Results 7,821-7,840 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney
- Written Answers — Private Health Insurance: Private Health Insurance (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The Voluntary Health Insurance Board (Amendment) Act, 2008 imposed an obligation on the VHI to acquire a reserve fund sufficient to allow it to submit an application for authorisation to the Financial Regulator by 31 December 2008. Any decision on whether to grant authorisation or not is entirely a matter for the Regulator. The VHI submitted an application in June. However, before any...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: There has been a growing demand for, and investment in, speech and language therapy services over the last number of years. There were a number of issues contributing to difficulties accessing therapy services, one of which had been the supply of qualified personnel available to fill vacant posts. A particular priority for my Department and the Department of Education and Science in recent...
- Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The Government appointed Mr. Eddie Sullivan to make recommendations on a new single annual capitation fee to be paid to general practitioners in respect of medical card holders aged 70 and over in the community. Having considered in excess of seventy submissions from interested parties, including the representative body of GPs, the Irish Medical Organisation and taking into account the...
- Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Pharmacy Services: Pharmacy Services (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I am considering the legal, financial and service implications of the judgment of Justice Finlay-Geoghegan in the Hickey Pharmacy case. The judgment confirms that, under the terms of the Community Pharmacy Contract or Agreement, I have the power to alter the payments to pharmacists after consultation with the Irish Pharmacy Union. I intend, very shortly, to begin a consultation process, in...
- Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The introduction of the working arrangements agreed under the new consultants' contract will result in the increased availability of senior clinical decision makers to treat and discharge patients as part of the transition to a consultant-delivered service from the present consultant-led service. The successful implementation of the new contract will improve the position of public patients...
- Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has developed a number of systems for measuring performance within the hospital system, including those related to the presentation and treatment of patients at Emergency Departments. However, it is accepted that the current systems in a number of hospitals cannot capture the full waiting time experience of all patients attending Emergency Departments. I believe...
- Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for implementing, monitoring, and ensuring compliance with the terms of the consultants' contracts. The HSE has issued guidance to health service management regarding the need to ensure consistency in the application of contractual arrangements with regard to consultants. Consultants who choose to remain on the 1997 contract are...
- Written Answers — Nursing Education: Nursing Education (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I can confirm that my Department responded to a representation from SIPTU regarding expenditure savings on nursing education on 8th December last. The reply informed SIPTU that in 2009 a reduction of 310 places in the undergraduate degree programme would be implemented by the HSE under proposals to deliver economy savings of â¬115 million under Budget 2008. The reduction means that from...
- Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: Counselling support has been made available by the HSE for former patients of the person concerned following the findings of a recent Medical Council Inquiry. The need for additional support will be monitored. The HSE has assigned co-ordinating responsibility for these matters to the Area Manager for Consumer Affairs in the North East who will liaise as required with former patients and...
- Written Answers — Medicinal Products: Medicinal Products (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: The supply of unlicensed medicines is a service matter and therefore this matter has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: An Expert Group was convened on Sunday, 7 December, by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) at the request of the Chief Medical Officer to provide detailed technical advice on toxicological and medical issues related to dioxin exposure. The Expert Group analysed available evidence on the human health effects of dioxin exposure and conducted an assessment of risk arising from projected...
- Written Answers — Pigmeat Sector: Pigmeat Sector (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192, 215, 224 and 243 together. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) first became aware of the possible contamination of Irish pig meat with PCB on 28 November 2008 when advised of the results of an analysis conducted by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. This result was confirmed on 1 December. The FSAI's first contact with the Dutch...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
- Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Product Licensing: Product Licensing (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: Items available for sale in so-called 'head shops' are currently not scheduled under Misuse of Drugs legislation. The list of scheduled substances is kept under review on an ongoing basis: for example, in 2006 psychotropic ('magic') mushrooms, which were on sale in such outlets, were banned. Furthermore, following the European Council of Ministers' decision in March 2008 to bring...
- Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: An Assistant Principal Officer and an Administrative Officer have been assigned responsibility for this task. To date, the proportion of their time devoted to it is of the order of 15%. The staff resources assigned will be reviewed as the position develops.
- Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (16 Dec 2008)
Mary Harney: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.