Results 2,041-2,060 of 9,435 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Strategies (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: The health service is currently experiencing its largest multi-annual capacity growth since the HSE was established. This is based off a number of multi-annual strategies. Since 2020, we have opened 1,019 acute beds nationally. This is expected to reach 1,204 acute beds by the end of 2023 - an additional 185 beds over the current position and well ahead of the 2018 capacity review target....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Strategies (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: To reiterate, there is a significant amount happening in this space within the Department. We have had the largest expansion of the workforce since the inception of the HSE, with more than 21,000 WTEs added since 2020, while 1,019 acute beds have been opened nationally since 2020 and a total target of 1,204 beds will be delivered by the end of the year. Delivery is an absolute priority for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Strategies (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I cannot accept the Deputy's statements regarding the work that is happening within the Department. There are, and always have been, challenges in the health system. People are living longer and there is increased demand, which is fantastic. We need to be able to meet those demands and that will require extra funding through the budgetary process. The Minister will address the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Government is fully committed to improving genetics services. A key ambition of the national strategy for accelerating genetics and genomic medicine in Ireland is to build an excellent national genetics service. In 2023, the Government allocated €2.7 million to support the first year of implementation of this strategy. This funding supported the creation of a national office and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I also have the figures the Deputy listed in my supplementary response but the question was in relation to the disaggregated figures by age cohort. That is maintained by individual hospitals. It is not disaggregated by age cohort. The data are not currently available centrally to support decision-making. It is a new office. In 2022, funding of €1.34 million was provided for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will ask the Minister for Health to come back to Deputy Pringle directly-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Waiting Lists (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: -----on that specific question. I have answered the parliamentary question. The main point is that this is a new office. It has to collate the data so that it is evidence-based. It is an expanding office and will be funded through budgets in order that we can have the data that will directly help patients on the ground, as per the Sláintecare model. It is a growing office that has...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I reiterate that section 39 and section 56 organisations and their staff play a vital role in our healthcare and social care sectors. Officials in the Department and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are waiting on the result of the ballot. Officials from both Departments remain available to re-engage with unions at any time in an effort to bring...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am at one with the Deputy that we need to ensure the stability and sustainability of this sector. It is important that this matter is brought to a resolution. As I said, the Departments are willing to re-engage with the unions at any point in this process. It is absolutely vital that these services continue. The Deputy has that assurance. There are mechanisms in place that need to be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, unfortunately cannot attend this morning as he is at the United Nations. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I will take some of his questions. Timely completion of the new national children’s hospital, NCH, is a Government priority. Everything is being done to ensure it is completed as soon as possible. It is 90% complete against...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I reassure the Deputy that the Minister will come before the House next Tuesday regarding that issue. I reiterate the importance of the completion of the children's hospital. The NPHDB, which entered into the construction contract with BAM on behalf of the State, is doing everything it can to hold the contractor accountable for its delivery programme. There is continuous engagement between...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: National Children's Hospital (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I assure the Deputy this is an absolute priority for the Minister and the Government. As I said, there is continuous engagement between departmental officials, the HSE, the NPHDB and CHI. The Secretary General has written to BAM outlining his expectations around the completion date. We will keep the Deputy updated on this matter. It is an absolute priority.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services Staff (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister who, as the Deputy knows, cannot be here. It is important to acknowledge the vital role that section 39 and section 56 organisations and their staff play in our health and social care sectors. They continue to have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities, vulnerable children, older people and in other social care...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Addiction Treatment Services (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am very aware of the key role that all Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play under the national drug strategy in coordinating interagency action and supporting evidence-informed approaches to addressing substance use in local communities. The Network of 24 Drug and Alcohol Task Forces receive in the region of €29 million in annual funding from the Department and the HSE of which the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health and Safety (21 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: The promotion of physical activity is a priority item under the Healthy Ireland Framework, as evidenced by the publication of the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) in 2016. Substantial progress has been made in the implementation of the 60 actions set out in the NPAP, led by the Departments of Health and Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, through a cross-sectoral...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (20 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy. I do not have those figures but I will certainly ask the relevant Minister, the Minister for Health or the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, to come back to the Deputy on that specific issue.

Report of Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform: Motion (20 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I move: That, notwithstanding the Order of the Dáil of 16th December, 2020, the sequence in which Leaders shall be called upon to put questions between 10th October, 2023, and 11th July, 2024, inclusive, pursuant to Standing Order 36(ca), shall be in accordance with the rota contained in the report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform dated 14th September, 2023,...

Report of Committee of Selection: Motion (20 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the Twenty Eighth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection in accordance with Standing Order 34, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 15th September, 2023, and discharges a member from a Committee and appoints a member to a Committee accordingly, with effect from 21st September, 2023.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Job Creation (20 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, produces a number of outputs with employment estimates. The labour force survey, produced by the CSO quarterly, is the official source of estimates of employment in the State. It is mandated at European level and provides figures that are internationally comparable as the official measure of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Job Creation (20 Sep 2023)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy. Some of those questions are specific to relevant Ministers but I take the points regarding childcare, an issue that will be addressed as part of the budgetary process. The CSO statistics go by region or IDA Ireland markets, and Meath is part of the mid-east region. There are 103 IDA client companies in that region, employing 21,861 people. Specifically in 2022, 18...