Results 1-20 of 8,097 for speaker:Seán Crowe

Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: Like everyone else, I have met families and individuals and seen the impact gambling has had on their lives. I have seen families destroyed by it, marriages destroyed, job prospects destroyed and housing applications rejected. People who are applying to borrow money are not able to get a loan because lenders check to see whether a person gambles regularly. I accept there are problems. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: Good morning everyone. Apologies have been received from Deputy Shortall and Senators Hoey and Black and for this first session. The minutes of the committee meetings of 16 and 17 April have been circulated to members for consideration. Are they agreed? Agreed. Today, the joint committee will first meet with Vision Ireland to discuss the health services and supports for persons who are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I thank both Mr. White and Mr. Mullaniff for their opening contributions. I call Senator Martin Conway. We will try five minutes each for everyone and perhaps have a second round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: The current system does not make sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I have a couple of questions. I should put on the record that I am one of those on the waiting list. I went in to upgrade my glasses and a problem was identified. I was told there was nothing to worry about. It is all right for him; he is not the one on the waiting list. I suppose that is one way for many people to pick up that information. There was an interesting point about one...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: Is it the case that a person who is poor is more likely to have bad eyesight than a person who is wealthy? We see that with other conditions and other diseases.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: The worrying thing about the long waiting lists, particularly in the case of something urgent, is we know that the longer one leaves the condition, the more likely that it cannot be reversed. Mr. Mullaniff spoke about macular degeneration and how if a person gets the injections, it stops there. It does not go back and that is the big worry. As a committee we accept the idea that a strategy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I am conscious that I am hogging the meeting but I have one last question that we did not touch on and that is emergency situations. I will give an example with a kango hammer. A bit of metal into went into my eye and I nearly lost the eye. Straightaway, at that time, you would go to the accident and emergency department or the eye and ear hospital. You cannot do that now. You have to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I am conscious of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for the Blind and Vision Impaired: Vision Ireland (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. The committee will definitely follow up on some of the issues they have raised, particularly around the strategy. As members have outlined, we will bring in representatives of the HSE as part of our discussions on Sláintecare. That will inform many of our members and I am sure questions will be asked about the issues raised here. I thank...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I welcome all our members and witnesses. The committee will commence its consideration of the health services necessary and available for persons with lung fibrosis. From the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association, I am pleased to welcome Ms Maureen O'Donnell, chief executive officer; Mr. Michael Darragh MacAuley, patron; Mr. Robert Hurley, patient advocate; and Ms Nicola Cassidy, board member....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I thank all the witnesses very much for coming in and telling their stories. I welcome Robert, Michael and Margaret, who is in the audience, and the other guests who are here today. I will throw it open now to members of the committee. Deputy Durkan is leading us off.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: There might be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: We will bring in Deputy Gino Kenny, who will be followed by Deputy Cullinane.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: The witnesses probably need to explain a bit more about the challenges that are facing patients. Mr. Hurley mentioned the deliveries. I know the private company was delivering, but there was mention of a family who had to collect it themselves. That seems absolutely bizarre.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: Again, is it not like a prescription? In Mr. Hurley's situation, is an order for oxygen not a prescription? Is that not an automatic roll-out every week or month?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: It is not for safety reasons the companies are saying they cannot give so much oxygen. I assume patients can store the oxygen outside and it does not have to be in the house. I was dealing with someone and that was the excuse he was given. He was told it is very dangerous and that he should not be lighting fires. That is all taken for granted. Does Mr. Hurley typically keep a supply of a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: Let us park that issue. Maybe it is something we can follow up with the relevant authorities. On the reimbursement, I am not asking for this now, but I am asking for some samples of the challenges that are facing people. Again, I thank Mr. Hurley for telling his story. We have had staff from the medical card section in here and it is a terminal condition. If someone has terminal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I imagine that is a big challenge for people who are coming from Kerry to Dublin. They have to work out how much they will use and there might be delays and they might have to wait. There must be easier solutions for it. This week is transplant week. Mr. Hurley made a point about lung transplants and it was said that 30 to 40 are done per year. If he was working, he would not be able...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health Services for Persons with Lung Fibrosis: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Seán Crowe: I will finish up the meeting. I wish Mr. Robert Hurley, Ms McAuley and all the witnesses well in their ongoing journeys. It was useful. I hope they have had the opportunity to tell their stories today. The members of the committee have all taken something away from the meeting. Some of the things they are asking for are probably budgetary. We can all go back to our respective parties...