Results 61-80 of 309 for speaker:Keith Swanick

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (22 Feb 2017)

Keith Swanick: That will be the recommendation to Government.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: HIQA Reports (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to address this very serious issue. As the Minister of State is aware, HIQA released a report in December regarding financial irregularities in the Greenmount property at the St. Mary's, Drumcar, campus of St. John of God. The report found that the residential centre for people with disabilities took thousands of euro from the private...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: HIQA Reports (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: That is exactly why an independent review of the services provided at Drumcar is needed. It is also why I am bitterly disappointed a specialised review of the facility is not taking place. We need to remember that the population is getting older. In the next 30 years the number of people over 65 will double, while the number over 85 will quadruple. All aspects of the health system will be...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that No. 10 be taken before No. 1 today. The former is the Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017, which would allow all critical health employees of the Department of Health, the HSE and section 38 organisations to prolong their working lives for an initial two years on the basis of dual consent. This issue was first...

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: First Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to ensure that critical health professionals who are employees of all organisations funded directly by the Department of Health, all organisations funded by the Health Service Executive, all organisations funded under section 38 of the Health Act 2004, and all other health and disability service providers, may, if they wish,...

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: First Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: It is an arbitrary age in the calendar.

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: First Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: I hope this will get cross-party support in the House.

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: First Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: North-South Interconnector: Motion (1 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Naughten to the House. I support this motion and I commend my colleagues Senators Gallagher and Wilson on calling for an independent expert review. I also welcome to the House Councillor Clifford Kelly who has been a long-term campaigner on this issue, as well as Deputy Cassells. I have spoken today to a councillor of more 33 years' experience from the...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: Ba mhaith liom ar son Fhianna Fáil agus ar mo shon féin comhbhrón a dhéanamh le clann agus le cairde Martin McGuinness agus lena pháirtí, Sinn Féin. Polaiteoir den scoth ab ea é. Bhí ról an-tábhachtach aige i bpróiseas na síochána. Cuimhním go maith ar an lá stairiúil deich mbliana ó shin nuair a...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: On behalf of myself and Senator Conway-Walsh I would like to welcome pupils and parents from Corclough national school in Belmullet here today. Today we read in the newspapers that Ireland tops the list internationally for people drinking alcohol at home prior to going to the pub, with 85 % of people engaging in this practice. Considering that one in three hospital admissions is a direct...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Keith Swanick: An tseachtain seo caite, labhair mé anseo mar gheall ar an obair thábhachtach i gceantair Iorras i gContae Mhaigh Eo. Leanann an obair go stóchúil agus Dé Domhnaigh seo caite tugadh isteach corp Captain Mark Duffy. The dignity with which Captain Mark Duffy, from Rescue 116, was borne ashore on Sunday last is something that will stay with me forever. He gave his life...

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Corcaran Kennedy as bheith anseo inniu. I mo thuairim féin agus mo pháirtí Fianna Fáil, tá an Bille seo an-tábhachtach agus ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le mo pháirtí Fianna Fáil agus ár seanadóirí. Freisin,...

Seanad: Critical Health Professionals Bill 2017: Second Stage (4 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I thank Senator Davitt for seconding the Bill and I welcome everybody's comments. I acknowledge Senator Colm Burke's work in the health sector. This Bill is not confined to consultants although the Senator spoke extensively about them. It involves many health professionals. It is important to realise that this Bill will allow the Minister to revise and review periodically the categories...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (5 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, for coming to the House to answer questions which have been worrying the community of Kinlough, County Leitrim. While canvassing the area during the Seanad elections, I had the pleasure of visiting the health centre and speaking with the local public health nurse. It was clear from speaking to the various people I met in the area that they felt...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (5 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I thank the Minister of State. I have liaised closely with local councillor, Justin Warnock, on this issue. There are a few important issues arising which I will refer to briefly. Over 10% of the total population of Leitrim live in the Kinlough area. Currently, hearing and dental checks are not being conducted in the health centre, but in the local school which has 270 pupils. This...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I concur with the sentiments of my colleague, Senator Rónán Mullen, in respect of post-traumatic stress disorder and the supports necessary for our Defence Forces. I have first-hand experience of the bravery shown by the navy divers and the Garda underwater unit in Blacksod Bay last weekend, when I spent some time on the ILV Granuailein a medical capacity. It is vital that we...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Bill 2017: Second Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: In the words of Deputy Michael Harty, "The aim of this piece of legislation is to provide for the licensing of supervised injecting facilities in order to enhance the dignity, health and wellbeing of those who inject in public places." Fianna Fáil supports this Bill, which would introduce supervised injection facilities. It is designed to avoid drug-induced deaths. It is obviously not...

Seanad: Adult Safeguarding Bill: Second Stage (5 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I, too, commend Senator Kelleher on the effort she put into this Bill. It is fantastic. Fianna Fáil is happy to support and co-sponsor this Bill which aims to put additional protections in place to protect all adults from the possibility that at some stage in their lives they may be at risk of abuse or harm. I also welcome members of the Support and Advocacy Service for Older People,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016: Discussion (5 Apr 2017)

Keith Swanick: I thank Senator Mullen. I will be going to the Seanad in a few minutes and so will be very brief. From a medical viewpoint, we know that cannabinoids bind with receptors in the brain. Some of those receptors are in the amygdala, which is involved in processing fear, stress and paranoia. My first question is to Professor David Finn. Would he agree or disagree that these products could...