Results 12,421-12,440 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Data (3 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Department of Health is working with the HSE to increase acute capacity in hospitals throughout the country. In the context of the current COVID-19 Pandemic response, the HSE advised on 24 May 2020 that and additional 324 acute beds have opened since March, bringing the current total of acute beds in the system to 11,907 excluding critical care capacity. The HSE’s Critical Care...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (3 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The services referred to by the Deputy are not matters within the responsibility of the Minister for Health. The responsibility for providing guidance in relation to a particular sector of the economy or on a specific activity remains with the Government Department with responsibility for that sector or activity. Local authority services are a matter for the Minister for Housing,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Advertising (3 Jun 2020)

Simon Harris: The Department of Health’s spend on advertising to social media platforms from 1 January - 31 May 2020 is set out as follows. Company Description Amount Twitter Healthy Ireland Fund €3,394.80 Google Healthy Ireland Fund €5,537.00 Facebook Healthy Ireland...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: It is not.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: It was the right deal.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy would be the first in this House to criticise me, rightly, if we did not have available bed capacity if a Covid surge came. We need to get the best arrangement. As the facts change, we need to alter that. We are, however, going to need to keep some of that private capacity to help public patients. Otherwise the public health service will not be able to function in a Covid...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. The up-to-date figures I have for the Bon Secours Hospital Galway are for an inpatient bed occupancy of 48% on the week of 11 May to 15 May. That dropped to 41% on 18 May to 22 May. The Galway Clinic figures show 15% for 11 May to 15 May, and this increased to 26%. I get the point that there are challenges and difficulties. However, I still believe it was absolutely...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I have had no time to respond to the Deputy.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: It is a question-and-answer session so I would appreciate-----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The people want-----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and for being honest and truthful. I share the view that there was no alternative option, when we were looking at what was happening in other countries, other than to ensure we had every possible bed, ventilator and ICU bed. That is what everybody in the House was rightly questioning at the time and, thank God, we secured that capacity...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will arrange for someone in the Department to liaise with the Deputies from the south east. We had quite a good arrangement during the last Dáil, when we were all allowed to meet in person, and I am eager to keep it up, whereby local representatives are brought together to provide us with the benefit of local knowledge and local connections to get this project moving. I want to see...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The commentary about my colleagues is the Deputy's view. The substantive issue about the 67 inspectors is important. The Deputy is right that 67 is not an adequate number with the volume of work that we need the HSA to do. I am pleased to let the Deputy know that my Department will provide approximately 200 environmental health officers to supplement the HSA's work. We will make sure that...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The 200 environmental health officers, or inspectors, will all carry out on-the-ground inspection activities. They will do so as part of their usual programmed inspections. Environmental health officers already do that and we are basically saying that they already have a remit for a significant number of businesses, with 45,000 food businesses in the country, and telling them to inspect...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: When one is Minister for Health one is criticised probably ten times before breakfast, and often correctly, so I am not afraid of criticism in this regard. It has not been brought to the Government. It has been brought to a Cabinet committee but it has not been approved by the Government. Frankly, I find it hard to mount an argument to what the Deputy said. I will give a commitment to...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. Regarding correspondence from HIQA, I will have to check what was received in February, because my note says 13 March. I will revert to the Deputy on that and I am not doubting what Mr. Quinn said.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: On 13 March, there were 19 sites identified by HIQA to the Department as having multi-occupancy rooms and creating infection prevention challenges. I do not mean it in any sort of smart way when I suggest that it will not come as a surprise to anybody in the Department or the HSE that multi-occupancy rooms have extra infection prevention challenges. On the same day, 13 March, that...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Let us debate that in due course. I would point out that on 31 March, NPHET itself put in place a range of specific public health actions for long-term residential care facilities and home supports. There were two special meetings of NPHET specifically dedicated to-----

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Simon Harris: There were quite a lot more than 19 in question. However, I have answered that point. As I said, Dr. Henry wrote back to the Department. I am making the point, because it was not made yesterday, that it was NPHET which requested HIQA to carry out that risk assessment. I think that is an important piece of information.