Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is the recommendation agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00017/22 from Ms Rebecca Smyth concerns lower outpatient waiting times for urgent cases. The secretariat corresponded with the HSE on this petition on behalf of the petitioner and, following a request for further information, the HSE replied and set out the process for managing patients and waiting times. It further advised that, in relation to this petitioner's specific case, “it is currently being reviewed by Children’s Ireland Hospital Group under the Incident Management Framework (2020) and when the review is complete, the Children’s Ireland Hospital Group will be in contact with the family concerned”. The committee recommends that the correspondence from the HSE be sent to the petitioner for comment. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00022/22 from Mr. Carles Pujol concerns an investigation to identify if Irish citizens have been spied on illegally. The secretariat corresponded with the cybersecurity and Internet policy division in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on this petition on behalf of the petitioner. The Department replied and, among other things, suggested that the Department of Justice be asked to consider this petition in the first instance. The committee recommends that the correspondence from the cybersecurity and Internet policy division be forwarded to the Department of Justice, along with the petition, and that the reply be sent to the petitioner for comment. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00026/22 from Ms Margaret Keogh concerns the carer's allowance. The secretariat corresponded with the Department of Social Protection on this petition on behalf of the petitioner and the Department replied. The committee recommends that the correspondence from the Department of Social Protection be sent to the petitioner for comment and the petition, along with the correspondence from the Department of Social Protection, be forwarded to the Department of Health and the HSE for consideration. Ms Keogh made some very valid points in her petition about the role of carers and the amount of money they save the State. We all know they are vital in that regard. Is the recommendation agreed? Agreed.