Results 12,141-12,160 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Maybe some people do not want the answers. I can speak fast but not that fast. In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, I extend my sincere sympathy to the families, friends and staff in Dealgan nursing home, which he referenced. I will have to liaise with the HSE on the specific question on the RCSI's involvement. I know it has been playing a proactive role. The Deputy wants an...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her questions. On the section 39 agencies, I will examine the issue and revert to the Deputy on it. On the point regarding the geriatricians, I have written to the Deputy on it. The short answer is that we are examining how we can do something not too dissimilar to what the Deputy suggests. On nursing homes, I have discussed with the Chief Medical Officer...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: It may be a different issue but I want to thank them. As I have already acknowledged, there is a lot happening around the country that I do not like when it comes to not extending a céad míle fáilte to people from other jurisdictions. I want to thank them in that regard. Deputy O'Reilly asked for specific figures. To ensure accuracy, I prefer when figures are given out by...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will do so. The Deputy has hit the nail on the head, as did Deputy Butler, that if we can get to a point where nursing homes are in a position to use their own staff, as I know the staff are willing to do, it will further remove the potential delays. The national ambulance service has been incredible and its staff have done an amazing job, but if we can take out that piece and do the...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Donnelly, Butler and Cahill. To conclude the conversation with Deputy Donnelly in regard to cancer care and, in fairness, I know he said this also, it need not go the way that it potentially will go in other countries because of the efforts the people here have made and the leadership that our healthcare professionals have shown. We now have an opportunity to really ramp up...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising what is a massively important issue. He is right that it is entirely possible that this country, and indeed many others, will come through the Covid pandemic, albeit with undoubted tragedy, pain and hurt, only for more people to pass away or get very sick from other illnesses through secondary morbidity and secondary mortality. We need to work collectively...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to update this House once again on the Covid-19 disease and our response to it. I wish to start by expressing my condolences to the family and friends of those that have been lost to this disease since I was last in this House. It is an individual loss but there is also a sense of national loss. We share in your loss. Today, I will update the House in two...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I will email an 11-page briefing note on the mobile app to the Deputy this evening and make it available to other Members on the appropriate forum. The Deputy made an interesting point regarding the representation of psychiatry on NPHET. I will discuss the matter with its chair. The Deputy is correct that there is a significant mental health challenge. I am due to engage with several...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: That is fine. The assertion made by the Deputy this week-----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I will reply to the Deputy. She claimed that nursing homes were not mentioned in a briefing note. I can send her any number of briefing notes relating to the work we are doing on nursing homes. The figure I have is that 28,000 swabs had been completed in long-term residential care settings as of 27 April.I apologise if I misspoke when quoting the figure initially. I expect that number to...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I appreciate that Deputy Healy-Rae outlined his concern being primarily for the people in the facility because in respect of everybody in our country, regardless of how they got to our country, whether they are a citizen or not a citizen, whether they are seeking asylum, we have a duty of care to everybody during this global pandemic and treating everybody equally in that regard. That is why...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I was going to-----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I very kindly sat down while I was in the middle of answering a question.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I will. The Deputy raised a matter but I am very conscious that on the floor of Dáil Éireann, our national Parliament, I am trying to balance the answering of questions with the protection of rights of individuals and requirements under law to protect the identity and medical confidentiality of residents. I know the Department of Justice and Equality and the HSE issued a joint...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I will leave the financial element to my colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, but I know she already has plans in that regard and will continue to work with the business community. From a public health point of view, Deputy Fitzpatrick is entirely correct. We need to provide as much support and advice to businesses, sports clubs, schools, etc....

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: Very clear protocols are in place before a patient will be transferred from an acute hospital back to a nursing home. That is for two reasons. One is the well-being of the patient and to ensure he or she is clinically fit to be discharged from the hospital, while the other is the well-being of other patients and to ensure that the coronavirus has definitely left the patient and does not...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: In the 27 seconds available to me, and I will write to the Deputy regarding this matter, I can say that we have now brought in a new passenger form. Anybody, regardless of whether they are a seasonal worker or an Irish person returning to the country, must fill in that form to state where he or she is going to be self-isolating for the 14 days. That form can be checked and followed up, and...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I have about five seconds left.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Danny Healy-Rae. I will have to look into this matter some more and respond to him and Deputy Michael Healy-Rae in writing on this matter. I have been informed that all residents who have tested positive have been notified and have been moved to self-isolation facilities. If any further test results are notified by HSE public health as positive, immediate measures to self...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (30 Apr 2020)

Simon Harris: To be helpful, I will keep my answers snappy in order to try to make up time. I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for raising this important matter. I agree that there needs to be good co-operation between the North and the South, between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Tánaiste and I had a regular meeting today with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Deputy First Minister...