Results 4,661-4,680 of 11,509 for speaker:Mary Butler

Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 May 2021)

Mary Butler: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce the Bill to the House. Since I was appointed in July 2020 as Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, updating the fair deal legislation to enhance protections for farmers and small business owners has been an absolute priority for me. I look forward...

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank all the Deputies for their valuable contributions. I greatly appreciate the positive words and the cross-party support for the Bill. We have heard many contributions over the past three days. I understand that the Bill is technical and complex in nature and that there will be some further work required to refine it as it passes through the Houses. I look forward to working...

Nursing Home Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Referral to Select Committee (20 May 2021)

Mary Butler: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Health pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (25 May 2021)

Mary Butler: 181. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding the official State recognition of partners who have been long-term co-habiters but are not yet married; the position regarding financial assistance and tax credits available to a person in such a situation upon the death of a partner prior to marriage; his plans to examine the issue further; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 May 2021)

Mary Butler: 375. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the official State recognition of partners that have been long-term cohabiters but are not yet married; the position regarding financial assistance and tax credits available to a person in such a situation upon the death of partner prior to marriage; her plans to examine the issue further; and if she...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: In relation to the day care centres, we all understand the important role that day centres play. Our elderly population has not been able to access day care centres since March 2020. An announcement will be made in respect of the reopening of those centres tomorrow, and a timeline will be included.

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: The programme for vaccination for those who are housebound began in March 2021. To date, there have been 3,900 referrals. The portal closed for referrals in mid-April. The National Ambulance Service is currently operating a seven-day service to ensure all individuals are vaccinated as quickly as possible. To date, it has administered 2,700 dose one vaccines scenes and 1,400 dose two...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: The temporary assistance payment scheme was facilitated for nursing homes all over Ireland since last year. Initially, finances were made available up to June and this was extended up to December. Some €93 million was made available last year and €41 million was made available this year. It is a temporary assistance payment to support nursing homes and it will come to its...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: I agree that it is very important that we keep our residents in nursing homes safe. There are approximately 30,000 nursing home residents in the country. I am glad to have an opportunity to respond on this issue. This was always a temporary assistance payment to support nursing homes when they needed extra staff and preventative measures like infection prevention and control, IPC. This...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: The Deputy is quite right. Over the weekend, it became obvious that people in the likes of Tallow, Ballyduff and Aglish in west Waterford were being asked to go to Killarney for their vaccine and that those living in the Ferrybank area were being asked to go to Kilkenny. I made inquiries immediately. This was a postcode error. I advise that those who received their first dose in Killarney...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: TAPS for nursing homes was introduced last year as a temporary support to nursing homes during the most awful time. They needed all these supports, so the supports were put in place. The temporary assistance payment has been extended twice already and is due to cease at the end of June. My understanding is that the financial payments will cease at that time. However, all other supports...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Mary Butler: On the Deputy's question with regard to the housebound, there were 3,900 referrals in total from GPs. To date, fewer than 10% are left to be concluded. There are 240 people awaiting their first dose, 2,700 have got one vaccine and another 1,400 have got both vaccines. If the Deputy knows of specific cases and he wants to contact me, I will happily look at them for him.

Maternity Services: Motion [Private Members] (2 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: In closing, I again thank Deputy Connolly and her colleagues for tabling the motion. The quality of our maternity services is, for me, a reflection of the importance we place on women and their infant babies. It is not that long ago that such esteem was not clearly visible, something this House and the country as a whole should not easily forget. As an Irish woman and a mother, I am well...

Mental Health During and Post Covid-19: Statements (3 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank Members for the opportunity to update the House further on mental health services during and post-Covid-19. At the outset, it is important to acknowledge that although we are, hopefully, past the worst of the pandemic, we are not out of the woods yet. When we talk about mental health post-Covid-19, therefore, we should acknowledge that the impact of Covid-19 will be felt for some...

Mental Health During and Post Covid-19: Statements (3 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: Those services will be available in July.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes (22 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, commonly referred to as the Fair Deal Scheme, has been in operation for over 10 years and there is broad agreement that the Scheme operates well and continues to provide appropriate financial assistance where it is required. However, it is recognised that the Act, in its current form, does not place caps on the financial assessment of family owned and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Care Packages (22 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: “As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Medical Certificates (22 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: “As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Legislative Programme (22 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, commonly referred to as the Fair Deal Scheme, has been in operation for over 10 years and there is broad agreement that the Scheme operates well and continues to provide appropriate financial assistance where it is required. However, it is recognised that the Act, in its current form, does not place caps on the financial assessment of family owned and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Executive (22 Jun 2021)

Mary Butler: “As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working...