Results 18,981-19,000 of 22,424 for speaker:Finian McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (4 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: This lady was notified by the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) on 26 June 2018 that her domiciliary care allowance was awarded on appeal. Once the administrative procedures have been completed, a decision letter will issue by post notifying her of the date of award of DCA and when payment will issue. Payment of all arrears due will issue along with her first payment. I hope this...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Motorised Transport Grant Eligibility (4 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank and commend Senator O'Mahony for raising this important issue. I also commend his determination and perseverance on the motor transport grant proposals. I am happy to update this House on the progress of the health (transport support) Bill. The Senator will be familiar with the background to the closure of the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant schemes in February...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Motorised Transport Grant Eligibility (4 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: In regard to the memorandum, I am considering three options. I know exactly what I want in terms of this scheme. I am sure Senator O'Mahony would agree with my proposals. I was not happy with what was proposed at Cabinet and I undertook to consider other options in terms of funding. My preferred option is the most expensive. There is a problem in that as we approach the Estimates...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Motorised Transport Grant Eligibility (4 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: No.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy Provision (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy Waiting Lists (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Psychological Services (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Support Services (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 346 together. The Providing Equal Employment Routes (PEER) project is run in Co. Louth by the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK Ltd). The project provides for customised supports for its participants to access employment. The target group is young people with disabilities aged 16 – 24. The project...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 18 April 2017. Their application was disallowed as she was not found to be habitually resident in the state. The person concerned appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). This appeal was disallowed by an appeals officer on 11 May 2018 and she was notified of this decision in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 18 April 2017. Their application was disallowed as she was not found to be habitually resident in the state. The person concerned appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). This appeal was disallowed by an appeals officer on 11 May 2018 and she was notified of this decision in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Regulation (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I accept it is a hugely important issue which criss-crosses my own portfolio relating to children with disabilities. As she noted, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health recently published a report on sodium valproate and the foetal anticonvulsant syndrome, FACS, following a meeting with FACS Forum Ireland, the Health Products...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Regulation (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank the Senator for her additional comments. I will convey the points she has raised to the Minister for Health because I understand the seriousness and complexity of the issues facing the children and families affected by FACS. I am glad to see there has been some positive engagement between FACS Forum Ireland and other stakeholders, including the HSE, the HPRA, and the Department of...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: It is my pleasure to introduce the Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018 to the Seanad. I was pleased last December when the Government announced that eligibility for a general practitioner, GP, service without fees was to be extended to all people in receipt of a carer's allowance payment. Following further examination of the proposal, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris,...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank our colleagues for the detailed responses and their great support. Senator Swanick raised very important issues on the 104 weeks and the cohort of people who miss out as a result. As the Senator said, there are 68,000 people. It is something I am prepared to look at and something I will discuss with the Minister, Deputy Harris. I am open to the constructive suggestions that have...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: Senator Mullen's point on the importance of carers and the issue of respecting and appreciating them in society is important. Does it go far enough? Can we extend it? I have a vision that this involves a step-by-step approach. I see this as a small recognition of the amount of work carers have done. I also see it as part of four other things I have done in the past 12 months. They are:...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I shall make a couple of short points because I know that many of the points have been made. I thank all of the Senators for their valuable contributions on this Bill today. I assure Senator Higgins that personal assistant hours is an issue that is close to my heart. I agree with her that we should consider supplementary supports and consult people to discover what is needed. I agree...

Topical Issue Debate: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision (10 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Buckley for raising this important issue. I know they are genuinely interested in mental health services. The policy of the HSE, as reflected in its annual service plans, is to provide age-appropriate mental health services to people under the age of 18. In view of the significant additional funding that has been provided over recent years, I reiterate...

Topical Issue Debate: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision (10 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I commend them for mentioning that there are some positive experiences in child and adolescent mental health services. Of course I will bring the views they have set out during this debate to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly. They have raised some important issues. As I have mentioned, some 69 CAMHS teams and...

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services Provision (10 Jul 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy for raising this important issue. I am well aware of the great work of the Oireachtas committee, particularly on this issue. There are six CAMHS teams in the midlands mental health services. The staffing levels of these teams are currently at or above the national average. The staff allocation for the two young adult mental health service,...