Results 14,001-14,020 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Care Centre Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The HSE has responsibility for the provision, maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and 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: Primary Care Centre Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The HSE proposes to use the direct build mechanism to deliver the primary care centre for the location in question. A design team has been appointed and as at end September 2015, the HSE estimates that the planning application could be lodged by year end. While the Government's objective is to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system the mechanism and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Autism Support Services (10 Nov 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 (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Pharmacy Services (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Expanding the role of the community pharmacist to include provision of services such as a Minor Ailments Scheme is worth exploring as we seek to further expand and develop the primary care sector. It is important that such proposals generate real savings on existing public expenditure since the health service continues to operate within tight budget constraints. The Department of Health is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Care of the Elderly Funding (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and to support access to quality long-term residential care, where this is appropriate. The Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health and personal social...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Care of the Elderly Funding (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The difficulty in recruitment is not only in areas such as Ballinasloe. It exists across the range, including in some of our very high tech hospitals, where one would imagine nurses would want to work. It is getting easier. That is all I will say. There are still vacancies but not as many as there were. If the right person becomes available the post will be filled.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Services (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: We need to be careful about the language we use. There are 18 vacancies in total and percentages can often give a false view when one is talking about a small cohort of people. All 18 vacancies are covered by locums. In some cases, as this has been on a prolonged basis, they will not be unfamiliar to the people they see on a daily basis. There is, however, an issue, with which we are not...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Services (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The key to ensuring hospitals are not overrun lies in the community, while the key to the delivery of services in the community is GPs and nurses.We cannot emphasise that enough, and it is on that basis that I hope we will go forward in terms of the negotiations.

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I am very pleased to present the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 to the Seanad. This is a ground-breaking Bill which fulfils the commitment in the programme for Government to introduce mental capacity legislation in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Government's aim has been to reform the law on mental capacity to ensure the greatest...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank everyone for the constructive debate. I welcome those interested parties in the Public Gallery who have been a significant part of this development. Their advice and input have had a major impact on the development of this Bill. It is a Bill that has developed, which is probably a first in this country in respect of the amount of time it has taken, the number of people who were...

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I will go straight into the reply, but having only five minutes for a response is not enough. Maybe we should take a look at that. I know the Ceann Comhairle and I cannot do anything about that.

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I would entirely agree with the sentiment expressed about the distress that is caused to those who must wait for a long period of time either on a trolley or on a chair. It is uncomfortable, it is distressing and it does not lend dignity, let alone service. However, quoting statistics will never have the same impact as personalised stories, and we saw that this week and last week with...

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: -----under the Minister who is now Fianna Fáil's leader, denied that there were patients on trolleys. Deputy Martin said he did not believe the counts by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. He simply did not believe it, but not believing it did not make the figures go away, just as not believing that the troika was on the way in made it go away. It did not happen. We had an...

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: -----and we are not doing a bad job on it. I was amused to listen to Deputy Ó Cuív, whom I have great time for, when he stated that it is amazing how time flies in government and how little is done. I would like to start by talking about primary care, because I agree that it seems to be the focus of what we need to do.

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: There is universal agreement that having more services in primary care is better for patients and also results in fewer hospital visits. Let us take a look at exactly what we have been doing in primary care since 2011, rather than at the previous Administration. Forty-six primary care centres have been delivered since March 2011. There are an additional 50 locations where primary care...

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: At the very least-----

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: -----we should be given some credit-----

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: -----for keeping the health service standing up and developing it to the extent that it should have been when the previous Fianna-Fáil-led Government had more money that it knew what to do with.

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: If it was true, it would be okay.

Hospital Emergency Departments: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Nov 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I do not normally. Deputy Dooley knows that.