Results 521-540 of 5,917 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I will get those criteria for the Deputy and I will ask the Minister's office to follow up on that. I reiterate that the expansion of the national newborn bloodspot screening programme is a priority for the Minister for Health and this work has been ongoing since the establishment of the National Screening Advisory Committee. The work in this important area is continual and is evidenced by...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on this important matter. The Minister and myself are aware of how difficult it is for parents whose children have received a diagnosis of a rare disease and how challenging daily life can be for those families and children. Advances in technology and treatment for many of these rare, but serious, conditions are continually...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Apprenticeship Programmes (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator for his question on these important issues for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. He mentioned two important words in this contribution, namely that he "values" and "respects" apprentices. I could not agree more. We are moving into a space now where we need to value and respect them much more.The Senator's analogy with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Apprenticeship Programmes (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator. I take on board his views on those leaving secondary school. He said there were up to 9,000 students taking construction studies and it is great that they are considering the trades. The Senator also noted how hospitality and healthcare are. Education and training relevant to the skills needed in the construction sector and the green economy is delivered across the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter for discussion. I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for disability matters, Deputy Anne Rabbitte. The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring the provision of the best possible health and social care services for both children and adults with special needs, whether they are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Senator for outlining her heartfelt and genuine concerns regarding delays in children with special needs accessing much-needed therapy supports in a timely fashion. It is a concern shared by all Members. It is imperative we work together to tackle the recruitment challenge and, in that regard, the HSE has continued to make every effort to support the recruitment of essential...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This includes responsibility for the deployment of Garda members throughout the State. The Minister for Justice has no role in the matter. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Minister would like to thank the Deputy for raising this issue and to reassure the public An Garda Síochána remains committed to the Irish language. Studies in the Irish language remain part of the policing BA delivered to all trainee gardaí at the Garda College, Templemore. A new Irish language strategy has been developed by An Garda Síochána and will be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for raising this very difficult issue, which has been the subject of much discussion in the House. I express my sympathy to the families in Cork who, having experienced the tragedy of losing a beloved child, then had the difficult experience of learning that the organs of the child were disposed of without their consent. The Department is advised that the HSE, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy. I understand that the further delay in completion of the review is very upsetting for the families affected. I express my sympathy to the bereaved families. I acknowledge the distress that has been caused to them. I am cognisant of the paramount importance of dignity and respect for these parents who have experienced the loss of a child. The Department continues to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I thank Deputy Healy-Rae, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, for the opportunity to update the House on this very important matter. First, I want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the staff of University Hospital Kerry, UHK, in the provision of services during the Covid-19 emergency and in managing many difficult cases presenting in very challenging...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I want to reassure the Deputy that the Health Service Executive has confirmed that every effort is being taken to support, stabilise and urgently address identified risks at the hospital. To provide that reassurance, a number of actions have been taken by the South/South West Hospital Group and the group's interim chief operations officer has...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Funding (6 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 299, inclusive, together. The Health and Well-being Programme in my Department is responsible for coordinating the implementation of Healthy Ireland, our National Framework for Improved Health and Well-being 2013-2025. Healthy Ireland is based on evidence and experience from around the world, which clearly shows that creating positive changes in health...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Traveller Community (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Programme for Government commits to the publication of a National Traveller Health Action Plan to address the health needs of Travellers, using a social determinants approach. The lead role in developing the action plan rests with the HSE, in conjunction with Traveller organisations. A HSE steering committee, which included representatives of Traveller organisations, has drafted the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Projects (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: The EU Joint Action Best ReMaP (Best practices in Reformulation, Marketing and public Procurement) is a three- year programme concluding in September 2023. Ireland and Portugal are co-leading on the Work Package “Best practices in reducing marketing of unhealthy food products to children and adolescents”. Among the key objectives of this Work Package are: to develop...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: The information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available. Officials from the Department are collating material that will be prepared into a full response to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: ‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Government’s Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland agenda.It covers a ten year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Department has received a final draft of the evaluation of the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) carried out by the Centre for Health and Diet Research, University College Cork. The evaluation includes an assessment of progress under the actions of the OPAP by a panel of independent experts. The evaluation is informing the review of the OPAP which is being carried out by the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (5 Jul 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Tax was introduced on 1st May 2018, and has now been in operation for more than four years. The introduction of the tax was an important action in the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, with the aim of combatting obesity through reducing consumption of added sugar in drinks and encouraging reformulation of products by the drinks industry. Initial indications are...