Results 3,601-3,620 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (15 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: 883. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the value of the total penalties imposed by his Department on farmers in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23535/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: Good morning. We have been notified that Deputies Devlin, Pádraig O'Sullivan, Murnane O'Connor, Durkan, Hourigan, Brady, Canney and Ó Murchú will substitute for their party colleagues today. I welcome the witnesses from HIQA who are joining us to discuss the HIQA report on the impact of Covid-19 on nursing homes in Ireland. We are joined by the CEO, Mr. Phelim Quinn, the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Mr. Quinn very much. I will now open the floor to colleagues. I will be strict on time this morning because we must all leave on time in order to get to the Convention Centre for the votes. Deputy O'Dowd will speak first. The Deputy has ten minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The Deputy is asking when HIQA published the first report after it ceased inspections.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I ask that all colleagues do not mention specific nursing homes, particularly if they were mentioned previously. There is a general practice of not naming any nursing homes or entities. The second issue is that it has come to my attention that court cases are pending with regard to some nursing homes. We need to be careful-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: That is correct, and it is a tragedy. However, I wish to say one thing. We need to operate in an environment of mutual respect on the part of all branches of Government and ensure that court cases do not collapse as a result of things that are said here.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I am sorry, Deputy O'Dowd, a point of order has been raised.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I have absolutely no problem with you or Deputy O'Dowd highlighting a practice with which you take issue.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The concern I have is attributing blame to particular institutions.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: One person's fact is another person's allegation. We are not here to determine-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I ask people to be cautious with regard to allegations about named nursing homes. People can, of course, raise practices that are of concern to them.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: Deputy O'Dowd, I have no problem with anything being raised here but I am asking people not to name nursing homes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: If the Deputy has one more very brief question I will allow it, otherwise I will try to bring her in at the end because she is over time.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The Deputy knows we are not here to talk about individual cases. If there is a particular-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I am afraid that just as the Deputy is entrusted with representing her constituents, I am entrusted with chairing this committee and I am not going to allow her to raise individual cases.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I have never told the Deputy to shut up at all, nor will I. What I am saying is that we are not here to discuss named institutions or individual cases. The Deputy is perhaps right that-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The Deputy has called for a statutory inquiry. Depending on its terms of reference, a statutory inquiry could be empowered to look at every single case or named cases such as the one the Deputy has just named. It is not the role of this committee to do so.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: I have stated from the outset that I have no problem with the Deputy using examples. I have a problem with her naming people. If there is a particular issue that she wants to raise she can do so but I ask her again to respect the practice-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: All I can do is share this as fairly as I can.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Examination of HIQA Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Nursing Homes in Ireland (10 Sep 2020)

Michael McNamara: The Deputy is over time but I will allow the witnesses to respond given the importance of what she has raised.