Results 2,061-2,080 of 2,283 for speaker:Matt Shanahan

Committee on Drugs Use: Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: Due to the addictive nature of the harder drugs, it will obviously be harder for people to get off these. That has been seen worldwide. Where does Dr. Ivers think we in Ireland are on that graph at the moment? Are we in the early stages? Have we even started looking at this?

Committee on Drugs Use: Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: This is slightly nuanced around that. I think this is what Mr. Reid is reflecting but is it a case that the policing position regarding decriminalistation is that this is going to essentially normalise drug use in society and open the floodgates to informal drug use right across society? Despite everything the assembly has done, we have not been provided with the empirical evidence that...

Committee on Drugs Use: Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: We talk about what Portugal is doing and we know there are changes, trends, etc. Whether you say there is merit or not to it, the policing position is that you cannot tell them otherwise and you cannot prove otherwise. They are also aware of the ability of the State to fund all the different sectors which will have to be funded to provide this purely health-led approach and they have have...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care Services (11 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: 851.To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of the current situation in Waterford city and county regarding the lack of respite facilities; if he is aware that currently St. Patrick's care facility has only one bed available (details supplied); if he is aware that families in the Waterford area have been informed that they will only be given one week’s respite; if he agrees that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I have often raised the issue of University Hospital Waterford, which is the least funded of our model 4 hospitals and has the lowest ratio of healthcare practitioners to beds in such hospitals. I wish to discuss the stroke unit today, though. University Hospital Waterford receives more than 1,000 stroke patients every year, yet it has only five stroke unit beds and two single rooms. One...

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (18 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: The management of migration and application for refugee or temporary status in this country has been dysfunctional in many ways for years. Historically, with relatively low levels of migration, the number of applications for international protection status hovered between 1,500 and 2,500 per annum. Even then, our system of direct provision left people in limbo for years in shoddy...

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (18 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: Others are being bused into towns and villages throughout Ireland, often without the knowledge of local residents, and left in hotels miles away from resources. Refugees are walking for miles to get to the nearest shop all because Ireland is saying "Yes" to a situation for which we have not properly prepared.

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (18 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: We want to help people who are fleeing hunger, murder and tyranny, but wanting to do something and being properly prepared to do it are two different matters. This migration debate has caused huge division in the country and we have to stop thinking about it as one with a right or a wrong answer. One should never be criticised for saying we should stop, slow down or that we are not ready...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Better Care, Better Business Report: IBEC (19 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: Good morning to our witnesses. I thank them for their communications before the meeting. It is interesting that IBEC is here today because there was a debate again in the House last night regarding carers. One of the figures that was thrown out in terms of the cost of informal care to the economy every year, if the State was to pay for it, was a figure of €20 billion, which would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Better Care, Better Business Report: IBEC (19 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I want to ask about the other point that was made regarding the hours versus days. On paper, it makes sense but the difficulty is that if a person is in a technology workplace, it might be easier for someone to work from home or to log off for a few hours and catch up later on. If a company was employing people in a manufacturing or skills process, where they are part of a team, it is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Better Care, Better Business Report: IBEC (19 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: The average age of carers is also a problem, because it falls on the further end. These are people that are generally past their 40s, most are in their 60s and therefore are people who probably want to give up work themselves and not be taking it on. IBEC is trying to keep people connected to the workforce while many of them are already looking for the exit door to their own retirement....

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I thank the Chair. I appreciate the witnesses attendance here. I want to ask a few questions of the HSE but before I do, I want to put a comment on the record to add further to our previous meeting when were talking about the number of vulnerable people in addiction who are being criminalised for possession. Somebody sent me a note to outline that young professionals are also being charged...

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I understand it is not that difficult to administer. Why are we waiting to roll out a programme for gardaí?

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I refer to the medically supervised injecting facilities. We talk about Merchant's Quay, and this has been spoken about for a number of years. Dr. Keenan has stated he wants to do a six-month evaluation and a final evaluation at 18 months. Again, these are being used across other countries. What are we going to evaluate in Ireland that has not been evaluated elsewhere? Why are we waiting...

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I thank Dr. Keenan. I will go on to the safe nightlife programme. A presence at festivals was talked about. I know the Department of Justice has been involved in terms of the gardaí and that is helpful. What is the HSE doing on the ground in terms of trying to educate kids that are coming in, having popped pills at festivals and so on? Hopefully they get fixed up quickly but they...

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: It is a very positive initiative. It will be well-supported. The emergence of synthetic opioids was mentioned. What trends is Dr. Keenan seeing? The likes of MDMA was mentioned. Crystal meth is on the way, and fentanyl is definitely on the way. I know we are not seeing them but they are all coming. Does Dr. Keenan have any awareness of these drugs being manufactured in Ireland as...

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I think I am out of time, Chair. I will come back in again.

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I wish to address a question to Mr. Ryan of the Department of Justice. On the inner city programme which Senator Fitzpatrick discussed, I would be interested to get the information she requested when that is possible. Will Mr. Ryan provide exactly what is happening there? He said there were excellent outcomes. I have some knowledge of community safety partnerships. A former Secretary...

Committee on Drugs Use: Drug Use Policy: HSE, Department of Justice and Department of Health (20 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I am not au fait with the latest initiatives from the Department. While we are talking about how we might solve things at the consumer end, what is happening in the drug space, unfortunately, is that it appears that the volume of drugs coming into the country is increasing. Mr. Ryan mentioned a high-profile drug seizure. It was said that was the fourth of those. Three previous ones of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (25 Jun 2024)

Matt Shanahan: 400. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 516 of 21 May 2024, when a response will issue in relation to the question (details supplied). [26869/24]