Results 10,041-10,060 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

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

James Reilly: This amendment has nothing to do with the Bill. The Bill deals with the current market, which is voluntary and open to those who wish to avail of it and can afford to do so. The Government believes in a health system that provides care to people on the basis of medical need rather than ability to pay. Unlike Sinn Féin, however, we have a plan that has been enacted. It is not a fanciful...

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

James Reilly: What did you say?

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

James Reilly: He is always focused on inputs.

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

James Reilly: His party did a lot of shroud waving last February when people were told that we could not maintain a safe service with the numbers of staff leaving. The men and women who work in our health services have in fact improved it by reducing by 25% the number of people who have to endure long trolley waits, although I acknowledge that we still have a long way to go. They reduced the inpatient...

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

James Reilly: And Waterford, too.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Senator Barrett and I are on the same page when it comes to competition and getting the best for our people. I must point out, however, that there is no question of the health market being allowed to operate as a free market because the risk for older people is much greater. Senator Barrett is deluding himself and misleading the House if he believes it could be otherwise. I cannot believe...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Many statements have been made here. I thank Senators for engaging with the Bill. The Central Bank is the Financial Regulator for the country and, as such, regulates for matters governing the prudential and solvency requirements for the health insurance market. Insurers wishing to operate in the Irish market must satisfy the Central Bank and other requirements before they are authorised to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Reform (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: On 15 November last, I, together with my colleagues Minister Kathleen Lynch and Minister Alex White launched Future Health: A Strategic Framework for Reform of the Health Service 2012-2015. The core of the Government’s health reform programme is a single-tier health service, supported by Universal Health Insurance and designed in accordance with the principles of social solidarity....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Executive Expenditure (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 192 and 196 together. As we are all aware, the country still faces serious challenges in respect of the public finances, and the need to meet the targets agreed with the Troika, as part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the Troika. Notwithstanding these challenges, the Government agreed to provide the Health Group of Votes...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Following the refusal by An Bord Pleanála of planning permission for the new children's hospital on the Mater site, I established a Review Group chaired by Dr Frank Dolphin (the Dolphin Group) to advise on next steps. Their report was presented to me on 8 June this year. On Tuesday 6 November, I announced the Government’s decision to develop the new children’s hospital at...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Insurance Cost (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 188 together. The Government is committed to keeping down the cost of health insurance so that it is affordable for as many people as possible and remains committed to protecting community rating, whereby everyone pays the same price for the same health insurance product, irrespective of age or health status. The Programme for Government contains a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Care Inflation (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Ireland recorded the third lowest rate of inflation in the Health Category in the EU 15. Greece and Portugal were the countries which were lower. The type of prices included in the health category include medical products, appliances and equipment, hospital charges and out patient services supplied by doctors, dentists, opticians, physiotherapists and practitioners of alternative and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programme (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: The main priority for the HSE's National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) at present is to maximise national uptake in the 50-64 year age cohort.The extension of the BreastCheck programme has been listed as a priority in the HSE's 3 year Corporate Plan (2012 -2015).The HSE's National Cancer Control Programme is examining how it can extend the programme to 65-69 year olds. A review of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: This Government has given a commitment in the Programme for Government to seek a mechanism to compensate those women who were excluded on age grounds alone from the Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme. I understand that approximately 35 women who suffered an unnecessary bilateral oophorectomy were excluded from the Redress Scheme on the basis of age alone. The Scheme of Redress approved by...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Staff (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 48 together. The issues raised by the Deputies are matters in relation to which the HSE has specific statutory obligations. The HSE is obliged under the Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act, 2006, to engage with the trade unions in relevant circumstances. In addition, under the terms of the Public Service Agreement, the HSE has...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (19 Dec 2012)

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. Agency staff may be used only in the most exceptional of circumstances and when all alternative avenues have been exhausted. Such staff may only be engaged when signed off by...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 61 together. A key stepping stone towards the introduction of Universal Health Insurance will be to develop independent not-for-profit hospital trusts in which all hospitals will function as part of integrated groups. The rationale behind the establishment of hospital groups and trusts is to support increased operational autonomy and accountability for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation (19 Dec 2012)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Investigations (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: At a Press Conference on 19th November the Health Service Executive (HSE) gave details of the Investigation Team which is being chaired by an international expert in obstetrics and gynaecology, Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran. The Investigation will be completed within an expeditious timeframe. On 23rd November the Board of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), following a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (19 Dec 2012)

James Reilly: Unblocking access to acute hospitals is a key aim of this Government, and of the Special Delivery Unit established by the Minister for Health. The SDU was set up immediately following the Minister’s appointment and the initial focus for the SDU's Scheduled Care Team has been on waiting times for in-patient and daycase elective surgery. For children, the target is that by the end of...