Results 12,801-12,820 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will engage further with Deputy Ward on that issue.

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Pieta House does amazing work. I saw the recognition of that amazing work by the people of Ireland in their generosity last week through "The Late Late Show" fundraiser. Deputy Ward is asking, rightly, what the Government is going to do to match, or at least recognise, the incredible work Pieta House does. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in addition to the continuation of the...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will give the Deputy the latest figures I have for nursing home staff overall and then I will break them down for the private sector. The number of staff redeployed from the health service to long-term residential care facilities is 451, comprising 394 redeployed from the community and a further 57 redeployed from private nursing homes. In respect of private nursing homes, approximately...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: We need to prioritise those who are symptomatic, in the first instance, and get that message out. I will write to the Deputy about the issue of home help and PPE. I have had a good engagement with the sector. I have had, perhaps, a different experience from that of the Deputy, but I will write to her about it. I am happy to engage with the sector on the €35 million scheme. I...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I cannot do the issue of screening justice in 22 seconds, but perhaps another Deputy will give me an opportunity to expand on it. I will respond to the Deputy in writing and I take very seriously the point she makes. The decision to pause screening was made on public health grounds and the decision as to when it is safe to commence it will also be taken on the same grounds. The truth is...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for suggesting the establishment of a task force on mental health which I, truthfully, agree with. I would like to meet Members of this House in whatever the appropriate forum is to work out how to advance that, or perhaps through the Business Committee. I met representatives of Mental Health Reform and Jigsaw last week and discussed the Deputy's proposal of a mental...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I will write to the Deputy about youth workers and I will liaise with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, but he makes an important point. Similarly, I will liaise directly with the representative bodies of mental health counsellors and the likes to try and provide guidance in that regard. It will all obviously come down to their ability to practise physical distancing safely. I...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I suppose the short answer is that I do not agree but I appreciate the sentiment expressed by the Deputy in terms of wanting to make sure we treat as many public patients as possible in private hospitals. We, the taxpayers, effectively own or at least own the use of all the private hospitals in the country until the end of June. Under that agreement, we have the option of extending that...

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements (14 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to update this House once again on the Covid-19 disease and our national response to it. First and most important, I express my sympathy to the family and friends of those that have been lost to this disease since I was last in this House. The ways of mourning we hold dear have been taken away from us, compounding the deep sadness of the bereaved but I hope they...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Air Ambulance Service Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 796 together. The Munster Helicopter Emergency Medical Service referred to by the Deputy is provided by Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) under a Service Level Agreement with the HSE. Under the terms of this SLA, the ICRR committed to fund all maintenance, repairs, fuel and other expenses incurred in the provision of the transportation element...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Applications (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As committed to in the Action Plan for 2019, Sláintecare has developed proposals for multi-annual capital and current funding, including a transition fund, to support health care reform. Following Budget 2020, the Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office have been resourced with a total of €45.5 million in 2020 (with an additional €50 million in 2021) in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Prior to 2019, all Sláintecare related funding was provided from the core administrative spending subhead within the Department of Health, with staff costs being met by the core Department of Health payroll. Since Budget 2019, a separate subhead has been created for Sláintecare specific measures under the ‘Health Care Reform’ heading (subhead II. H in the Revised...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: I obtained Government approval in July 2018 for the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy to deliver the vision outlined for our health system in the Sláintecare Report produced by the Future Healthcare Committee. The Implementation Strategy recognises that strong leadership and clear governance will be essential to success and it clearly sets out the implementation and governance...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The Long Term Illness Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida;...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Delays (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Waiting Lists (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The data requested by the Deputy is outlined in the table below. The NTPF advise that this data relates to the following procedure: - Insertion catheter bladder, indwelling suprapubic (percutaneous) via laparoscopy (closed) or laparotomy (open) Please note that due to the low numbers of people waiting for this procedure, all groups fall into Small Volume Groups and the NTPF have limited the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Recruitment (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: The number of Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) advanced nurse practitioner posts filled at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin in each of the years 2016 to 2019 was as follows: Year No. of Posts 2016 7.5 2017 16.59 2018 14.99 2019 18.93 Plans for 2020 are unclear at this point in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Audiology Services Provision (13 May 2020)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.