Results 19,121-19,140 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: My Department has been advised by the Health Service Executive that a reply issued to the Deputy on 2 March 2006.

Written Answers — Doctor Registration: Doctor Registration (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: The Medical Council has informed me that this matter is sub judice. It would, therefore, not be appropriate for me to make any comment at this time.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (7 Mar 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 case investigated and to issue a reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (7 Mar 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 case investigated and to issue a reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, is available to women in the 50 to 64 age group in the eastern, north-eastern, south-eastern and midlands regions. There are approximately 160,000 women in the target age group in these regions and since the programme commenced, more than 1,600 cancers have been detected. Planning is under way for the roll-out of the programme to the...

Written Answers — Assisted Human Reproduction: Assisted Human Reproduction (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: This issue was examined by the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction. The commission's report was published in May 2005 and, as I indicated at the time, the Government decided to refer the report to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children. This will allow for further political consideration of the complex issues involved. Research of this kind also arises under the EU...

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I have not directed any hospital to cancel elective surgery where necessary to make beds available for patients in accident and emergency departments, nor am I aware of anyone in my Department having done so.

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (7 Mar 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 issue a reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 17 together. On 3 February last, the Health Service Executive published a report, prepared by McKinsey & Co., on the delivery of tertiary paediatric services in this country. This report was commissioned by the HSE at my request in the context of decisions to be taken on the possible relocation of the facilities at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children,...

Written Answers — Health Levy: Health Levy (2 Mar 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 to the Minister for Health and Children in aid of the Vote for the Health Service Executive. The current rate of contribution is 2%...

Written Answers — Organ Retention: Organ Retention (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: The Madden Report on Post Mortem Practice and Procedures contained 50 recommendations. Some of the recommendations, such as the formulation of human tissue legislation, are a matter for my Department. Others, such as an audit of organs retained in hospitals, are a matter for the HSE, and others fall under the aegis of other agencies, for example, the coroners legislation, is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I recently met with representatives of BreastCheck and they are fully aware of my wish to have the programme rolled out nationally 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 additional revenue funding of €2.3 million available to BreastCheck this...

Written Answers — Health Service Executive Accounts: Health Service Executive Accounts (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: In compliance with the Department of Finance reporting requirements, the Health Service Executive, HSE, provided its best estimate of the end year forecast of Exchequer issues for 2005 on 22 December 2005. This indicated a projected saving of nearly €12 million on non-capital spending and a projected saving of just over €56 million on capital spending. The projected capital saving had...

Written Answers — Medical Education: Medical Education (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: On 1 February I announced, together with the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, details of a major reform programme in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training, based on the recommendations in the Report of the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training, chaired by Professor Pat Fottrell, and the Report of the Postgraduate Medical...

Written Answers — Consultants' Contracts: Consultants' Contracts (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Proposals for a new employment contract for consultants working in the public health system were recently tabled by the management side in the context of the consultants' contract negotiations. The new contract will be a first step towards the introduction of a consultant-provided service and the appointment of large numbers of dedicated public hospital and community based consultants,...

Written Answers — Medical Inquiry: Medical Inquiry (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 30, 80 and 82 together. The report of the Lourdes Hospital inquiry, chaired by Judge Maureen Harding Clark, was published on Tuesday last. The inquiry was established by the Government in 2004 following the decision of the Medical Council to remove Dr. Michael Neary from the Register of Medical Practitioners after finding him guilty of professional...

Written Answers — Nursing Home Accommodation: Nursing Home Accommodation (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 78 together. In accordance with the Nursing Homes (Care and Welfare) Regulations 1993, a provider must undertake a contract of care in regard to each dependent person and-or a person acting on his-her behalf. This is set out in paragraphs 7.1 to 7.3 of the nursing home regulations. Also, under the Code of Practice for Nursing Homes published by the...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council, PHECC, is responsible for the development of professional and performance standards for the ambulance services and for the accreditation of institutions providing training for ambulance personnel. The council conducts national examinations to determine if individuals have achieved the emergency medical technician-paramedic standard suitable for the...

Written Answers — Vaccination Programme: Vaccination Programme (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I do not understand the Deputy's reference to this House or the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children not being informed about the purchase of H5N1 vaccine. On 31 January last in reply to parliamentary questions, I stated that arrangements to procure a stockpile of H5N1 vaccine for key health care workers and other essential workers were in train. Officials from my Department and...

Written Answers — Accident and Emergency Services: Accident and Emergency Services (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 114 together. My Department is in ongoing discussions with the Health Service Executive with regard to the need for improvement in accident and emergency services, with a particular focus on reducing the numbers on trolleys and the waiting times for patients in individual hospitals. There is a need to build on the existing action plan for accident and...