Results 17,921-17,940 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: I have met with representatives of BreastCheck and they are fully aware of my wish to have a quality assured programme rolled out to the remaining regions in the country as quickly as possible. For this to happen, essential elements of the roll out must be in place including adequate staffing, effective training and quality assurance programmes. I have made available additional revenue...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of births by caesarean section in Ireland. Approximately one in five births are now performed through this procedure. The decision to perform a caesarean section is a clinical one that is taken by qualified medical practitioners. Reasons suggested for the increasing caesarean rates include more widespread availability of foetal...

Written Answers — Primary Care: Primary Care (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The HSE has informed me that in November 2005, a sub-committee of the Executive's National Primary and Community Care Reform Working Group was established to review the current status of GP access to diagnostics; to explore current and potential capacity; and make short, medium and long-term recommendations. I am advised that work is being undertaken at present to progress two specific...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The HSE CEO has supported the recommendations of the Internal Audit Unit's review and report in respect of PPARS' recruitment of the companies providing computer consultancy services (technical contractors) and acknowledged that deviation from official public procurement policy is not acceptable. The recommendations of the Internal Audit Unit's report are being implemented and together with...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: Talks on a new hospital consultant contract commenced on 24th November 2005 under the independent chairmanship of Mr. Mark Connaughton SC. At that meeting, and at a further plenary meeting in December, both the IHCA and the IMO indicated that they required a number of issues to be addressed before they could engage in substantive negotiations on a new contract. Proposals for a new employment...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: Information supplied to my Department by the Health Service Executive (HSE) indicates that as at 29th May 2006 there were 16,920 persons holding a GP visit card. Since 2005, I have made significant improvements to the way in which people's eligibility for medical cards and GP visit cards is assessed. In January 2005, I increased the income guidelines used in the assessment of medical card...

Written Answers — Public Health: Public Health (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: Iodine tablets offer protection from radioactive iodine of which iodine-131 is normally the most significant in terms of radiation dose. Radioactive iodine is no longer produced at Sellafield since the closure of the Calder Hall reactors in March 2003 and there is no iodine-131 stored in the HASTs (highly active storage tanks). An accident at Sellafield would not result in a release of...

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy will be aware that the management and delivery of the health and personal social services is now the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. This includes responsibility for the appointment of additional hospital consultant staff. Therefore, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to respond to the Deputy in relation to the issues...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: In line with the recent Government Decision to introduce 'whistleblowing' provisions on a sector by sector basis, I am proposing to include specific provisions concerning protected disclosure of information in the draft Heads and General Scheme of the Bill establishing the Health Information and Quality Authority and the Office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services, which I will be...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The management of expenditure against budget for individual acute hospitals is a matter for the Health Service Executive. However, in reporting on expenditure to the end of the first quarter of 2006, the HSE indicated some concerns regarding emerging trends in major acute hospitals. I am informed by the HSE that the National Hospitals Office is now undertaking an assessment of the situation...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the Executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the children's hospitals. I would be very supportive of such a service being available for parents and...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Heads of Bill for a new Medical Practitioners Act are at an advanced stage of preparation. It is my intention to make the Heads of Bill available as soon as possible, in order to allow for interested parties to make comments on the proposals. These comments will then assist in the drafting of the Bill proper, which I intend to publish in the Autumn. The concerns raised by the Medical...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: A breast screening programme is a complex multidisciplinary undertaking that requires considerable expertise and management involving population registers, call recall systems, mammography, pathology and appropriate treatment and follow up. A programme must be quality assured and acceptable to women who attend for screening. The first phase of the programme is of a high quality and a similar...

Written Answers — Hospital Waiting Lists: Hospital Waiting Lists (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Primary Care: Primary Care (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Primary Care: Primary Care (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Patient Statistics: Patient Statistics (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: Alopecia is a recurrent non-scarring type of hair loss that can affect any hair-bearing area. Although medically benign, alopecia can cause tremendous emotional and psychosocial stress in affected patients and their families. The pathophysiology of alopecia remains unknown. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that alopecia is a T-cell mediated autoimmune condition that is most likely to...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — HIV Infection: HIV Infection (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Harney: I wish to assure the Deputies that I am committed to ensuring that an insurance scheme for persons infected with Hepatitis C and HIV through the administration of blood and blood products within the State is established on a statutory basis as soon as possible. The legislation is included as a priority in the Government's Legislative Programme for the current session and it is my firm...