Results 13,401-13,420 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: Over 120,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Government's ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for 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 issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division...

Written Answers — Pharmacy Regulations: Pharmacy Regulations (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: As a result of a decision of the High Court earlier this year, arising from legal action taken by the IPU and five named plaintiff pharmacists, declaratory orders in favour of the named pharmacists were made in order to have advance payments restored to them. My Department understands that the Health Service Executive is making arrangements to comply with the declaratory orders.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: My Department received an application for a grant from the Health and Children allocation of National Lottery funds from the organisation referred to. There is a protocol in my Department for processing applications for National Lottery grants. Following assessment, evaluation and recommendation, applications are considered in the context of the recommendation and the overall level of funds...

Written Answers — Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme: Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the Repayment Scheme and the information sought by the Deputy relates to matters within the area of responsibility of the 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 — Health Services: Health Services (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services is a matter for 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 — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will be aware that the Health Service Executive has a statutory duty to deliver a balanced budget. In this regard, it has taken steps to ensure that it meets this objective in 2007 by means of its Breakeven Plan 2007. This includes a pause in recruitment for an initial period of one month beginning on 5 September. The HSE is to review this position on 1 October in the light of the...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: It is my objective and that of the Health Service Executive (HSE) to see the earliest delivery of the Government's National Plan for Radiation Oncology. Considerable progress is being made in implementing the Plan which I have supported by substantial additional investment. Additional revenue funding of €3.25m this year will support the appointment of five additional Consultant Radiation...

Written Answers — Hospital Charges: Hospital Charges (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: Under Department of Health and Children Circular 5/91 hospitals are required to establish if patients wish to be treated as public or private patients. A patient who has private health insurance is entitled to choose to be treated as a public patient. To ensure that those who opt to be treated privately are clear on the financial implications of admission as a private patient, they should...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: Sometimes, we let our perceptions and ideologies get in the way of facts. While I understand people supporting public medicine, some state that there is a special place in their hearts for an insurance company that happens to be owned by the State and the guarantees it provides to patients. If one has private health insurance, one has preferential access to diagnostics and facilities paid...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: I do not believe that. When a hospital is available it encourages customers and Athlone citizens go to their general practitioners. Many people who visit accident and emergency units should go to their GPs but it is a chicken and egg situation. GP services in some areas are patchy and that is among the things we are trying to change. I am not in a position to encourage people to open a...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: If the Senator was in the Dáil last night listening to my so-called privatisation agenda she would smile at that suggestion. I was in Sweden for St. Patrick's day this year and one of the places I visited was a hospital in Stockholm. Believe it or not, a socialist Government in Sweden brought in a private company to run its biggest hospital, St. Görans, a number of years ago. If I even...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am pleased to address the Bill in the House and to respond to some of the statements made. If they had been reported to me, I would have been surprised. I will begin with Senator Doherty's contribution. He referred to for-profit hospitals, but he made a point about pharmacists. They are private operators and in it for profit. The most expensive pharmacies in...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: In April and May, the House passed legislation liberalising the pharmacy sector. It was opposed, but it was the right thing to do. Young Irish graduates who could not get into pharmacy school here because there was only one school with restricted places went elsewhere, primarily the United Kingdom. They qualified and returned, but they could not open pharmacies because of legislative...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (27 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: I am pleased to address this House today on the Second Stage of the Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill2007. Though this is a relatively short Bill, it provides for the most significant changes to the provisions governing Voluntary Health Insurance, VHI, since the board was established 50 years ago. In the intervening period there has been only one other significant amending Act, the...

Written Answers — Civil Registrations: Civil Registrations (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: An tArd Chlaraitheoir, the Registrar General, is the person with statutory responsibility for the administration of the civil registration system in Ireland, including marriages. I have made enquiries with an tArd Chlaraitheoir and the position is as follows. Where either party to a proposed marriage, which is to be solemnised in the state, has been previously married and obtained a divorce...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: On the 25th September last, I was very pleased to announce the research and development of a new National Oral Health Policy. This new oral health strategy, the first such strategy in thirteen years, will be undertaken by the Department of Health and Children, in conjunction with the HSE. The development of this new national strategy will allow a critical examination of the many challenges...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Drugs Payment Scheme: Drugs Payment Scheme (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Harney: The Drugs Payments Scheme, which protects against excessive medicines costs, is available to non-medical card holders. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €85 per calendar month, or approximately €20 per week, towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme is available to all age groups, is easy to use and significantly reduces the cost burden for...