Results 1,681-1,700 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Cystic Fibrosis Services: Statements (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: I am delighted to have the opportunity to debate the significant progress we have made in Ireland in the development of cystic fibrosis, CF, services. As Minister, I am more than aware of the challenges faced by CF patients in managing their condition. CF is an inherited chronic disorder. We have a high incidence of the disease in Ireland relative to other European countries because of...

Cystic Fibrosis Services: Statements (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: It is unusual if the Deputy does not. He always says it.

Cystic Fibrosis Services: Statements (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: He said it three times today.

Cystic Fibrosis Services: Statements (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: I wish to make clear - in case there is any doubt about it - my commitment to making this happen. Equally, we have a public procurement process. I say to Deputy Ó Caoláin that it is not appropriate, nor would it be lawful, for me to intervene personally. In fact, if he wants to have the issue tied up in the courts for the next number of years, then that is precisely what I should do.

Cystic Fibrosis Services: Statements (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: The tender was conducted by St. Vincent's hospital. I commended the hospital earlier on conducting that tender in a meticulous fashion. The Deputy does not need me to tell him that, because of the prevailing circumstances in the country both on the banking side and in construction, significant legal and other issues arose during the tender process. The hospital is confident that the...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: I am not in a position to accept the amendment. The powers in the legislation will allow the Minister to set the charge at zero if he or she wishes to do so. The powers do not necessarily mean the charge will go up; it can come down, go up or be set at zero. The legislation indicates the issues to be taken into account, in particular the consumer price index, information on expenditure,...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: With regard to Deputy Ó Caoláin's comments, I did not say I would reduce the charge to zero but the Minister has the capacity to do so. In other words, an amendment is not needed to reduce it to zero, as that is provided for in the legislation. I do not want to mislead anybody and I did not suggest the charge will suddenly be zero in a few months. However, we need to establish how the...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: The Deputy might be a successor himself. He should not be pessimistic.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: I hope she is not one of Deputy Reilly's patients or he will be in trouble.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: Co-payments are in operation from Australia to the United States and in many European countries. There is no evidence to suggest that when people make a co-payment, they do not take their essential medicines. I referred earlier to research from Holland in 1998. The reason I included children in care is that as the HSE pays for those children, there is no point in having a circular movement...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: It is wrong to assume, and there is no international evidence to suggest, that if people require essential medication that they are not going to get it because there is a small co-payment.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: I am pleased to reply to the debate, because it was rather wide-ranging, and I want to thank all the Deputies who contributed. I understand the position of the Labour Party and of Sinn Féin. However, I find the position of the Fine Gael Party incredible for the following reason. Fine Gael keep telling us that its FairCare health policy will implement in Ireland the system of universal...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: Deputy Kenny, for whom I have a good deal of respect, and Deputy Reilly, the Fine Gael spokesman, told us they visited the Netherlands and they intend to implement in Ireland the universal health care system that operates there, where all the hospitals were privatised and the insurers purchase services from the hospitals. Even in the Netherlands, however, people at the very bottom make a...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: Deputy Reilly is now the deputy leader of his party. In the Netherlands, everybody makes a co-payment, as he knows. No group, no matter how low-down the income threshold gets its care totally free, and everybody makes a contribution. Families at the bottom make a contribution in the region of €600 per year, which is far in excess of what is being imposed here. I shall be honest and say...

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: They cover the same number of people.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: Deputy Reilly will find it interesting that the out of hours service in Northern Ireland is about 30% of what we pay here for the same number of people.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: I am simply making the case that there are enormous cultural and other differences, even between North and South, where there is a similar population, in terms of-----

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: -----the number of items prescribed, whether it is on DPS or GMS. That is a fact.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: Equally, they prescribe 83% generic, as distinct from 11% and 18% here.

Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2010 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

Mary Harney: We have reduced the cost by about €350 million a year. There is a reduction in the wholesale margin, down from 17.6% to 10%.