Results 41-60 of 5,128 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is just health diversion.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: From reading it myself, and I will go back and check it again, the citizens' assembly, in recommendation 17, said that drug possession should remain illegal and our health diversion scheme is in line with this. I will double-check. I am Minister of State with responsibility for health and well-being, so I can only look at health and well-being. That is within my remit. It is something...
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I totally agree with the Deputy. There have been challenges. She is right that we need to get it out quicker and have an awareness campaign. That will be part of the drugs strategy going forward so that we are not in a position again where something like HHC would take so long. That is factual. I totally agree with the Deputy.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: First of all, I thank the Deputy for his work and dedication. I have had many a talk with him and know how committed he is and how hard he has worked. It is important to thank him for that. As he knows, the Department of Health supports the health hub proposal and is committed to working with the HSE to secure funding through the capital plan. That is absolutely correct. That is what we...
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Perhaps the Deputy has cases. It will be in the new drugs strategy. He is right that there are concerns. We are working within the drugs strategy and services on what we can do.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: There are drug midwives in the maternity hospitals. We will look at that but there are drug midwives in the hospitals.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay. We will have to address that.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We will definitely be looking at that.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is a collaborative approach.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes. We will come back to the Deputy in that regard.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, we have done the assessment.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We have 12 beds for next year's budget. They are on a phased basis. That was part of the agreement. Another 12 beds will go in next year.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. We are working on that.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Deputy for his questions. We will give the Deputy a breakdown of the budget. With regard to the task forces, as I announced, we will give more funding to the 24 task forces. Again, it is about the services and the strategy on how we look at that. I have been working with the Department of justice but it is an all-encompassing approach, as the Deputy said, ranging from...
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is true.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We are doing an audit of services. I understand the issue. It is important that we have structures in place through the different Departments. In my remit of health and well-being within the drugs strategy, I have definitely been working on that issue. It is then about working with other agencies and Departments, whether in the area of children or education, because it is important that...
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: There is an audit under way. We are working on it.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is what we are looking at.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We are still on the first draft. We will have the first draft by Christmas and we will issue the Deputy with a copy of that draft. After that, as we said, we will take that draft and the committee's recommendations and work together in collaboration. That is what we want to do.
- Committee on Drugs Use: National Drugs Strategy: Discussion (13 Nov 2025)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. We might not agree on everything, but-----