Results 11,901-11,920 of 45,563 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kelly for the questions. I particularly thank him for acknowledging that many of the people on NPHET - I would go so far as to say all of the people on NPHET - are very fine people. They have done an incredible job in helping us save thousands of lives. I know how hard Deputy Kelly works and I know how hard I work. I have seen how incredibly hard these people work. About...

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

Simon Harris: I do not think the letters are explosive. The letters show people working extraordinarily hard in real time. I said on a Saturday at a press conference that there is, of course, tension. I have been Minister for Health for four years and Deputy Kelly has been in Cabinet. When has there never been back and forth between officials working their backsides off to try to save people's lives in...

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

Simon Harris: I will try to get through each of the Deputy's questions. Regarding testing, the HSE has done an incredible job, moving heaven and earth to get to the point now where it will have the capacity to do up to 100,000 tests a week. Today, the HSE announced a plan for how, from next week, it intends to have end-to-end referral to contact tracing completion in less than three days in 90% of...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising these matters. I had an excellent meeting with the Irish Dental Association last week. I was hoping to meet its representatives again today but the meeting had to be moved to tomorrow. They raised three issues. A lot of the dentists need funding to get their business back up and running. I discussed with them some of the supports announced by the Department...

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

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Donnell for the questions and for raising the issue of capacity in University Hospital Limerick, as he has done for many a year. I note his comments about people waiting in the emergency department, ED. From my own recollection of visiting that hospital and its relatively new ED, my understanding is that sometimes the most appropriate place might be to isolate someone...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising important mental health matters. I particularly thank him for acknowledging that when we rightly talk about mental health the impact of this pandemic on people across the age spectrum, including older people, is, indeed, a major priority. I would like the new Government to publish within its first month in office the A Vision for Changeroadmap. I would like...

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

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ward for raising these issues. As he definitely knows, what committees are convened is definitely not a call for me or the Government, but I see no issue with his request. I think the Deputy's idea of a special sitting on the issue of mental health is a really good one. I do not want to use up the Deputy's time, but he asked me to engage with Jigsaw regarding Clondalkin. I...

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

Simon Harris: I will engage further with Deputy Ward on that issue.

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

Simon Harris: Pieta House does amazing work. I saw the recognition of that amazing work by the people of Ireland in their generosity last week through "The Late Late Show" fundraiser. Deputy Ward is asking, rightly, what the Government is going to do to match, or at least recognise, the incredible work Pieta House does. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in addition to the continuation of the...

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

Simon Harris: I will give the Deputy the latest figures I have for nursing home staff overall and then I will break them down for the private sector. The number of staff redeployed from the health service to long-term residential care facilities is 451, comprising 394 redeployed from the community and a further 57 redeployed from private nursing homes. In respect of private nursing homes, approximately...

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

Simon Harris: We need to prioritise those who are symptomatic, in the first instance, and get that message out. I will write to the Deputy about the issue of home help and PPE. I have had a good engagement with the sector. I have had, perhaps, a different experience from that of the Deputy, but I will write to her about it. I am happy to engage with the sector on the €35 million scheme. I...

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

Simon Harris: I cannot do the issue of screening justice in 22 seconds, but perhaps another Deputy will give me an opportunity to expand on it. I will respond to the Deputy in writing and I take very seriously the point she makes. The decision to pause screening was made on public health grounds and the decision as to when it is safe to commence it will also be taken on the same grounds. The truth is...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for suggesting the establishment of a task force on mental health which I, truthfully, agree with. I would like to meet Members of this House in whatever the appropriate forum is to work out how to advance that, or perhaps through the Business Committee. I met representatives of Mental Health Reform and Jigsaw last week and discussed the Deputy's proposal of a mental...

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

Simon Harris: I will write to the Deputy about youth workers and I will liaise with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, but he makes an important point. Similarly, I will liaise directly with the representative bodies of mental health counsellors and the likes to try and provide guidance in that regard. It will all obviously come down to their ability to practise physical distancing safely. I...

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

Simon Harris: I suppose the short answer is that I do not agree but I appreciate the sentiment expressed by the Deputy in terms of wanting to make sure we treat as many public patients as possible in private hospitals. We, the taxpayers, effectively own or at least own the use of all the private hospitals in the country until the end of June. Under that agreement, we have the option of extending that...

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

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to update this House once again on the Covid-19 disease and our national response to it. First and most important, I express my sympathy to the family and friends of those that have been lost to this disease since I was last in this House. The ways of mourning we hold dear have been taken away from us, compounding the deep sadness of the bereaved but I hope they...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Air Ambulance Service Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 796 together. The Munster Helicopter Emergency Medical Service referred to by the Deputy is provided by Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) under a Service Level Agreement with the HSE. Under the terms of this SLA, the ICRR committed to fund all maintenance, repairs, fuel and other expenses incurred in the provision of the transportation element...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Applications (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As committed to in the Action Plan for 2019, Sláintecare has developed proposals for multi-annual capital and current funding, including a transition fund, to support health care reform. Following Budget 2020, the Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office have been resourced with a total of €45.5 million in 2020 (with an additional €50 million in 2021) in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Prior to 2019, all Sláintecare related funding was provided from the core administrative spending subhead within the Department of Health, with staff costs being met by the core Department of Health payroll. Since Budget 2019, a separate subhead has been created for Sláintecare specific measures under the ‘Health Care Reform’ heading (subhead II. H in the Revised...