware of it and wanted to continue in that vein tonight but what I was told of this evening is as Deputy Donnelly correctly outlined. I had been told, and I believe most Members of this House would have understood, that CervicalCheck was notified of all cases of cervical cancer by the national cancer registry. I have said to...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Donnelly for his constructive offer of support, and I would appreciate the support of any Member of this House in terms of what we can do to reassure the public. I take the point Deputy Connolly makes about that but there are women asking many questions and I want to provide them the right information. I would point out for the information of the House that a new guidance has...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Yes.

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Donnelly for his important question. I reassure Members that I had no intention of putting any Member in a position whereby they were not prepared to debate this issue. This information was brought to my attention minutes before I came to the Chamber. Had I come here but not shared that information with Members, I would face far more serious questions.

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I welcome the opportunity to update the House on issues of concern that have arisen with regard to CervicalCheck, the population-based national cervical screening programme. I wish to share as much information as I can and that I have, and to set out the actions I have taken. I again recognise the contribution of Vicky Phelan in bringing this matter to our attention. I thank her and her...

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: There is one being sent. Will we wait for it?

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: There is one on the way.

National Cervical Screening Programme: Statements (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: While I had been advised, and it had been commonly understood, that the CervicalCheck clinical audit covered all cases notified to the national cancer registry, I have been informed this afternoon that this is not the case. While CervicalCheck has audited all cases notified to it, I have been informed that a potentially considerable number of cases will not have been subjected to an audit of...

Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: If the House is willing to give me longer-----

Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: I would appreciate that.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: Section 42 of the Health Act 2004 provided for the setting up of a system of four Regional Health Forums. Section 42(9) provides for the travel expenses and states that a member of a regional health forum, or a committee established by such forum, may be paid by the Health Service Executive travelling and subsistence allowances in accordance with such scales as may, from time to time, be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Treatment Abroad Scheme (1 May 2018)

Simon Harris: The HSE operates two schemes which facilitate patients accessing treatments abroad. The first is the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) which applies where the treatment is not available in the Irish Republic hospital system. The second is under the Cross Border Directive (CBD) and reimburses patients for treatments received in another EU/EEA Member State where the treatment is one which is...