Results 67,101-67,120 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I should mention that I have been in attendance, from the outset, from my office. Reference was made earlier to a number of relevant Ministers. Who are they? Why do we have to have a number of them? How many Ministers might be regarded as designated Ministers under the proposals?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Would it not be better if one Minister was designated as being responsible for the overall application of the regulations?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Well, whatever was reflected in the past was not good enough. There were massive gaping chasms in the application of standards and the protection of people deemed to be vulnerable, and there was difficulty in producing evidence and reports. We are still waiting on reports on some of the institutions. Can we be certain that a single standard applies right throughout the system, in respect...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: There have been instances of abuses in institutions throughout the country. We have seem almost to have difficulty in identifying them in early days, obtaining a report, publishing a report and taking action to prevent any repetition. Does this legislation meet that challenge?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I wonder why it has not been found possible to have a system whereby the inspection system is first to identify any deficiencies and to bring those to the attention of the respective authorities and management in private nursing homes and public institutions in order that efforts might be made to correct any deficiencies that might exist. Can we expect that in the future?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: What is the rate of unsolicited inspections, where there was no public outcry first, the inspection was carried out, and deficiencies were identified by the inspectorate and brought to the attention of the respective authorities, as opposed to the number of situations where inefficiencies or otherwise were brought to their attention as a result of there being a particular problem in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Are we happy about the extent to which regulations and legislation lay down the requirements of the various institutions in the present climate? How does it tie in with the proposed legislation? Is the legislation sufficient to identify such situations as have been brought to our attention in the past as a result of unfortunate happenings?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Yes, with regard to the powers the inspectorate, regulator or whoever. We need to get to a situation where we do not wake up some morning and find there is an issue in an institution that has been going on for a considerable time, has been reported and no action has been taken. I can think of at least one such situation off the top of my head. We know this will be averted by virtue of this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: The Chair or another one of my colleagues made the point earlier on whether it was a good policy to have the legislation as it is, hanging on to other legislation, or whether this was sufficiently serious to require specific legislation or an amendment to a major Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: It is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Will the name of the Bill sufficiently advise the observer as to what the Bill is supposed to do?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2022: Department of Health (23 Nov 2022)

Bernard Durkan: Will we ask that it be a little bit more specific? The intention to have it vague, as it would appear to be, is not good for the quality of the service or its reputation.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to identify and meet the demand in the higher education sector, with particular reference to identification of the areas now most urgently requiring employees; if he is satisfied that a sufficient supply of appropriately qualified graduates continues to be available; and if he will make a statement on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I have a continued interest in the degree to which the Minister can liaise on the various opportunities that exist in industry and throughout the workplace with a view to meeting the most urgently known requirements and given that almost everybody has signs up inviting potential employees to apply.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I compliment the Minister on his efforts in this area. I wish to inquire further as to the degree to which the Minister's Department continues to identify the particular weaknesses now showing up in almost every category of employment, including the teaching, medical, nursing and building professions. The technical and academic requirements are many and varied now. I am inquiring as to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: I bring to the attention of the Minister that many refugees coming into the country have particular skills that are in short supply in the home market. These people are ready and willing to work. Every effort should be made to ensure they have this opportunity and that they are not diverted in any way by those who seek to protest, for one reason or another, on the basis of their right to...

Estimates for Public Services 2022: Message from Select Committee (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: The Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimates for Public Services for the service of the year ending on 31 December 2022: Votes 5, 12, 13, 14 and 17.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 77. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the extent to which he is in a position to augment and accelerate the housing for all programme with a view to making serious impact on the number of families seeking to avail of local authority or affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59779/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 83. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the new initiatives that he can take to assist those seeking to acquire a home; if modular or other system-built housing can be considered, with a view to making a further and serious contribution to the provision of attainable housing in the short to medium-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59780/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Dec 2022)

Bernard Durkan: 146. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills The extent to which he continues to identify and cater for the demand in terms of graduates in the academic or technical areas, with a view to ensuring the availability of sufficient qualified persons to meet the needs of the marketplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59781/22]