Results 801-820 of 3,871 for speaker:Catherine Byrne

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

Catherine Byrne: Measuring the overall effectiveness of the response to the drug problem is an important objective of public policy. Resources should be direct towards interventions and strategies which are most likely to lead to a reduction in problem substance use and an improvement in public health, safety and well-being. The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery,commits to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (20 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I hear Deputy Buckley's frustration and concerns.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (20 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I know and I am not taking it as a personal attack. I have read the reply I have been given and, unfortunately, I cannot answer some of the specific questions asked by Deputies Buckley and Browne but I have taken note of them and, as always when I am asked to come into the Chamber, I will go directly to the Minister whose place I have taken. I will raise the concerns raised. In reading the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (20 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I do not underestimate any older person. My mother lived a long life to the age of 89, and she was well capable of making decisions herself. I do not underestimate that. I said in the reply clearly that local government officials and the Departments of Health and Housing, Planning and Local Government are examining a number of options that may be introduced in the future. However, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (20 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. He apologises that he cannot be present. One of the Government’s priorities is ensuring appropriate and accessible mental health services for children who need them. This is reflected by a budget 2018 allocation of an additional €35 million for new developments, bringing total...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (20 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, who apologises for not being present. I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this matter. The nursing homes support scheme, NHSS, also known as fair deal, is a statutory scheme providing financial assistance for affordable and accessible long-term residential care for those applicants who satisfied a care needs...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Waiting Lists (20 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Senator Murnane O'Connor for raising this matter and apologise on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, who cannot be here this morning as he is attending a meeting in the Department. I am sorry but that is the truth. At the outset, I wish to convey my sympathies to any family experiencing delays in receiving timely treatment in our hospitals. I can only imagine the...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: The Bill has been carefully drafted to ensure section 7 relates to the need for the new body to abide by Government policy, insofar as it relates to ministerial directives and guidelines. This important standard provision is essential in this case because we have to ensure the national specialised paediatric hospital, which will receive significant public funds, will deliver a safe service...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: That is it.

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: The new body will have to have an arrangement with multiple universities, academic institutions and research entities due to its national remit in the education of healthcare professionals in paediatrics and engagement in paediatric research. The formal arrangements between the universities and the new body will require some corporate identity to be decided. While this is not yet clear, it...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: All of the above amendments relate to the appointment process of board members. The Bill provides that all members are appointed by the Minister for Health and, in the interests of securing the necessary skills and experience on the board, board members will be appointed on the basis of competencies, experience or expertise deemed relevant to the body's functions. The integration of the...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: Senator Devine, like me, lives close to the hospital. I do not doubt at all the sincerity of her intervention on the Bill. I acknowledge the difficulties that have arisen regarding the building of the hospital. I acknowledge there is a committee in place for the neighbours and local councillors. They seem to be doing well working with the board and the hospital. The Senator does not want...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: The Bill creates a new entity which as a State body will be subject to the highest standard of corporate governance and accountability required of State bodies, including compliance with the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. All board members must comply with the relevant provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the 2001 legislation. Compliance with the...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I do not intend to accept amendments Nos. 45 and 48 as the provisions are not required to be specific. Under the Bill, the remuneration of CEOs and allowances for the CEO and board members must ultimately be approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Section 10 of the Bill requires the board to keep a proper record of accounts of all incomes and expenditures of the body and...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I want to add a point to the record before the vote is taken. Making this information public is good practice. The Minister will be keen to ensure that it is in the interest of transparency and accountability. There is also no reason to not publish it as it would fall to be released under the freedom of information legislation if so required. It should also be noted that the Bill does not...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: These amendments relate both to the appointment of a CEO and to whom that person would be accountable. They also relate to the appearance of that CEO before the Committee of Public Accounts. I do not intend to accept the amendments. In line with the usual practice, the appointment of the CEO of a state body will be a matter for the Minister rather than the Oireachtas. With regard to the...

Seanad: Children's Health Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I thank all Members for their co-operation. I also want to particularly thank all of the departmental staff for the work they have put into this. It is a complex document but in a number of years from now, we will have a hospital of which we can all be proud, and which will improve the quality of life for children from all parts of the country. That is something that we all want and I...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Addiction Treatment Services (18 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 to 419, inclusive, and 421 and 422 together.` 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: Addiction Treatment Services (18 Sep 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: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (18 Sep 2018)

Catherine Byrne: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem and in initiating appropriate responses, so that there is a coordinated approach involving all sectors to the problem of substance misuse in local communities. Over €27.6m has been allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives...