Results 14,281-14,300 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The Act specifies criteria for decisions on the reimbursement of medicines. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, including on the advice of the National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Treatment Purchase Fund Data (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to improving waiting times for hospital procedures. In 2017, National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was initially allocated funding of €15m to address waiting lists.  A further €2.5m was allocated in late 2017 in order to further reduce the number of long-waiting patients and also address those patients waiting for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (17 Oct 2019)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Staff Data (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The Long Term Illness (LTI) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) has statutory responsibility for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital.  I have referred your question to the NPHDB for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Capital Expenditure Programme (17 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. The development of modern healthcare infrastructure is a complex process. As the Deputy knows, technical and specialist knowledge and expertise and capacity is required at all stages of capital projects such as appraisal, planning, design, procurement, construction, equipping and commissioning, and is typically procured from outside...

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

Simon Harris: As this refers to an individual case, I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his question and his interest in women's reproductive health. He conflated two matters. I very much stand over my position on supporting women in accessing reproductive health services in our own country. I am very proud of the decision taken by the people and the decision taken in this House. I will revert directly to the Deputy in writing on the matter,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Loughlin. I can tell she knew Maxine personally and I would be very happy to talk with her about the learnings she believes there are in terms of how the system failed Maxine. This is an issue on which we have worked on a cross-party basis and I think we have made good progress. We now have a budget for mental health that is more than €1 billion for the first...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: In direct answer to Deputy Barry's question, we cannot just confine the spending on mental health to those areas. As the Taoiseach outlined, the Minister of State with responsibility for higher education and the Minister for Education and Skills will also be spending money on mental health this year. In addition, a number of the 1,000 posts under Sláintecare will be in the mental...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, is actively considering options. It is important to say that the Government did not make a decision that this scheme needed to be ended. It was examined by the Ombudsman and found to be unfair. In fairness to the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, he has been engaging with disability...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Brassil for bringing to my attention the issue in regard to the chest walk-in clinic and the ultrasound. I will revert to him directly and I will talk to the chief executive of the HSE, Mr. Paul Reid, in that regard. I was not familiar with this issue. I know Mr. Reid was in University Hospital Kerry yesterday to meet hospital management and hospital group management, so he...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this question. I am delighted that budget 2020 was able to deliver on one of the key requests of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, namely, to ensure we have a dementia adviser in every county. The Deputy has pursued the matter with respect to County Kildare on a number of occasions. We will outline the recruitment process in the HSE service plan. Ten additional...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question. If he wishes to provide me with the information on the individual case he raised, I will be happy to revert to him directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: While I am willing to look at the individual case and liaise with the HSE, what I would say to the family in question is that, contrary to the inaccurate information Deputy Micheál Martin place on the record of this House, 100 additional therapists will be in post by 31 December. Budget 2020 has also delivered funding for 1,000 additional front-line staff by the end of 2020, which will...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I have already given that commitment but I am happy to give it again. I have engaged with Deputies on a cross-party basis in the mid-west on this issue. It is fair to say that in years gone by the region was left with an inadequate number of beds. We are fixing that problem. I recently paid an unannounced visit to University Hospital Limerick where I saw that a 60-bed ward extension is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Martin for the question. I note the Ombudsman's comments and I intend to meet with the Ombudsman shortly to discuss this. A number of Departments have worked on it. It is a whole-of-Civil Service initiative. I will revert to the Deputy this week in terms of a timeframe for the Pathfinder project.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: All 100 will be hired.