Results 11,941-11,960 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy will be aware my Department is not one of the Departments scheduled for decentralisation under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. As of the 31st December 2006, 28 civil servants had transferred to decentralising Departments from my Department and to date, a total of 51 civil servants have transferred. Further details in respect of the transfer of these officers is...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Senator made many points, and I listened carefully.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I thank the Seanad for its consideration of the Bill. People are often suspicious of that which is regarded as urgent. On 27 May 2006, a senior departmental official, Mr. Barron, sent me a detailed note on the proposed national paediatric hospital which I will synopsise for the House. In it, he stated it has been and remains our intention that the hospital's board will be funded by the...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: Yes. We must have a new Bill which will specify the kind of principles needed to guide the establishment of statutory instruments. We cannot give ourselves these broad, extensive powers to establish almost anything by way of a statutory instrument. The law develops and the legal test today is very different from that which obtained 46 years ago. Senator Frances Fitzgerald made a valid...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I still meet his former patients. The man did much good, the story is not all bad but there is no doubt that is not the way to decide on somebody's competence to practise. We pay a heavy price for not having competence assurance. I do not wish to speak about inquiries except to say that in the past we never inquired. People knew for 25 years that something was wrong in Our Lady of Lourdes...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The surgeon wrote to me about the need for consultants, which was acted upon, but the consultant there never wrote to the HSE to say there was something wrong with the false positives. The director of nursing did and that led to the suspension of the mammography service. The health system over which I preside has been in place for a considerable time. It is a public hospital system in which...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Senator said he has no problem with private hospitals that are not co-located.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I will not engage in a partisan row, I am simply responding to the debate.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: People have spoken of the health care system in the United States but I do not like it. It is fantastic if one has money but bloody awful if one does not. I do not favour such a system.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I am trying to convert private beds to public use. Co-location has been very successful in Australia and in many other countries the issue of funding health services is being examined in an innovative and imaginative way. Senator Twomey is a general practitioner and general practice is a good example of co-location at work. When one enters a doctor's surgery in this city one cannot tell...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: That is exactly the point I am making.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: These facilities will be funded at no cost to the taxpayer, except for tax forgone, which is about 41% of the investment plus pay related social insurance, PRSI, and come to less than half the traditional cost of such facilities. They must make their services available to the public hospital at discounted prices. There will be a single clinical governance, training and research and...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: We have not signed off on it yet. Senator Fitzgerald will be interested to know they welcomed the paediatric element and the ambulatory care centre in the statement released last week. There are no inspection processes for the public and private health care systems at the moment, though I would love to have given the Health Information and Quality Authority a role with regard to the private...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for the Health Service Executive 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 issues raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the Repayment Scheme and the information sought by the Deputy relates to matters within the area of responsibility of the Executive. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the 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.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: Medical cards are made available to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. In 2005 the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who do not qualify for a medical card would not be deterred on cost grounds...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive 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 Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Written Answers — Civil Registration Act: Civil Registration Act (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy will be aware, the provisions of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, governing the giving of notice of intention to marry, solemnisation and registration of marriage were commenced on 5 November 2007. The commencement of the new provisions has the effect of repealing all the old legislation relating to registration of marriages dating back to 1845. Under the 2004 Act, primary...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (19 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: My Department is currently reviewing all legislation relating to eligibility for health and personal social services with a view to making the system as fair and transparent as possible. As part of this general review, a review of the eligibility criteria for medical cards is being undertaken and is expected to be completed by Autumn 2008.