Results 14,501-14,520 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The National Immunisation Office, which is part of the Population Health Directorate of the Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for overseeing the day to day implementation of the Immunisation Programme, including vaccine procurement and management of the National Cold Chain Delivery Service. Vaccines are procured from manufacturers based on national requirements and are delivered...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I have no reason to believe that the cost of premiums will double over the next three years.

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I have been informed by the Health Service Executive that the Irish Family Planning Association's Dublin clinics are funded by the Executive to provide family planning services free of charge to medical card holders and to GP visit card holders who attend at these clinics. Family planning services are also available for medical card holders and GP visit card holders from the majority of GMS...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Government's sustained high level of investment in health care has enabled the completion and commissioning of numerous new facilities in both the acute and non-acute sectors. The HSE has responsibility for the planning and management of capital projects in the health sector, including the projects referred to in the Deputy's question. My Department has requested the Parliamentary...

Written Answers — Health Insurance: Health Insurance (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: Following enactment of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Act 2007, officials from my Department had discussions with the Quinn Group on Monday, 5 March. Given the commercial nature of the discussions, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Written Answers — Assisted Human Reproduction: Assisted Human Reproduction (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction (CAHR) was established in March 2000. Its terms of reference were to prepare a report on the possible approaches to the regulation of all aspects of assisted human reproduction and the social, ethical and legal factors to be taken into account in determining public policy in this area. The CAHR was composed largely of persons with expert...

Written Answers — Nursing Home Charges: Nursing Home Charges (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The health repayment scheme was launched in August 2006 and is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in conjunction with the appointed Scheme Administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald. In relation to repayments to applicants, the HSE has informed the Department that over 26,400 application forms have been submitted to the scheme administrator and these applications are being processed...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: It is my objective, and that of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and St. Luke's Hospital to see the earliest delivery of the Government's Plan for Radiation Oncology. I am determined that the HSE will deliver on this Plan in 2011 as originally scheduled. The HSE and my Department are considering options to speed up the pace of delivery. This is a challenging timetable and I will provide...

Written Answers — Water Fluoridation: Water Fluoridation (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health (Expert Body) was established in 2004 by the then Minister for Health and Children. The Expert Body held its inaugural meeting in April 2004 and its terms of reference are: to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the forum on fluoridation; to advise the Minister and evaluate ongoing research, including emerging issues, on all...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: Ireland's recommended immunisation programme is based on the guidelines of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. These guidelines are prepared with the assistance of an active committee from associated disciplines in paediatrics, infectious diseases, general practice and public health. I understand that the inclusion of the pneumococcal...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: Allergy describes a range of immune reactions to substances in the environment which though normally harmless, may cause hypersensitivity in certain individuals. There are a variety of allergic reactions which range from the more common minor skin conditions to severe reactions including anaphylaxis. The management of asthma includes the identification and avoidance of substances that...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (29 Mar 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 health care professionals employed in the public health services. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 110 together. I have been informed by the independent Chairman of the talks, Mr Mark Connaughton SC, that following soundings of the parties, he is "cautiously optimistic" that agreement can be reached on new contractual arrangements for medical consultants. The Government has set a deadline of 17 April 2007 for the conclusion of the talks and have...

Written Answers — Drugs Payment Scheme: Drugs Payment Scheme (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: Under the 1970 Health Act, the Health Service Executive may arrange for the supply, without charge, of drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances to people with a specified condition, for the treatment of that condition, through the Long Term Illness Scheme (LTI). The LTI does not cover GP fees or hospital co-payments. The conditions are: mental handicap, mental illness (for...

Written Answers — Hospitals Building Programme: Hospitals Building Programme (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: No public land is being given to private individuals to build private hospitals. In July 2005, following Government approval, I issued a policy direction to the Health Service Executive to develop co-located private hospitals on the sites of public hospitals. The aim of this initiative is to transfer private activity from within the public hospital system to new privately financed and...

Written Answers — Pharmacy Regulations: Pharmacy Regulations (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department and the HSE have been reviewing the pharmaceutical supply chain, with a view to seeking value for money in the State's drugs bill in order to better fund existing and innovative therapies without compromising continuity of supply or patient safety. The review of the Irish Pharmaceutical Health Care Association (IPHA) and the Association of...

Written Answers — Hospital Procedures: Hospital Procedures (29 Mar 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 — Hospitals Capacity: Hospitals Capacity (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive has informed my Department that it expects to publish the report in April.

Written Answers — Cancer Control Strategy: Cancer Control Strategy (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I am aware of concerns expressed by the Environmental Health Officers Association regarding the risk of skin cancer from sunbed use. When launching the Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland on 12 June last I announced that the Government had accepted my proposal to restrict the use of sunbeds to adults only. Heads of a Bill are being prepared for consideration by Government to regulate the...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (29 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: At the end of December 2006 there were a total of 1,674 whole time equivalent public health nurses (1,978 individual public health nurses) employed by the Health Service Executive. This year the HSE is sponsoring 156 nurses to undertake the higher diploma in Public Health Nursing. The annual cost of this programme is in excess of €7 million. The projected supply from these training...