Results 9,201-9,220 of 12,082 for speaker:Mary Butler

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Travel Restrictions (2 Jun 2020)

Mary Butler: I thank Mr. Breslin for clarifying that as the question has come up a few times. I also compliment the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on its co-operation, especially at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were so many Irish people who wanted to come home and I made contact several times myself. The Department staff's professionalism in that contact was very much appreciated....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Travel Restrictions (2 Jun 2020)

Mary Butler: I thank Mr. Burgess. My next question is for Ms Graham. First, she said earlier that much of the public transport capacity intended to be used in phase 2 has already been used up by what are thought to be non-essential journeys. Does she believe that will be an issue when, hopefully, we move into phase 2 next Tuesday? Second, I believe a 55-seater bus can now carry 14 people adhering to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Travel Restrictions (2 Jun 2020)

Mary Butler: I thank Ms Graham.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 May 2020)

Mary Butler: 180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress in relation to the new build at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7523/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Mary Butler: 549. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients transferred from acute hospitals to a step down facility, nursing home, community nursing unit or other residential care facility during March 2020, in tabular form; the number of these patients that were tested for Covid-19 prior to transfer; the number of these patients that contracted Covid-19 after their transfer; the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Mary Butler: 550. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to recommence BreastCheck which ceased during the Covid-19 pandemic; the procedures that will be put in place to protect both staff and patients; his further plans to deal with the backlog that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7495/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: I thank our witnesses for giving up their time and for coming in today. This awful pandemic has borne down heaviest on older people, particularly on those in nursing, residential and care homes. We have to be cognisant of the fact that 62% of all deaths that have happened so far have been in those settings and that 93% of all who have lost their lives so far are in the over 65 age bracket....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Would it be fair to say that Nursing Homes Ireland was initially disappointed? From the initial request on 28 February to 30 March, would it be fair to say that for Mr. Daly, as chairperson of Nursing Homes Ireland, which represents approximately 485 nursing homes in the sector, it was disappointing that it took four weeks for officials to meet with Nursing Homes Ireland?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Does Mr. Daly believe that NPHET realised the gravity and urgency of the situation facing nursing homes in the early stages? I know there were many calls, including from my colleague, Deputy Donnelly, for nursing homes to be represented on the NPHET taskforce. Does Mr. Daly believe it realised the urgency at the initial stage because we had all seen the pictures from Italy and Spain where...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: I have another question on staffing issues during March and April. Mr. Daly mentioned in his opening statement that there was "aggressive recruitment of nursing home staff initially by the HSE". I have heard that from different nursing homes I spoke to. Can Mr. Daly expand on that? Was the recruitment above and beyond a general advertising campaign or did the HSE directly head hunt staff...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Now that we seem to have passed the peak, has the situation in regard to staffing in nursing homes improved? Are the nursing homes for whom Mr. Daly can speak preparing for a second surge?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Mr. Daly, in his opening statement, spoke about the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the authority responsible for the commissioning of nursing home care. We all understand how it works but Mr. Daly said it fell silent as homes incurred considerable and responsible costs to manage the pandemic. I accept the Minister came on board with a package. I also accept the fact that any expenses...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: I will wrap up my questions to Mr. Daly before moving on to question Mr. Taylor. We will never know how Covid got into nursing homes, hospitals, homes and communities. We can only surmise. During the first three months of the year more than 2,500 people entered nursing home care under the fair deal scheme. Every month 1,000 people transfer from acute hospitals into private and voluntary...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Yes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: I have a question for Mr. Taylor. I thank him for all the work he does advocating for older people. I have met him previously. Was he contacted by very many families, sons and daughters of people in nursing homes who are very concerned about their parents at this time? Unfortunately they have not been in a position to visit. I know nursing homes have done an awful lot of good work with...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: My first question is for the HSE. Mistakes are made in a time of crisis. The most important role of the committee and all of the stakeholders is that we learn to be better prepared in case we have a second wave, which is highly probable. In his opening statement this morning, Mr. Daly of Nursing Homes Ireland referred to aggressive recruitment of nursing home staff initially by the HSE....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Unfortunately it still happened and I believe Nursing Homes Ireland requested a moratorium regarding staff. I know the HSE cannot prevent a staff member moving to another job but at this time of an unprecedented pandemic it had a huge effect on the ability of nursing homes to be properly staffed during the peak of the crisis.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: Does Mr. Walsh accept that patients being transferred in March and April from acute hospital settings to nursing homes should have been tested for Covid-19? Does he accept this non-testing would have contributed to higher mortality?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: I want to reiterate the second part of the question. Does Dr. Kennelly accept that this non-testing, even after 18 March, would have contributed to higher mortality in nursing homes?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Direct Provision Centres (26 May 2020)

Mary Butler: We are joined from committee room 1 by officials from the Department of Justice and Equality to deal with the response to the Covid outbreak in direct provision centres. I welcome Ms Oonagh Buckley, deputy Secretary General, civil justice and equality, Mr. Michael Kirrane, assistant secretary and head of immigration service delivery, and Mr. Mark Wilson, principal officer, international...