Results 781-800 of 3,871 for speaker:Catherine Byrne

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (4 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Senator Devine. Unfortunately the Minister of State with special responsibility for mental health, Deputy Jim Daly, has asked me to take this Commencement matter as he cannot be here. Mental health continues to be prioritised by Government within the wider health sector. This has been underpinned by significant new investment annually since 2012. More than €200 million in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (4 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I take Senator Devine's concerns on board. I do not know whether the budget is part of the reason it has been postponed or pushed out to the end of the year. I am not 100% sure about that so I cannot answer. I would like to acknowledge the work Jigsaw does. I know the work that is done on the ground by Jigsaw, having been in some of the counties around the country where it operates. I...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I apologise on behalf of Minister who cannot be here and thank the Senator for raising this matter, as it gives me the opportunity to outline the position regarding staffing in primary schools generally and in Shraheen national school, Foxford, County Mayo, in particular. The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts are published annually on the Department of Education and Skills...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I assure the Senator that I will bring his questions back to the Minister. In the context of the aforementioned public meeting, I understand his need for an urgent reply. I will ask the Minister to reply to him directly.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (3 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I am here on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills. I do not know about the other Ministers in question. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I understand the impact it has on him as a former teacher. I wish to advise him that the well-being and safety of children should be at the centre of all policy and practices in school. The board of management of each...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (3 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I will relay all of the Senator's frustration and concerns and will outline the seriousness of some of the cases he has raised. I believe, however, that the reply states clearly that there is a process in place and, from my limited experience of the education system and boards of management, I am conscious that people have to make a complaint and it has to be dealt with in the school....

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Sexual Health Strategy (3 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (2 Oct 2018)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy Implementation (2 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: As a first step in implementing the national drugs strategy, the Government provided an additional €6.5 million for drug-related actions. This is on top of the €250 million spend every year on drug and alcohol services and programmes across all government departments and state agencies. The main priority in 2018 was to expand provision of drug and alcohol treatment services...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes (2 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: As these are service matters, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Catherine Byrne: Five staff from the Department attended over the three days of the National Ploughing Championship 2018, primarily in support of a stand located in the marquee hosted by the Department of Rural and Community Affairs and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. In addition, a public presentation and discussion on Healthy Ireland - Healthy Counties was held in the Government of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (27 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, I thank the Senator for raising this matter. Medicines play a vital role in improving the overall health of Irish patients. Ensuring access to new and innovative medicines in a timely manner is a key objective of the health service. The challenge is to deliver on the objective in an affordable and sustainable way. However, new medicines...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (27 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I say to the Senator and the parents that I do not believe any of us in this Chamber or elsewhere wants to see seriously ill children suffer. The Minister is true to his word. He has said he will fix this problem and I believe that will happen. The timeframe is crucial for everybody present. I did not know about the meeting with the Minister. I will inform him that the Senator has raised...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision (27 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: As Senator Devine's colleague in the same constituency, I am all too familiar with the issues she raises. The work done by staff in the child and adolescent mental health services is challenged daily by the shortage of professionals in the service. On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, I thank the Senator for raising this matter. It is the policy of the HSE, as reflected in...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision (27 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Senator Devine and bow to her expertise in this area as I know she spent some working in that area of medicine. I cannot give the Senator answers to her questions but I will follow up with the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, and ask him to revert to her. I am also concerned that there are numerous children who have to wait a long time to access CAMHS. The Minister of State is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Obesity Strategy (25 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank the Senator for tabling this Commencement matter. I know how much the issue means to her. I have heard her speak many times about the issue of obesity and know that she has a real passion to ensure, through A Healthy Weight for Ireland, we will proceed to implement our strategy to tackle obesity. I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to speak to the House about the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Obesity Strategy (25 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I understand the Senator's frustration with the annual report. I had hoped I would have been able to give a little more information on that in my reply this afternoon. I will proceed, however, to look at it again. On the code of practice and its voluntary nature, one might say that when it was launched it was conservative. In the meantime, however, there has been much action on the code of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): National Drugs Strategy (25 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Senator Warfield for his interesting and touching contribution on the initiative in respect of drug-taking at festivals. I also thank him for giving me the opportunity to update the House on harm-reduction measures. Through its strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, the Government is committed to a health-led approach to drug use. While the advice from the Department of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): National Drugs Strategy (25 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Senator Warfield. I know how well he understands these problems. Like many of us who have come from communities where drugs have had a significant impact on families, friends and young people, the new strategy will take on some of these issues. As we continue to draw down on the actions and strategy, particularly with the working group on personal drug use, at the end of the year...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Strategy (25 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: The initiative that the Deputy has raised is relevant to the national Obesity Policy and Action Plan being implemented under the aegis of the Department of Health. A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland agenda. The OPAP covers a ten year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse...