Results 1,061-1,080 of 1,546 for speaker:Áine Brady

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: Yes, and the feedback has been positive. If Deputy Perry has been in any of the shops he will notice that the cigarette machines are covered.

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: The Deputy should do that. I did not respond to his test purchasing question. The test purchasing, which is organised by the Health Service Executive, is a recognised way of enforcing tobacco legislation. It is conducted in line with a protocol developed by the HSE. The under age test purchasers are normally children of HSE staff. We could not suggest that these parents would put their...

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: The protocol is clear that the primary concern is for the welfare of the minor. Without test purchasing, it is difficult to know how under-age sales could be policed. The period of suspension is mandatory. The penalties apply to many offences other than the sale of cigarettes to minors. It was decided, for the reasons already outlined, that judicial discretion was the best option. I...

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: I have dealt with the points made by Deputy Reilly and I regret I am unable to accept these amendments.

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: I regret I am not able to accept Deputy Ó Caoláin's suggestion. I pointed out why I cannot do so and will not elaborate on it further. However, I assure Deputy Jan O'Sullivan that the legislation will be kept under review. I want workable legislation and what I have proposed is what I consider the most workable.

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: Amendment No. 10 is not required. The existing legislation bans marketing images and colours associated with particular brands, for example, gold, purple and blue. They are caught by that prohibition. This point was raised with the Office of the Attorney General when the 2009 Bill was being drafted.

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: If a brand no longer exists then there is no product to recommend to the public and the display of the name of the brand could not be seen as recommending that product. The sign does not have to be an antique as long as the brand is not on the market. Signs and memorabilia connected with brands which are no longer on the market may therefore continue to be displayed. Amendment No. 11 is...

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: Such a shop cannot have cigarettes, but one must apply for an exemption to have tobacco products on display in a specialist shop.

Public Health (Tobacco)(Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: Some 90% of the shop's profit would come from cigarettes so people would not open a shop and apply for an exemption just to sell tobacco products.

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. At the outset, I note the fundamental objective of Government health policy continues to be to maximise the health status of the population. The Government is committed not only to ensuring the delivery of the best quality health services possible, but to doing so in...

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: A medical assessment unit, MAU, which is consultant-led, opened in Cavan hospital on 30 March 2009. It provides a fast-track alternative to the emergency department for patients who require an urgent medical assessment. Patients can be referred directly by their GP to the medical assessment unit. Since the introduction of the MAU, the average waiting time for full medical diagnosis has...

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: This ward is close to the MAU and the observation ward. If a patient in either of these services requires admission, he or she will be transferred to this ward until a bed in the main hospital becomes available. My Department is informed by the HSE that it has no plans to close the Pathways rehabilitation unit service.

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: However, because of a number of recent staff retirements at the Pathways unit, patients from the unit are currently being accommodated in the Lisdaran unit for the elderly, which is located within the same building. These patients are receiving the same level of intensive rehabilitation therapy within the Lisdaran unit-----

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: -----as they had received prior to their relocation from the Pathways unit.

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: In the meantime, the HSE is trying to source staff nurses with a view to restoring the service at the unit as soon as possible.

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: As the Deputies will be aware, the Pathways unit has been playing a key role in providing an intensive rehabilitation service to patients from counties Cavan and Monaghan who are recovering from an episode of acute illness such as stroke, amputation, a road traffic accident or acquired brain injury. Under the new arrangements, Monaghan hospital will have a minor injuries unit. This unit will...

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: An upgraded scanner will require less infrastructural works, will incur lower service charges, will include a free parts replacement guarantee and will allow advantage to be taken of a trade-in discount on the existing scanner. The HSE is extremely mindful of the relatively low volumes of scans likely to be a feature of this service and will tailor both the service configuration and the...

Health Services. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: Patient safety, as a guiding principle for change, is aimed at achieving the best outcomes for patients. The best outcomes for the population will be achieved when complex care is provided in specialised centres where all of the necessary expertise, which is maintained by way of day-to-day experience in treating a range of patient's problems and facilities, is immediately available. At the...

Community Employment Schemes. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: I will respond on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Mary Coughlan. I thank Deputy Connaughton for raising this matter. Community employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their...

Community Employment Schemes. (9 Jul 2009)

Áine Brady: This Government will continue to support the positive role of community employment in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons, while, at the same time, providing essential services to communities. The Minister keeps the operation of the scheme under review in the context of the current difficult unemployment situation.