Results 6,021-6,040 of 10,824 for speaker:Anne Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Primary Medical Certificates (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme is underpinned by statute and comes within the remit of the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. A requirement of the scheme involves Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Medical Doctors making a clinical determination as to whether an individual applicant meets the specified medical criteria for a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Special Educational Needs (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care Services (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disabilities Assessments (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the committee for this further opportunity to update it on some of the issues raised in the Ombudsman for Children's report, Unmet Needs. Since becoming Minister of State with responsibility for disability, addressing and tackling the assessment of needs backlog has been and remains a top priority for me. Less than two weeks ago, I spoke at the beginning of a Private Members' motion...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank Deputy Cairns and I wish her the best in her role on the committee. I cannot speak about specific cases so I will not talk about the item yesterday. However, I have taken two steps. I took the first step when I appeared before this committee on the last occasion. I have been watching and listening to how this committee has performed with its engagement with the Ombudsman, the...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: At present, the independent chair and the review team are working away, but I continuously engage with the clinicians and parents. It is the feedback and delivery of services. The most important piece in all this is the timely intervention of the delivery of services. That is what this is about. That is why I am letting it go through its process at present. I will not pre-empt the end...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: That is an excellent question, and I do not have the answer. However, I will get the answer and provide it to the committee. I do not want anybody to leave. I really want to advocate for recruitment into the network disability teams. It is not a matter of losing staff. We had lost staff and it is important to acknowledge that staff were repurposed due to Covid, to swabbing and contact...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: I am glad to say that I had the committee's support and I listened to my Oireachtas colleagues as I said in my opening statement, in relation to the pausing of the removal of therapists from the special schools. I also had the support of the Taoiseach's office.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: With the decision to pause it, I have to be fair and say that perhaps I did catch the HSE wrong-footed with it. We are working on a solution to build up the team and not reduce services. By no means do we want to reduce any services whatsoever. It is all about building up the network disability teams. While a clinician or a post might still be held within a special school, it still forms...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: That is not the first time that Deputy Crowe has raised the last matter. He also raised it at the last committee meeting that I was at. If I could be so bold as to suggest, perhaps the Minister of State with responsibility for special education should come to answer those questions. It is not for me to answer that particular question but I understand and hear the Deputy's frustration. He...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: Other than what Deputy Crowe says, disability crosses many fields and Departments. Even within the Department of Health, I did not realise the complexities of it myself until I received this brief. Disability crosses into primary care which is under the remit of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. It crosses into CAMHS and psychology, which is under the remit of the Minister of State, Deputy...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: To be honest, I would like to co-operate with Deputy Dillon on the issue he has raised, such as the application of the 2007 circular in the context of the pandemic. I will be meeting the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Deputy Madigan, and I will raise those issues with her. It is no different from early years education or anything else like that. The pandemic has held up...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: I got an answer. That night when Deputy Sherlock asked the question, I contacted the Department straight away because to me that was startling. Patsy within the Department made contact to discover that the reply to the parliamentary question received by Deputy Sherlock related to a point in time in December. That is the reconciliation because, to be honest, it was a very clear figure. I...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: That was the reason I insisted on meeting with the chair. I have set out my concerns and fears to him. I was not guiding, directing or interfering by any manner or means, because it is an independent HSE-Fórsa review that is taking place. At the same time, I want to ensure that the child is at the centre of the process. "Yes" is the answer to Deputy Sherlock's question on whether he...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed) (11 May 2021)

Anne Rabbitte: I will start at the end. Deputy Costello asked me whether I would meet with the Dublin 12 group. I think I have met the Dublin 6 group. I come from Portumna in County Galway, where Dublin 6, Dublin 4 and Dublin 12 are all the same to me. I will happily meet the group mentioned by Deputy Costello. The Deputy should contact Noel in my office and we will happily sit in on a meeting. Any of...