Results 6,641-6,660 of 12,275 for speaker:Mary Butler

Rising Costs and Supply Security for Fuel and Energy: Motion [Private Members] (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I welcome this debate and I thank colleagues from all sides for their contributions. The Government accepts consumers are currently facing volatility in energy prices due in particular to a spike in international gas and oil prices. We know over the coming winter they will be faced with higher energy costs as suppliers and energy companies seek to recoup their energy outlays. Current market...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Psychiatry Services (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: It is good to see Senator O'Sullivan in the Chair.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Psychiatry Services (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank Senator Murphy for raising this issue in Seanad Éireann. I can safely say that this is not the first time I have heard about this from the Senator. As Senator Murphy has said, we have spent a lot of time discussing the previous Rosalie Unit. The project was announced by then Minister of State, Jim Daly, in June 2020, comprising a new CAMHS Connect day hospital and a psychiatry...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Psychiatry Services (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank the Senator for his positive approach. The Castlerea mental health hub represents a new approach to developing options in mental health services delivery, including the psychiatry of later life. It is my intention, and that of the HSE, that the Castlerea hub will help to inform this objective nationally. I will take up the Senator's offer to visit his county to see the centre. As...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which is important. He has set out the position clearly. On 19 October, the Government approved the reopening of the remaining aspects of the hospitality, entertainment and night-time economy. The hospitality sector has been permitted to reopen only with a full range of protective measures in place and the wide and robust implementation of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I do not disagree with anything the Senator said. Every decision taken by this and the previous Government was to protect people's health and to ensure they could be kept as safe as possible. I know the Government had to make tough decisions. The difference is we have vaccination and booster programmes now, along with the digital Covid certificates. I will try to get data on first doses...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Investigations (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: The Senator has used the words "shocking", "heartbreaking" and "a breach of faith". There is not one word he has said that I disagree with. I feel so much for the 18 families. I did not realise that one family found out on the eve of the "RTÉ Investigates" programme and that the other 17 families were informed before then. There are no excuses for that, and nothing I can say here...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Investigations (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I do not disagree with anything the Senator has said about the breakdown in communication. I will ensure that both options are available if some families want to meet in person and others want to meet online. How they engage will depend on how those families want to address the matter. The Senator is right about the legislation. It is hugely important that we do not lose any more time on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank Deputies Pádraig O'Sullivan and Colm Burke for raising this important issue concerning plans to upgrade the Carrignavar wastewater treatment facility. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services, planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water takes a strategic, nationwide approach...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: Once again, I thank the Deputies for raising the matter of the Carrignavar wastewater treatment facility, County Cork. Irish Water, the public water utility, has developed a long-term investment perspective to address strategically the many deficiencies in the public wastewater system. It is optimising investment decisions to ensure it utilises scarce capital by making investments that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: The Deputy is quite right; I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I thank her for raising the ongoing issues with water quality in Dublin Bay. I point out that primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government Acts and related legislation. As the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for her ongoing comments on and interest in Dublin Bay. It is interesting that all 35 Deputies across the Dublin area have signed the letter in question and are very concerned. She is right in what she said. Many people now swim all year around. They do not swim only during the summer season, as we call it. Today is a mild day and I am sure there are plenty of people...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I will conclude by examining the supports that have been provided to Galway County Council in recent years. Across all schemes and funding sources, the Department provided €51.1 million in 2019 and €82.9 million in 2020 to Galway County Council. The increase in 2020 was due to an increase in capital funding for housing as well as funding in respect of the unprecedented...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I believe we do.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputies for raising the matter and I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be very interested in the response as well. The system of municipal districts as a sub-county level of governance and decision making was introduced as part of the reforms brought about by the Local Government Reform Act 2014. These reforms provided for the dissolution of 80 town councils and the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Act 2021, which was signed into law on 22 July, introduced further safeguards into the NHSS to further protect the viability and sustainability of family farms and businesses. It also includes an amendment in relation to applying the 3-year cap to the proceeds of sale of a house while a resident is in long-term care. This addresses the first...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Eating Disorders (10 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Credits (9 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: 257. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding an application for incapacitated child credit in respect of a person (details supplied); if he will request the Revenue Commissioners to review incapacitated child credit application in respect of a person with a view to awarding same, at pre-diagnosis stage, in line with the current medical advice and significant medical evidence...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (9 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: 284. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will address the concerns raised by an organisation (details supplied) in respect of green and glasshouse growers as per correspondence in the context of the carbon tax and Budget 2022; if he is satisfied that the future of this industry has been adequately safeguarded in conjunction with recent budgetary carbon taxation measures, considering the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2021)

Mary Butler: 418. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the matters raised in correspondence by person (details supplied) regarding the July provision programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54263/21]