Results 34,141-34,160 of 46,197 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: No matter how often I say it, the Deputy will never be convinced or accept it because she wants to be in the politics of protest while I want to be involved in the politics of solutions.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: The people of this country want a new national maternity hospital which they need and deserve. If the Deputy does not believe me, she should go down to the hospital and speak to those who deliver services.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: Fine. She has said that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: That is fine. The Deputy has said that and no matter how often she says it is church-controlled, it will not be. We have heard the public's concerns and I want to use the next month to further engage with the hospitals, which is the appropriate thing to do. It is what a politician does when he or she listens to public concern. I will further engage on the issues, including the issue of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: Has she considered the fact that the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street today is a voluntary hospital and not a HSE-owned one? This hospital will have full clinical independence and provide every service a women needs. Dr. Rhona Mahony and Professor Declan Keane have said it. Many doctors have said it. It will be robust in its clinical, budgetary and financial independence. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I do not answer to the Bishop of Elphin.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I apologise.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Pringle for asking this important question. Letterkenny University Hospital provides essential and high-quality hospital care to patients in the north-west. I assure the Deputy of the continued commitment to develop services at the hospital as evidenced by the significant number of completed and ongoing capital projects there. In addition, Letterkenny has been leading the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: That is the endocrinologist.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that a great deal more than meetings is happening. I have evidenced that in the fact that we have already seen some new consultant surgeons specialising in colorectal and general surgery appointed as well as a new consultant anaesthetist. A number of further posts are currently undergoing a recruitment process. I will take up with the Saolta group the point the Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: National Maternity Hospital (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I welcome the Deputy's agreement that it is important that we have a conversation on future ownership and governance of the health service. It would be both very important and timely. In fact, it is overdue. Let us remember and recall how we arrived at this point in the case of the National Maternity Hospital. Following extensive mediation discussions, agreement was reached late last...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospitals Patronage (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: That is right. We will also have to be very much aware of the financial implications of this.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospitals Patronage (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: That should be an important part of the discussion. If it is the will of the people in this country that we should embark on divestment and purchasing sites and hospitals, it means we are suggesting that we use part of the finite health budget to buy hospital facilities that are currently available to us and providing a service. Perhaps that is the direction we need to take, but we must...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospitals Patronage (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kelleher for the question. As the Deputy is aware and will appreciate, voluntary and non-statutory providers, including religious bodies, have historically played an important role in the provision of health and social services in Ireland. It is fair to say the current arrangements have grown out of a complicated past. Policy must reflect current realities as well as...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Hospitals Patronage (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I largely agree with the Deputy. In the coming weeks I intend to go to Cabinet with proposals to put in place a process and structure to have this conversation. I am open to ideas from Opposition parties but I suggest that the forum on pluralism and patronage undertaken by the Department of Education and Skills in 2012 is a model that can work quite well. There would be a degree of public...

Questions on Promised Legislation (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this important and sensitive matter. I would be happy to discuss it further with the Deputy and, in due course, to meet the family in question.

Questions on Promised Legislation (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for his question. I expect to bring the heads of that Bill to Cabinet this month or shortly thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Reviews (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: My Department has commenced the Health Service Capacity Review over recent weeks. My officials have been progressing work on the Review process, including putting in place the Review structures, drawing up the Terms of Reference, assessing external expertise requirements, and considering options for stakeholder consultation. The review is being led by my Department and will be overseen by a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Patronage (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 106 together. As the Deputy is aware and will appreciate, voluntary and non-statutory providers, including religious bodies, have historically played an important role in the provision of health and personal social services in Ireland. Many of our largest and most developed health service providers are voluntary organisations, some with religious...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times (3 May 2017)

Simon Harris: In September the HSE launched its Winter Initiative Plan which provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness. The Initiative concluded at the end of March. A range of practical measures to address ED overcrowding were implemented, including 90 additional beds, aids and appliances for over 4,450 patients, around 1,000 extra homecare packages and 615...