Results 761-780 of 1,150 for speaker:Frank Fahey

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: I move amendment No. 99a: In page 17, lines 17 and 18, to delete "was not provided within the period of time specified in section 9(5)" and substitute the following: "was not commenced within the time specified in section 9(5) or was not completed without undue delay".

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: Amendment No. 148a arises from proposals by Deputies on Committee Stage that there should be provision for extending the period for a complaint. I agreed to review the matter of exceptional cases. Having done so, I have decided to insert wording in section 22 that will allow the regulations to provide for an extension of the period where there is a reasonable cause for not meeting the...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: It will come before the House.

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: Amendment No. 99a seeks to address concerns expressed on Committee Stage that a complaint about a failure to complete an assessment might not be possible under section 14(1)(b). I am pleased to bring forward this Government amendment to bring clarity to the situation. Amendments Nos. 98, 99 and 104 seek to insert further grounds of complaint either where an assessment is denied or about the...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: The amendment we introduced to ensure that it will happen within a certain timescale confirms that. In the initial Bill we stated that it would have to start within three months and we have now amended it to read that it has to be completed within a reasonable period of time and that the regulations will provide for that period of time. As in everything else in the Bill, the statement of...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: If Deputy Lynch and the Labour Party were in Government——

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: Let us be clear and practical, if the Labour Party were in Government the funding might not be sufficient either because what good Government is about is providing resources as far as is possible from the point of view of the Exchequer and good governance. We are all agreed that a significant amount of resources is needed for the disability sector. There is no argument about that. Whatever...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (26 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: It is not about "trust me". We have responded adequately to the five points recently put before us by the DLCG. I am satisfied that we have tried to accommodate the requirements as far as they have been put to us reasonably in this House. As I stated yesterday, I am still open to suggestion. In regard to the assessment of need, it would be carried out without regard to the cost of providing...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: The proposal in amendment 93a is outside the scope of the current legislation. However, I agree that it is a good proposal and I assure the Deputy that the Bill would not prohibit the introduction of a card scheme such as that being suggested at some point in the future, should that become policy. I understand that an interdepartmental steering group is active in this area and that the...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: As I stated, the proposal is not appropriate to this legislation. However, this Bill would not prohibit the introduction of a card scheme in the future. However, this is a matter for Government policy. An interdepartmental group is considering this matter and it is quite possible that it will consider the Deputy's proposal and introduce a card scheme in the appropriate way. However, it is not...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: Section 13 obliges the Health Service Executive to maintain records on assessments and services provided under Part 2 to inform service planning. The HSE is also required to present an annual report outlining service needs, timeframes within which services will ideally be provided and the sequence of such provision. I tabled an amendment on Committee Stage which will ensure the collection of...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: I am satisfied that the points made by the Deputies are covered. The unmet aggregate needs will be spelt out in detail and financial provision will be made. I am prepared to consider extending the position somewhat in response to Deputy Stanton's concerns.

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: Amendments Nos. 65 and 66 seek to impose a time frame for commencement and completion of assessments and service statements including the arrangements to apply in urgent cases. Amendment No. 80 would apply to the services outlined in the service statement to require the services to be provided without undue delay. The question of establishing time limits for the assessment process is already...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: I believe the section as constructed adequately covers a change in either personal circumstances or service availability. In the practical roll-out of the legislation this situation will be covered in more detail to ensure that a change in a person's personal circumstances or the provision of more resources will automatically mean a change in the assessment process.

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: This amendment would create an obligation on the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, to produce standards for the assessment of needs. It would give rise to a legal interpretation that HIQA would be obliged to develop standards to govern the assessment process in every detail. The intention of section 10 is that standards would be established for the main features of the...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: The Bill provides that the assessment officer will be independent, with responsibility for delivering an independent assessment of need for individuals. In addition, the assessment will be undertaken without regard to the cost of the service envisaged or the capacity of the executive to provide those services. The independence of this officer is essential to the process and is a response to a...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: I would never question Deputy McGrath's objectivity, which is to be found in his contributions to this Bill. I agree that there are major gaps in the services provided for people with disabilities. There are waiting lists across the spectrum. Those gaps must be tackled and the resources must be found in order to provide those services. The entire thrust of the Government's policy is to...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: I have not been critical of any Deputy present with regard to the need for extra resources for this Bill. However, I do not have much respect for the opportunism of some Deputies.

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: I move amendment No. 81a: In page 15, lines 7 and 8, to delete "within a specified timeframe" and substitute "without undue delay". Under section 11(3), the liaison officer can request the council's support in preparing a service statement, including the identification of an appropriate education service for person's with disabilities under the age of 18. Opposition Deputies asked me on...

Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Frank Fahey: The amendment will provide for a response from the council within a specified timeframe. I am happy to make this amendment in response to the case being made by Deputies Stanton and Lynch.