Results 18,581-18,600 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Cancer Screening Programme. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Transport is a matter for others.

Proposed Legislation. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Work on the new medical practitioners Bill is well advanced and it is envisaged the heads of the Bill will be circulated for comment to interested parties, including the Deputy, before the summer. This will assist in drafting the Bill. I intend to publish the Bill later this year.

Proposed Legislation. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I certainly hope it will be enacted because otherwise it will fall. A huge effort is being made in the Department of Health and Children to try to make sure we have modern and robust legislation enacted with great speed. Clearly, there are deficiencies in the 1978 legislation. We need more modern and robust legislation but, notwithstanding the deficiencies, that is no excuse for what happened...

Proposed Legislation. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I intend to release the heads of the Bill. This will be helpful given that it will be major legislation that will be of great interest not only in this House. A better debate on the Bill will ensue if there is feedback and input at an earlier stage. There will be an ongoing process of competence assurance because we have noted this happens elsewhere. Most of our best doctors constantly attend...

Proposed Legislation. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: This is a medical practitioners Bill, so clearly it does not deal with anyone other than medical practitioners. The Deputy is well informed about the date of 12 May because I did not know the specific date. It is a good report which makes some very practical suggestions.

General Medical Services Scheme. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The financial report to the board of the Health Service Executive in respect of the cumulative expenditure to end December 2005 highlighted the growth in expenditure on drugs and medicines of €65 million over the 2004 expenditure level. This represents an increase of 13% on a total expenditure figure for 2004 of €500 million on both major hospitals and the community drug schemes. This...

General Medical Services Scheme. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: No. These are very controversial areas and they are probably more appropriate for those with medical expertise. I am aware that many countries have protocols regulating when particular drugs may be used, for example, drugs that can cure as opposed to drugs used for an incurable illness. We have not considered going down that road as it is a very sensitive issue. In the first instance it is...

General Medical Services Scheme. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: In answer to the question about the chief pharmacist — until we can pay a public sector salary commensurate with what the market regards as reasonable we will find it considerably difficult. This has been the experience when the Department recruited some professionals in recent times. It is a real issue because of the salaries being earned in the private sector. In some of these areas we...

Accident and Emergency Services: Motion. (26 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I move: That Dáil Éireann, —commends the Government and the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children for their commitment to improving care for patients in our hospitals; —recognises and supports the necessity for a substantial reform to accompany the unprecedented level of resources being invested in our health services and in hospitals in particular; —acknowledges and supports...

Written Answers — Health Levy: Health Levy (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The health contribution was introduced by virtue of the Health Contributions Act 1979 and came into effect on 6 April of that year. The contributions are levied on income at a percentage rate set in pursuance of the Health Contributions Act and proceeds are paid over to the Minister for Health and Children in aid of the Vote for the Health Service Executive. The current rate of contribution...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 to 121, inclusive, 141, 153, 176, 220 and 233 together. The Deputies' questions relate 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, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (25 Apr 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, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this case investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Garda vetting services are available in respect of health service employees with substantial unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults. Vetting applications are dealt with as expeditiously as possible by the Garda central vetting unit and I am informed that correctly completed applications are being processed to a conclusion within approximately four weeks from the date of receipt.

Written Answers — Home Help Service: Home Help Service (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy's question relates to human resource management issues within the Health Service Executive. As these are matters for the executive under the Health Act 2004, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have them investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy. I am aware that a high level group...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The Health Service Executive established its parliamentary affairs division in April 2005 to provide an effective mechanism and specific resource, to address the information needs of Members in connection with the discharge by the executive of its statutory responsibilities under the Health Act 2004. The executive's parliamentary affairs division provides a central contact for all requests...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (25 Apr 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, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: I understand that a reply has issued from the Health Service Executive to the Deputy dated 16 February 2006.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (25 Apr 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, the Department of Health and Children has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to respond directly to the Deputy regarding the matter.

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: The review of acute bed capacity carried out in 2001 utilised the most recent data available at that time from the Central Statistics Office on the demography of the population and projected population changes. Following discussions between the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive, it is intended to carry out a further review of the acute hospital bed capacity...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Harney: Any person, who is ordinarily resident in Ireland, is entitled to receive treatment as a public patient by a consultant in a public hospital, including Letterkenny General Hospital, subject only to certain statutory charges. Treatment in an accident and emergency department is provided on the basis of medical need and the fact that a patient holds private health insurance is not relevant to...