Results 8,581-8,600 of 11,572 for speaker:Mary Butler

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: With all due respect, I was trying to answer the question. The Deputy asked what plan we have. At the moment, we have an intervention to try to reduce long-waiters off the waiting list for primary care psychology. This is after there have been 48% more referrals in the space of two years. Any system is going to be under pressure. We also have a waiting list initiative running across six...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: We tried to discuss the issue at the roundtable series of discussions, which comprised NEPS, disability and CAMHS. Mr. Higgins is the assistant national director for change planning and delivery for disability and mental health services and, therefore, there is a real focus on the area and he will comment. Many families experience great frustration due to the silo nature of the supports...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: The Deputy made the point that there should be no wrong door and that has to be the approach because, regardless of whether it mental health, disability, autism or whatever, when a child is referred, it is done for a reason and where one door does not open, there has to be some door.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: Ensuring that there is a door was part of our roundtable discussion with the stakeholders. We spend €80 million each year on mental health services and work with various NGOs whether that is Jigsaw, MyMind, Turn2Me or the text line 50808. For some people, a referral to one of these organisations might be sufficient at that stage. The issue is to find the right door but there has to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: Under the social care model, the HSE will now employ, as a healthcare worker, a person who has completed two modules of a QQI 5 course and commits to study the remaining modules while working or earn and learn. I always say that we cannot compromise on standards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: The Deputy has not asked us to do that but I will take away her point that it is very costly, and can cost as much as €1,500, for a person to secure further accreditation to ensure an appropriate placement. Having to pay €1,500 may mean that a person does not get an opportunity to offer his or her skills.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: There are discussions between the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, on higher education and trying to put more posts in train. As the Cathaoirleach said, it will take four years for some of them to come through the system. It takes even longer for other definitions. There are certainly many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank Dr. Niazi.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The nursing homes support scheme, NHSS, commonly referred to as fair deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. It was designed to protect and support vulnerable older people, to ensure equal access to nursing home care based on what they could afford. This gives certainty to people and families. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I encourage continued engagement between the nursing home providers and the NTPF to try to resolve this issue. I really mean that. Primary responsibility for the provision of safe care and services to residents in long-term residential care facilities rests with each individual care provider. The 2013 regulations set out clear obligations on a registered provider to agree in writing with a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I spoke with representatives from the NTPF last week and speak to them regularly. I cannot advocate for one particular nursing home but what I did this year was-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: What I did this year was put €41 extra into the NTPF to support nursing homes. I also provided an additional €10 million on 1 July last year for the temporary inflation payment scheme, TIPS, which is still available. Each nursing home can claim up to €5,250 per month towards its inflationary costs for heating the home. Private nursing homes and voluntary nursing homes...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Care Services (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy. Tuigim an cheist. I have put my heart and soul into reopening day care centres the length and breadth of the country. More than 300 day care centres are open and last Friday, we opened the 46th dementia-specific day care centre. Another will be opening soon in the Ceann Comhairle's area. We are looking forward to that. The Deputy will know that the HSE has...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Care Services (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: It does not.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Care Services (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: I am extremely proud of the social care model we have in Ireland.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Care Services (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: We run a social care model for day care and meals on wheels. I was abroad last year, representing Ireland as the Minister of State with responsibility for older people, at an event organised by the UN that included approximately 40 different ministers. The number of people who came to talk to me about the social care model we have in Ireland was unbelievable. There is still a medical model...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Care Services (23 May 2023)

Mary Butler: That is no problem. The only area we are challenged is in respect of day care centres that are part of or associated with a community nursing unit. These are residential facilities and it is no longer appropriate to bring people from the community into a community nursing unit because believe it or not, we are still dealing with Covid-19 in those areas, as well as other respiratory...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (16 May 2023)

Mary Butler: More than €80m a year is provided to Section 38 and Section 39 agencies to provide mental health services on behalf of the HSE. MyMind provides a range of counselling and psychotherapy services online, and face-to-face across the country. Services are available for children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in a wide variety of different languages. In response to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (16 May 2023)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.