Results 1,001-1,020 of 1,371 for speaker:Máire Hoctor

Nursing Home Standards. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: While there will be some new staff, we anticipate that the vast majority will be transferred over from the HSE. It would not make sense to let people go from the HSE and take on new staff. Therefore, the vast majority of the inspectorate will be transferred directly over, with the possibility of some new staff also being hired. On the issue of the regularity or frequency of inspections,...

Nursing Home Standards. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: We have engaged in extensive consultations with the key stakeholders on the regulations and agreement has been reached. We hope to finalise the regulations early in the new year, at which stage we will be ready to move forward. The Deputy also asked about costs and expectations that may emerge.

Nursing Home Standards. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: A regulatory impact assessment is being undertaken at the moment, which will determine the costs and benefits. When the assessment is finalised we will know what additional costs, if any, will be involved. At present, however, I cannot give the Deputy a definitive answer on the matter.

Nursing Home Standards. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The vast bulk of additional resources will be transferred from the HSE and, as I have stated, some new staff may also be hired.

Nursing Home Standards. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The staff resources will come from a variety of areas and specialisms, including those mentioned by the Deputy. We envisage that the inspectorate will comprise between 60 and 70 people. Many of the staff involved have already received training and any additional training requirements will be met in due course to ensure the smooth operation of the inspection service.

Health Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Based on the hospitals listed, I understand the Deputy's question to refer to north Dublin, that is, to the area previously covered by the former northern area health board. The number of long-stay nursing home beds in Dublin North at present is about 2,260. This includes 1,300 beds in private nursing homes, 440 in voluntary nursing homes and 520 in public nursing homes. This equates to...

Health Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: No, I said that there were 43 long-term care beds per 1,000 people over the age of 65, which compares favourably to the international norm of 45 beds per 1,000 people over the age of 65.

Health Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I remind Deputy Reilly that 200 extra beds, most of them in Dublin, were provided from January of this year.

Health Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: It is very difficult to say when we will have enough beds but that was a new development from 1 January of this year. Funding was provided by transferring fair deal money for both the installation and continued upkeep of those beds. The original fair deal funding figure was €110 million, a portion of which was allocated for the opening and upkeep of those additional beds.

Health Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The fair deal will result in a much more equitable situation. As and from the new year, it will be the same cost regardless of whether people are in public or private beds. This will address the Deputy's point.

Health Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Deputy Ó Caoláin asked about an audit. The most recent was the Prospectus audit carried out in January of this year. A total of 68% of beds in the HSE Dublin/north-east region are in private nursing homes, and 32% are public beds. However, that report also notes that there are significant variations across the local health offices regarding the ratio of public to private long-stay beds....

Home Help Services. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue as it provides me with an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to services for older people generally and, in particular, to the important area of the home help service, even in these times of economic uncertainty....

Schools Building Projects. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta McGinley as ucht deis a thabhairt dom an cheist atá ardaithe aige anocht a fhreagairt. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as it affords me the opportunity to outline the position on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, with regard to the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio at post-primary level. Notwithstanding the...

Northern Ireland Issues. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. On 21 February 1988, Aidan McAnespie was fatally wounded by gunfire near a British army checkpoint at Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, on the Border with County Monaghan. The shooting gave rise to a great degree of public disquiet at the time. Consequently, at the request of the...

Teaching Qualifications. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: I will reply to this matter on behalf of my colleague and Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I am glad to have this opportunity to update the House on the current position of the probation of primary teachers. As a result of the very significant increase in teaching posts that the Department has provided to primary schools in recent years, the number of applicants for...

Teaching Qualifications. (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: With regard to the 2008-09 school year, the position is that some 2,445 of a total of 2,537 teachers who registered for probation during rounds one, two and three have been deemed eligible. Of the total number of teachers, some 1,953 have been assigned to inspectors. Priority was first given to the very small number of applicants from the last school year whose probation could not be...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The HSE will provide about 4,600 home care packages in 2008, benefiting some 11,500 people. About 8,700 people are in receipt of home care packages at any one time. Home care packages are a relatively new and innovative development and the number of packages has increased very substantially since 2005. Despite this, the demand for home care packages can still exceed the number of packages...

Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: The existing requirement on the HSE, under the 1970 Health Act as amended, to make available long-term residential care is subject to the overall resources available to the HSE. The new Scheme will also incorporate a resource limit. However, establishing a dedicated and transparent funding stream for the new Scheme will have a number of benefits. The Government will have the opportunity each...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Over the past number of years, my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, has been working on a number of initiatives to enhance long-stay capacity and, by extension, to facilitate the timely discharge of patients from the acute sector. Firstly, the long-term residential care fast-track initiative, which commenced in 2007 and is continuing until 2010, aims to provide 860 new...

Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (25 Nov 2008)

Máire Hoctor: Both my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, and I intend to allow a full debate on the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Bill 2008. The Minister introduced the Second Stage of the Bill in the Dáil on 13 November and it is her intention to progress the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas with a view to implementing the scheme in 2009. As the introduction of the scheme is...