Results 8,321-8,340 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Other Questions: Universal Health Insurance White Paper (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: The Government is embarking on a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance, where access is based on need, not on income. Under UHI, everyone will be insured and will have equal access to a standard package of primary and acute hospital services, including acute mental health services. A...

Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: With regard to the last point, no proceedings have been commenced but it is a statement of intent borne by the sense of hurt and loss that parents believe their children have suffered. We have to take that on board. The other points raised by Deputy Kelleher are well made. Of course we should always look at best practice not only here but abroad and we should seek to pool information. We...

Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: As I outlined earlier and for the record, by 10 May the Irish Medicines Board had received 48 reports confirming a diagnosis of narcolepsy with symptom onset following the Pandemrix vaccination. The majority of these reports relate to children and adolescents. Further possible cases have been investigated by the HSE and the Irish Medicines Board. As I have pointed out, a range of services...

Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: The Deputy asked when I will meet the representatives and the answer is "shortly". I have absolutely no hesitation in meeting them. They sent a letter to the Department outlining some of the things they would like to see happen and most of them have, in fact, already happened. The Deputy mentioned rapid access to diagnosis, which is already available. They asked for a special medical card...

Other Questions: Vaccination Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: I am pleased to inform the Deputies that a number of supports are in place for persons diagnosed with narcolepsy following pandemic vaccination. My priority is to ensure those affected by narcolepsy, with symptom onset post-pandemic vaccination, are provided with a range of services and supports to meet their health needs. My colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn,...

Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: The BreastCheck programme provides free mammograms to all women aged 50 to 64. The programme for Government includes the extension of BreastCheck to women in the 65 to 69 age group, in keeping with EU guidelines on effective screening for breast cancer. The main priority for the HSE's national cancer screening service, NCSS, at present is to maximise national uptake in the 50 to 64 age...

Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: I will give credit where it is due. This programme, which is a good initiative, was rolled out under a previous Government. As per our programme for Government, we want to extend it. The recruitment of radiographers is ongoing and 15 whole-time equivalent posts were advertised. Of these, 8.3 positions have been filled and a further five candidates have completed successful interviews and...

Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: We are very keen to see the mammography service restored to Sligo. As I have already indicated to Deputy Kelleher, however, we are experiencing great difficulty in attracting mammographers. We have been obliged, therefore, to consider recruiting from abroad and, in final frustration, we are going to begin retraining people here. We have already appointed two people to training posts in...

Other Questions: Cancer Screening Programme (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: That is my intention. This matter is under the remit of the Galway group, which is constantly under pressure. I have made it clear to Mr. Bill Maher, who is keen to have this mammography service restored, that these people should be available to the Sligo service. I do not want women travelling from Sligo to Galway unnecessarily. I have made it clear many times that I want to end the days...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Insurance Cost (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: They are putative, not real. Where are they? The Deputy wants to confuse facts with supposition.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Insurance Cost (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: I have to respond to that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Insurance Cost (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: The HIA recommendations have not been refused. The Deputy is trying, as Fianna Fáil always does, to muddy the waters-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Insurance Cost (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: -----and confuse fact with supposition and fiction. This will happen if no action is taken to address runaway costs of health insurance.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Insurance Cost (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: I have consistently raised the issue of costs with health insurers and am determined to address costs in the sector in the interests of consumers. Last year I established the consultative forum on health insurance, which comprises representatives from the country's main health insurance companies, the Health Insurance Authority, HIA, and my Department. This forum was established to generate...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Health Insurance Cost (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: This problem faced the Deputy and his Government for 14 years, during which time we saw year-on-year rises of up to 25%, so for the Deputy to come across, after two years, as concerned and wanting action on it is a little rich. That is not the way his Government left the country. It was left in poverty and in tatters. His Government destroyed our financial sovereignty. It accounts for much...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital Status (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: As I have stated, there is a huge amount of work under way. A decanting process is to take place at St. James's Hospital and several buildings have to be depopulated. The services there have to be moved and those buildings have to be taken down. An extensive project is going on at St. James's under the control of the board which has appointed a project manager with a view to providing us...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: In many respects the question is disingenuous, given that Fianna Fáil was in power for so long and failed to do anything about it. At least the Government has tried to identify the problem and throw it open to the broad light of day so it can be dealt with in a fair and equitable fashion, in the same way as we dealt with the emergency department trolley waits and, more particularly, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: I will do something about it and as we speak Mr. Ian Carter, the new chief of the hospital directorate, and Ms Liz Nixon, head of the special delivery unit, are in Limerick examining the situation as it relates to inpatient and outpatient treatment times, the trolley situation and the capacity issue which has arisen. What we have done on the inpatient side is very clear, with 95% of people...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital Status (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: The decision to locate the new children's hospital on the St. James's campus was announced on 6 November 2012. Co-location, and ultimately tri-location with a maternity hospital, on the St. James's campus will support the provision of excellence in clinical care that our children deserve. The new children’s hospital is a key commitment in the programme for Government and the largest...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Hospital Waiting Lists (14 May 2013)

James Reilly: In 2012 the National Treatment Purchase Fund initiated a national project to compile, for the first time, an outpatient waiting list database based on patient-level information from individual hospitals. Collaborating with individual hospitals, the NTPF, together with the special delivery unit, SDU, in the HSE, has developed the outpatient waiting list minimum data set that allows for these...