Results 241-260 of 527 for speaker:Mary Wallace

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: It is an acknowledgement that the school has a deficit of mainstream accommodation but that this deficit is not as significant as those in the higher band ratings. That is how the band system works.

Seanad: Health Promotion Priorities: Statements (23 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: I apologise to Senators for the delay in providing copies of the script. They were outside but they appear to have gone back to the other House. They will be here in a few moments. I welcome the opportunity to speak in Seanad Éireann on the subject of health promotion priorities. It is widely accepted that the general increase in life expectancy, particularly in the developed world,...

School Staffing (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: The Deputy is referring to the forthcoming maternity leave of a speech and language therapist who provides services to children in the speech and language disorder, SSLD, class in Mucklagh national school, County Offaly. As the Deputy may be aware, an arrangement currently exists between the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Education and Science to provide school-based...

School Staffing (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: Children attending such a class do so on a full-time basis, for an average of two years. The HSE has informed the Department of Health and Children that it has consistently endeavoured to prioritise the provision of speech and language therapy to children with speech and language delay or disorders. This prioritisation of speech and language therapy is evidenced by an increase in the number...

School Staffing (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: With regard to the temporary vacancy arising in the specific case raised by the Deputy, the Health Service Executive is required to work within its current overall approved employment ceiling and the financial resources available to it. The ability of the executive to provide locum cover in this instance must be considered in that context.

Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme. (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this matter. I am pleased to have the opportunity to set out the position regarding the health repayment scheme. Following consideration of the implications of the Supreme Court judgment of 16 February 2005, the Government approved a statutory based repayment scheme. The Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 provides a clear legal framework to repay...

Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme. (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: I will not upset the Deputy by referring to the Data Protection Act. In regard to the specific claim raised, where the mother of the applicant was a resident in an institution who died in 2002, an application form was received by the scheme administrator in August last year and the repayment is being processed.

Nursing Homes Repayment Scheme. (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: It is expected that the claimant will receive the scheme administrator's decision in regard to the application in the coming weeks.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: There is not a Member of the House who does not regret how events have panned out in the past week.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: My office, like the offices of all Deputies, has been inundated with queries from older people, sick with anxiety and fear who genuinely believed they would lose their medical cards.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: Under the original guidelines proposed in the budget last Tuesday, 215,000 people aged over 70 years would automatically retain their medical card. Unfortunately, this message was not properly conveyed.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: One 90 year old lady living in a granny flat whose sole income was the old age pension and who had a small amount saved telephoned me last week. When I informed her that there would not be a problem with keeping her card because her only income was the old age pension, she said she understood that everyone aged over 70 years would lose their medical card. In addition, complications arising...

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: People were convinced that their card could be withdrawn and thousands of older people experienced serious anxiety and worry. I am sorry this occurred as it was not the Government's intention.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: The improved income thresholds announced by the Taoiseach and Minister for Health and Children will mean 95% of those aged over 70 years will continue to have a medical card. For the small minority who will no longer be eligible, discretion will be used to take account of difficult personal circumstances. Already, 70,000 medical cards have been issued on these grounds. There is no doubt...

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: Despite the economic difficulties Ireland is experiencing, it is important to have a sustainable scheme in future.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: I welcome the fact that Deputy Reilly is taking responsibility.

Medical Cards: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: It was very important that the Government found an alternative solution to deal with the reasonable concerns held by genuine people. Under the revised scheme, the vast majority of older people will continue to benefit from a medical card. It is up to the House to ensure that this message gets across and older people and their families are made aware of that to which they are entitled.

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: The Deputy's question relates to the funding, management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act, 2004. This includes the development and ongoing implementation of health promotion campaigns. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to...

Seanad: Postgraduate Medical Training (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: I thank Senator Ross for raising this important issue. The aim of specialist and senior registrar training is to produce enough trained doctors in each specialty to satisfy future national requirements for consultant appointments. To this end, the Medical Council recognises specific postgraduate training bodies which are responsible for the provision of a wide range of postgraduate training...

Seanad: Postgraduate Medical Training (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Wallace: I admit that when I examined the response earlier, the phrase in question struck me as unusual. That is what the specialist advisory committee said. From the small knowledge I have of this area, I have to acknowledge that it seems to involve a hugely complex workload.