Results 28,901-28,920 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Reviews (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: This is a matter for the HSE therefore I have referred the question to the HSE for attention and direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 451 together. Medicines play a vital role in improving the health of Irish patients. Securing access to existing and new and innovative medicines is a key objective of the health service. However, the challenge is to do this in an affordable and sustainable manner. The medicines bill for the community drugs schemes – primarily the GMS, Long...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Each year in Ireland around 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 90 die from the disease. All cervical cancers are linked to high risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types. In 2009 the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) recommended HPV vaccination for all 12 year old girls to reduce their risk of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice and international best...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Defibrillators in Schools Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: A national Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Steering group was established in 2017. The purpose of this project is to improve survival rates for those who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest through the development and implementation of an out of hospital cardiac arrest strategy up to 2020. This work will support the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and Community First Responder Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health and Safety Regulations (13 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: There is no specific legislation in Ireland in relation to the regulation of tattooing and body piercing businesses. However, they are required to comply with public health, and health and safety legislation in the same way as any other business. In the absence of sector specific regulation, my Department and the Health Service Executive are finalising guidelines on infection control for...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Scanlon for raising the important matter of Lyme disease. I have asked the Department to carry out work on looking at how Ireland deals with it compared with other countries. I expect to receive it any day now and I am happy to revert to the Deputy directly.

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this issue. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, has been working very closely with the IFA on it. We agree there needs to be greater equity and fairness for farming families and small business owners in the fair deal scheme. I expect the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, to have definitive proposals on this very shortly which he will bring...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Heydon for raising this very important issue. We had a very important and informed public consultation, and I published its results just after Christmas. I expect to be in a position to go to pre-legislative scrutiny this year. We will make a lot of progress on it in 2018.

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Collins for raising this issue. I am sure the Labour Court ruling will come as a great relief to the people of Bandon and I expect it will see respite services recommence in Bandon Community Hospital, a hospital I have had the pleasure of visiting and a very special place.

Other Questions: General Practitioner Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I am delighted to be delivering this service which is badly needed for people in north Wicklow. He is right that I would have liked to have seen it delivered earlier, as I know he would have also. We are one of the last parts of the country without an out of hours general practitioner, GP, service, which is very important for looking after citizens in north Wicklow and to ease pressure on...

Other Questions: General Practitioner Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I know very well how to communicate with the people of my constituency.

Other Questions: General Practitioner Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: This issue is one that I will deliver on. The Government will deliver on it and make a better health service in north Wicklow. Those are facts. If the Deputy wants to know where the money is, some €25 million is ring-fenced in a development fund for primary care in 2018. The funding for the delivery of a north Wicklow and south Dublin out of hours GP service will come from that...

Other Questions: General Practitioner Services Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: No discussions have taken place because the HSE does not go into a room with a bunch of people and decide to award a public contract. Public procurement will have to be advertised on the eTenders website for anybody who wishes to provide the service to be able to apply. I think the Deputy and I would agree that it is appropriate to ask the HSE to brief the local GPs about that service....

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the clarity about scoliosis. I presumed that was what the question was about and I thank her for raising this issue. The inpatient and day case waiting list action plan 2017, developed by the HSE in conjunction with the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, focused on reducing the number of patients who will be waiting the longest by the end of October 2017. As a...

Other Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Children's Hospital Group will shortly publish, with the scoliosis co-design team, how the extra resources provided to it for 2018 will be expended. It will be used with a view to opening the theatre five days a week. They need to recruit for that. I do not want to mislead the Dáil and need to check whether that recruitment has started but I know the intention is to open that...