Results 2,981-3,000 of 7,823 for speaker:Jim Daly

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Diaspora Policy (26 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I will ensure the Senator's comments are conveyed to the Minister. I acknowledge the practical suggestions and solutions he has put forward. However, there are huge obstacles for individuals who are trying to return to Ireland and I accept they could be sorted more easily without waiting for all the reports and committees to come together. I will ensure that message is carried strongly to...

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services Provision (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the Deputies who have raised the matter and continue to keep the focus on this important issue in what is a very disturbing period for all of us. The HSE is committed to ensuring that all aspects of mental health services are delivered in a consistent and timely fashion. In 2015, the mental health division of the executive determined that it was necessary to conduct an...

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services Provision (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: All I can do is provide the Deputies with an assurance that I am well aware of the issue. I have spoken to a number of their colleagues in the other House and to Deputies who are not in the Chamber today. To their credit, I think every Oireachtas Member has reached out to me on the issue of Roscommon. I am travelling there on Monday and intend to meet with Tony Canavan, the chief medical...

Topical Issue Debate: Disease Incidence (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the Deputies from Kerry for giving me the opportunity to update the House on this matter. Lyme disease is an infection caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium called borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted to humans by bites from ticks infected with the bacteria. The health protection surveillance centre of the HSE has extensive information concerning Lyme disease on its website. The...

Topical Issue Debate: Disease Incidence (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I accept that no Deputies are being personal in this matter. I have heard their concerns and know that all three are very genuine. I am not going to get involved in the clinical argument as that is not my role or function. However, I will take the concerns, raised on the floor of the House, back to the Department and discuss them with the senior Minister, Deputy Harris, to see if I can get...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Properties (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 151, inclusive, together. As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service Data (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the Senator who has been very consistent, dedicated and committed to this cause. I commend this and I thank him for raising this important issue. As a country, we invest considerable resources in training our non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs. As recently as Tuesday this week, a report published by the RCSI highlighted that more than 80% of trainee doctors have said that...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (27 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I undertake to get the Senator an update on the recommendations of the MacCraith report from the Department and furnish the Senator with a detailed update on how many recommendations were made, what actions have been taken, how many have been implemented and what steps have been taken to ensure the full enactment of all of the recommendations. I will do this without delay. I thank the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: The Mental Health Commission is a statutory body whose functions are set out in the Mental Health Act 2001. Among its key responsibilities is the establishment and maintenance of a register of approved centres. The Act also provides that the inspector of mental health services visit, inspect and report on every approved centre at least once every year. Details of these inspection reports,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I share the Deputy's concerns. I would like us to get to a position on enforcement. The commission has the powers to inspect and visit those facilities if it wishes. I met the Mental Health Commission last week and discussed this issue at length with it. I am anxious to get this legislation in place. It is a comprehensive piece of work. There is a great deal of legislation before the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: Again, I appreciate what the Deputy said. My reference to the Deputy's legislation is by way of information. There are a number of different, conflicting elements in trying to progress legislation as quickly as possible. I am acutely aware of the Roscommon situation. I have discussed it with numerous people, including the Acting Chairman, Deputy Eugene Murphy, who has a keen interest...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this issue, which has been a matter of concern for a number of Deputies and Senators for some time. There are currently 60 child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, beds operational nationally. This is up from 48 in early summer and will increase further once Linn Dara resumes its full capacity of 22. There are currently...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: There are different stages of recruitment but there should be a new complement of five nurses within the next two to three weeks. I met with the Psychiatric Nurses Association last week and listened to the challenges its members face. I will continue that engagement. I also addressed the conference of the mental health nurses this week. I am familiar with the struggles and challenges...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I will not get into the micro-management of the staffing levels there, the individual nurses and so forth. Clearly, it is not an issue with funding. I do not say that defensively because it is a matter of fact.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: That is a separate issue, and there are a number of different matters relating to that. However, I am assuring the Deputy that this is not an issue with funding but with the recruitment and retention of nurses. There are improvements coming in that area. I share the Deputy's concern for the well-being and mental health of young people and I want to have the best system and a system we...

Other Questions: Home Care Packages (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the Deputy for her question. Home care services are provided on the basis of assessed health care need and there is currently no means testing. The HSE-funded home help service is delivered predominantly by HSE staff or, in a minority of cases, private and not-for-profit providers. Home care provided as part of the home care package scheme is delivered by HSE home help staff or by...

Other Questions: Home Care Packages (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: I will be very brief. The Deputy has raised a number of issues. We all acknowledge that there is unmet demand in the home care system. There are 10.5 million home help hours in the system this year. We are spending €373 million on it. We would love to double it in the morning if that was possible. However, it cannot be done overnight. There is a commitment in the programme for...

Other Questions: Home Care Packages (28 Sep 2017)

Jim Daly: There are two separate issues. If I am correct, what Deputy Bríd Smith is referring to is the need for people to engage with private providers as opposed to the HSE using private companies.