Results 12,021-12,040 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: There is no reason for my Department to maintain a record of my visits to Hawkins House. I can inform the Deputy that it is my practice to conduct my official business from my Leinster House office when the House is in session, and from my office in the Department at all other times.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (18 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 — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for administering the health repayment scheme in conjunction with the appointed scheme administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald. The HSE has informed my Department that since the commencement of the scheme over 33,000 claims have been received and 5,346 payments totalling over €105m have issued. 8,320 offers of repayment, totalling over...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: Regulations allowing the HSE to impose a charge for the administration of patient property accounts came into effect on 11 September 2007. This administration charge will be used to offset the costs of a central investment unit to invest money held in these accounts with the National Treasury Management Agency and the associated external audit fees. The administration charge will be limited...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The information sought by the Deputy relates to matters within the area of responsibility of the Health Service 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 — Pharmacy Regulations: Pharmacy Regulations (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: To address concerns expressed by the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU), on behalf of community pharmacists, about the implications of the legal advice on competition law on their right to negotiate fees through the Union, a process of dialogue was established, chaired by Bill Shipsey SC, to explore ways in which concerns raised by the IPU about the implications of this legal advice might be...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 provides a clear legal framework to repay recoverable health charges for publicly funded long term residential care. All those fully eligible persons who were wrongly charged and are alive will have their charges repaid in full. The estates of all those fully eligible persons who were wrongly charged for publicly funded long term residential care and...

Written Answers — Irish Blood Transfusion Service: Irish Blood Transfusion Service (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) published a Strategic Plan in 2005 for the period 2005-2009. It is in the process of reviewing that Plan and will publish a revised version in 2008. The following are the high level strategic goals of the IBTS over the next five years. To provide a consistent and safe blood supply, To build a new state of the art facility in Cork that will meet the...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: Does Deputy Reilly have a problem with someone making a profit? I presume the private nursing home in which he is involved is a for-profit arrangement. Irrespective of whether it is described as income or profit, I do not have a problem with it. Even if the House decided to legislate to prevent people from making a profit from private health care provision, it would be in breach of...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: General practitioners make a profit from their operations and I would not expect them to be in business if that were not the case. Bon Secours was the only not-for-profit operator selected but the hospital in question will not proceed and Bon Secours has withdrawn from the project. As a result, none of the eight proposals is in the not-for-profit category. It would be amazing news to learn...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: That is the reason it has increased from 37% to 53%. If one can get into the public hospital, funded by taxpayers, on a preferential basis because one has private health insurance, that too is an incentive. I understand the late Susie Long was told by a doctor's secretary that if she had private health insurance she would be seen next week, but, if not, she would have to go on the list. I...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: That is true and my ambition is to get them. That is why we need a new consultants contract. I cannot break the current contract. We can do it but we would have to compensate people. There are 2,000 people on an existing contract, one third of whom can practise in several places because they are category two doctors. Some 650 of them are in the Dublin area. We want a new contract. At...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: That is not happening in many hospitals as the Deputy is aware.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I apologise. No orders will be made on foot of this legislation. We cannot make orders.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I cannot because I will not make any orders. It will not be necessary.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I apologise. I intended to address the issue. I am sorry I forgot to address it. The reality is that what we are doing here is putting beyond legal doubt the 19 bodies in question. If the Minister for Health and Children wishes to have power in the future to make orders, establish bodies or allow bodies to do certain things, we must have new primary legislation. I will not make any...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I agree. That is what we are doing.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: That was a good contribution on which to end the debate because, Deputy McGinley will be pleased to hear, that is exactly what we are doing with co-location. However, it is not the view put forward by the Fine Gael spokesperson, who favours public and private service in public hospitals. With regard to St. Luke's Hospital, all the expert advice is that there should not be stand-alone...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: I accept that, because those who live furthest away must stay in Dublin for the period of their treatment from Monday to Friday. St. Luke's does a fantastic job and I am just about to reappoint its board. I have told them on many occasions that we want to keep all that is best about the hospital when it moves to the grounds of St. James's Hospital.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2007)

Mary Harney: The profits will be shared with public hospitals, so the €74 million forgone by insurers will be made up by the Exchequer. Money will also be made from leasing the land and, in some cases, through profit-sharing arrangements. The facilities in those hospitals will have to be made available at discounted prices to all patients. That is a very good deal from the point of view of access by...