Results 1,201-1,220 of 6,055 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Employment Support Services (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for his contribution. I would like to reiterate some key points. The procurement process for the regional employment service is the outcome of a lengthy process of engagement and consultation with all existing service providers. The tender will allow the Department of Social Protection to procure employment services on a legally sound basis and in line with best...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank Deputy Nash for raising this issue to discuss the need for a permanent Covid-19 testing centre in Drogheda. Testing and contact tracing continues to be a key component of the Government’s response to the pandemic and is fundamental to identifying the source and containing the spread of the virus. Demand for testing at this time is very high with approximately 216,000 tests...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy and I agree with him that testing and tracing continues to be fundamental to our response to the pandemic. It is critical that we continue to monitor demand for testing to ensure that we can identify and contain the spread of the virus. The HSE are continuously monitoring the demand for testing and attendance rate at both regional and local level in order to ensure that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputies for raising this important initiative. The Deputies are aware of the recent publication of a report from the Mental Health Commission on access to mental health services for people in the criminal justice system. It references the crisis intervention team pilot project in Limerick. The Minister for Justice is grateful to the inspector of mental health services and the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: On behalf of the Minister for Justice, I would like to thank the Deputies for raising this matter today. The Deputies will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the training and deployment of Garda personnel. The Minister for Justice has no direct role in such decisions. However, the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Services (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. General practice is at the heart of primary care, and a robust general practice and GP out-of-hours service is essential to the delivery of primary care health services. As the Senator will be aware, GPs are required under the General Medical Services, GMS, to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made with them, or a locum or deputy,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Services (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator for raising that question on enhanced Westdoc services in Moycullen, Roscahill and Oughterard. The Senator knows the importance of general practice as part of primary care is evident at this time. GPs are playing a critical role in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, performing additional services while continuing to provide non-Covid care. The commitment of GPs in that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator for his question and for the work he undertakes in supporting this sector, ensuring Ireland remains an attractive place for international students to study. It is important that every effort is made to encourage these students to make this decision and support them once they come here. I also understand that it is important for any jurisdiction to have in place certain...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I again thank the Senator again for his contribution and for raising this important issue. As outlined in my opening reply, this issue concerns international students coming to study in Ireland who are required to adhere to particular immigration visa requirements, one of which relates to having private health insurance. I repeat that it is not within my policymaking role within the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (9 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” contains a commitment to “Work with key stakeholders to introduce a Public Health Obesity Act, including examining restrictions on promotion and advertising aimed at children”. The policy instrument for obesity in Ireland is “A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP),...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Process (8 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: This Government is committed to the introduction of measures to address period poverty. Government supported the Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021 (Bill 4),proposed by Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee and sponsored by Senators Catherine Ardagh and Mary Fitzpatrick, which seeks to make period products freely available to all those who need them. A debate on the matter was held in Seanad...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Budget 2022 (8 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: This Government is committed to the introduction of measures to address period poverty, evidenced by the commitment made in the Programme for Government and by the actions taken more recently to progress the issue. The Period Poverty in Ireland Discussion Paperwas published in February, 2021 and can be accessed at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (8 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” contains a commitment to “Work with key stakeholders to introduce a Public Health Obesity Act, including examining restrictions on promotion and advertising aimed at children”. The policy instrument for obesity in Ireland is “A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP),...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Budget 2022 (8 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: As the matters raised by the Deputy refer to operational issues, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (8 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (7 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I think there was a miscommunication or a misinterpretation of exactly what is happening. I think that was clarified at the meeting last Friday and I hope that, in the coming days, we can clarify this even further.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (7 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I welcome this opportunity to confirm for the House the continued participation of the community and voluntary sector in the national oversight committee for the national drugs strategy. I convened a meeting of the national oversight committee on Friday. My door is always open to meeting various groups. I have met CityWide on many...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (7 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: I again thank the Deputies for the opportunity to confirm the continued participation of community and voluntary organisations in the national drugs strategy. The interagency approach involving a partnership between statutory, community and voluntary bodies remains central to the strategy, as does strengthening the resilience of communities to respond to the drug problem. Community...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Traveller Community (7 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: the issues raised by the Deputy are operational in nature. I have accordingly referred the query to the Health Service Executive, and requested that they reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (7 Dec 2021)

Frank Feighan: The Department of Health published the mid-term review of the actions in the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, on the 17th November. It shows significant progress in implementing the action plan for the period 2017 to 2020, with only a small number of the 50 actions outstanding. It also examined the effectiveness of government expenditure on the national drugs...