Results 3,901-3,920 of 15,268 for speaker:Kathleen Lynch

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: That has always been my position as the Deputy would know if he took an interest in his brief.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Services Funding (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I will not get into the reasons why people in this country had to take reductions in pay or the amount of money that the State could allocate to certain bodies. Even people at ChildVision would agree there were very difficult choices to be made. In 2014, ChildVision had its budget reduced by €25,000 and all disability agencies had similar reductions in that year. This represented...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Services Funding (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: It is important that we clarify a point. It is not that I do not believe what the Deputy or ChildVision has indicated about the shortfall. However, the HSE imposed a reduction of €25,000 in 2014. That may have contributed to the shortfall but the reduction was €25,000.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Under the Mental Health Act 2001, the written consent of a patient is required where a programme of electroconvulsive therapy, ECT, is to be administered. When an involuntary patient is "unable" or "unwilling" to give consent, ECT may be administered if it has been approved by the consultant psychiatrist responsible for the care and treatment of the patient and also authorised by another...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: No.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: It is not.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: There is robust legislation.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: It might not be what we would like.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: We have legislation for the area, although it is not appropriate for the circumstances. Nonetheless, we have legislation. The Deputy is the Opposition spokesperson on mental health issues and he should be a little more measured in what he is saying. This is the Mental Health Commission's response and not mine; it is an independent body which takes these issues very seriously. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disability Services Funding (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Deputy for tabling the question. I am pleased to take this opportunity to outline the current position in regard to the provision of financial support to ChildVision, the national education centre for blind children, Dublin which is an excellent service. It is funded by the HSE under section 39 of the Health Act 2004. Services are provided through a service arrangement which is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. It is a significant announcement by the Government and in the future will be seen to be so. The announcement last week that agreement had been reached between the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, HSE, and the Irish Medical Organisation on terms for the delivery of free GP care for all children aged under six years represents...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: I have said publicly that the money for the scheme will not be taken from other areas of the health service. In the budget for this year we estimated that it would cost approximately €37 million. The additional funding, for which we had to secure agreement from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, was signed off on by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: General Practitioner Services (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: If there is a need for a Supplementary Estimate towards the end of the year, there will be a Supplementary Estimate introduced. We are determined that not only will the scheme be taken up by everybody, to the advantage of every child in the country, but also that it will be funded in the way we have proposed. A Supplementary Estimate might be required towards the end of the year. At...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Ballyfermot/Palmerstown currently has a catchment area of approximately 88,000 people. There is a very wide ranging and broad spectrum of activities on offer to clients with mental illness, from mild episodes to more severe and enduring ill-health. The Mental Health Service in Ballyfermot has adopted a holistic approach to the type of services offered and fosters a sense of empowerment of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: In 2014 a coordinated and streamlined approach was developed to manage the process of providing services and supports to young people based on their individually expressed preferences and assessed needs. Additional funding of €7 million was allocated for this purpose. As a result, almost 1,400 young people with disabilities who finished school or rehabilitative training received...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, where an applicant’s assets include land and property in the State, the 7.5% contribution based on such assets may be deferred. This is an optional loan element of the Scheme which can assist an applicant with the cost of their care. The purpose underpinning the loan is to ensure than an applicant does not have to sell their house during their...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Funding (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015. The HSE works with voluntary disability service providers to ensure that available...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: The agreed HSE Service Plan 2015 aims to support the population, including children, to achieve optimal mental health, and otherwise promote positive mental health as detailed in the Executive's Operational Plan for this care programme. In particular, a key priority is to progress integrated, evidence-based and recovery focussed models of care for mental heath services. The Executive...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: Since coming into office, this Government has prioritised the reform and resourcing of our mental health services in line with the recommendations in A Vision for Change. Additional funding totalling €125 million has been provided primarily to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for both adults and children and to enhance specialist community mental health services for older...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (16 Apr 2015)

Kathleen Lynch: A core unit of mental health service delivery is the Community Mental Health Team, of which 63 Child and Adolescent Teams are in place nationally. In line with the Programme for Government, my priority as Minister has been to modernise mental health services, notwithstanding the severe resource constraints overall in recent years, and to prioritise new resources to underpin implementation of...