Results 10,981-11,000 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: My final week has been predicted so many times - sometimes, Sinn Féin has tried to bring it about earlier than I would have wished - so who knows? Regarding the important matter that Deputy Carthy raised, I could hear the frustration in his voice, which I can only imagine is amplified among all of the parents and everyone else in Carrickmacross. I will accept the Deputy's challenge...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not want Deputy Quinlivan to believe that I can be held accountable for a draft programme for Government, but I take the serious point that he makes about supporting drug and alcohol forums. We need to see increases in their funding in future budgets. That will be a matter for a new Government and this Oireachtas. I share the Deputy's view of the incredible work being done by staff...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: 3 o’clock There is quite a bit to cover in quite a short space of time. Deputy Murnane O'Connor asked about dentists. As she said, the guidance for dentists was issued from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre on 15 May. Professor Martin Cormican and his team did some very good work which outlined how the profession can resume the provision of routine care. The work...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: First, I am happy to wish Deputy O'Reilly's husband the very best. There are not many people in Sinn Féin that I can say I have campaigned with, but I remember being at a campaign event for Together for Yes with her husband. I am glad to hear he is doing well and has had a good experience. The reason Deputy O'Reilly highlighted that point was screening. We will be led by the...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his questions. I will come back to him directly on his question about St. Patrick's Hospital, a site which I remember visiting with him quite a period of time ago. My commitment and that of the Department of Health and HSE to continuing the outlined capital development projects for that hospital, the 50-bed unit and the dementia unit, remains intact. Those projects...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Browne for raising the important matter of dexamethasone. As he rightly says, this is something we have been hearing an awful lot more about in the last 24 hours. In March, the Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 Therapy, RECOVERY, trial was established as a randomised clinical trial to test a range of potential treatments for Covid-19, including a low dose of dexamethasone,...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to once again update the House on the Covid-19 disease and our ongoing national response and effort to it. First, and most importantly, as I do every week I wish to express my sympathy to the family and friends of those who have been lost to this disease since I was last in the House. We should always be conscious of them as we talk about progress, statistics and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The measures taken are underpinned by a clear public health rationale. As the number of indigenous cases here declines and Ireland eases some restrictions, the relative importance of the risk of importation of cases from overseas increases. Ultimately, the progress towards suppression of community transmission which has been achieved and which should allow for greater resumption of social...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the Government confirmed the move to Phase 2 of Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business from Monday, 8 June 2020. Information and advice about the restrictions that have been eased as part of Phase 2 and the measures that are now in place are available on the Government website at http://www.gov.ie/phase2.  I would like to draw the Deputy's attention...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business, published on 1 May 2020, sets out an indicative path to the easing of COVID 19 restrictions and other actions in order to facilitate the reopening of Ireland’s society and economy in a phased manner. Phase 1 was introduced on 18 May 2020 and the Government confirmed the move to Phase 2 of Roadmap for Reopening...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ministerial Meetings (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will know a Memorandum of Understanding was formally agreed by the Chief Medical Officers of the Department of Health and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland on Tuesday 7 April. The MOU was entered into on my behalf as Minister for Health and on behalf of the Minister of Health in Northern Ireland to strengthen North South co-operation on the public health response to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: While the HSE is providing unprecedented supports to nursing homes including relevant clinical and infection prevention and control advice, funding, access to PPE and in some cases, where necessary, staffing support, nursing home providers, under the Health Act 2007 (Care and Welfare of Residents in Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2013, are ultimately responsible for ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 and 725 together. The Government has put in place a suite of measures to support small, medium and larger businesses that are negatively impacted by COVID-19 including a Restart grant for which application can be made on line to local authorities. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has published a Return to Work Safely Protocol,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Government has established a Cabinet Subcommittee, chaired by the Taoiseach, to assess the social and economic impacts of COVID-19.  The work of the Cabinet Subcommittee includes addressing the impacts, mitigation measure and contingencies for cross-sectoral issues which arise in areas beyond the health service, building on the effective public health work undertaken to date. A whole...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As the HSE has responsibility, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staff (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to this further question from the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The HSE through the Health Protective Surveillance Centre has developed an extensive body of guidance and support tools to assist in the management of COVID-19 cases, including in relation to nursing homes and homecare. This guidance is reviewed and updated regularly as necessary  The current relevant guidelines are the: “Interim Public Health and Infection Prevention Control...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (16 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.  The...