Results 3,581-3,600 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (27 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: Question 281: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the individual parties, arising from their cooperation with the Ferns Inquiry, that have had their legal costs paid to date; the amount of these costs; the criteria used by her Department in order to differentiate between those parties that are to be paid their legal costs, including when they might expect to be paid, and those that...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: The Minister needs to say what she means by that. She also needs to state what arrangements will exist for the doctor and pharmacist if private companies are involved. The Minister and the public are well aware that one of the most senior advisers to Professor Drumm who was involved in drawing up how the HSE will be involved in primary care in the future is now working for a major player...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: As I previously pointed out to the Minister, when the public talks about the issues we are discussing, it probably does not understand the roles of the PSI and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union and the role of the Irish Medical Organisation compared with that of the Medical Council. When we talk about this and put information into the public domain, we must be crystal clear. What was envisaged...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: The Minister is applying blame in the same way which would be applied in a court case. The judge decides on a proportion of blame to be applied to individuals. Does the PSI have the ability to apply blame? Can it apply blame on an 80:20 or 70:30 basis or must blame be applied purely on a 50:50 basis?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: What the Minister is saying is that if the business is ultimately responsible for doing something wrong, the PSI will say that both the pharmacist and the corporation are doing something wrong.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: So this is the simple sanction applied by the PSI and after that, it is up to the person and the company involved to appeal the decision and let the courts deal with the issue?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: Does the Minister envisage a whistleblowing section for this legislation so that if a pharmacist felt that what he or she was doing within a corporation was wrong, he or she could complain privately to the PSI that he or she was being asked to do something he or she felt was inappropriate? Could the PSI deal with this in a preventative fashion rather than sanction the pharmacist who made the...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: Are they protected if it only deals with issues in which the HSE is involved? Would the same whistleblower legislation apply to private prescribing to private patients because they will not be in a position to——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: It also applies if a pharmacist making——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: Could the PSI inform all its members that they can make this complaint to the regulatory body if they have any concerns about sharp practices which might be happening in the companies for which they work and not fear that any sanction would be imposed on them?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: Are they protected if they make the complaint to the regulatory body, regardless of whether the issue concerns medical card or private prescriptions? Does it cover any practices that might happen within the pharmacy or does it just apply to prescribing and dispensing in which the pharmacist might be involved?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: The pharmacist might also be involved in selling commercial products like cosmetics.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: What would happen if the pharmacist was responsible for running the pharmacy and was involved in a practice of this sort? If they were prosecuted under competition law, for example, could they then be sanctioned by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: If, for example, a pharmacy was prosecuted under competition law for whatever reason, which would involve a criminal prosecution against the pharmacist concerned, would he or she not be open to sanction by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: These are the kinds of issues we would have teased out if more time were available. The Minister introduced a significant number of amendments in the Seanad last night. I believe the Bill was only concluded in that House at approximately 7 p.m. In regard to the good parts of this Bill——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: Previously, we were able to table amendments to legislation the night before Committee Stage of a Bill commenced, but a change was introduced with the effect that Opposition parties are obliged to give seven days notice of their amendments to proposed legislation. That was done to facilitate the proper scrutiny of the Opposition's amendments by the Department involved. The Minister is now...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: In concluding her speech, the Minister said: "The provisions in the Bill are intended to put the regulation of the profession of pharmacy in the State on a firm, modern and robust footing, having regard to the need to protect, maintain and promote the health and safety of the public." It is interesting that she used those fine words when introducing the Bill. Elsewhere in her speech she...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: The Minister should propose a patient safety authority.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: The Minister thinks she can do it.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Liam Twomey: I did not interrupt the Minister during the nonsense in her speech. It is time she accepted——