Results 19,701-19,720 of 22,424 for speaker:Finian McGrath

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. It is great to be back in the Seanad. I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018. This is a short and technical Bill comprising eight sections all focused on the specific issue of health insurance. The amendments outlined in the Bill will ensure the ongoing sustainability of the...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank the Senators for their contributions to the debate on the Bill. I will go through some of the points raised by individuals and if there are any I omitted or do not have time to respond to, I will revert to the Senators. Health insurance is held by a large proportion of people in Ireland relative to other countries. It is important that we take the opportunity to discuss this Bill...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I will come back to the Senator with the details. There were specific questions to which I will be responding later. Every single issue raised here will be responded to.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: This Bill allows the Department of Health to maintain support for the core principle of community rating, which is long-established and well-supported Government policy for the health insurance market, and it will ensure that the necessary support is provided to ensure that the costs of health insurance are shared across the insured population. I thank the Senators for their contributions....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (21 Nov 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: Services for People with Disabilities (21 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I wish to draw the Deputy's attention to the report of the Task Force on Personalised Budgets, which I published on 17th July 2018. The report is available on the Department of Health website. The report sets out how personalised budgets could work as a funding mechanism for people with a disability, providing them with greater choice and control over the services and supports they receive,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (22 Nov 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: Services for People with Disabilities (22 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 127 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (22 Nov 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: Services for People with Disabilities (22 Nov 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: Services for People with Disabilities (22 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (22 Nov 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: Respite Care Services (22 Nov 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...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (27 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue and I will respond accordingly. I do not doubt their sincerity about the issue. I will respond to some of the figures they presented. As is widely acknowledged, there is currently an international shortage of consultants, especially for CAMHS. The Cork-Kerry CHO has established a CAMHS medical recruitment task force to review efforts...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (27 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank colleagues for raising this important issue. I point out that the substantial increase in mental health funding in recent years has helped to fund an extra 4.79 consultant psychiatrists in CHO 4 since 2016. I accept that there is a problem. The CHO has stated that there are 7.25 vacancies at consultant level in mental health. I accept that reality. Deputy Ferris has raised the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Help Service (27 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this very important issue and I am happy to clarify the position. By way of background, in April 2014, following a Labour Court recommendation, the HSE implemented new contracts for its directly employed home help staff. These contracts provided each home help with a guaranteed minimum number of hours per week and a guaranteed income each week with work...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Help Service (27 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: The Deputy raised five key points relating to the contracts, travel time, rostering, the Organisation of Working Time Act being breached and the evaluation of hours. Of course, I will follow up on them and find out the latest position. I accept the Deputy's point that home helps provide an invaluable service to the most vulnerable members of our community, enabling the elderly and those...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Statistics (27 Nov 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: Disability Services Provision (27 Nov 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: Services for People with Disabilities (27 Nov 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...