Results 1,301-1,320 of 2,674 for speaker:John Moloney

Seanad: Youth Affairs (30 Jun 2009)

John Moloney: I thank Senator Keaveney for raising this matter. I wish to explain the involvement of Dáil na nÓg and that of the Department. Dáil na nÓg is the annual national parliament for young people aged 12 to 18 years. The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for funding and overseeing Dáil na nÓg. Since 2003, a consortium comprising the National Youth Council...

Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I apologise for the fact that the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady, cannot be here to respond to this question. There is no doubt that when people are diagnosed with a terminal illness or when they are in the last stages of their treatment, it is so important that they receive the appropriate care in an appropriate setting. This is important not only for patients, but also for their...

Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I certainly cannot compete with that nonsense about queuing to die. I am not into the quotes-----

Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I will come to that. Each week there is a tear jerker. I will respond to the Deputy's assertions, but I will not be saying things like "queuing to die". I did not want to mention this in my initial response. I wonder about the 133 inpatients. The HSE cannot substantiate this figure, and I wonder about creating this impression and I am worried about families that have to read this sort of...

Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: The Deputy may laugh and sneer, but I am just presenting the facts. For those who are genuinely concerned about this, funding is ring-fenced and has been committed already. I will not go into the detail for the record, but it is important to look at the yearly funding from 2004 to 2008. Nobody should suggest that we are trying to park the huge demand for funding. The additional funding...

Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I apologise for not answering that question. I slipped my mind because I was so carried away with the initial statement made by the Deputy. Everybody over a particular figure is means tested for a medical card. As the Deputy knows well, once medical evidence is presented to the HSE, that is taken into account.

Mental Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: In May 2006 the Government confirmed the decision to develop a new Central Mental Hospital, CMH, at Thornton Hall, County Dublin. Since then, a draft project brief has been prepared and a cost-benefit analysis completed. None of the work undertaken to date has been site specific but a number of difficulties have emerged with the Thornton Hall site. The HSE has identified a need for an...

Mental Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: The response goes on to make the point that it was never site specific, but a time is arriving when it needs to be site specific. I had a meeting with Dr. Harry Kennedy and his people in the hospital some months ago and I made it clear that the Government's priority is to fast-track the building of a central mental hospital. Nothing has changed since then. The Government must decide on a...

Mental Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I would like to be definite on this. When I held the meeting in Dundrum at the invitation of Dr. Kennedy some months ago I made it clear that Dundrum would not be a runner. I also made it clear that upon taking up my role in the Department of Health and Children the Minister, Deputy Harney never made an order to me that it had to be Thornton Hall, although I was asked to proceed as quickly...

Mental Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: No.

Mental Health Services. (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: There are many questions but I will try to answer them. First, this is not a U-turn. Dr. Kennedy will confirm that I made a visit on my first day in office. I made it clear to him that my instructions were to proceed as quickly as possible to build a new central mental hospital. I told him the only commitment I could give him was that it would not be Dundrum, for many reasons, including...

Commissions of Inquiry: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: While I do not have a local connection to this issue, I understand the concerns of many of the Deputies who have spoken and acknowledge the substantial difficulties they face. I dread to think that the same issue could arise in my local hospital. Rather than waffle on with a prepared statement, I will address some of the points made by Deputy O'Dowd and others. I welcome the remarks made...

Commissions of Inquiry: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I am not too sure about that. My information is that the HSE has made arrangements for counselling support using the national counselling service which provides services for individuals, couples and family groups. Persons affected by these issues who do no wish to avail of such counselling can speak with a psychologist or counsellor in confidence. In addition to those concerns, the then...

Written Answers — Nursing Home Subventions: Nursing Home Subventions (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 36 together. The Minister for Health and Children acknowledges the need to reform the current arrangements for financing nursing home care to ensure that such care is affordable for all. It was with this in mind that she introduced the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, A Fair Deal. The Fair Deal will equalise the level of State support available for...

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: The Mental Health Act 2001 provides a modern legal framework for the admission and treatment of persons with a mental disorder. The best interests of the person must be the principal consideration in any decisions under the Act, including a decision relating to involuntary admission. The Act has extensive provisions relating to involuntary admissions and provides a high level of protective...

Written Answers — Residential Services for People with Disabilities: Residential Services for People with Disabilities (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 119 together. A Standards Advisory Group was established by HIQA to develop National Quality Standards on Residential Services for People with Disabilities. The group comprised officials of HIQA, my Department, the HSE, service providers, organisations representing people with disabilities and service users, and met on a number of occasions during...

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: I have no plans to introduce any such legislation. The Health Act 2004 provided for the establishment of the Health Service Executive with effect from 1 January 2005 and the Executive was established with its own Vote, Vote 40. The management of funding for mental health services is therefore a matter for the Health Service Executive.

Written Answers — Health Service Allowances: Health Service Allowances (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Written Answers — Mental Health Services: Mental Health Services (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2009)

John Moloney: The Multi Annual Investment Programme for Disability Services makes provision for the development of specific high priority disability services including the creation of additional residential, respite places and day care places each year between 2006 and 2009 for people with intellectual disability and autism and additional residential care and home support services for people with physical...