Results 4,881-4,900 of 10,832 for speaker:Anne Rabbitte

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely. That is our core plan.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: What the Deputy is seeing here is the transfer of matters relating to the Health Act 2005 to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I take on board what the Deputy is saying. Whenever I talk about disability, I speak about it in the round. I agree with the Deputy that education, higher education and transport all have a role to play. There is not one...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: This is a transfer of functions from one Department to the other. I am already doing what the Deputy refers to with the reconfiguration of the transport committee, which I am chairing. I have brought in the Departments of Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Social Protection, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and Education. They are all present. A person with a disability has the...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: We have two reporting mechanisms. The National Disability Authority reports on specific issues. The most recent report, which I hope will be published soon, relates to Irish Sign Language, which went in under the bonnet in every single Department across Government. That undoubtedly threw up challenges, but I am glad to say that they are being addressed. It is the same with the national...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: All Departments are participating fully. Perhaps some Departments are facing a steep challenge when it comes to disabilities and doing the whole equality piece. However, I believe in the buy-in from the Departments. Disability is front and centre across all Government Departments at the moment.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy for that question. I thank the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, for the disability housing strategy they recently launched. When we talk about housing, we should talk about universal design. A particular property should be suitable for a person with a disability, an older person or...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: That is absolutely the case and that is where the consultation piece is now taking place with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for persons with disabilities. The Deputy is right. It is regrettable that in the past we or disability organisations bought properties that do not meet the needs of the individual but which were the only properties that were accessible. We...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: We need to have the whole circular, joined-up piece. To be fair to the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, they have opened that channel and consultation is happening through that channel as we speak. The housing agencies and housing bodies can participate in that, as can the disability providers and the individuals themselves.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: We need to be mindful of people's changing needs.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy for her contribution. I will say again there will be a central role for the Minister with responsibility for disability. It is about working in a cross-Government manner, across Departments. To be fair to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, he has opened that door for me. If he provides the houses and I can provide the home support, the personal assistant or the...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: I absolutely agree.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: May I answer Deputy Durkan?

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: I will tell the Deputy the progress we have made in recent months. One of the pieces was around the housing adaptation grant for disabled and older persons about which the Deputy spoke. The grant system never recognised the sensory needs of young people. To be fair to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, he changed the qualifications to acknowledge that sensory needs can be part of the...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: I do not have any metric other than my constituency office, but the scheme has been very well received. Having talked to my local authority, Galway County Council, I know it has been well supported. For me, what brought to light the value of a sensory room, if the Chairman will indulge me for a moment, was on Sunday night last, when I was watching "Room to Improve" and the value of sensory...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: To clarify, I have experienced no resistance within either Department. I am supported well today by the Department of Health and have been warmly welcomed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I am supported by both Ministers and both Secretaries General in the transfer. Perhaps one of them will be delighted to see me go and another will be delighted...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely, and it will. The number one item within it is that transfer. That transition planning is a priority for me. Deputy Cathal Crowe touched on the transition aspect. A great deal of work needs to be done on this. Career planning must start much earlier in education. To be fair to the Taoiseach, an education sub-committee was convened and this was one of the hot topics discussed...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: Yes.

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: HIQA has the responsibility to monitor and to inspect designated centres regularly to ensure they maintain a high level of care. HIQA's disability inspection team is legally responsible for the monitoring, inspection and registration of designated centres for adults and children with a disability. As of 31 December 2021, HIQA has a total of 1,407 registered centres providing either...

Select Committee on Health: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (23 Feb 2022)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely. It is also important to say that if the matter is of a criminal nature, the family concerned also the right to An Garda Síochána. HIQA looks after care needs but there may be something else there. I will certainly take that on board.