Results 5,261-5,280 of 22,424 for speaker:Finian McGrath

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: There is very positive momentum going on between the Departments of Health, Justice and Equality, and the Taoiseach, and me. That is the current situation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I would appreciate if I could finish the points rather than be interrupted. I have been waiting here for a while and I wanted to get back in on a few things. Listening to some people, one would think not much was going on in the disability sector. It is important to remind people of the huge amount of work going on in the disability services and the disability sector. Recently, 9,800...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I hope it is not myself. To return to section 38 and 39, staff migration is an issue. I have raised it with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe. I agree that we must retain people in these services, because otherwise the services are going to be damaged. This is in the interests of people with disabilities. I am working closely with the Department of Public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: In the negotiations between the Department of Health and the HSE for 2018, we have made respite one of our priority issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I have three other points for Senator Dolan. I met the national voluntary bodies' network who made that point very strongly to me because it is concerned about staff. We are anticipating this and have to respond to it and I am very conscious of that. In respect of support between different Departments and the choices for people with disabilities, the Senator knows that my political...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: Chairman, may I respond to a question on disability raised by Deputy Durkan? We have prioritised a lot of the issues that he raised, in particular emergency residential respite day services in the next nine to ten months. These service are very important key dimensions to disability services. It is all very well to go along and talk about the rights of people with disabilities but we...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Partial Capacity Benefit Scheme Applications (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a payment which allows a person, who may not have full capacity for work, return to employment and continue to receive a payment from my Department. A person who applies for PCB will, in the first instance, be assessed by a Medical Assessor who will assess the restriction on their capacity for work. A person assessed with a moderate level of work incapacity...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I confirm my department has been in contact with proposals for the recovery of the debt owed to the department. The person concerned should respond to the proposal letter issued to him on 22 June 2017 and supply an income and expenditure statement. On receipt of this information, the deciding officer may revise the deduction. The person in question is currently in receipt of full rate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Review (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: As the Deputy will be aware, the domiciliary care allowance (DCA) scheme transferred to the Department of Social Protection in 2009, at which point some 24,000 children were in receipt of the allowance. This figure has risen every year since and now stands at just under 36,000, with 60% of parents also getting carers allowance in respect of their child. All parents in receipt of DCA also...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: This man has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 29 March 2017. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 5 July 2017. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding overpayments (if applicable). I trust this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: The application for disability allowance (DA) from the person in question, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 18 May 2017. Further evidence was received on 2 June 2017 and this is currently being reviewed by a deciding officer. The person in question can expect a decision on the review of his...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I can confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance from this lady on 30 March 2017. On 10 June 2017 the person concerned was requested to supply supporting documentation required by the deciding officer in order to make a decision on her eligibility. On receipt of this information a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (28 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by my department on 12 April 2017. The application has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. Once the SWI has submitted his/her report to DA section, a decision will be made on the application and the person concerned...

Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this very important matter and I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty. The person concerned was in receipt of jobseeker's allowance from August 2015 to January 2017 and of rent supplement from May 2015 to January 2017. In January 2017, a review of the jobseeker's allowance claim was instigated on foot of information received by the...

Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I am well aware of Deputy Durkan's great record on social welfare and in looking after constituents. I commend him on his dedication and work on this issue. Of course, I take the point that when a health issue is involved, we have to be sensitive. We must also be aware that an oral hearing is on the agenda. Hopefully, the issues the Deputy raises today can be resolved at that stage. The...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Air Ambulance Service (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I thank Senator Frank Feighan for raising this important issue and providing me with an opportunity to inform him of the Department's ongoing work to enhance the aeromedical services. The emergency aeromedical service, EAS, provides rapid access to appropriate treatment for patients specifically where land ambulance transit times would not be clinically appropriate. The service is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Air Ambulance Service (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: I thank Senator Feighan for his remarks. I take his point on the downgrading of the Roscommon accident and emergency department several years ago and how this service was brought onto the pitch. I will bring his concerns back to the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State at the Department of Defence. He has pointed out how the accident and emergency service has been...

Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: The Deputy is afraid of reform.

Leaders' Questions (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: Not true. There is loads of time.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (27 Jun 2017)

Finian McGrath: The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities sets out a ten-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities who are able to, and want to, work are supported and enabled to do so. The Strategy is a cross-Government approach that brings together actions by different Departments and State agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that...