Results 10,021-10,040 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Other Questions: Obesity Levels (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: That is because the issue ranges far and wide. I will examine the idea proposed by Deputy Patrick O'Donovan. Having a focussed individual such as that has merit. I have made this point about public health to county council health forums. We have a responsibility in the House on the issue. Politically, it is more sexy to open a new wing of a hospital or an MRI scanner than to promote a...

Other Questions: Symphysiotomy Report (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 12 together. Professor Oonagh Walsh, an independent researcher, was commissioned by the chief medical officer in my Department to draft a report on the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland. The report was conducted in two stages. The first stage is an independent academic research report, which is based on an analysis of published medical reports and...

Other Questions: Symphysiotomy Report (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The Deputy has made some statements. The idea that content is not necessary for procedure is nonsense. Whether we are comparing the practices of today and the practices of 50 and 60 years ago is an issue and a difficulty. Through the report, we seek to find justice and closure for the people who suffered at the hands of doctors who performed these procedures, something utterly...

Other Questions: Obesity Levels (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The Leas-Cheann Comhairle is correct. There is major interest in this because, as Deputy Kelleher correctly points out and as I have mentioned in the past and we all believe it now to be true, ours could be the first generation to bury the generation following us due to the epidemic of obesity and the consequent epidemic of type 2 diabetes, something which I never saw in a person under the...

Other Questions: Obesity Levels (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: This issue requires a cross-departmental approach. This is the first Government to appoint somebody at the level of principal officer across health, education and children to promote this issue and awareness. All help and support is gratefully accepted and we will facilitate the Deputy with any suggestions he might have on how we can progress this. On Deputy Ó Caoláin's...

Other Questions: Obesity Levels (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: One would be too tired to eat the chips.

Other Questions: Obesity Levels (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen steadily in recent times, with 61% of Irish adults now overweight or obese. The World Health Organization refers to the alarming speed with which obesity has increased in recent decades as a global epidemic. The recently published report, The cost of overweight and obesity on the island of Ireland, funded by safefood and conducted by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Maternal Mortality Rates (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Clearly those statistics on how many births were to women of non-Irish descent must be examined further. If there was a disparity, it would be concerning. I must agree with the Deputy, in that communication is essential. It is the cornerstone of clinical practice. If one cannot hear what the patient is trying to tell one, the chances of making a proper diagnosis and delivering a proper...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Maternal Mortality Rates (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Without being categorical, my understanding is that there is an inquiry whenever there is a maternal death. Earlier this year, there were two such inquiries two days in a row at the same maternity hospital, something that had not happened for decades previously. Two different teams and theatres were involved and both investigations found that the deaths owed to different natural causes and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Home Help Service (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I restate for the information of the House that the budget for 2012 will be restored for 2013. Given that the circumstances in individual cases change as needs change, it would be inappropriate to state that the hours of every individual will remain the same next year. As circumstances change, some people will need more hours while others will need fewer hours. In terms of home care...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Home Help Service (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I am aware of the value of home help and home care services and the need to support people at home. I do not know anybody who wants to go into long-term care before it is necessary to do so. I am also aware that the way in which hospitals are run means people who have finished their acute phase of care are sometimes left in a hospital bed because they do not have anywhere else to go. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Maternal Mortality Rates (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Statistics on the causes of death are based on civil registration and compiled internationally by the World Health Organisation, WHO. In the WHO's most recent world health statistics annual report 2012, Ireland had the 13th lowest rate of maternal mortality out of 178 countries reporting data. Maternal mortality is a rare occurrence in Ireland. It must be understood that since there are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: In the region of a €500 million of these savings will be achieved through cost efficiencies and separately through reorganisation under the public service agreement. The majority of savings will have no recourse to front-line activity. However, 2013 will be a challenging year and will require taking a number of tough measures to ensure the most vulnerable are protected. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The Deputy knows the service plan will be produced and it must come to me within 21 days of the Estimates. That means it will come to me on St. Stephen's Day, or de facto the end of this week. We have had a number of meetings about the issue, with the most recent last night. My colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies White and Kathleen Lynch, and I have been actively engaged in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Budgets (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I agree with the Deputy. For far too long there were too many people who were quite happy to describe the problem but failed to do anything about it. Earlier this year people indicated there would be an inability to keep the budget, alluding to the two issues in particular of drugs and insurance. The insurance matter has been dealt with and the drugs issue has been dealt with...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Home Help Service (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is currently in the Seanad dealing with equality legislation so I will take this question. The Government policy is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their homes and communities for as long as possible. This is reflected in the HSE service plan for 2012, which includes various community-based services such as...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: As I will not be making regulations to provide for risk equalisation schemes in the future, these subsections are no longer required. As I said, it will be done by way of primary legislation which this and the other House will have ample opportunity to discuss and debate. There is no attempt to diminish in any way the power of this or the other House. If it were, as a legislator, I would...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I thank the Senator. This provision is necessary and I will explain why. God knows, we have had enough concerns about regulation in this country, so much so that, when in opposition, I did not like to even talk about having a regulator of the health insurance agency and much preferred to talk about having a scrutineer because regulation had become devalued. If we are to have serious...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I do not want to delay progress, but I must challenge some of the assertions made by Senator Cullinane. I apologise for not addressing some of the issues he raised in the context of bigger hospitals and money following the patient. I believe smaller hospitals will be well able to compete and will have an advantage in this area. We intend to ensure that people are not sent to have...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I appreciate what Senator Barrett has said. There is no attempt of any kind being made to diminish or undermine the Legislature's involvement. The fact is that the previous risk equalisation scheme of 2003 was mainly set out in regulations. However, the new scheme, including rates for risk equalisation, credits and stamp duty levies, will be strengthened in the future by being set in...