Results 581-600 of 1,253 for speaker:John Crown

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Health Service Plan 2014: Minister for Health and HSE (14 Jan 2014)

John Crown: I welcome the Minister, the director general, Mr. Tony O'Brien, and the team, and wish them a happy new year. I know it will be a very challenging year for everybody working in the health service. I welcome the focus on safety but it is important to realise that there is a lot of talk about this. I studied this formally when I studied health management and quality. With regard to the...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: The needs of those who require social inclusion also includes those who have held challenges. In supporting the amendment, in September 2002, a member of the administration of St. Vincent’s Private Hospital told me that the hospital had been billing the VHI and other insurers in respect of drugs which had been provided to that institution for free for research studies. In the letter,...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: -----that the billing was deliberate and only ceased when the VHI found out. Incidentally, it found out from me. The only defence the hospital could attempt was the absurd notion that-----

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: -----it did not know its research programme existed in its own hospital.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I believe it does. It will only take me 20 seconds. This was despite the involvement of dozens of staff and reams of paper documenting its existence. When the hospital was caught out, it next attempted to prove the research programme was illegal.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: The hospital spent tens, if not hundreds of thousands of euro of public money-----

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: -----in an attempt to criminalise a part of its own organisation. As a result of this action, the research programme was closed down for a year. Women were denied access to a drug - herceptin - which we now know is life-saving.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: Although it was not the intention of the fraudsters, or those who attempted the cover-up-----

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: -----as an indirect result of these actions, women died. My hospital, its management and its board failed these women. Justice must be done.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Dec 2013)

John Crown: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. On a more general principle, I would love at some stage for us to have a fundamental root and branch look at the way we raise funds for the activities of our democracies. I am a social democrat at heart. I am a great believer in people who have more money paying more taxes than people who have less money and people that make more money making a bigger...

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, after line 10, to insert the following subsection: “(2) This Act comes into operation on such day or days, as the Minister may by order appoint.”.I want the record to reflect what I stated on the Order of Business this morning and what I wanted to say in respect of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013. In that context, I wish to bring to...

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: We would like it to be taken in January 2014.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I move amendment No. 2: 2. In page 4, before section 4, to insert the following new section: 4.—The Principal Act is amended in subsection (3) of section 47, by substituting for “the occupier, manager and any other person for the time being in charge of the specified place” the following “the occupier, manager, the driver of a mechanically propelled vehicle, and...

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: We would be delighted to look positively at any amendments the Minister offers on Report Stage to deal with any technical issues with either the original Bill or these amendments.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I beg the understanding of my more experienced parliamentary colleagues and acknowledge a certain naivete on my own part when it comes to parliamentary procedures. Am I correct in understanding that the Government does not propose to oppose the amendments and will allow the Bill to pass Committee Stage?

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I appreciate the clarification.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I ask the House for a 90 second sos. I misread the Order of Business and thought that we were not debating the legislation. I need to have a quick chat with Senator van Turnhout. May I have one minute? Is my request in order?

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: If my request is not in order, I will continue.

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I thank the Acting Chairman and the Minister. I apologise to the Minister for my apparent inattention. I meant no disrespect by my late arrival. I misunderstood the Order of Business and thought we would debate the health insurance Bill for longer. I had wanted to make a contribution on that legislation too, but more anon. As sponsors of the Bill, we have taken the unusual step of...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

John Crown: I make this statement with somewhat of a heavy heart but I would like in the first instance to express my support for the Committee of Public Accounts in its investigation into the activities of State-funded institutions, including my own hospital, St. Vincent's Hospital Group. It is a matter of record that I have long been troubled on many fronts by the way in which the boards of hospitals,...