Results 14,021-14,040 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: The Primary Care Strategy aims to support and promote the health and well-being of the population by developing multi-disciplinary teams of professionals, including general practitioners, which enable the vast majority of people's health and social care needs to be met in their local community. I recognise that in order to support and facilitate this model of care, general practitioners...

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

Mary Harney: Medical cards are made available to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. In 2005 the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who do not qualify for a medical card would not be deterred on cost grounds...

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

Mary Harney: Medical cards are made available to persons and their dependants who would otherwise experience undue hardship in meeting the cost of General Practitioner (GP) services. In 2005 the GP visit card was introduced as a graduated benefit so that people on moderate and lower incomes, particularly parents of young children, who do not qualify for a medical card would not be deterred on cost grounds...

Written Answers — Departmental Surveys: Departmental Surveys (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: The National Rehabilitation Unit, Dun Laoghaire is the only capital project approved in the Capital Plan 2007 which requires a cost benefit analysis. The cost benefit analysis for this project has been commissioned and is currently underway. This exercise is expected to be completed by the end of August 2007.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I would like to share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Smith.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I move amendmentNo. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "—supports the commitment in the Programme for Government to proceed with the hospital co-location initiative, which is designed to improve access for public patients to acute hospital care in a timely and cost effective way by freeing up 1,000 publicly funded beds; supports the further...

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: If I have any message for the Members of the new Dáil, it is that they should think again about becoming members of the health committee.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: Deputy McManus and I certainly survived. Deputy Clune, whom I welcome back to the Dáil, said we should build public beds. We have built the beds. We have ring-fenced 2,500 beds, which have been fully funded by the taxpayer, for the exclusive use of private patients. Does anybody in this House think that is fair? Is it right that we should say that the 2,500 beds which have been provided...

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: They will do so in the case of national specialties.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: The co-located facilities will have to provide 24-hour admission. That will be a new feature of private hospitals in Ireland. They will have to train doctors. Deputy Reilly said they will not train doctors, but they will have to do so. Their profits will have to be shared. If debt is being refinanced, public hospitals will have to benefit too. We will not have the situation that arose...

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I have attended many meetings with Professor Drumm, including Cabinet sub-committees where we approved this, and he has never issued or expressed any reservations about it. Professor Drumm is right. His job is to run the public health care system. My job, as Minister for Health and Children, is to preside over a health care system to which everybody can have access. The issue concerns us...

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: Professor Drumm has never expressed any reservations. He does not get involved in policy making.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: Yes, he does not get involved in policy-making. That is a matter for the Minister and the Government.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: The HSE implements Government policy in health care.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: He has never expressed any reservations to me or anyone else that I am aware of on this project.

Co-location of Hospitals: Motion. (26 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: After the general election debate, in my view the co-location policy has emerged without a dent and without damage. That is because its central objective has always been, and remains, to free up publicly funded beds for public patients. The co-location initiative will achieve 1,000 new public beds faster and more cost effectively so there is better access to acute hospital services for all...

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I will share time with Deputy Brennan. I am happy and privileged to be invited to serve for a third time in a Government within a decade. As all Members who have spoken have acknowledged, it is a great privilege to be elected to this House and to have the opportunity to serve in Government. I have been in this House since 1981 and in the Oireachtas for 30 years and the political landscape...

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: I find it hard to understand that when an effort was being put together to create what was called a dolly mixture, suddenly, we are reverting to form. While I have had differences with the Green Party, I very much welcome it into Government.

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: No. I welcome it into the Government, where it will be a breath of fresh air. Between 1989 and 1992, I had the privilege of serving as a Minister of State at the Department of the Environment when the environment was not considered to be important by many people. It was in the early days of recycling, of establishing the EPA and of banning smog in Dublin and we have come a long way since then.

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (14 Jun 2007)

Mary Harney: It is now an issue for every party and the Green Party has genuinely placed this issue on the centre stage of Irish politics, which I welcome. Every small party that aligns with a much bigger party faces the issue of losing its identity. Moreover, there is also the responsibility of being able to give effect to some of one's policies by going into Government, reaching agreement on a...