Results 7,821-7,840 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service Response Times (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. Given the circumstances of what happened in the tragic case mentioned, I do not know if moving back to the old system would have addressed the problem. Both Deputies have made the point that we have a serious problem in terms of communication. Proper communication is essential in delivering any service. The centralisation of this service will...

Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service Response Times (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. A tragic event occurred in County Kerry last week which was widely reported. First, I extend the Government’s deepest sympathy to the family of the child involved. The loss of a loved one is hard for family and friends at any time but the sudden and unexpected death of a young child is particularly difficult. At 1.16 a.m. on 18 June...

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: First, to correct the record, Beechpark Services is not located in my constituency. I thank the Deputies for their concern and raising this matter. The HSE publication National Review of Autism Services: Past, Present and Way Forward and the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People project, known as the zero to eighteens programme, set out the policy context for the...

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I am interested in ensuring equity of access across the system and I look forward to getting the report I have mentioned in the shortest possible time - in the next few weeks, I hope. That will allow us to distribute the resources available to us as equitably as possible and as soon as possible. I have been asked specifically why I took the decision I took. I allude to the report that has...

Other Questions: Obesity Strategy (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Deputy for his support for the tobacco directive in Europe. It was very important form the Irish Presidency point of view in health, along with the cross-border health threats initiative which will allow us to procure vaccines with other countries rather than being a small nation faced with multinationals. We could not get quite the same deal as bigger countries. That is...

Other Questions: Obesity Strategy (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: The problem is that the result and payback happens not in the short term but in the long term when, perhaps, we will all have long left these Chambers for good.

Other Questions: Obesity Strategy (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: We are not anti-smoker or anti-Deputy Finian McGrath. We want to support smokers to become ex-smokers. We are anti-smoking and anti-tobacco industry, which is targeting our children and robbing them of the opportunity to make a full decision later in life. What choice does one have once one is addicted? None.

Other Questions: Obesity Strategy (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: The House will forgive me for a degree of repetition, as we have dealt with this already to some extent. As Members know, as Minister for Health, I have made excess weight and obesity a public health priority and have established a special action group on obesity, SAGO, with which I meet regularly to make further progress on the obesity agenda. SAGO comprises key stakeholders and is chaired...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I am in regular contact with the Department's team and its strategic action group on obesity. There has been a lot of involvement by the HSE in this regard. We are always happy to meet with people who have an interest in the area to support the initiative. This is the Department of Health but I often think it is the Department of ill-health, given that we are always dealing with disease...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: On the last topic, my position is known. We should be travelling in that direction, but I realise there are broader economic factors at play in the considerations of other ministries. I will pursue my goal and I believe it to be the most appropriate direction in which to travel. The Healthy Ireland initiative is in its early stages and we are working to bring greater cohesiveness to it....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: As Minister for Health, I have made excess weight and obesity a public health priority. I have established the special action group on obesity, or SAGO, with which I meet regularly to further the obesity agenda. The range of measures being implemented by my Department seeks to promote healthy lifestyles, encourage adults and children to make healthier food choices and increase activeness....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Charges (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: The bottom line is that it is the insurer, not the Department, that negotiates with private hospitals and consultants. Only insurers can address these ever-rising costs. They have to examine why they pay the level of costs they pay. I acknowledge the argument made by the Deputy. I am happy to engage, through my Department, with the insurers to talk about paying per procedure instead of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Charges (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I am dealing with a problem that was not addressed by the previous Government. We all know why we find ourselves in the current position, which is as a result of the Fianna Fáil-Anglo Irish Bank axis and the damage it did to this country. We will deal with the present-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Charges (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: It has everything to do with the fact that 450,000 people are unemployed and many people cannot afford health insurance because they do not have a job. This is because of Deputy Kelleher's party and its Government's engagement with Anglo Irish Bank; the Government was hoodwinked by it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Charges (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: Either criminal negligence or utter incompetence on the part of the Government was the cause of the problem we have to deal with. That Government was supposed to be in charge of the situation; the banks will be dealt with in due course. The bottom line is that we have an opportunity now to do something real to address the ever-escalating cost of private insurance - why we pay what we pay for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Charges (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I have consistently raised the issue of managing costs with health insurers and I am determined to address rising costs in the sector in the interests of consumers. I want insurers to address the base cost of each element of claims which they pay. This is the real issue as costs and the manner in which they have been rising in recent years are unsustainable. Last year I established the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: The decisions to employ both individuals concerned were based on specific requirements for the provision of specialised expertise to address significant health service reform, as committed to in the Programme for Government. The Department of Health fully cooperates with the Revenue Commissioners in the exercise of their duties and is vigilant with regard to compliance with its tax...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Symphysiotomy Report (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 589 and 596 together. My Department commissioned an independent research report in relation to the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland in June 2011. The research process comprised of two stages. The first stage was an independent draft academic research report, which was based on an analysis of published medical reports and research and was made...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: The HSE recognises the importance of home help and home care in supporting older persons to live in their own homes and communities, in accordance with Government policy. The 2013 National Service Plan includes the provision of 10.3 million hours of home help service, the same level as planned for in 2012. On 29 June 2012, the Labour Court recommended that the HSE and SIPTU should engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital Status (25 Jun 2013)

James Reilly: The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is the body with statutory responsibility for building the new children's hospital. Since the current Board was appointed in January, it has focused on a number of key issues at this critical early stage. A key priority now for the project is the reconciliation of the design brief, which is required following the change in location. The...