Results 16,301-16,320 of 45,736 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Services Provision (3 Jul 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: Data Protection (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: The Health Service Executive (HSE) and other health service providers must ensure that all data is processed and controlled in line with the principles of the GDPR and relevant Irish legislation. However, as the Data Protection Commission has highlighted, GDPR is not intended to stop or hamper the legitimate, lawful use and sharing of personal data. The GDPR is a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Data (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: As this question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for it to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, to delete lines 28 to 30 and substitute the following: “(a) a woman— (i) identified as part of the Review of Cervical Screening as having CervicalCheck cytology review findings that were discordant with those of the original cytology examination in relation to the woman concerned, or (ii) whose cytology slides were sought, by the...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: This has been a constructive engagement. In response to Deputy O'Connell, we need to be sure not to second-guess why women chose not to engage with the RCOG process. For a lot of people, their cancer journey may have ended a number of years ago and they may now be in very good health and not wish to have an independent review. The figure I have shows that 63% of women on the cancer...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I expect it to be next week, subject to passing this Stage.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Yes, but I wish to flag the fact that the finding of the mechanism will be tricky, though I am not saying it is beyond us. I do not want to mislead the committee into thinking I can find it within a couple of days. We know what we want to do.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: We also want to find a way to provide assurance on the issue.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: That is fair and I appreciate it.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: This amendment is due to the eagle eye of Deputy Kelly and his legislative scrutiny. He may have spotted a drafting error. While I do not believe it is a drafting error, I have sought the advice of the Attorney General. We read the "or" as an "and-or".

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: My legal advice suggests that is the meaning of the word. We all know what it is meant to mean. There may be a drafting issue. I have sought the Attorney General's advice on the impact of the deletion and I will come back on Report Stage. The Deputy may be right but we need to be sure.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Let me await the Attorney General's advice. If there is a need to fix it, we will do that.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I see what Deputy Smith is trying to do in her amendment. The Statute of Limitations continues to apply in terms of access to the courts, so obviously it is the same Statute of Limitations as for anybody else and as for any other issue, which is two years from the cause of action. In regard to the tribunal, when we asked Mr. Justice Meenan to do his work, one of the things that came back...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I understand the Deputy's point. There is a balance to be struck here. Obviously, if we have already made a payment for non-disclosure through the ex gratiascheme, and we have fixed that as a set payment of €20,000 - when I say "we", an independent assessment panel has done that and those payments of €20,000 will start issuing in the coming weeks - what we are saying is that...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: Deputy O'Connell hit on the key point.

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: In fairness, I gave Deputy Kelly credit the last time. Deputy O'Connell often does so on these matters as she is well informed. In fairness to Deputies Kelly and Smith, they both said very openly the intent of the amendments is to replicate the hepatitis C compensation tribunal. My starting point on this, which I believe we would all acknowledge, is that this matter is very different from...

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: I am sure the Deputy would not misread what I said intentionally. I definitely did not say that. Let me be very clear-----

Select Committee on Health: CervicalCheck Tribunal Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2019)

Simon Harris: A very different version. Words matter. As Minister for Health, I have been very clear from day one that women were let down by the State in the non-disclosure of a retrospective audit which was meant to be disclosed. I have apologised for it. AsI have spent many hours with many women and families, the Deputy should not in any way, accidentally or otherwise, misrepresent what I said about...