Results 1-20 of 4,617 for speaker:Sorca Clarke
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (21 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 726. To ask the Minister for Health the total amount of funding allocated to breastfeeding promotion and support services in 2020 to 2025; the breakdown of funding by regional health authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56519/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (21 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 727. To ask the Minister for Health the current budget allocation for lactation consultants, breastfeeding clinics and community based peer support programmes; and the number this compares to previous years. [56521/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (21 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 728. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE lactation consultants currently employed by the HSE. [56522/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (16 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has engaged with the industrial school survivors who are on hunger strike; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56394/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (16 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 371. To ask the Minister for Health to set out the average waiting time for a first appointment with a psychologist under HSE mental health services; and to detail how the 2026 funding aims to improve access. [56277/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (16 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 372. To ask the Minister for Health the number of consultant psychiatrist posts that are currently filled, vacant, and approved across the HSE; and to provide the number of new or replacement posts funded in Budget 2026. [56278/25]
- Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (16 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: 373. To ask the Minister for Health the number of psychiatry training places available under the HSE’s postgraduate schemes; and whether Budget 2026 provides for an expansion of these to meet projected service demand. [56279/25]
- Tillage Sector: Statements (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: The Minister said earlier that the tillage sector was an integral part of Irish farming. I happen to agree with him; it truly is. It is the backbone of farming in many of our communities. It contributes almost €1.9 billion annually to the economy and supports up to 11,000 jobs. That is something we need to take seriously. Despite that, our local tillage sector is under severe...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: I thank the witnesses for coming in this morning. They are very welcome. This is an issue that comes up for me on a regular basis, even though we are talking about rare diseases. I think most other committee members would have the same experience. The question I want to put is on that relationship that exists between the health technology assessment, the legislation around price and...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: But it was not available for Toby at home.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: Toby is very fortunate.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: The medication was supplied.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: It was supplied at the end of July.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: It was made available to him and he is doing very well.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: He has a path ahead of him - there is no doubt about that - but he is doing very well. How frequently do decisions like this happen, where a family or patient is told they cannot get access to medication, only for it then to turn out after a little bit of political pressure - kicking, screaming, roaring and shouting - that a decision is made in their favour?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: Why? It should not happen.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)
Sorca Clarke: This indicates to me that there is a fundamental flaw. The systems in place simply are not working. You should be able to go to your doctor and for the doctor to say you need a certain medication, and it is kept out of the political sphere or spectrum where the decisions are made by those who have the greatest access to information and knowledge of the condition and the medication. This...