Results 5,701-5,720 of 11,470 for speaker:Mary Butler

Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank the Minister of State for her comments and for acknowledging that today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I thank the Deputies who contributed on this discussion, in particular the Bill's sponsor, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan. I commend the goal of the Bill, which seeks to provide faster access for people to new medicines for the treatment of rare diseases. I...

Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: Only two of them are bringing forward the Bill. Did the Deputy notice that?

Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for tabling this Bill which seeks to address an issue of great importance to us all. I would like put on the record the apologies of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, who, as the Deputy mentioned, is attending the Cabinet sub-committee, but I understand the Minister engaged privately with the Deputy on the Bill in advance of this debate. I recognise his sincere interest in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: To go back to the point, the funding of home care is not the issue. We are all aware of the €666 million available. Delays are occurring at the moment because we have delays in providing home care workers into specific areas. As the Deputy said, weekends and rural areas, especially, can be very problematic. Notwithstanding that, the number has come down significantly over recent...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: The pilot scheme in the Galway area is operational. The pilot schemes in west Cork, Mullingar and the Dublin area are not. I will get the Deputy a note on that because it will outline exactly the areas being covered.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: The role of the cross-departmental strategic work force advisory group will be to facilitate the views of stakeholders and to examine workforce challenges in home support and nursing homes. Potential areas will be recruitment and retention, training and the career development of home supports. I was updated by the chief officer yesterday on CHO 4, which comprises counties Cork and Kerry....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: We are, therefore, challenged but we are working with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to look at different things to see that people on social welfare, for example, might be able to work a certain number of hours and students in receipt of the SUSI grant might be able to work enhanced hours. We are trying to throw the kitchen sink at this to resolve it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Care Packages (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: I acknowledge the Deputy has raised this issue with me on several occasions. Work is ongoing in the Department of Health to progress the development of a new statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes. Recruitment for 130 posts to support the national roll-out of international resident assessment instrument, interRAI, as a standard assessment tool for care needs is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: No.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: In 2015, Government decided to draft a general scheme of a Bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001 in line with the 165 recommendations of the 2015 expert group review report. Among the expert group recommendations were proposals on revised criteria for detention, updated definitions of mental disorder and voluntary and involuntary patients, the introduction of guiding principles,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: A formal Bill will be drafted by the Office of the Attorney General. I expect to introduce the legislation to the Oireachtas as early as possible in 2022. Updating the Mental Health Act is a priority for the Government and for me. I am glad that the Deputy mentioned detention for those under 18 years. I understand that 27 people under the age of 18 have been admitted to an adult...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: To conclude on the previous point, each case will be taken on a case-by-case basis. I will give another example. A young adult, under 18 years, was admitted to a psychiatric unit in Donegal one night because it was not possible to transfer him to the CAMHS unit in Merlin Park in Galway. Sometimes a decision like that has to be taken. A person might only be admitted to an adult unit for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Misuse of Drugs (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: Could I request, when I am on my feet, that the Deputy's microphone might be turned off so I can get the opportunity to reply? The report of the working group on alternative approaches to the possession of drugs for personal use published in 2019 noted difficulties with decriminalisation in the Irish legal context. In Portugal, personal possession of drugs carries an administrative...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has put enormous work and energy into reducing the number of children who are overdue assessments of need. Nationally, 6,558 assessments of need were overdue in June 2020 under the old process. At the end of October 2021, through a combination of different measures, approximately 6,100 children had their assessments completed, reducing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: By anyone's metric, achieving a reduction of 93% in a waiting list in 12 months must be acknowledged. Since 2019, some 285 new posts have been allocated to children's disability services across the country. The diversity of posts recruited include dieticians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, nurses and some administrative support...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Misuse of Drugs (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: I offer the apologies of the Minister of State with responsibility for public health, well-being and national drugs strategy, Deputy Feighan. He cannot be here because of Covid-19 restrictions. I am taking the question on his behalf. Under the national drugs strategy, the Government established a working group to consider alternative approaches to the possession of drugs for personal use in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Misuse of Drugs (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: The health-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Misuse of Drugs (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: I do not accept that it is a misinformed answer. The health diversion programme will connect participants with health services and it will provide a pathway to treatment and recovery where there is problematic drug use. It will also allow participants to avoid a criminal conviction. An interdepartmental group, chaired by representatives of the Department of Health, is considering legal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Misuse of Drugs (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: There is no reason for the Deputy to shout across the floor at me. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, who cannot be here due to Covid-19. A little respect would go a long way.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (3 Dec 2021)

Mary Butler: My colleague and fellow Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, sends her apologies as she is currently in the Seanad and was not in a position to take this question. The implementation of Progressing Disability Service for Children and Young People, PDS, programme is an agreed Government and HSE policy. This policy supports the reconfiguration of children's disability services to provide...