Results 11,801-11,820 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Cancer Screening Programme. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: All I can say is that it will be the middle of the year, which means May to July, so some time around June. I will be extraordinarily surprised and disappointed if that timeframe is not met, if that is helpful to the Deputy. I am sure he will be quick to remind me if it is not met.

Cancer Screening Programme. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: Based on my last discussions with Mr. O'Brien, I understand that it will be 50:50 because the accredited facilities in Ireland do not have the capacity to provide a ten working day turnaround.

Hospital Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The investigation by the Health Information and Quality Authority into the care provided by the HSE to the named individual commenced in June 2007. In December 2007, information came to the attention of HIQA that led it to decide that further work was needed. I have been informed by HIQA that it expects this report to be published before the end of February 2008. The HSE has advised my...

Hospital Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: That was more like a speech rather than a question.

Hospital Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The Deputy well knows that when Mr. Naughten wrote to my office his letter was acted upon immediately by the clinical director, Dr. Hollywood and Mr. Naughten was satisfied with the response he received.

Hospital Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: That is a fact. It is the case that nine women were misdiagnosed. Unfortunately, errors of this kind that happened in the past went unreviewed, unnoticed. We are not unique in Ireland in recalling patients. I refer to an article in a French newspaper which states that last week, 7,000 cancer patients were recalled for review and the Deputy is aware of this. It is not unusual.

Hospital Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: There were no files left standing. Ann O'Doherty's report was completed in November and as the Deputies sitting beside Deputy Reilly will know, as they are both lawyers, when a report is completed, if it casts any doubt on the professional reputation of any person, such a person must be given an opportunity within a reasonable time period as suggested by legal advice, to respond. This is...

Hospital Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: We have the report. The HSE had the report by the end of November but it was not in a position to publish the report because of the contents of the report until it went through what I will term the process of natural justice. I will give the Deputy this assurance that as soon as that process is completed, the report will be published. The Barrington's Hospital report will be published...

Accident and Emergency Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: Improving the delivery of accident and emergency services continues to be a top priority for the Government and the Health Service Executive. There have been considerable improvements made over the last two years in the delivery of services in accident and emergency departments. The number of patients awaiting admission to a hospital bed from accident and emergency departments reduced by...

Accident and Emergency Services. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: I believe what I said and I believe the matter is being addressed. A number of factors must be taken into account and I have instanced some of them. If one takes the example of one hospital in Dublin where because of the performance in the hospital in regard to accident and emergency services and other matters, the Health Service Executive employed consultants to go to that hospital. The...

Cancer Screening Programme. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The national cancer screening service is planning to roll out the national cervical screening programme on a national basis around the middle of this year. Women aged 25 to 44 years will be screened every three years while women aged 45 to 60 will be screened every five years. The service will be available free of charge to eligible women everywhere in the country. Approximately 230,000...

Cancer Screening Programme. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: First, I never announced it was to be introduced in 2007. What we announced for 2007 was the provision of €5 million to begin the process of recruiting staff, etc. As Deputy Reilly well knows, that must happen in advance and sometimes there can be quite a long lead-in time. Second, we will do this on a full roll-out basis. It will not be done in the way BreastCheck was done, namely,...

Cancer Screening Programme. (31 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: I will not speak of deadlines. The middle of the year is what I have been told. I do not announce dates unless I can meet them. Deputy Reilly attended the launch of this year's Estimates on budget day when we were going through the moneys allocated to health. He was there and he was welcome. I stated on that occasion that it would not be January, February or March because until we knew...

Written Answers — Herbal Drugs: Herbal Drugs (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and regulations made thereunder regulate and control the import, export, production, supply and possession of a range of named narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances listed in the Schedules to the Act. Substances are scheduled under the Act in accordance with the Department's obligations under international conventions and/or where there is evidence that the...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The National Strategy for Cancer Control recommended that a system of mandatory reporting of cancer should be introduced, as recommended in the National Strategy for Cancer Control. My Department is currently considering this issue in conjunction with the National Cancer Registry in the context of the forthcoming Health Information Bill. Additional revenue funding of €1m has been...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The Health Repayment Scheme was launched by the Health Service Executive and the appointed scheme administrator on 14th August 2006 by way of a national advertising campaign. An extensive advertising and publicity campaign was undertaken to ensure that eligible applicants who wished to do so submitted an application prior to the closing date of 31 December 2007. This campaign included a...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the funding, management and delivery of health and personal social services which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy. In regard...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: Under the Health Act 2004, it is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) to determine whether to fund a voluntary organisation. The HSE is also responsible for setting the terms and conditions which apply to such funding. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to reply directly to the Deputy regarding funding for the group in...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: The person concerned wrote to me in November last and I personally responded to her letter in December. The Chairperson of the group which is reviewing breast services at the hospital in question and an official in my Department have also been in contact with the person and the issues she raised have being followed up on her behalf.