Results 16,261-16,280 of 45,608 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Do not drag me into it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is the Battle of Clontarf.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: To break out a bit of harmony after the previous question, I thank Deputy Gino Kenny for his role in advocating for medicinal cannabis. We may not fully agree on the approach to take but I acknowledge the Deputy's sincere commitment on the issue of medicinal cannabis and helping people from a compassionate point of view. I also acknowledge Deputy Micheál Martin's work on this issue....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Cannabis for Medicinal Use (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: My approach to this, which the Deputy and I have discussed on many occasions, is that I have to be led by the views of clinicians. I take that approach because they are the people who have the medical expertise and we need them to buy into the programme. In some countries politicians have pretended to introduce programmes that had no clinical support whatsoever. The success of this...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: We are making progress.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is fair game, when the Deputy asks a question on wanting to recruit more consultants, to point out that the policies she puts forward would result in fewer consultants.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: In 2012, Sinn Féin believed consultants were paid too much.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: It is not like Deputy O'Reilly to be unruly. I tried to look at a document Sinn Féin published in November 2016 under the tile, Framework for New Pay Agreement, but it does not seem to be available on its website today. I suppose the party wants to try to hide the fact it believed these people were paid too much and it wanted to tax them more and reduce their salaries. Let us see what...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy says, I preside over a health service that has seen more than 90% of GPs - the front-line doctors in our communities - accept the new agreement and contract that I have put to them. It is probably unheard of to achieve such massive acceptance of a deal, in this case one which will invest €210 million more in general practice. I preside over a health service that has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The 10% increase in the assessment threshold for GP visit cards was implemented at the start of April. The budget for this would have been held back as a reserve in my Department. I say that from memory. If my account is inaccurate, I will send a note to the Deputy. My position is to allow the new CEO, Mr. Reid, who has only been in the office for a few weeks, and the new board, which has...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Every Government of every hue monitors healthcare spending on an almost monthly basis in the run up to any budget. My message to the HSE is to deliver the service plan in full and, in parallel, to put in place greater controls in respect of individual managers. We have discussed this matter in the House. One cannot have individual managers recruiting without paying heed to the budget. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her question. The number of consultants working in the public health service continues to grow year on year. It increased by 125 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, or just over 4%, in the year to the end of May. I will get the clarification for the Deputy on these 125 WTEs and how many are on the specialist register. I do not have that information with me. In...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: HSE Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The management of health services finances is always challenging, as we have seen since the HSE was set up. There is a range of supplementary figures going right back to the start of the HSE that I could put on the record of the House. The indications are that performance so far this year is better than last year and, as the Deputy has acknowledged, significant efforts are under way on the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: An EU Interreg-funded programme is currently being delivered in the border counties of Ireland, Northern Ireland and west coast of Scotland.  The programme aims to assess and treat higher volumes of patients more effectively, both in scheduled and unscheduled care pathways, through improved and reformed service delivery models, on a cross border basis.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Agencies (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides funding to bodies that deliver services similar, or ancillary to, services that the HSE may provide. These organisations provide a broad range of services and are governed by Service Level Agreements with the HSE. There are approximately 2,200 Section 39 voluntary organisations and 150 of these receive funding from the HSE in excess of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Planning (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: My Department has been working with the Health Service Executive and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to develop a multi annual capital plan for the health services. The Summer Economic Statement, published recently by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, provides an expenditure reserve of up to €200m in 2020 to accommodate funding...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospitals Capital Programme (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 79 together. The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. The standard of care delivered to residents in public units is generally very high, but we recognise that many of our community hospitals are housed in buildings that are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cancer Screening Programmes (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims, including claims in respect of clinical negligence, on behalf of Delegated State Authorities (DSA’s) including the Health Service Executive.  I have been informed by the State Claims Agency that a total of 22 claims have been made in relation to the BreastCheck programme. These claims...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The public health service in Ireland operates in a global market for medical specialists which is experiencing a world-wide shortage.  Nonetheless, the number of consultants working in the public health service continues to grow year on year. It increased by 125 whole time equivalents (WTE), or just over 4 per cent, in the year to the end of May 2019. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE is responsible for the delivery of health and personal social services, including the development of primary care facilities at Inisbofin, County Galway. The HSE has advised that Galway County Council is transferring land to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht who will then transfer a portion of the land to the HSE. The transfer has not yet been...