Results 6,721-6,740 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. Following enactment of the Health Act 2008, the Health Service Executive (HSE) wrote to all medical card holders aged 70 years and over in January 2009. Persons who were in receipt of a medical card on a non means tested basis were requested, if over the income limits set out in the Act, to make a declaration to the Executive, on or...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: CLÁR is a joint initiative between the Department of Community Rural and Gaelteacht affairs and the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Government recently announced it's intention to examine all current and capital expenditure as part of it's decision to introduce further measures to stabilise the public finances. The HSE have subsequently resubmitted both CLÁR and RAPID programmes for...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: A total of €22m has been expended to date on the administration of the Health Repayment Scheme and a breakdown of the costs is as follows: Overheads 2006 €3.0m Overheads 2007 €5.0m Overheads 2008 €14.0m Overheads include payments to the Scheme Administrator of €13m to date together with Advertising, Legal Expenses,...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: Under the Health Service Executive's 2009 Service Plan it has been agreed that the processing of medical card applications will be centralised and will transfer to the Executive's Primary Care Reimbursement Service in Dublin. The change is being implemented on a phased basis and is designed to deliver a better and more cost effective service. Under the new arrangements, the HSE will be aiming...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: Under the Health Act 2008, automatic entitlement to a medical card for persons aged 70 or over ceased on 31st December 2008, and with effect from 1st January 2009, the income thresholds for entitlement to a medical card for those aged 70 or over is €700 (gross) per week (€36,500 per year) for a single person and €1,400 (gross) per week (€73,000 per year) for a couple. Any savings and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: There are four corporate credit/charge cards for official business purposes currently in use in my Department. The credit limit on the card issued to me as Minister is €50,000 and that of the card issued to my Private Secretary is €10,000. The two remaining cards are charge cards with no specified limit and are issued to a nominated officer in my Department's Finance Unit and the...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: Part 5 of the Disability Act, 2005 states that a public body "shall ensure, unless there is good reason to the contrary for not doing so, that not less than 3 percent of the persons employed by it are persons with disabilities". Under Section 47(4) of the Act, my Department reports to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform on its compliance with the Act during the preceding year....

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 240 together. Post placement reports in relation to adoption are a requirement of a number of countries that send children to be adopted by Irish applicants. While there is no statutory basis for such reporting, the Health Service Executive has, and continues to, facilitate the preparation of such reports. The Office of the Minister for Children and...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 262 together. It is a matter for the board of the HSE to review annually the matter of performance related award payments to the CEO and a number of senior managers in accordance with the contractual provisions applicable to the individuals involved and the provisions of the approved arrangements which govern these matters. The HSE has advised me that...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: The Government and the HSE remain committed to the development of a comprehensive needs-based service for children at risk. Minister Andrews has personally chaired regular meetings between officials from his Office and senior child welfare and protection managers in the HSE aimed at improving the provision of services to children at risk. A key component of these discussions has been the...

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239, 268, 285 and 301 together. Ireland offered to provide the Vietnamese Authorities with the text of a draft agreement as a basis for negotiations. A draft Bi-lateral Agreement for Inter-country Adoption was delivered on 6 March, 2009, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to the Vietnamese Authorities for their consideration. On 2 April, 2009, the...

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 300 together. 'A Vision for Change' the Report on the Expert Group on Mental Health recommended that a plan to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals should be drawn up and implemented, and that the resources released by these closures should be re-invested in the new mental health service infrastructure requirement. The Departments of...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 243 together. As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Inter-Country Adoptions: Inter-Country Adoptions (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 344 together. The Adoption Bill, 2009, which will give force of law to the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, was published on 23 January, 2009. A core principle of the Hague Convention is that inter-country adoption should be child-centred – that is, in all stages of the process,...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: The health levy is payable on all income other than that earned by those • earning less than €500 per week/€26,000 per year • who have a medical card or its EU equivalent • under 16 years • over 70 years • in receipt of certain categories of social welfare payments (i.e. survivor's pension, widows (non-contributory) pension, deserted wife's benefit and allowance, death benefit...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.