Results 41-60 of 459 for speaker:Phil Prendergast

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I would like to talk about a similar issue to that raised by Senator Mullen. I learned at the weekend about a HSE proposal to cull the mental health budget in the western area by 5%. I find this quite shocking given that the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health was in the House last week. We had a two-hour debate on mental health services and how the recession was...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I join others and I am delighted that Senators Ó Brolcháin and Ó Murchú want clarity on yesterday's report by the Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly. The Minister, Deputy Harney, appears to have received advice from the Attorney General. To what did it relate? Was it about the right of older persons to nursing home care or the Ombudsman's approach to her investigation? The matter requires...

Seanad: National Housing Development Survey: Motion (10 Nov 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I second the motion and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran. The Minister of State will be well aware that ghost estates are a monument to bad planning decisions which perforate our landscape. They affect every county from Schull in County Cork to Malin, County Donegal and Clifden, County Galway to Balgriffin in Dublin. The main cause of our economic crisis is widely regarded as...

Seanad: Effects of Recession on Mental Health: Statements (10 Nov 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Seanad once again. As Senator Feeney has said, he is no stranger. Mental health services continue to report an increase in the number of people suffering from stress. This has been linked directly to the recession, as has been identified by other speakers. The report by the Samaritans last year showed one in ten of the calls it received...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Nov 2010)

Phil Prendergast: Since I became a Member of Seanad Éireann, I have raised the subject of the number of administrative staff within the HSE on many occasions. It is good that there is going to be a reduction in that number. However, the timeframe of 17 days in which people will be obliged to make a decision on such an important issue is extremely short. There is an element of suspicion with regard to why...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Phil Prendergast: The issue I raise relates to the dignity and relevance of the House. On 16 June last the Seanad debated the Health Service Executive, with the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, present. At the time I stated the Government side had colluded with the Minister to help her to avoid answering questions during the debate. I expressed this concern twice and the Leader twice...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I welcome the chance to contribute to this debate. Everyone has the right to the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health. I take issue with the Minister, however, when he talks about studying mathematics at university and taking money from the economy. Services were not improved when the State was awash with money. I have been involved in politics for 17 years and there...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Phil Prendergast: -----I found access in some areas limited by the high number of steps. One only notices issues such as this when one uses a buggy or is at that level. I put myself in the mind of someone who was in a wheelchair or pushing a double buggy and had to deal with bushes that had not been cut back and becoming entangled in briars. If there is dirt on the footpath and things are not cleaned-----

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Phil Prendergast: Will workers in the service have the powers of enforcement promised in the Citizens Information Act 2007? The evaluation of projects in the community and voluntary sector highlighted the difficulties experienced by many advocates in representing clients, with service providers and others refusing to recognise the advocates, to allow them to attend meetings or reply to letters on behalf of...

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: On a point of order, I contributed to a debate in the House on 16 June. I appreciate I cannot intervene again, but on that date I put a number of questions to the Minister for Health and Children. I asked her views on how the HSE conducted its business, whether she could account for the practice of not telling the truth to the public, if she was willing to state she accepted responsibility...

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I will conclude by noting that I asked her whether she had assumed the role of public apologist for the HSE. I also wanted to know what she thought of the HSE's breach of a promise she had given to the people of south Tipperary.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: She said decisions on health services would not be taken without consultation.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I asked a number of questions-----

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I did not receive an answer.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I understand that.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I was attending a meeting with the HSE.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: I want to know whether the Minister is going to answer my questions. I have not yet received a response.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: She did not answer any of my questions.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: The Government side engaged in a filibuster and the Minister sat in the House for an hour while the debate was guillotined. We were told she would respond to our questions.

Seanad: Provision of Health Services by the HSE: Statements (Resumed) (29 Sep 2010)

Phil Prendergast: They have not been answered.