Results 14,521-14,540 of 21,128 for speaker:James Reilly

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: The Gross Current Expenditure provision for my Department for 2011, as set out in the Revised Estimates Volume, is €347.701m. The September expenditure returns show that the total gross current expenditure is €194.317m, while gross capital expenditure is €1.809m. This results in €151.575m remaining to be spent. Spending is under profile and it is anticipated that there will be some...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: Management of the Health Service Executive property portfolio is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: The Employment Control Framework for the health sector exempts certain grades and posts from the moratorium on recruitment, including counsellors. Notwithstanding this exemption, the HSE decided in July of this year to introduce a general recruitment pause to assist with addressing the serious budgetary overrun. This decision must be seen in the context of a possible full year deficit of over...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (2 Nov 2011)

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

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: The National Ambulance Service is an emergency service and operates free at the point of service. The strategic approach of the National Ambulance to this issue is to examine ways of triaging such calls at the point of contact, in order to direct patients to the most appropriate service. I will keep the question of charging in these circumstances under review.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: The management and delivery of the health capital programme is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: Following my appointment, I initiated a review of the decision of the previous Government to phase out pay to student nurses when undertaking the rostered placement. This review has now been completed. The review included consideration of representations made by the nursing unions but also had to take cognisance of the position in relation to the public finances. Following the review, it has...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: The Employment Control Framework for the health sector exempts certain grades and posts from the moratorium on recruitment. These include some nursing posts. The Framework also allows the HSE discretion to fill non-exempted posts on exceptional grounds in order to maintain essential services. The number of such exceptions must of necessity be kept to a minimum given the need to make...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: Pricing policy on alcohol products - along with measures for the policy areas of prevention strategies, treatment, rehabilitation, alcohol and substance dependency, and research and information - is one of the areas being considered by the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group that was established in 2009. The report of the Steering Group is close to completion; I expect to...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. In this regard I have established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), which will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The SDU is working...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: I am determined to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients receiving treatment in our hospitals. In this regard I have established the Special Delivery Unit (SDU), which will work to unblock access to acute services by dramatically improving the flow of patients through the system, and by streamlining waiting lists, including referrals from GPs. The SDU is working...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (2 Nov 2011)

James Reilly: Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes came into force in November 2010. This Directive is intended to strengthen the protection of animals needed for research and safety testing, minimise the number of animals used in experiments and require alternatives to be used where possible. The new Directive is required to be transposed into Irish law by 12...

Seanad: Redundancy Payments (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: The Senator should forgive me if I address the question put rather than the numerous ones he just raised. Senator Sheahan and Deputy Griffin have been extending invitations to me regularly to open the hospital. I will be very happy to do so at the appropriate time. The issue the Senator raised is very serious, particularly at a time of economic crisis in which many have been made redundant....

Seanad: Redundancy Payments (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: I agree that, on the face of it, five sounds like a very small number. However, as it constitutes an increase of 25%, I ask the Senator to await developments in the next couple of weeks to ascertain how this affects the service. If it does not have the desired result, I certainly will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, who is...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: I thank all the Senators for their contributions, including the questions they have asked. Many of these questions are of considerable interest to people. Even though I know it has not been raised directly, I would like to address the issue of thalidomide survivors. I know the question will be coming from Senator White in any event. I also know that some of them are here today in the...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: I am sorry; I am trying to deal with the questions raised as best I can.

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: In other words, we are not closing the door to the suggestions made. We will examine them and try to expedite them. Regarding the national home care budget for sick children, a question was asked about a draft document which indicated we would cut left, right and centre. There is no question of medical cards being taken from people who are still entitled to have them. That would not make...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: I believe I covered the question about services in Limerick and Galway in my opening remarks. I cannot go into detail, as it would hamper the work of the SDU. When its representatives go into a hospital, they receive great co-operation and there is honest engagement. As such, if we were to start publishing reports or making public what has been found, people will start to clam up. I do...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: There are certain elements of the Dutch system that we like, but there are other elements that we do not like. We have looked at the system in Holland in terms of the underpinning of a universal health insurance system. We have looked at the system in Denmark when it comes to having a patient safety authority. We have looked at the system in the United Kingdom when it comes to the hospital...

Seanad: Health Services: Statements, Questions and Answers (27 Oct 2011)

James Reilly: In response to Senator Marie Moloney's question on medical cards, the Health Service Executive has centralised the processing of all new and renewal applications at Primary Care Reimbursement Services, PCRS, in Finglas with effect from 1 July this year. The executive has stated it does not expect major delays in processing applications. Completed applications are processed within 15 working...