Results 6,941-6,960 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (19 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The motion provides that Seanad Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30 June 2013 and ending on 29 June 2014. This resolution will provide for the continuation in operation of section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 for a 12-month period beginning on 30 June...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (19 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank all Members who contributed to the debate. It is important that issues like this are fully fleshed out in debate. It is a significant motion. Let us be quite honest about that. Senator Bacik made a point I was thinking of myself. On the one hand, the Garda Commissioner feels the provisions are necessary as part of the Garda armoury to ensure that gangland crime is dealt with,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Care of the Elderly (19 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Senator for tabling this matter. Clearly, the shortage of long-stay intensive care beds for people who are ageing is an issue. We need to face up to it and we are examining it is a serious manner. Cara House, Skibbereen is a residential home for 12 elderly women. It is managed by Skibbereen Geriatric Society. I concur that people are doing their best with the best of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Care of the Elderly (19 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: We all hope for the same. I will relay the Senator's concerns to the relevant HSE officials and I hope some reassurance can be provided. No one will be thrown onto the side of the street. At this stage of their lives, I will ensure the dignity they deserve is delivered.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Courts Staff Recruitment (19 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality. I thank the Senator for raising the matter. The Minister appreciates that people, especially legal practitioners, are interested in the matter of taxation of costs and the efficiency of the system of taxation. As the Senator may be aware, taxing masters are independent officeholders attached to the High Court. The...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Courts Staff Recruitment (19 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The Senator should write to the Minister directly. I do not dispute what the Senator is saying for one minute because he operates in and is closely connected with this area. It is therefore very difficult to dispute his experience. I should also mention that the Courts Service has informed the Minister that the total number of bills lodged in 2012 represented a 34% decrease on the number...

Leaders' Questions (20 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: He cannot answer a question if it has not been asked.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Addressing the generally accepted historic deficiencies in both the capital and non-capital aspects of our mental health services remains a priority for the Government. This is reflected in the fact that we are following through on our programme for Government commitments, with some €70 million provided this year and last year for a range of new posts and other specific initiatives...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Deputy for his question. The language used today is better. Ultimately, it is about language and we must be very careful not to discourage people from using the service when they need it. This is not a resources issue. There are 890 people working in the Galway-Roscommon service. They might not be in the right place, but they are in that area. Those who work in this service...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Worry is not a basis for not using the service. The types of language and debate we have heard on this issue are such that I am not surprised people are worried. People who present with very challenging behaviour have always been dealt with by the service. That is what the mental health service does. In the main, 95% of people can be dealt with in the community but there will always be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Primary Care Services Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: That is not true.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Care Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: The HSE has advised that the individual concerned was previously accommodated in a 24-hour residential facility up to her recent admission to St. Finbarr's Hospital. She receives medical input by means of twice weekly ward rounds from the treating consultant. A structured timetable of activities at a day centre has also been developed, and staff members at the centre continue to encourage...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Care Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Yes, I referred in my reply to St. Stephen's Hospital.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Care Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I do not think there is any disagreement here. We know that there are people who have a dual diagnosis, who have anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, even people who have a disability diagnosis. Last year we did not allocate any posts in the areas of disability and old-age psychiatry. That is the priority issue for this year. With regard to this woman's mental health...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Care Provision (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I cannot give any commitment. It is very clear that there is no budget for private facilities. The only commitment I can give is that I will contact the director of services for disabilities in Cork. We will see what can be done but I am not making any promises.

Other Questions: Suicide Prevention (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 131 together. Suicide is a tragedy that we are constantly working to prevent, and we are also working to give more support to the families affected. Dealing with the current high levels of suicide and deliberate self-harm is a priority for this Government, and significant additional funding has been provided in recent years to address this issue....

Other Questions: Suicide Prevention (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: Every time a Member stands up to discuss the issue of suicide, he or she refers to an overarching authority like the Road Safety Authority. The Road Safety Authority has done an incredible job and I have no particular issue with it. However, we have a statutory overarching authority already, the National Office for Suicide Prevention, which develops policy and is now co-ordinating the...

Other Questions: Suicide Prevention (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I know the Deputy does not, but it is as if commitment is not enough.

Other Questions: Suicide Prevention (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: That is not true.

Other Questions: Suicide Prevention (25 Jun 2013)

Kathleen Lynch: I wish to reply first to Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin's point about the app. Last year when we discussed how to reach people - they are not sitting down to watch the "Nine O'Clock News", as the Deputy and I know, rather they are in different places - one of the suggestions made was that an app be developed to give people, whether they were living in County Donegal or Dingle, at...