Results 5,021-5,040 of 11,979 for speaker:Billy Kelleher

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Disabilities Services Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 123. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the immense benefit assistance dogs provide to children with autism, if she will provide funding in order that families do not have to fundraise almost €5,000 themselves to get an assistance dog for their child. [43653/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 181. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the immense benefit assistance dogs provide to children with autism, if he will provide funding in order that families do not have to fund-raise almost €5,000 themselves to get an assistance dog for their child. [43652/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: 202. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that due to an extensive waiting list, the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is no longer accepting applications for assistance dogs for children with autism; if her Department will provide funding to the association, as it has in the past, to enable them to re-open this vital service. [43651/14]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I now know, however, because of what is happening here in the context of the funding the Government is putting in place for the provision of care for older people, that they were only weasel words. Not only has the Government reduced the level of funding for the nursing home support scheme, it has reduced the threshold for a medical card in respect of a couple from €1,400 to...

Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: They are living on €900 gross a week. The policies being pursued by this Government, which Deputy Eric Byrne supports regularly, are undermining the fabric of society.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: The Deputy certainly is.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: Everybody in this House will agree that a nation is judged on the basis of how it supports children and older people. In this context, the Government has been mean-spirited. It has insulted in a gratuitous manner older people who have given lifelong service to this country and who in their hour of need want the support of this State in the context of their being able to access a nursing...

Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I thank all Members who contributed to the motion. We received a great deal of criticism from Government Members for tabling it. They said it was ill-timed, it was not constructive and it did not provide solutions, yet they then spoke to the substantive issue, which is the difficulties people face in accessing fair deal scheme beds. The waiting lists speak for themselves. A total of 560...

Nursing Homes Support Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: The Minister had help from the Taoiseach, in fairness.

Topical Issue Debate: Health Services Provision (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I thank the Minister of State, who is quite right when he says this issue should be broadened out. We should have a broader debate on health outcomes and supports for people in areas of socio-economic deprivation. There is no doubt that the location where a person lives is a determining factor in many health outcomes. Rates of obesity, dietary concerns and cancer, for example, vary by...

Topical Issue Debate: Health Services Provision (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: Yesterday, at the Irish Cancer Society's annual Charles Cully Lecture the worryingly high rate of cancer incidence and death in poor communities across Ireland was highlighted in a discussion on health and wealth, the cancer gap. Death rates in some areas, notably some of the poorest parts of the Dublin region, are more than twice as high as rates in more affluent areas. Cancer death rates...

Order of Business (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I assume when the Taoiseach finishes reading the programme for Government every evening, he files it under the fiction section. I seek a debate on the broader issues of health services funding and the HSE service plan over the next few weeks. The headline for the health area in the programme for Government is fairness.

Order of Business (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: More than 2,000 applicants have been awaiting approval under the fair deal scheme for 15 weeks while 7,000 medical cards have been taken off the over 70s over the past month.

Order of Business (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: We need a debate urgently not only in the context of the HSE service plan for 2015 but also the broader health policy of the Government because I cannot find one policy on health in the programme for Government which it has lived up to.

Order of Business (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: We never do. It is always months afterwards.

Leaders' Questions (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: The Taoiseach opposed it. He went around country stating our homes would be taken off us.

Leaders' Questions (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: Some 700 of them are doing so at present.

Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I wish to contribute to the debate on this amendment because, as Deputy Tóibín pointed out, there are some unscrupulous employers in operation here. These people will go to major lengths to hide behind the law in general or use corporate law to undermine the rights of workers. I do not wish to be parochial but I am aware of a case in my constituency which provides an indication of...

Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: The matter is referred to in every newspaper this morning.

Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Nov 2014)

Billy Kelleher: I do not wish to become involved in an argument with the Chair but the matter has already been covered by the national print media.