Results 19,201-19,220 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Hospital Staff. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Unless we can change the current consultant contract, it is not feasible to negotiate the extension of the working day either from a personnel perspective or a financial perspective. To address one issue in isolation is not satisfactory. Consultants have a contract of employment that lasts their working career. Either side can break or alter the contract, but there are serious financial...

Departmental Investigations. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 5 together. The report of the Lourdes Hospital inquiry, chaired by Judge Maureen Harding Clark, was published on Tuesday, 28 February. 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, having found him guilty of professional...

Departmental Investigations. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: There is no doubt that the women come first. It is heartbreaking to hear their stories at first hand, as I did yesterday and on a previous occasion, and to hear of the experience of so many women, many of them as young as 20 years of age, when this happened. It is just incredible. It is extraordinary, as many have acknowledged, including the Deputy, that this went undetected for so long. That...

Departmental Investigations. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: To the best of my knowledge, legislation will not be necessary for a redress scheme but it might be necessary to pursue insurers. However, we do not need to wait for that legislation to proceed with the scheme. In other words, we can pursue the legislation while the scheme is under way. I am determined to ensure, if possible, that the State pursues the insurers and that the taxpayer does not...

Departmental Investigations. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: The Government has not yet approved the compensation scheme but I have indicated my strong support for one, as has the Taoiseach. The women will not be left waiting; they must come first. However, if it is the case that we need legislation to pursue insurers, we can do that at the same time and it should not cause delay. I envisage that the State would pay the compensation and would then seek...

Infectious Diseases. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I am satisfied with progress on preparations for a possible flu pandemic and with public health actions in response to a possible outbreak of avian flu in Ireland. The health sector's role in regard to avian flu relates to the human health implications that would arise were there to be an outbreak of avian flu. Guidance on the investigation and management of suspected human cases has...

Infectious Diseases. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I totally disagree. We have shown in recent times, in particular with regard to how the foot and mouth disease was handled, that we are very good, as a country, at handling emerging issues of this kind and can work closely together. Our planning is very much in line with that of the World Health Organisation. We follow its instructions and the 2004 plan is in line with its instructions. The...

Infectious Diseases. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I am quoting Professor Hall, who said it was 40 years since the last pandemic and that nobody could say for certain when it will happen, and that it could be 40 years from now. It is not significant that the disease transferred to a cat in Germany. Last year 45 tigers had to be put down in Bangkok zoo because they ate raw, infected chicken — I stress that it was raw, infected chicken and...

Health Services. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: The Government is fully committed to the implementation of the principles contained in the primary care strategy, which provides a template for the reform and development of primary care services. The chief executive officer of the HSE has also emphasised the importance of developing primary care services, both as the appropriate service for the delivery of the majority of people's health and...

Health Services. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Obviously the Deputy is ill informed, as there are three in each local health office. In Dublin we have nine local health offices, which would mean 27 in Dublin. I recently discussed the matter with Dr. Seán Maguire who is spearheading the project for the HSE. I believe he is familiar to the Deputy. Perhaps I can ask him to communicate to the Deputy the precise location of the discussions...

Departmental Bodies. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Under section 31 of the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive must submit a service plan to the Department of Health and Children within 21 days of the publication of the Estimates. The service plan was submitted in line with this legislation on 8 December 2005. There was a further period of 21 days from its submission to either approve the plan or issue a direction to have it...

Departmental Bodies. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: The Deputy has made some valid points about the specifics in the plan. The HSE is a new organisation and has only been in existence for 14 months. Rather than the money being broken down along the lines of the old health board regions, I would like to see it broken down along more specific lines. I have communicated this to the HSE and in time that will happen. The plan is available on its...

EU Directives. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Implementation of the European working time directive will necessitate the following reductions in the working hours of all doctors: a maximum of 58 hours per week from 1 August 2004; a maximum of 56 hours per week from 1 August 2007; and a maximum of 48 hours per week from 1 August 2009. The national task force on medical staffing was charged with examining how this directive could be...

EU Directives. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Regarding negotiations under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, LRC, with non-consultant hospital doctors, I understand that good progress has been made. On the wider contract issue, we clearly wish to shrink the number of non-consultant hospital doctors and increase the number of consultants. I have received a very favourable reaction from many consultants to the concept of a...

EU Directives. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Recently, Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown won approval for seven new consultants to implement what we are attempting through the contract discussions, including team working. Almost all of them are Irish people who have returned from positions in the US, which is very encouraging. I very much agree with the Deputy that it is not all about the salary. It is also about working conditions....

EU Directives. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 62 and 108 together. The provisions of the European working time directive as it relates to the working hours of doctors in training came into force on 1 August 2004. The relevant provisions were transposed into Irish law by way of the European Communities (Organisation of Working Time) (Activities of Doctors in Training) Regulations 2004. That will...

EU Directives. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I do not have an answer to Deputy Twomey's question, unless one takes into account the experience in respect of the seven recent consultant appointments in Blanchardstown. I understand all the appointees came from overseas, mainly from the United States. There are many Irish doctors in the United States, Canada and other countries and many of them might be attracted home. However, much would...

Vaccination Programme. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: Information provided by the Health Service Executive indicates that the total cost to the State of introducing free influenza vaccinations for the entire population would be more than €160 million a year, based on certain assumptions about the cost of the vaccine and GP fees. However, vaccination for the entire population against seasonal influenza is not currently recommended and there...

Vaccination Programme. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I understand the WHO recommends there should be an uptake of 75% among the at-risk groups. It recommends that this target should be achieved by 2010. I am sorry not to have uptake figures and I will try to acquire them for the Deputy. I also lack data pertaining to adverse effects. While I am told the vaccine is effective in up to 90% of cases, I do not know what the adverse effects might be.

Vaccination Programme. (2 Mar 2006)

Mary Harney: I am not in a position to give Deputy Ó Caoláin an update. As for the cost of extending free vaccinations to the group referred to by Deputy McManus, as we have seen in respect of the over-70s medical card, if one announces that something will be made available to a class of citizen by virtue of the class rather than on the basis of economic circumstances, one ends up paying substantially...