Results 6,001-6,020 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (17 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: My Department does not pay additional remuneration to staff for taking on additional duties. However, if an officer is required to perform the duties of a higher officer, the pay rate for the higher grade is payable for the duration of appointment to that grade, subject to normal approval requirements. Also, overtime is payable from time to time in respect of extra attendance for certain...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I thank all those Senators who contributed to the debate. This is important legislation to underpin the principle of community rating, on which both sides of the House agree. Senator Sean D. Barrett mentioned not asking the age of customers applying for insurance. Unfortunately, to assess them for risk equalisation credits, we have to know their age, but I take in good stead what then...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I am pleased to address the House on Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2013. As Senators will be aware, the Bill passed through all stages in the Dáil recently. The main objective of the Bill is to specify the amount of risk equalisation credits in respect of age, gender and level of cover that is payable to insurers from the risk equalisation fund from 1 March 2014...

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I thank Deputy Keating for raising this matter. I am pleased to take this opportunity to outline the current position in respect of the standard of care provided to residents by the Stewarts Care organisation in Dublin. Stewarts Care is a charitable foundation, with a long tradition in the provision of care for people with intellectual disability. The institution was the first in Ireland...

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy again for raising this issue. A priority for the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and I is to ensure that the most vulnerable in society have a voice. It was extraordinary that there was no inspectorate to safeguard standards in the care and support for people with disabilities, many of whom cannot speak up for themselves. It is interesting that new people can...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: First, let us get the record straight for Deputy Kelleher who believes there were no Supplementary Estimates in health previously, unless there was a policy change. Perhaps he would like to tell the committee what policy change took place in 2010 when the Supplementary Estimate of a Minister of a Government of which he was also a Minister was €595 million.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: No, the Deputy will not because my Department has checked it out and there was not any policy change. When people like to revisit history the extraordinary thing is that between 1997 and 2009-----

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: No.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: This is important. To take things in isolation does not allow the context. Health spending quadrupled from 1997 to 2010 and still in 2002 there was a Supplementary Estimate of €210 million, in 2003 it was €62 million, in 2006 it was €240 million, in 2008 it was €345 million, in 2009 it was €254 million and a whopper in 2010 of €595 million. In...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: There is compassion in the system, which is why I asked for a panel of doctors to be put in to help in the area. They go to great lengths to ensure that people get a medical card but it does not always work out that way. We have had people with very serious illnesses, and as Deputy Kelleher noted, on a compassionate basis one might say they should get a medical card, but their income could...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: Yes, I am on record as having said that. We will use all available powers to us to ensure that the pubic pay policy is adhered to. One of the avenues open to us is the service level agreement but I want to make sure this is done in a way that affects those who are in breach and not those whom they are supposed to served. I do not want patients or clients of any of these institutions or...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I can conclude this conversation by answering that question.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I reiterate what I said, namely, that I await the full outcome of the HSE investigation into all these matters, not only the Central Remedial Clinic but all the section 38 agencies. That report will come to me at which point the Department may have to do some research into arrangements that were entered into by it many years ago and to examine the files and make sure that there is accuracy...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: It is in respect of local services as well.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I will deal with Deputy Kelleher's latter point and let Mr. Byrne deal with the more technical aspects that were raised by Deputy Ó Caoláin. The bottom line here is very clear. There has not been any targeting of discretionary medical cards; a probity exercise has been ongoing. We mentioned the Committee of Public Accounts and its members would be the very first to haul us before...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: No.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: Sorry, what is the Chairman's question to me?

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: I certainly will investigate any issue that relates to exploitation of individuals.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: These JobBridge schemes are important to us.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 39 - Health Service Executive (Supplementary) (12 Dec 2013)

James Reilly: As Deputy Kelleher will be well aware, I have been strong in my belief and determination that the cost of service, not the service itself, be reduce. There have not been any wage increases in the recent past of which I am aware. In fact, it is quite the reverse. It is that the Haddington Road agreement savings, which relate to pay, must be applied across all sections. In fact, it is...