Results 11,881-11,900 of 45,563 for speaker:Simon Harris

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As Deputy Pringle said, and this is not a problem, sometimes we only hear the bad as politicians. That is a good thing that we get to bring the challenges and things not going well to the floor of this House. I respect that fully. I can tell Deputy Pringle that we are publishing testing figures every week concerning how many tests are completed. The Deputy is not just hearing that from...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: -----to free up the time of a public health doctor to talk to someone who gets a positive result. I am confident things are moving in the right direction but I am in no way complacent or cocky about it. This is going to be an area that will require the scrutiny of this House, the Covid-19 committee and the likes. That will be a very constructive role. Deputy Pringle has also raised a very...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will start with Deputy Nolan's questions. She is absolutely right to highlight the issue in regard to meat factories, as was Deputy Mattie McGrath. I have outlined on the record of this House the protocols in place and the national outbreak team that is overseeing this issue. The regulation and management of meat factories resides with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine,...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: We need to be clear and honest about this pandemic. There is no doubt that there are always areas in which we must continue to improve but the difference between this Government and others in different jurisdictions is that, when the challenge gets difficult, we do not walk away. In many countries, one would not get a test for Covid-19 unless one was in a hospital setting. Many countries...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I see that time is up. I am not sure that, in my time in this House, there has been a time when there was a greater level of engagement between Deputies. I take questions for two hours a week, every week, on the floor of the Dáil, along with a range of other Government Ministers and the Taoiseach. A special committee dedicated to the issue will meet next Tuesday. A range of briefings...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As Deputy Denis Naughten has made that comment on the record of the House, I have asked him to provide the details.

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not have that detail so I do not intend to comment.

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy may have corresponded with me but I would very much welcome the details of those nursing homes. I will revert to him directly about that. I am holding twice weekly meetings with Nursing Homes Ireland and the HSE's national director leading on this with the specific aim of identifying any difficulties - be they in terms of PPE, testing and the like. I would be very happy to...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Respectfully, not everything can be a scandal. What we are trying to do here is make sure we have enough capacity in the Irish health service to deal with a wave that, thank God, has not arrived so far. I am very grateful for the fact that a number of privately owned hospitals reached a not-for-profit open-book cost-only arrangement with the State. There are a number of safeguards put into...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The legislation passed by this House, which allows me to set regulations, is very clear in the statutory consultation process that I need to undergo, including liaising with people like the Chief Medical Officer and other relevant Ministers before making a decision to extend, renew or alter regulations. I will be going through that process. I share the Deputy's view that the people of this...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will revert to the Deputy in writing on the plasma issue. On the enhanced nurse contract, I am pleased that the number of nurses on it now is 4,500 compared with 3,200 last month but I want us to ensure that every nurse who wants that enhanced nurse contract can get it quickly. I have been clear to the HSE in that regard. Regarding nurses or other staff working in private hospitals,...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I know the Deputy would like to go further but I just want to put the factual position on the record of the House.

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Murphy. I have written back to the Deputy on some of the questions he has asked in this regard. If I have not answered all of them, I am more than happy to; my office will come back to him as well. Regarding the full cost statement, my understanding is that all of these will be analysed by independent firms of accountants who will give a view then in respect of ensuring...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I understand that as of now, NPHET's advice for the current phase is that those over 70 years should stay at home with the exception of exercise. The Deputy's question is whether that exercise be expanded to understand participating in some sports. I will ask that the Chief Medical Officer to comment on that as part of any decision that we will make tomorrow.

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I know the Deputy did not say that. I was just trying to make the point that the reopening of schools, crèches and childcare will be a massive body of work which we will have to get right over the summer months.

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I must be very careful on the floor of the House as I am conscious that we are in an agreement between the Private Hospital Association and the HSE on the use of private hospitals for, in the first instance, a three-month period, which, from memory, runs to the end of June, with the opportunity to extend for a further month and then the opportunity after that of extending on a month-by-month...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Deputy Shortall is right about the partnership approach. There are things we need to do as a Government, a State and a health service. There are things people are doing very well. We desperately want to get what we are doing right. The Deputy acknowledges that. People are trying to do everything humanly possible to get our testing and tracing to where it needs to be. The commitments...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: All those in the HSE, NPHET and the Department of Health who have been working on the Covid pandemic are patriots and represent the very best of public service but they are not infallible. None of us is. There are always ways to improve processes. There is back and forth between officials to ensure we get the right outcome, but that does not give credence to a conspiracy theory about there...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: NPHET announces what it believes needs to happen on a public health basis. It does so all the time. It announces what it believes needs to be done and asks the other organisations to do it. NPHET is not Dr. Tony Holohan's outfit. He chairs the team but there are nine members of the HSE on it. Nothing is perfect, but it works well. On nurses, my understanding is the number of nurses...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I can make a direction under section 10 but from my conversations with the HSE I do not think that is required. On Dealgan House, my understanding is that HIQA is due to inspect it. I will not be found wanting in taking further action if required. I am happy to discuss the matter with the Deputy. On the issue of screening, I am awaiting advice from Dr. Colm Henry on how and when it will be...