Results 401-420 of 3,842 for speaker:Mark Ward

Written Answers — Department of Health: Addiction Treatment Services (15 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: 602. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the €2.3 million funding for local and regional drug taskforces in September; if it has been allocated and drawn down; and if so, by whom. [41118/24]

World Mental Health Day: Statements (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I thank the Minister of State. I really appreciate that. As she knows, this is a vital, life-saving organisation. I often criticise Government policies so I want to spend a bit of time talking about some of the things Sinn Féin would do if it had a chance to be in government. We have produced a mental health action plan comprising several policy documents over the past while. The...

World Mental Health Day: Statements (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I do not know how many more engagements we will have from one side of the House to the other. On this World Mental Health Day I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and her staff all the very best. I know we have had political differences over the years but I wish you all the best on World Mental Health Day. I want to thank everybody working in mental health services on World...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Seven hundred children were put in generic wards last year for mental health issues.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I thank the Chair and thank the witnesses for coming in. As always, I really enjoy the conversations at these committees. I congratulate Ms Brennan on her new role. She has probably broken a record for starting a new role and appearing on front of an Oireachtas committee in a very short period of time, so fair play to her for coming in.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I do not know if I misheard when Ms Brennan was speaking about the drug treatment court. It has been a pilot project since 2001.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Yes.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: That answers my second question as well because I was wondering about the criteria. I worked in addiction services. I used to work in ones out in Clondalkin and at that time, people there were not able to go to the drug treatment courts because of the criteria. Ms Brennan said 699 individuals have gone through the drug treatment courts since 2001. To me that is 30 individuals per year on...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Okay. The drug treatment court has a requirement for being drug-free. Does that include prescription methadone or anything like that?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: It is just street drugs.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I have a question for Mr. Duffin as well. I am aware of his operation in Limerick. I used to work for CASP, which had a sister project, the under-18s service in Limerick. I nearly relocated there are at one stage. I banged my head and ended up in this kind of role at the time. Mr. Duffin mentioned an awful lot about what is going on in Dublin. Maurice Quinlivan, our TD in Limerick, who...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: So it is similar.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: On that as well, we have a big problem in Dublin with drug debt intimidation. We have talked about it at the committee before. The DRIVE project has been started here. Is there anything similar in Limerick? What is the experience there with drug debt intimidation?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Is Limerick experiencing the same level of intimidation as Dublin?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Going back to the drug treatment court, does drug debt intimidation come up when people are accessing that court? Has that been experienced at all?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I thank the Chair.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: I have to refute some of what was said. I was at another meeting but I caught the end of some allegations against Sinn Féin.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: There will be questions at the end.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Our position was misconstrued and not given correctly. I want to put the record straight.