Results 8,141-8,160 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (30 May 2013)

James Reilly: The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I thank all Senators for their contributions and support. I did not mention Senator Marc MacSharry earlier because I had not heard what he had had to say. It is most unusual not to hear him. I mean this in a positive way.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I genuinely thank the Senator for sharing his personal experience with us because it is real and true of so many families who have lost loved ones and seen them suffer. It would have been all so unnecessary had we been more aggressive on tobacco policy in the past. Successful legal cases have been taken in the United States against companies for misleading people in advertising a product...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Senators for their contributions. The main legislative provisions for the regulation of the private health insurance market are included in the Health Insurance Acts 1994 to 2012 and the regulations made under these Acts. The purpose of this legislation is to ensure the market is regulated appropriately. In addition to ensuring appropriate regulation, I have also consistently...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I have heard of burning at the cross but not burning at the crotch. It may be a new trend. I agree with the Senator that smoking while driving is a distraction and on that basis, it should be looked at. However, we want our laws to be very robust because the tobacco industry is notorious for going after every little chink or weakness it can. The tobacco industry has lost every single court...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Senator. Section 2 of the Bill repeals and revokes those provisions of the 1978 Act and the 1991 regulations in respect of tobacco products that were deemed to contain price fixing provisions by the European Court of Justice. I am very disappointed with the judgment. I am on record here in the past as saying that I want to tackle this and have written to Commissioner Borg about...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I thank the Senators for their support and for the sentiments expressed. I will first refer to Senator Barrett's proposed amendment relating to the introduction of plain packaging. As the Senator is aware, Government approval was given yesterday to proceed with such legislation, and I am delighted with the Government's support and its decision in this regard. Despite the ban on tobacco...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Rare Diseases Strategy Implementation (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: Ehler's Danlos syndrome is a genetic connective tissue disorder which affects the joints, skin and blood vessels. Diagnostic tests typically include genetic testing, skin biopsies, cardiac evaluation and other biochemical tests. The treatments available include medical treatments to reduce complications from the condition and sometimes surgery for joint instability. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Issues (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: Prior to the introduction of the moratorium on staff recruitment and promotion in the health service, which took effect on 27 March 2009, arrangements were in place whereby staff nurses, who applied, were promoted to the Senior Staff Nurse Grade after 20 years' service. Promotions took place in November each year. The relevant agreement between Management and the Unions stipulated that the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Industry Lobbying (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I have had no meetings with the tobacco industry or lobbyists on their behalf .

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Issues (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have again asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: Improving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Collaborating with individual hospitals, the SDU together with the NTPF and the HSE have developed the OP waiting list minimum dataset that allows for data to be submitted to the NTPF from hospitals on a weekly basis and, for the first time, outpatient data is available on www.ntpf.ie. For 2013, a maximum waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: Any claims made against the HSE in respect of clinical malpractice, employer liability, and public liability are managed by the State Claims Agency. The Agency has a statutory obligation to ensure that the claims are contained at the lowest achievable level. Claims are therefore actively managed, and instruments such as alternative dispute resolution are used where possible to the benefit of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: I wish to remind the Deputy that the wording of Article 40.3.3 and the judgment in the X case make it clear that the life of the unborn must be vindicated where practicable. This means that where a woman has a pregnancy that places her life at risk but her foetus is viable, she may have a right to have the pregnancy brought to an end but not a right to insist that the life of the foetus be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Recruitment (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. This policy requires the health service to reduce its workforce to 98,955 wholetime equivalent employees by the end of 2013. However, the HSE can make staff appointments once it...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: Following the enactment of the Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Act in 2012, the HSE provided guidance to public service employers on the Act, including the fact that the equal pay provisions of the Act have retrospective effect to 5th December 2011. All agency staff employed through agencies contracted by the HSE have now had their basic pay adjusted in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: European Council Meetings (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council normally meets in formal session on two occasions during each Presidency period of six months. Health matters are discussed at one of these formal Councils. There have been no formal EPSCO Council meetings in relation to health to date in 2013. The next EPSCO Council will take place in Luxembourg on 20 and 21 June....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Parliamentary Questions Numbers (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: Five questions submitted to my Department by the Deputy in 2013 were referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy as the subject matter in each case concerned operational matters which are the responsibility of the Executive. The Executive is committed to providing responses to referred questions within 15 working days of receipt. The detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Expert Group on the A, B and C v. Ireland Judgment (29 May 2013)

James Reilly: The Deputy will be aware from my previous replies on this matter that the nominations from the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Irish College of General Practitioners were provided to me in confidence and therefore I do not intend to provide any further details in this regard.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

James Reilly: I express my strong confidence in my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, and Defence. I wish to put on the record of the House my belief that the Opposition's motion is pure political opportunism. What will be apparent in this Chamber tonight and tomorrow night, as we discuss the Minister, Deputy Shatter, is his clear track record of hard work and his determination to...