Results 8,581-8,600 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Drug Treatment Programme: Drug Treatment Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy will be aware any re-orientation of services takes place over a period of time. Existing HSE services are being re-oriented under the HSE's Transformation Programme 2007-2010 and a key aspect of the re-orientation of addiction services is the training and up-skilling of staff to address the needs arising from changing patterns of drug use in the population e.g. poly drug use...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: Following the Supreme Court finding that the 2003 Risk Equalisation Scheme was ultra vires, I initiated a consultative process on the implications of the decision and on the measures that might be taken to protect the principle of community rating. In the course of this process, I and officials of my Department have held meetings with the Health Insurance Authority, VHI, Quinn Insurance and...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: Responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services including estate management was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Therefore the Executive is the appropriate body to respond to the particular query raised by the Deputy. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to...

Mental Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I appreciate the difficulties for the Opposition because the timeframe for dealing with this legislation has been difficult for us. I will outline the precise dates as I was inaccurate at the earlier briefing. My Department became informed of this case on 10 October. I was recalling from memory about ten days ago. It was actually 10 October. The case concluded on 17 October. Originally,...

Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: In response to Deputy Neville, section 7(1) states: "Nothing in this Act shall prejudice any right or entitlement of a patient under or relating to section 28 of the Act of 2001." That is in regard to the effect on this particular patient and, as I said, this legislation cannot affect this patient. Deputy Ó Caoláin took the view that perhaps this person is only involuntarily detained...

Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: It was this morning that the Attorney General advised me that emergency legislation was desirable in this particular set of circumstances. When we became aware of this case about 10 October, we were made aware of the possibility of a decision of this kind. The view was that in event of this happening, we would perhaps appeal the case. A view was expressed that in this event all of these...

Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The Deputy is correct. It can also cover a person whose renewal order expired yesterday, today or during the past week. When we began discussing these issues, 230 cases were involved and this has been reduced to approximately 209. Patients involuntarily detained for a period of time are discharged all the time.

Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I am deeply grateful to the Deputies on the opposite side of the House and to the staff of the Houses for the facilitation of this Bill at extremely short notice.

Mental Health Bill 2008: Order for Second Stage (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Mental Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am grateful to the House for facilitating early discussion of the Bill. I approached the Opposition parties about this matter in the afternoon. While it was not my intention to bring the legislation to the House in such a speedy fashion, given the circumstances with which we may be confronted it is essential we proceed with it as a...

Seanad: Mental Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: I thank the Cathaoirleach and I am grateful to the House for agreeing at short notice to sit this evening to consider this emergency legislation. The necessity for legislation arises because a patient in a psychiatric hospital who has been involuntarily detained therein since summer 2007 initiated a judicial review of her case in June 2008. The case was heard during early October and...

Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: Yes.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The Government recently announced, as part of its budget proposals, the withdrawal of automatic entitlement to the medical card from people aged 70 years and over and the introduction of new income thresholds for entitlement to a medical card for those aged 70 and over of €700 (gross) per week for a single person and €1,400 (gross) per week for a couple. Where an applicant's income is...

Written Answers — Assisted Human Reproduction: Assisted Human Reproduction (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: My colleague Mr Brian Lenihan TD, Minister for Finance is responsible for issues that concern tax relief on medical expenses such as those incurred on IVF treatment. Assisted Human Reproduction treatment for medical card holders is not at present funded under a specific national scheme. I am conscious though of the financial burden that such treatment can place on couples, and I have asked...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: For many years Dublin City Council, through Dublin Fire Brigade, has provided the emergency ambulance service in Dublin City on behalf of the statutory health authorities. The relevant authority since 2005 is the Health Service Executive. The HSE provides mainly the non-emergency patient transport in the Dublin area under the auspices of its National Ambulance Service. I am committed to...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: When a person's means are in excess of the relevant income guidelines, the Health Service Executive may issue a medical card on a discretionary basis, having considered if the applicant would otherwise be caused undue hardship in providing general medical and surgical services for themselves and their dependants.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for the medical card benefit, it is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector Funding: Voluntary Sector Funding (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: Under the Health Act 2004, responsibility for the funding of voluntary organisations which are involved in the provision of health and personal social services rests with the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the specific matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The assessment of eligibility for medical cards is statutorily a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and is determined following an examination of the means of the applicant and his/her dependants. Under Section 45 of the Health Act, 1970 medical cards are provided for persons who, in the opinion of the HSE, are unable without undue hardship to arrange general practitioner medical...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (29 Oct 2008)

Mary Harney: The Health Contribution was introduced by virtue of the Health Contributions Act 1979 and came into effect on 6 April of that year. The contributions are levied on income at a percentage rate set in pursuance of the Health Contributions Act and are paid over to the Minister for Health and Children in respect of the Vote for the Health Service Executive. The current rate of contribution is...