Results 381-400 of 10,250 for speaker:Mary Butler

Written Answers — Department of Health: Assisted Decision-Making (7 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: In May 2023, a HIQA inspection identified concerns in relation to the flooring in both the Sycamore and Willow Units at Cherry Orchard Hospital. These presented a significant potential health and safety risk. A subsequent HSE review indicated that the flooring has underlying structural issues which require immediate remedial work. The HSE has decided to close both Units and offer the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes (7 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (7 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) was established under the Health Act 2007. HIQA’s role is to promote quality and safety in the provision of health and personal social services for the benefit of the health and welfare of the public. The Chief Inspector of Social Care and the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) is the national independent regulator of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy very much for her question. We have been speaking about care all this week. I was only saying to the Tánaiste last night that of my budget for older people and mental health, which is €3.9 billion, every single cent of it is spent on care. There is home care, day care, meals on wheels and supporting people to age in place and in nursing homes and there are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for his question. I will follow up on this today. The Deputy is aware that we had a situation over the last six months where the Fórsa union was not co-operating in relation to giving us responses. Some 54% of all parliamentary questions asked in the Oireachtas are for the Department of Health. I cannot tell the Deputy the volume that comes through this Department-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: In relation to that specific case, which the Deputy raised directly, I will give the Deputy a commitment that I will follow up on that today and try to get a response for him.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: We have the highest life expectancy in the EU.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Closures (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: It is lovely to see Senator Flynn in the chair. I thank Senators Kyne and Pauline O'Reilly for raising this important issue. I want to be clear on this because I do not want people to be upset or worried. Admissions to Clifden District Hospital have unfortunately been paused due to lack of staff availability. For people listening who might not understand the situation in Clifden, the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Closures (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank both Senators for the way they have addressed this matter. We are all very conscious that this is home from home for many people and that respite is important. There is no bigger advocate in these Houses than me for community nursing units and HSE run community hospitals, whether they have 40 beds or 80 beds. I met yesterday with Dr. Emer Ahern who is the clinical lead for older...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Executive (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (6 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I feel the Deputy's frustration because I feet it as well. The situation is that when those seven respite beds were opened over the last 12 months, the staffing for those seven beds were funded. I do not see any reason they were not funded last week. My understanding is that they are funded and this is the reason they were looking for agency staff to support that. As I said, I will...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy again. I am conscious that Rebecca and her mam might be actually watching tonight so I will say it again. ADHD does not stop when you turn 18. In 2021, one of the first clinical programmes I launched was in respect of ADHD for adults and I have visited a number of the teams already. The teams are separate to the general adult mental health services. It is a separate...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this really important matter. She referred to how she learned the news about the hospital. I learned from the Deputy's question and from a media query I got today. I am not happy with that at all. I would expect to be informed of any decision to close a ward or a hospital. I begin by acknowledging, as the Deputy has, the vital healthcare role that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy very much. I will bring his comments to the attention of the Minister for Health. As I said, the State spent more than €3 billion on medicines last year, which is a new record. This is in the context of a total health budget of €22.5 billion, which is another record. At the same time, however, it is a person who needs that orphan drug, for example, and it...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: Can the Deputy confirm what community healthcare organisation, CHO, she is in?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: Okay, great. I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue this evening. As she said, ADHD has long been recognised as one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and it is now known to persist into adulthood. Core symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It can cause many issues in areas such as personal and social relations, education and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medicinal Products (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: I thank Deputy Flaherty for raising this issue and for his comprehensive explanation. It is not a condition I am overly familiar with. I will first provide some background for our colleagues and then address his question. This medicine is used to treat polyneuropathy - nerve damage - caused by hATTR. The European Medicines Agency, EMA, granted marketing authorisation for this product in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: As the Deputy knows, children referred to CAMHS by their GPs have to meet a specific threshold. I am delighted to put on record that the waiting list for those accessing CAMHS decreased by 480 last year. There are still approximately 3,700 children on the waiting list. We are working hard across every community healthcare organisation to reduce the list. We have six waiting list...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2024)

Mary Butler: We have to put in perspective what I am dealing with as Minister of State with responsibility for older people. HIQA has issued a clear directive that it does not believe the premises is safe and that there is a fire risk. I have to listen to that. As of 27 February, 40 residents had been transferred from Cherry Orchard campus. There are 22 residents still on site. I know the families...