Results 1,241-1,260 of 3,998 for speaker:Michael Harty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: I am putting the Deputy on notice that he has five minutes for both questions and answers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: It is not acceptable for Deputy Boyd Barrett to make charges against somebody-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: You made a charge relating to Mr. Costello.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: It is not acceptable to criticise somebody who is not here. I am bringing that point to your attention.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: On behalf of the committee I thank the Minister for coming in while on paternity leave. I also thank Mr. Breslin and Ms Fionnuala Duffy from the Department of Health.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: I wish to raise the issue of how Ireland is responding to its obligations to balance its ability to generate sufficient power to satisfy its needs with its obligations in respect of decarbonisation and climate change. It is Government policy that the ESB's coal-burning power station at Moneypoint in County Clare will cease production by 2025. Moneypoint is an old coal-burning station, which...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: I thank the Tánaiste. He obviously understands the difficulties, particularly those facing Moneypoint. The question is really what are the alternatives? I know that the ESB is to produce a report on how it will use alternative energy sources in electricity generation at Moneypoint but we have to have a clear pathway in respect of how those changes are going to occur. There is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electricity Generation (24 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: 233. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he received the list of options he requested from the ESB on the future of a power station (details supplied); if so, his views on same; and his views on the future of the electricity generating station. [3489/19]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (24 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: 234. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of approval for the national broadband plan. [3490/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: This is the committee's second meeting on cost overruns at the new national children's hospital. The purpose of the meeting is to examine in detail the reasons for the huge projected cost overruns at the children's hospital and the impact these increased costs will have on other capital projects in the health sector. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Colm Desmond, Ms Tracey Conroy,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: Thank you. I call Mr. Dean Sullivan of the HSE to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: Thank you. To open proceedings, I will ask three questions. First, having listened to the evidence given to us last week by the development board of the hospital, we heard of the two-phase tendering process. We feel the cost overrun is particularly identified in that two-phase tendering process. Phase A was tendered on the basis of full design but phase B was tendered on the basis of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: On this point, was a maximum price ever placed on the construction of the hospital by the Department of Health or the Government that could not be exceeded? Was there ever a target that could not be exceeded?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: I understand what Ms Conroy is saying, which was outlined in the Department's opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: The evidence we heard last week was that the board, having experienced what it has experienced, and the cost overrun of €320 million, believes that by going through this two-stage process, it would not change anything with regard to what it had done in the past. Its view was that this was the best way to go forward, in spite of the fact that it has led to an overrun of €320...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: My second question is on the reporting procedure where there are four different bodies involved in the project. Was was that overly complex and did it lead to missing out on the cost overruns or to only identifying them late? Can the witnesses comment on these four different bodies and the reporting process?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: The last question concerns where Mr. Sullivan said that the cost escalation will undoubtedly impact on other priority health investments. Can he comment on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: In effect, the Department of Health has to provide €50 million this year and then seek €220 million through 2020, 2021 and 2022 from the existing capital programme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: Any programme that is not the subject of a contractual arrangement at the moment will be subject to change or deferment, however. For example, I refer to the building of elective-only hospitals, the 96-bed unit in Limerick, the hospitals in Cork, Sláintecare implementation, the replacement of equipment in hospitals, which is an urgent matter, and developing the ambulance service. All...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

Michael Harty: I thank Mr. Desmond, including for his patience. I call Deputy Donnelly.