Results 68,981-69,000 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Was there any reluctance on the part of any of the hospitals given that not all of them are operating a service?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: We had a long discussion on this part of the Bill four years ago in which some of the issues Ms O’Shea mentions were anticipated. However, a reluctance or an inability of a hospital to provide a service was not referred to very much.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: This would presumably affect the post 12-week period.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: The other issue that comes to mind is the number of women who seek to go overseas to obtain the termination service. How prevalent was that? What were the main causes? Did conscientious objection account for that at all? Do we have precise numbers? We have heard reports in the media of thousands of Irish women going back overseas which is something the legislation was trying to prevent....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Are they travelling to the same extent as before the legislation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Do we know how much of a difference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I do not have very much time left. That is an interesting subject. I will come back to it if possible. My final question relates to the general efficacy of the Act. Has it dealt with the various issues in part, in total or not at all? I note the 61% who made a decision to go overseas made that decision in their own interests, which, of course, they are quite entitled to do, either on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I have a comment. As I said, I listened carefully. I believe a number of things have become apparent. The most important one is the access to the service envisaged in the legislation that was passed arising from the referendum. I hear what people say about politicians needing to be brave, to be leaders and so on. We know all about that. We are one of very few people who have to go...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: -----something serious. I indicated I wanted to get in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I did not overstay my welcome the last time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: The point I want to make is simply this. There will be a legal challenge. There is no doubt about that in my mind. It will be decided on the basis of whether this changes the legislation. If we are changing the legislation, obviously it is good to do that. I would say that caution is needed. Let us try to make sure that we make available the services that were envisaged in all such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: It is a statement-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: -----from one of those politicians who have to go before the electorate every so often.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Report of the Review of the Operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018: Discussion (31 May 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I do not think that my remarks generate that-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 10. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to raising the income threshold for qualification for medical cards, with particular reference to persons who may be suffering from life-changing or life-threatening conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26657/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Bernard Durkan: This question seeks to amend the qualification levels for medical cards with particular reference to those people who may be suffering from life-changing or life-threatening conditions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I ask that consideration might be given to the fact that it is quite a considerable time since the income thresholds were adjusted. They need to be adjusted now in line with the cost of living and other compelling reasons. They also need to be adjusted on the grounds that when a household receives indication that a patient, be he or she the bread earner or not, and when it is considered...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Cards (1 Jun 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I also draw attention to the fact that some patients may be suffering from a hospital misadventure, which places considerable burden on the family in financial ways, as well as due to the trauma within the family of such a situation. I plead that consideration might be given to awarding a full medical card to those patients in the interim period because they should not have to wait until a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Services Staff (1 Jun 2023)

Bernard Durkan: In support of my colleague, I want to ask the Minister if any measure is taken of the number of patients reporting with heretofore unidentified conditions that might come under the guise of rare diseases, on a monthly or yearly basis, in order to reassure patients.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: General Practitioner Services (1 Jun 2023)

Bernard Durkan: In support of my colleague, given that there is an emergency and an actual shortage of doctors at various levels throughout the health services in the country, and in anticipation of maybe an even greater and more acute shortage in the years to come by virtue of population changes, could I ask the Minister whether it might be possible to ensure that whatever procedures prevail throughout the...