Results 181-200 of 696 for speaker:Mark Ward in 'Dáil debates'

Health (Amendment) (Dual Diagnosis: No Wrong Door) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I thank my colleagues for supporting me and for all their contributions. They are vital. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. This is my first engagement with her as the Minister of State with responsibility for drugs. I wish her the very best in her new role because it is an important one. It is something we need to do better on as a society. I also thank the Minister of...

Health (Amendment) (Dual Diagnosis: No Wrong Door) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: Okay. The response I got this week said it had not responded yet and it is ten months down the line.

Health (Amendment) (Dual Diagnosis: No Wrong Door) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: It is fine, work away. If it is good news the Minister of State can interrupt me. I have no problem with that. According to the response from the HSE, CHO 3, which includes Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary, has been identified as the first adult diagnosis team and many of the team members have already been recruited. That is welcome. However, the response also stated that CHO 3 had...

Health (Amendment) (Dual Diagnosis: No Wrong Door) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am sharing time with my co-sponsor, Deputy Gould. The Health (Amendment) (Dual Diagnosis: No Wrong Door) Bill 2021 is important legislation that aims to plug the gaps between mental health and addiction services. This was one of the first pieces of legislation I submitted after I was elected. The reason was that, having worked in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I received a very worrying response to parliamentary question this morning outlining the number of people being spiked with drugs without their consent. In 2021 there were 62 incidents reported to the Garda. Last year that nearly doubled to 106. These are only the ones reported to the Garda. Very often they go unreported. Just this week, third level student bodies issued warnings in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mental Health Services (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I thank the Minister of State. As I said I have met the HSE numerous times. It came before the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Mental Health on Tuesday. It was probably one of the more positive meetings we have had with the HSE. I acknowledge the work done by the staff in CAMHS. They are doing their best. It seemed to be systemic failures that impeded them from doing their best for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mental Health Services (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I thank the Minister of State. Is it possible for the Minister of State to indicate the number of open cases that need to be reviewed? If she has any figures on this I would like to get them. There is a gap in the system when young people turn 18 and go into adult mental health services. The Minister of State mentioned referring them back to GPs. I do not know whether that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mental Health Services (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: 87. To ask the Minister for Health if he will set out a timeframe for completing a review of all open and lost to follow up cases in child and adolescent mental health services to address matters raised by the interim report of the Mental Health Commission arising from an independent review of such services; if he will publish a multi-annual funding plan for improving child and youth mental...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mental Health Services (16 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I will speak about the Mental Health Commission's report into CAMHS. One of the concerns escalated relates to the 140 children who were lost to follow up. Will the Minister of State set out a timeframe for completing a review of all open and lost cases in CAMHS? Will she publish a multi-annual funding plan for improving CAMHS, including to extend access to CAMHS to young people up to the...

Civil Defence Bill 2023: Second Stage (15 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: The purpose of the Civil Defence Bill 2023 is to modernise the existing legislation relating to Civil Defence matters, which is contained within the Air-Raid Precautions Acts 1939 and 1946 and the Civil Defence Act 2012. Sinn Féin supports the intention of the Bill, which seeks to introduce a newer, more rounded version of multiple pieces of legislation, some of which dates back, as I...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: I will bring up the matter of pandemic bonus payments for workers in the Clondalkin Addiction Support Programme, CASP. It is a unique service in Clondalkin whereby a person with an addiction issue can avail of both medical and holistic treatments. Its methadone dispensing clinic caters for approximately 70 clients on a daily basis in respect of harm reduction. This clinic did not close...

Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: For many years, Sinn Féin has been calling for the introduction of body cameras for gardaí to assist them in keeping communities safe. The Bill has been long delayed and the Government should have got its act together many years ago. As noted by previous speakers, other European countries have been using body cameras for more than a decade. Fine Gael has been in government for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: Last night Sinn Féin had a successful motion aiming at reforming and resourcing child and adolescent mental health services. The Government did not oppose the motion. The Government chooses not to oppose Opposition motions as a tactic when it does not want the political fallout from having to vote against them. Our motion included a raft of solutions to improve children's access to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2023)

Mark Ward: Will the Government support it?

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2023)

Mark Ward: I also want to acknowledge the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Butler, for their time tonight and last week on this serious issue of CAMHS. I will not question their bona fides or interest in mental health but interest is not enough; we need action. I am tired and frustrated and I have listened to all the contributions and there seems to be a lack of action. My frustration is...

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2023)

Mark Ward: I move: That Dáil Éireann: acknowledges: — the commitment, dedication and hard work of staff within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), children's health services and organisations that prioritise the mental health of young people; — the work of the Mental Health Commission in reviewing CAMHS cases, and in publishing the interim report;...

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (31 Jan 2023)

Mark Ward: I note that the European Council expressed its condolences to the family of the Irish soldier, Private Seán Rooney, who lost his life while on a UN operation in Lebanon. It also expressed its sympathy to Private Shane Kearney, who was injured in the incident. I offer the same condolence and sympathy to the families of both men. I did not have an opportunity to do so before today. ...

Interim Report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (26 Jan 2023)

Mark Ward: I acknowledge the Ceann Comhairle, the Sinn Féin whip, Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, the Minister and the Minister of State for agreeing to my request to have this important debate on the agenda today. I begin by thanking Dr. Susan Finnerty and the Mental Health Commission for this report. I welcome to the Gallery representatives from national mental health and children’s...

Capacity in the Health Services: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2023)

Mark Ward: In the winter plan there was no provision for additional supports in emergency departments for people experiencing mental health difficulties. On average, we have 5,500 adults per year presenting to emergency departments with suicidal thoughts. That is an average of 100 people per week attending our emergency departments. Emergency departments are not an appropriate environment for anyone...