Results 141-160 of 3,665 for speaker:Seán Power

Health Services. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver or arrange to be delivered on its behalf health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the proposed developments at Tuam Hospital. The HSE western area has prepared...

Health Services. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: I thought the Deputy would be delighted with the interest the Tánaiste was taking in the project.

Health Services. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: I am not familiar with the Tuam Herald nor am I responsible for what appeared in it. The people examining this project are in the HSE. The Deputy is obviously familiar with the position in Tuam. This is about utilising facilities which were purchased on behalf of the State and maximising the benefits for the particular area. The HSE is examining this project. In 2001, the health service...

Health Services. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: The Tánaiste indicated when she met the group that she would ask the HSE to examine this project and that she expected it to report within a few weeks. That meeting took place at the end of January. In a matter of a few weeks we hope to have a report on this project and we will communicate then with the Deputy.

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: I propose to take QuestionsNos. 6, 20 and 90 together. As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the administration of the Nursing Home (Subvention) Regulations 1993 rests with the Health Service Executive. There are currently three rates of subvention payable under the regulations, that is, €114.30, €152.40 and €190.50 for the three levels of dependency which are medium, high and...

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: We provided €5 million when the subvention scheme was introduced in 1993. Last year we spent over €114 million on it and this year it is expected that we will spend approximately €120 million on the scheme. When the scheme was introduced it was never intended that it would cover the full costs of nursing home care; it was intended to provide some assistance. I accept what the Deputy...

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: If the Deputy knows of individual cases of particular hardship, he can provide us with the details and we will examine them. The funding of long-term care is a problem and we are treating it as a priority. We hope to introduce proposals on it later this year.

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: Currently, more than 7,000 people are in receipt of a subvention. The subvention scheme is under review and, under the Nursing Homes Subvention Regulations 1993, the executive may pay more than the maximum rate of subvention in a case where there is severe difficulty. It is not our intention to cause hardship and, where it exists, we would like to intervene and assist.

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: It is a Government priority. When the scheme was initially introduced in 1993, there was provision of €5 million.

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: It gives some indication. This year we will spend €120 million. The scheme is not perfect and changes should be made. I regularly meet the difficulties raised by Deputies today. That is why we are reviewing the scheme — to introduce greater equity. The Mercer report examined the funding of long-term care and, following a meeting earlier this month, we appointed a number of senior...

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: His or her home could mean anything.

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: It depends on the family home. If I saw someone living in a property worth €1 million, I would not have any difficulty in that person paying for his or her care. It would be different for someone living in a small cottage with no means. They are different situations and it is hard for me to answer a question put in such general terms.

Nursing Home Subventions. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: Just as Opposition Deputies hear of these problems in their clinics, Government Deputies are told the same stories. We realise that such situations are extremely sensitive and must be dealt with in a sensitive manner. When assessing a person's means at present, if a property is valued at over €75,000, it is taken into consideration. That is a very small amount and very few properties would...

Hospital Services. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: The report of the panel reviewing the events surrounding the death of Róisín Ruddle was published on the Department's website earlier today. The report prepared by the former Eastern Regional Health Board in July 2003 has also been published. Copies of the report were made available to Róisín's family and to Our Lady's Hospital in recent days. I wish first of all to express my sympathy to...

Services for People with Disabilities. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: On behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and giving me the opportunity to outline the position with regard to St. Mary's residential care facility, Drumcar, County Louth. I appreciate the Deputy's personal interest in the matter. The Department has, since 1997, allocated a significant level of...

Schools Building Projects. (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: I thank Deputy Ryan for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to the House the overall strategy of the Department of Education and Science to address the future requirements in both the primary and post-primary sectors in the Donabate area. At the outset, it is important to note that the school planning section of the Department works closely with the four local...

Written Answers — Alcohol Abuse: Alcohol Abuse (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: The strategic task force on alcohol was established in January 2002. Its remit is to provide specific evidence based measures to Government to prevent and reduce alcohol related harm. The task force published an interim report in May 2002 and has recently published its second report. Together, the two reports provide approximately 100 evidenced based recommendations which aim to tackle...

Written Answers — Patient Statistics: Patient Statistics (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for high dependency patients. Accordingly, my Department has requested the...

Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: As the Deputy may be aware, the report of the working group on elder abuse, Protecting Our Future, was launched on 11 November 2002. This report, in starting with a definition of elder abuse and recommending the putting in place of structures to deal with suspected cases, will hopefully give older people who feel they are the subject of abuse in any shape or form, the confidence to report...

Written Answers — Nursing Home Accommodation: Nursing Home Accommodation (10 Feb 2005)

Seán Power: As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the procurement of beds in the private nursing home sector for high...