Results 861-880 of 2,967 for speaker:Séamus Healy

Topical Issue Debate: School Transport Eligibility (24 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: The difficulty I am trying to raise is set out towards the end of the Minister of State's reply. The nub of the question is the absence of communication or connections between the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health on transport services for children with disabilities where the resourced school is not in the area where the services have been provided to the...

Topical Issue Debate: School Transport Eligibility (24 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: I welcome the presence of the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Hayes, as I know he has an interest in this issue. The school transport system is based solely on providing transport to the nearest resourced school. While it works reasonably well for most students, unfortunately it is detrimental to some students with special needs and disabilities who attend special schools as it does not take...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015. The Bill raises the question of equity of access to health services in this country. We currently have a two-tier health system where ability to pay is key to timely access to services but what we need is a system based on medical need and which is free at the point of delivery. That concept is becoming more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Disability Issues Update: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: I welcome the Minister and the officials from the Department and the HSE and I thank the Minister for her presentation. The final paragraph of that presentation is key to the disability area. Part of it is worth quoting: "[P]eople with disabilities have the same goals, aspirations and abilities as every other citizen, and the same right to participate in society, and to make a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Assistance Dogs in Ireland: Discussion (19 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: That is appreciated. I may have to leave as I am due to speak to speak shortly in the Dáil. I welcome our visitors. I thank Dr. Burgoyne and Ms Dowler for their very informative presentations. A representative called to my consistency office some time ago about this matter and made me aware of the difficulties arising in that respect. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are very...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Report Stage (18 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: I have serious concerns with this legislation. I believe it to be unconstitutional on the question of the extension of the financial emergency for a further three years. It has constitutional difficulties with the non-restoration of pensions and the withholding of €95 million of pension entitlements, which are effectively the property of individuals. I am satisfied some of the...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Report Stage (18 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: The Minister says he does not want to see penalties imposed, but this section is concerned with setting out penalties and punishments for unions that are not part of the Lansdowne Road agreement. The unions that have not accepted the agreement but are party to the Haddington Road agreement want to continue to avail of the terms of the latter.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Report Stage (18 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: They are not trying to pick and choose anything from the Lansdowne Road agreement. They want to be able to maintain the current situation, where they are a party to the Haddington Road agreement, and not be penalised because they have chosen democratically not to be part of the new agreement. The Haddington Road agreement has not run out and remains in place. The unions in question simply...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Report Stage (18 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: That is what the Minister is saying.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Report Stage (18 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: The Tánaiste said it.

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Report Stage (18 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: The Minister has just said that the legislation and these proposals cannot exist outside of an emergency. That is something that needs to be scrutinised because the Government is speaking out of both sides of its mouth on this issue. We have an emergency when it comes to this legislation, but there is no emergency when it comes to all of the other pronouncements made by various Ministers....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child and Infant Mental Health: Discussion (12 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: I want to apologise for my absence earlier. Unfortunately I was otherwise engaged. I welcome the presentations and like Deputy Byrne, I found Professor Nugent's presentation one of the most striking and informative I have ever read. The professor puts huge emphasis on early intervention, family support and community support during the first three years of a child's life. He refers to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Challenges facing Camphill Communities of Ireland: Discussion (12 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: I welcome the Camphill representatives here this morning, thank them and acknowledge the excellent work it does in the 17 centres around the country for 275 residents. I know it does absolutely excellent work in the two centres in south Tipperary, in Carrick-on-Suir and Grangemockler, and I have family connections with some individuals who have availed of Camphill services over the years and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Challenges facing Camphill Communities of Ireland: Discussion (12 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: Mr. Lynch said that one of the Camphill centres is facing closure within three to four weeks. Has the organisation met the HSE on the issue and is it aware of the position?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: Some 14 of the 22 amendments put forward have been ruled out of order. I believe this legislation is unconstitutional and that we should have the opportunity through those amendments to bring it into line with the Constitution. The Government wants it both ways. It is bringing in emergency legislation but everything the Government states on a daily basis is to the effect that there is no...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: Are we on section 3?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: This section deals with pensions. In a response to me earlier the Minister said I was trying to ensure pensioners would be given priority over low paid workers. That is not the position. There is no question of wanting pensioners to have priority over anybody else. The issue is pensioners receiving their entitlements. Pensions are owned by pensioners and are, in fact, private property.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: The effect of this provision is to penalise unions that want to abide by their existing agreements.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: It is targeted at gardaí and teachers. That is the practical implication of this section. Policing and education are already being affected. Forcing unions that want to abide by existing agreements into losing increments-----

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Séamus Healy: The Haddington Road agreement.