Results 2,421-2,440 of 3,871 for speaker:Catherine Byrne

Topical Issue Debate: Housing Issues (11 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I note the frustration of both the Deputy and those who have lived in homes which are falling down around them, which I have seen, not only in person but in documentaries as well. All I can give the Deputy is the information I have been given. When speaking to the Department before I came in here, because I anticipated the Deputy's reaction to the reply, I was told that the report is...

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Increases (11 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I apologise to both Deputies on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I thank them for raising this important issue. There are acute pressures in the rental market. Those pressures are driven by a number of factors including rising demand as a result of the economic recovery, a lack of supply and the high costs that highly indebted landlords face in servicing their loans. Those...

Topical Issue Debate: Rent Increases (11 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Deputies are correct that I am giving a statement. However, I am very much aware myself of the difficulties people face in my constituency but there have been significant changes. I can only speak for the area I represent in Dublin South-Central where a significant number of properties have been bought up by the council and a significant amount of properties and voids have been put back...

Topical Issue Debate: HSE Funding (11 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I wish to apologise for the fact the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, cannot be here. I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this important issue and will outline the current position on the situation. The Irish Wheelchair Association is funded under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. The HSE has in place service level agreements with providers funded under section 39 of the...

Topical Issue Debate: HSE Funding (11 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I understand Deputy Broughan's frustration. I am very familiar with the work of the Irish Wheelchair Association. All organisations, no matter what Department they deal with, are governed by certain arrangements. If there has been a problem with the governance arrangements of the Irish Wheelchair Association, it has been said in the reply that the HSE is willing to talk to it and to try to...

Topical Issue Debate: HSE Funding (11 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Deputy raised a number of issues of which I have taken note. I will bring them back to Minister, but the reply clearly outlines that the HSE has no control over salaries within section 39 organisations. I will relay to the Minister the fact that SIPTU has taken up this issue as well. I will relay all the comments back to the Minister and I will ask him to communicate with the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Seniors Alert Scheme (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 208 together. My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme, which encourages support for vulnerable older people, including those in declining health and/or those living in isolated rural communities, by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms. The aim of the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Prescriptions Data (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate (brand names include Ritalin, Concerta and Equasym) or atomoxetine (Strattera) are authorised in the treatment of conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as part of a comprehensive treatment programme which typically includes psychological, educational and social measures. As previously highlighted to the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Funding (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: With effect from 1 January 2014, operational and financial responsibility for the ADAPT Community Drugs Team was transferred to the HSE. In the circumstances, I have referred this matter to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The budget allocation for the twenty four Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces from the Drugs Initiative of the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive in each of the years referred to by the Deputy is set out in the following table. LDATF 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 DOH Ballyfermot €1,533,826 €1,492,413 €1,569,489 €1,522,404...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: In line with the National Drugs Strategy, the Government is committed to continuing support for initiatives to tackle the drug problem. In the 2017 budget, an additional €3m has been provided for a number of measures aimed at improving the health outcomes of those affected by addiction issues. The increased funding will support the development of a pilot supervised injection facility...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Government is committed to putting a new National Drugs Strategy in place from 2017 onwards, when the current policy expires. A Steering Committee with an independent chair has been established to advise me on the new Strategy. This committee has been mandated to develop an integrated public health approach to substance misuse, which is defined as the harmful or hazardous use of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: As the Deputy is aware, Government policy on tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. A Steering Committee, led by an independent chair, has been established to advise me on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy, which will cover the period from 2017 onwards. The Steering Committee has been mandated to develop an integrated public health...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Government policy on tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The Strategy is a cross cutting area of public policy and service delivery, which requires a coordinated response to tackling the drug problem, involving the statutory, community and voluntary sectors. As the Deputy will be aware, a Steering Committee has been established to advise me on...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Licensing (18 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: As of 16 May 2017 seven licences have been issued for the cultivation of hemp.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Addiction Treatment Services (18 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: People who present to the HSE for addiction treatment for gambling are offered the same range of interventions as those who present with a drug and alcohol addiction, or a mental health concern, including an initial assessment, a comprehensive assessment, and individual counselling. Counselling and rehabilitation services provide care to those presenting with a gambling addiction through one...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Misuse of Drugs (18 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and has legitimate medical use in anaesthesia and analgesia. Fentanyls are extremely potent and even the smallest amount of the substance can cause overdose and death. Fentanyl may also be absorbed through the skin. The effects of the drug may be indistinguishable from Heroin, meaning that Heroin users may be at risk of unwittingly consuming this substance. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Local Drugs Task Forces Funding (18 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: In line with the National Drugs Strategy, the Government is committed to continuing support for initiatives to tackle the drug problem. In the 2017 budget, an additional €3m has been provided for a number of measures aimed at improving the health outcomes of those affected by addiction issues. The increased funding will support the development of a pilot supervised injection facility...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (23 May 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I am replying on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Coveney. I thank Senator Grace O'Sullivan for raising the matter. Earlier this month my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Damien English, outlined to the Dáil the background and context to the decision that was made in this case and I welcome the opportunity to...