Results 121-140 of 333 for 5 million speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...or higher education. There are four areas in which we have tried to invest. One is the SUSI grant process and ensuring the applications are being processed and turned around. We have received 2,500 more applications so far. We are also making sure the system is flexible enough to understand that an applicant's family's income may have changed suddenly this year as a result of Covid and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...raising this important matter, which he also raised with me last week during a debate on these matters. This is a very serious issue and as the Deputy is aware, I have allocated an additional €5 million for mental health supports. Admittedly, €2 million of that was a budget day announcement of additional funding and then a further €3 million was announced as part of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...Northern Ireland. I presume the same logic would apply in terms of the Deputy wanting to see a reduction in fees in Northern Ireland where Sinn Féin is in government and where the fees are £4,395 sterling per annum and students, therefore, are leaving colleges in Northern Ireland heavily indebted through a student loan system that I view as wholly unfair. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...in instalments. The state pays the contribution in full or part for an estimated 44 per cent of all students eligible for free fees funding through SUSI. The estimated cost was in the order of €180million for 2019/2020. Student contribution funded by the state is in addition to over €340million paid for student tuition fees in 2019/20 through our free fees...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...in instalments. The state pays the contribution in full or part for an estimated 44 per cent of all students eligible for free fees funding through SUSI. The estimated cost was in the order of €180million for 2019/2020. Student contribution funded by the state is in addition to over €340million paid for student tuition fees in 2019/20 through our free fees...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 840, 846 and 852 together. Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students. Students pay a student contribution of €3,000 per annum which can be paid in instalments. The state pays the contribution in full or part for an estimated 44 per...

Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Jul 2020)

Simon Harris: ...offer the right education and the proper training and channel those skills into solving the problems not just of today but of tomorrow. We have started well. This week we launched a €168 million package of supports for the third level sector and students. We published our reopening plans and announced the commencement dates for all first-year college students. These measures...

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

Simon Harris: ...have done fewer tests than we have. According to our world data website, we rank fourth highest in the European Union out of 22 EU and UK countries in terms of the number of tests completed per million of population. Many countries are lifting restrictions but doing fewer tests than us. I do not accept the premise that restrictions cannot be lifted on 5 May because of testing. My...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Data (18 Dec 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275, 276 and 278 to 280, inclusive, together. Reducing waiting time for patients for hospital operations and procedures is a key priority for Government. In this regard, the Government is committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures. Budget 2020 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Delays (17 Dec 2019)

Simon Harris: ...procedures. Budget 2020 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) increasing from €75 million in 2019 to €100 million in 2020. My Department is working with the HSE and NTPF to develop the Scheduled Care Access Plan 2020. The National Service Plan 2020 will set out...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Licensing (26 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: ...on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions  As a country, we invest heavily in medicines, to the tune of almost €2 billion annually. As of October 2019, there have been 29 new medicines and 5 new indications for existing medicines approved for reimbursement in the public healthcare system. The approvals to date represent an additional investment by the HSE over five years of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (19 Nov 2019)

Simon Harris: ...Drugs Target Savings scheme (IDTS) was agreed between the Department of Health and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO). The Scheme generated considerable savings in drug costs amounting to €177 million, particularly in the earlier years. However, savings had reduced considerably by 2005. The object of the IDTS was to encourage rational drug prescribing practices on the part of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Data (22 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ...Knee Replacements/Revisions procedures. More broadly, Budget 2020 announced that the Government has further increased investment in tackling waiting lists, with funding to the NTPF increasing from €75 million in 2019 to €100 million in 2020. The year-on-year increases to the National Treatment Purchase Fund since Budget 2017 reflect this Government’s priority to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ...to reach a decision in as timely a manner as possible. However, because of the significant monies involved, it must ensure that the best price is achieved, as these commitments are often multi-million euro, ongoing investments. This can lead to a protracted deliberation process. The HSE received 2 applications for pricing and reimbursement of Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) in Multiple...

Health and Childcare Support (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is correct that the €5 million is thepro ratacost. It is an estimate based on a similar pattern of usage for Irish patients. Some €5.3 million is our most accurate estimate of the cost and it has been provisioned for as part of our Brexit contingency funding. A Belfast resident who gets sick in an unplanned manner while on holiday in France and finds himself or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (15 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ..., with limited clinical benefits.   As a country, we invest heavily in medicines, to the tune of almost €2 billion annually. In 2019 to date, the HSE has approved 29 new medicines and 5 new indications for existing medicines for reimbursement in the public healthcare system.     As the Deputy is aware, the Oireachtas put in place a robust legal...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ...for the women in the 221 patient group. The HSE has advised that the information in the report represents a very small subset of overall data for CervicalCheck, which has completed in excess of 3 million screening tests since 2008. As such, while this data is accurate as to which laboratories were used for women within the 221 group, I am informed that it would not be statistically sound...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (8 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ...thresholds, with limited clinical benefits. As a country, we invest heavily in medicines, to the tune of almost €2 billion annually. In 2019 to date, the HSE has approved 29 new medicines and 5 new indications for existing medicines for reimbursement in the public healthcare system. As the Deputy is aware, the Oireachtas put in place a robust legal framework, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (3 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ...6,000 of our population die annually from tobacco related diseases and tobacco use has been estimated to cost Irish society €10.7 billion annually. This is comprised of healthcare costs of $507 million, productivity costs of €1,071 million, fires and litter costs of €75 million and loss of welfare of €9,012 million. The 2018 Healthy Ireland Survey...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Reimbursement (1 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: ...is weak, and where prices are set well outside of cost effectiveness parameters. The HSE strives to reach a decision in as timely a manner as possible. However, because these commitments are often multi-million euro investments on an on-going basis, it must ensure that the best price is achieved. This can lead to a protracted deliberation process. In 2019 to date, the HSE has...