Results 13,741-13,760 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Seanad: United Nations Principles for Older Persons: Motion (21 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: It will be taken in this House on 10 November. That legislation will ensure that Senator Mary Ann O’Brien will be able to make those decisions for herself. Bringing it through the Lower House taught me that one can never assume what someone else wants. By the way, I met the group Senator Mary Ann O’Brien referred to last week and some progress was made in enhancing the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dental Services (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Work is ongoing on the preparation of a new dental Bill. It is based on a comprehensive public consultation process which informed the key policy issues that are now shaping the drafting of the Bill. The Bill will bring about significant change in fitness to practice, regulation, registration and the constitution of the Dental Council. The legislation will provide for the regulation and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dental Services (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: That is not what we are saying. What we are saying is that those who will be deemed fit to have an independent practice will have mandatory registration but I do think it is important. This area is as subject to change as anything else. The issue of the proportionality of regulation is being examined in the UK and Europe. The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Dental Services (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: That is the reason there will be a new dental Bill and the council will have those powers. All the other professions that have been registered up to this point have had power under the fitness to practise area and this is a significant power. In looking at all the other regulatory bodies in respect of fitness to practise, I am not sure that each registration council needs such a body on its...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: In line with the programme for Government, my priority as Minister has been to modernise our mental health services and to prioritise new resources to underpin the implementation of A Vision for Change, something that should have been done when we had lots of money but was not.Despite severe financial pressures, the Government has provided additional ring-fenced mental health funding of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Perhaps there is something lacking in me but I do not understand the final part of the Deputy's question. The sum of €35 million is being provided this year. The provision for 2014 was €20 million.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The reason only €20 million was provided in 2014 was because of the significant difficulties experienced in recruitment, not only in the mental health service area but across a range of areas. We were in the lucky position of being able to recruit because we were provided with the funding to do so and because we got sanction to breach the moratorium. Unfortunately, because the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Funding (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I am satisfied. I can also inform the Deputy - this has not been said publicly before - that to ensure the €35 million does not get lost in the system, it remains in the Department of Health and is only spent as required. That decision was taken to ensure we retained control of the €35 million. I can confirm to the Deputy that all that money was spent in mental health.

Other Questions: National Dementia Strategy Implementation (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The national dementia strategy was launched in December 2014. It delivers on a commitment in the programme for Government to develop a national Alzheimer's and other dementias strategy to increase awareness, ensure early diagnosis and intervention and develop enhanced community-based services. The Department of Health and the HSE have agreed a joint initiative with Atlantic...

Other Questions: National Dementia Strategy Implementation (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I agree with the Deputy. Planning, including evidence-based planning, and research are key to all of this. The combination of both the delivery of services within communities and research will give us the tools we will need to deliver what is essential. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland was the key driver in all of this and the conduit between Atlantic Philanthropies and the Government in...

Other Questions: National Dementia Strategy Implementation (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I do not believe we are disagreeing but that we need to be cautious about ensuring what we are doing and proposing are actually working. That is essential. What we are doing right now is working but it needs to be bedded in. We need to be absolutely certain that this is what we need and that it is where we need it. That is essential. Having come through the process in which it was...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Diagnoses (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The Minister for Health does not classify specific medical illnesses or conditions as a disability. There are a number of definitions of disability that are used for particular purposes e.g. the Disability Act, Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, Equal Status Act, Employment Equality Acts and qualifying criteria for income supports such as Domiciliary Care Allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Staffing (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The Government, despite severe financial pressures overall, has provided additional ring-fenced funding of €125 million since 2012 up to end 2015 for mental health to modernise services in line with A Vision for Change and Programme for Government commitments. A key focus has been the provision of additional posts to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for adults, children and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Delayed discharges arise when a patient has been judged clinically to no longer have a requirement for acute hospital care but remains in an acute hospital bed, thus rendering that bed unavailable for patients who need admission. As of 14 October (latest figures available) there are 561 delayed discharges nationally, of which 284 are in the Dublin Academic Teaching Hospitals (DATHs)....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Abbeyleix currently has capacity for 20 beds, which are utilised for some patients requiring long term care, with the majority of beds providing respite for patients from the area. St Brigids Shaen has capacity for 23 beds. However due to refurbishment works currently taking place in the unit, 9 beds are temporarily out of use. It is anticipated that refurbishment will be completed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Home Accommodation (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Community Nursing Units are an essential part of our national infrastructure of nursing homes and provide approximately 20% of the total stock of nursing home beds nationally. Because of their age, many such units are housed in buildings that are less than ideal in the modern context, but notwithstanding this, the standard of care delivered to residents is generally of a very high standard....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The first results of the Fluoride and Caring for Children's Teeth (FACCT) survey, just published, show that 73 to 76% of children living in fluoridated areas show no evidence of dental caries. This compares very well with other European countries and is clear evidence of a substantial improvement in the oral health of children in Ireland. Future service provision will be informed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Autism Support Services (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: 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 to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Help Service Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.