Results 14,721-14,740 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I must defend my staff.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I know the Deputy has not, but I checked it. We spoke about it privately yesterday and Deputy McManus raised it in this forum. I have a duty to those who work for me and their integrity and professionalism. I spoke with them. What they did was say that Deputy McManus has put down an amendment——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: If anybody did anything to cast a reflection on the Deputy's character, I would not wish this to happen. I was told the amendment put forward by the Deputy to remove all patient representatives from the Medical Council——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy withdrew the amendment. I will not make any more——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: This is far too important to get involved in this kind of controversy. Deputy McManus tabled all the IMO amendments. She withdrew some of them.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I read the IMO submission and the other submissions and amendment after amendment went down.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I am not criticising that, but the Deputy cannot criticise my press people if they draw the media's attention to the fact that she did not want——

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: We will not agree on that. I will deal with something else mentioned by Deputy McManus, namely, the privatisation of the health system. A total of 75% to 78% of the funding of health care is provided by taxpayers, while 22% to 25% is provided by private sources. That is in line with the OECD. It is not in line with the US, where the ratio is about 62:38 in favour of private funding. I am...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I must respond to this because the Deputy was talking about the privatisation of the health system and I am entitled to respond. I acknowledge that capital allowances are available for investment in these hospitals, but these allowances are available to make films with the support of all parties in this House. I do not see why capital allowances cannot be made available to support...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Health and Children, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy may.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: Only if they are national issues.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will not have enough time to mention all of them.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: I hope they are not dispensing drugs in all those places.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: What has it to do with the Pharmacy Bill?

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: It is about having fair competition. There are no ethical politics involved.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: Not in all cases. There must be a supervisory pharmacist in charge of every retail pharmacy. In respect of a corporation, there must be an overall person in charge who is a pharmacist.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy knows, there is a range of sanctions, which include censure and admonishment. Ultimately, these matters will be determined in the courts because like all regulation of this kind, everybody has the right to appeal the decision to the High Court where it could ultimately be determined. It is not administered in terms of a percentage allocation. For example, if a pharmacist was...

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: It may not be the corporation. It may be one or the other or both.

Pharmacy Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (23 Mar 2007)

Mary Harney: They have a right to do that, as they do in respect of all regulations. The courts ultimately make these decisions. We cannot give those kinds of judicial powers to regulatory bodies.