Results 401-420 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I join other Senators who have mentioned the war dead. Many young boys went away expecting to be home after a couple of months and many of them are still lying where they fell. It is a terribly sad day. I have visited the graves of the war dead in France and I am delighted the Irish Government built the peace tower over there and recognised our war dead. I wish to raise two issues. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: No. I have just received a message that the Minister has agreed to meet the three local Deputies on the issue. I would ask, however, that the Leader would relay my concerns to the Minister and place her on notice that if we do not hear positive news, I will propose this amendment again.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Staff Recruitment (28 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister to the House for the debate on this matter. On 25 March, an independent report into the deaths of 12 children in State care or known to child protection services severely criticised the State's social work and mental health services. Four of these cases concerned young women between the ages of 14 and 19 with emotional difficulties who had taken their own lives....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Staff Recruitment (28 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I accept what the Minister says and I understand his own concerns in this area. However, as Minister for Health, he has responsibility for the HSE. The establishment of a working group to report on this matter now is a bit late in the day. There are vacant posts in the system and there are people available now to fill those posts. I cannot for the life of me understand why we cannot go...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Staff Recruitment (28 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: There are many people on the panel.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Staff Recruitment (28 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Can the Minister offer some solace in terms of membership of the group including a counselling psychologist?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Health Services Staff Recruitment (28 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Go raibh maith agat.

Seanad: Sport Ireland Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I agree with Senator Wilson. We should not ban any man or woman who has gone through hard times and has come to some sort of arrangement with his or her lenders from anything. We should be applauding him or her. Anybody who is prepared to pick himself or herself up and restart after going through something like that deserves the full backing of the entire country. I believe that Senator...

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I only require 30 seconds.

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I assure the Minister of State that I will not take longer than 30 seconds.

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: There are 80 people on the panel with the HSE at the moment. Why have they not been appointed?

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Statements (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Is it tough work?

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs: Motion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I move amendment No. 2: "To insert the following lines after 'calls on the Government to': - 'immediately end the use of zero-hours contracts in all sectors; - take immediate steps to address the cost of childcare, which is crippling young families;'."I believe in offering credit where credit is due and I fully acknowledge the work the Government has done. I am not here to criticise in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I join my colleagues in thanking the delegations and thank the Carers Association and the DFI for providing services. I do not run clinics or deal with people in my local area. Most of what I deal with comes from ten or 20 years ago when I worked in Citizens Information in Limerick. I want the Department to address my point. There was then and, from what I hear today, still is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: That was my impression.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I will allow the Department to address that. It seems as if waiting times are on the increase. Has a staffing issue arisen due to the Haddington Road or Croke Park agreements which has made the Department's job more difficult in terms of dealing with claimants? I read the two forms. In 2015 I can walk into any bank or branch of the bank with which I deal and give my bank account number...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Between €18 million and €21 million is spent on medical reports each year. That seems an extraordinary amount of money, particularly in circumstances where many of the GPs involved are members of the GMS. How much is spent on each report and do consultants receive more money for reports than GPs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: What is the amount involved?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: How much is that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Medical Eligibility Criteria for Social Protection Payments: Discussion (29 Apr 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Will the Department find somewhere on the form to advise people that GPs are paid a fee? I do not mind if the sum is not mentioned. However, like Deputies O'Dea and Ó Snodaigh, I am well aware of the fact that people pay the GP a visit fee of €55 or whatever it is purely to get a form completed and the GP is picking up another €44 for it. It seems a bit rich.