Results 11,261-11,280 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Measures (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I would hope to have the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2019 Bill restored to the Seanad Order Paper as soon as possible, noting that this will require a resolution of the House.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH) for the anti-epileptic medicine Epanutin confirmed a shortage of its Epanutin Infatabs 50mg Chewable Tablets presentation. which contains the active ingredient phenytoin, commencing November 2019. The shortage is due to a manufacturing site change and other changes to the manufacturing process of this particular product and the resulting shortage is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: While visiting restrictions are required in the context of a pandemic situation, national guidance issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and available on the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) website advocates a compassionate and practical approach in relation to visiting by friends and family. A updated guidance document on Infection Prevention and Control Precautions...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: A robust and real-time process of testing, isolation and contact tracing is central to our public health strategy for containing and slowing the spread of COVID-19, as advocated by the WHO and ECDC. I am confident that the HSE is putting in place the measures to further reduce turnaround times and we are seeing continuing improvement. The HSE continues to streamline the process and to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Defibrillators Provision (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Emergency Departments (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations 2013, provide that, subject to specified exemptions, a charge shall be made for out-patient services provided at an emergency department, or any other facility providing similar services, in respect of the first occasion the service is provided in relation to each episode of care. The Regulations sets out a number of categories of persons who...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Screening Programmes (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Services (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (9 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service issue, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to you directly.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy. The fear of any Minister for Health, including myself or any successive Minister for Health, and the collective concern of this Oireachtas should be that at any moment in time people will decide that the pandemic has passed when it has not. We have to try to get back to living alongside it in a safe way for the sake of the economy and all those important things but...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy McNamara for his questions, for his work on the Covid-19 committee, and for his engagement with my Department and the HSE. I acknowledge that the mid-west has been failed for decades in terms of bed numbers. I am not here to apportion blame either but we all know the story. Changes were made, beds were promised but beds never came. I can go through the list of the beds...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Collins. Deputy Healy-Rae made a very valid point on nursing home visits. I have been speaking to residents in nursing homes via FaceTime and I know how lonely people are feeling. I know how incredible the staff are in trying to ease that loneliness. I know how relatives go up to the window of a bedroom and phone from outside and have a...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: In the interests of time, I suggest that I respond to the Deputy in writing on the matters he raised. I am reluctant to disagree with Deputy Naughten because he is often right, as I find out in this House, and he highlighted very important issues here before. My information, for what it is worth, is that when it comes to contact tracing of meat plant staff, and I specifically asked this on...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: To be clear, I am told that since 18 May the average wait from swab to result is one to two days, with overall end-to-end turnaround times of within three days. I will share the data I have with the Deputy rather than taking up his time now. He made the very important point that testing is only a point in time. I think he would acknowledge that we have built up a lot of extra capacity...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I would like to create a universal healthcare service in line with Sláintecare. I think the Deputy's group is the only one that possibly has not signed up to Sláintecare. We both agree we need extra capacity, but Deputy Murphy wants me to just go in and take it. I recognise the reality of the world and that we might have to pay for it. The Deputy did not like the deal we had....

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this issue, and I will direct the HSE to share with him any information it has. The HSE should do that and it should want to do that, because I believe it did everything it possibly could in this situation. I do not share the Deputy's view that the transfers were done to reduce bed blocking, or any similar phrase. If we think back, there was a view...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: In addition to my meetings, I read at the weekend a comment from the clinical director of BreastCheck in one of our national newspapers outlining her hope that the programme can resume in the autumn. The priority at the moment must be symptomatic people. I urge anyone with a symptom of cancer to come forward. The GP surgeries are open, and the GPs want to see such patients. If it is an...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy comes into the House and makes valid points as a Member of the Oireachtas, as he has a right, duty and obligation to, and I have an obligation to answer his questions and give my view. I find it very frustrating that he then puts in little loaded terms like "sweetheart deals". We need to remind ourselves what was happening here. I know the further it gets away from that...