Results 17,401-17,420 of 45,622 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Eligibility (16 May 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Applications (16 May 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (16 May 2019)

Simon Harris: Smile agus Sláinte, the new National Oral Health Policy provides the groundwork to transform oral health services over the next eight years. The ESRI worked with my Department to provide indicative costings for the delivery of various interventions under the proposed packages of care for children and adult medical holders and it is estimated that the cost of implementing the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services Expenditure (16 May 2019)

Simon Harris: The cost of providing treatment under the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) was €58.8 million in 2018. The estimated additional cost of providing the same number and range of services at the pre-FEMPI rates would be approximately €2.5 million. Regarding future dental services, the new National Oral Health Policy, "Smile agus Sláinte" includes proposals for the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I am sure the Ceann Comhairle will accept that the Taoiseach did not scarper away when Deputy Paul Murphy or Deputy Bríd Smith raised a question. He left to travel to Paris to attend a very important seminar on online hate speech after the terrorist attack in New Zealand which killed 51 people, as has been well documented.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: Presuming Deputy Murphy is against hate speech, I am sure he will apologise for the slur on the Taoiseach. To respond to Deputy Pringle, I certainly did receive a letter from Deputy Joan Collins, so if a written parliamentary question stated otherwise, I will write to the Ceann Comhairle about the matter. I received directly into my hand a letter from Deputy Collins and a number of other...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: This Government is continuing to increase the level of funding it is providing to section 38 and section 39 organisations. RehabCare provides excellent services for people with disabilities right across the country. If any organisation does not wish to continue to provide such services, it must give 12 months' notice. This is an important message to all our constituents, particularly...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Curran for raising this matter and acknowledge that he raises it quite consistently regarding the family to which he refers. I also acknowledge that this is a time of huge anxiety for the families impacted and worried about their children. I spoke directly to the new Director General of the HSE yesterday about this to inquire as to the current position. My understanding is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: It has certainly not been forgotten and people like Deputy Brassil ensure that is the case by raising these important matters. I express again my heartfelt sympathies to the patients and families involved. I acknowledge that this was, and for some continues to be, a time of great uncertainly for patients and their families and I appeal, as the Deputy has done, for their confidentiality to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I again thank Deputy Eugene Murphy and appreciate his very sincere interest in this. As a constituency Deputy, he has rightly come across families who are interacting with these services and who are dependent on them. He is entirely right that people build up a rapport, a personal relationship, a trust, and a bond with people working in our mental health services. It can be upsetting for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: It is lovely to hear such positive feedback about the really important impact our front-line staff are having on the Deputy's constituents in Roscommon, and I will make sure that is passed on to the people working in the mental health services in community healthcare west. I will indeed seek an update on the recommendations from that review, and I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Jim...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Primary Care Centres Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not think I have ever gotten to Question No. 22 during my Oral Parliamentary Questions. I very much welcome Deputy Curran's important question, and this is something about which he has corresponded with me over the last number of months as well. I am well aware there have been delays in developing a primary care centre in Lucan. The HSE has informed me that an advertisement for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Primary Care Centres Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for that. From memory, I think we have 129 primary care centres operational around the country, but I will certainly inquire into the Deputy's constituency.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Primary Care Centres Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I accept and appreciate Deputy Curran's very real interest in this. We want to see a primary care centre in Lucan, and that has been the HSE's position for quite a period of time. We advertised, as I said, back in 2017 and it was highly unfortunate what happened in relation to the selected preferred bidder. If the Deputy wishes to contact my office, I will certainly convene a meeting with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Primary Care Centres Provision (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: We are certainly going to build a primary care centre in Lucan and I hope the advertisement placed on 3 May yields interest. I am encouraged by what the HSE informs me in relation to one of the parties to the previous joint bid expressing a view that it will resubmit an application. As I said, we will meet with the Dublin Mid-West Deputies next month and monitor progress together.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Screening Programmes (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies again. My guidance to all those working in the health service is to continue providing the services we provide to women and men. Those services that have saved lives since we introduced CervicalCheck screening programme during the time in government of Deputy Donnelly's party. The mortality rates relating to cervical cancer have decreased by 7% each year. This is a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan for this question, which relates to an area in which she takes a keen interest. I am answering the quesiton on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, who is unavoidably detained. Drug and alcohol task forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in local communities and in ensuring that a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I take what Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan says very seriously. I know from her constituency what a very positive impact the task forces can have in a community with rampant drug problems. I very much appreciate that point. I will indeed ask Minister of State, Catherine Byrne, to take the Deputy's comments on board as part of her review on additional funding. We all agree that this is an area...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I do not disagree with what the Deputy says and I take her comments about funding on board. I would also make the point that it is about more than funding. It has to be about the way we treat people with drug addiction. For a country that likes to consider itself progressive, tolerant and inclusive, the way we only treat people with drug addiction through the criminal justice system is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Eugene Murphy for this important question on Roscommon community mental health services, the reason for their transfer to County Galway and plans for the replacement of these positions. Community healthcare west has confirmed to me that three senior clinicians in the Roscommon area are in the process of leaving their roles. They are leaving to pursue career opportunities...