Results 101-120 of 494 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Patricia Ryan

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2023)

Patricia Ryan: Guím beannachtaí na féile Bríde ar an Taoiseach. This is similar to the issue raised by the previous speaker. On Saturday, I attended the Care Champions event in DCU. It was clear from listening to the moving and, at times, harrowing testimonies from families, nursing home residents and staff that there is an overwhelming need for a human rights-based inquiry into what...

Council Development Levies: Motion [Private Members] (1 Feb 2023)

Patricia Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on local government. Our councils are some of the most bureaucratic, overstretched and underfunded bodies in the country. They are a shadow of their former selves, with services being cut to the bone to the extent that a council tenant in Kildare with a smoking fuseboard was told on Monday evening that there was no emergency maintenance call-out available...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: Last night a constituent brought a prescription for antibiotics to an out-of-hours chemist. The family has a medical card but because the prescribed medicine was out of stock, she was charged €17. This was for the very same medicine, amoxicillin. To add insult to injury, the medicine she received was made by an Irish company, Athlone Laboratories, in Roscommon. If that was not bad...

Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022: Second Stage (24 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: I commend the work of the Irish donor network, the Irish Kidney Association and all other groups that do fantastic work in highlighting issues relating to organ donation. The Bill will, I hope, help normalise organ donation in Ireland. I am mindful that in most cases, in order for someone to benefit from an organ donation, another person must have lost a loved one. I know many families who...

Public Dental Services: Motion [Private Members] (19 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: Ireland's dental service is in crisis and the Government is burying its head in the sand. I have previously spoken about the fact that there is just one dentist and one dental technician accepting medical cards in County Laois. I asked a question on this recently and the answer, which I received this morning, was that only one dentist and no technician accepts medical cards in Laois. I...

Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Second Stage (19 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: The establishment of a food regulator has been a long-standing demand of Sinn Féin. We must ensure that farmers and consumers are protected against the stranglehold of dominant players such as multinational retailers and meat processing plants. Our farmers must be rewarded with a fair price for what is recognised around the world as a top-quality product. In 2019, I stood with...

Capacity in the Health Services: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: I thank my colleague, An Teachta Cullinane, and his team for bringing forward this motion. Even the most unbiased eye can see our health service is in turmoil. Unfortunately, this is not a new problem. Successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments made decisions that caused the crisis we are in or failed to make the decisions necessary to avert it. There are three former Ministers...

Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is long overdue and it requires the Minister to conduct oil emergency planning and obliges oil companies to co-operate with the Department and public bodies in the creation of such a plan. It will establish a centralised register of oil companies, both retail and wholesale, and give extra powers to the Minister for Transport relating to the...

Climate Action Plan 2023: Statements (18 Jan 2023)

Patricia Ryan: I begin by thanking Friends of the Earth for the copy of The Climate Book. Local members crowdfunded to send a copy to each Deputy. It is a very informative book, which I find myself dipping in and out of. One of the chapters is called "Why Didn't They Act?" and the conclusion is that people in positions of power and privilege refuse to acknowledge that climate change is a manifestation of...

Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: The purpose of this Bill is to create a registration and licensing system for the abstraction of water from the water table. This is yet another EU directive that the Government has been slow to implement. The Government has been very fast in trying to saddle the people with water charges to suit its privatisation agenda but slow in addressing water quality and supply issues. The Bill is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: I wish to raise the state of KDoc and the out-of-hours GP service in Kildare. On Monday evening, a constituent phoned the helpline at 6 p.m. for a sick baby. She phoned six times and she was put hold between ten and 34 minutes before being cut off. She finally got an answer at 9:49 p.m. to be told that there were no appointments left and that she would have to go to her own GP the next...

Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019: Report Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: Everybody who spoke earlier had an issue around the absence of a statutory duty of candour in the Bill. I am asking that this be addressed also. What I really want to say is there should be an obligation on the provider clinician - I am glad that the Minister has mentioned that - to inform a patient of her right to a Part 5 review at the point of diagnosis. We owe it to Lorraine Walsh and...

Patient Safety (Notifiable Patient Safety Incidents) Bill 2019: Report Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: The Minister will know Sinn Féin has no issue with the amendments to the Bill, but we have an issue with the process and the absence of a statutory duty of candour. The Bill also fails to specify or provide powers to the Minister to prescribe how the review will be conducted. It is similar to self-regulation. How can we do something in this Chamber and have it looking like...

Teacher Shortages: Motion [Private Members] (7 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: It is like a game of pass the parcel here with Ministers this morning. I wish to thank the Social Democrats. The Minister must listen to the principals and teachers who are on the front line. They have the answers and so far the INTO has deplored her lack of engagement and consultation on potential changes to members' terms and conditions. The TUI said that her proposals would make the...

Building Defects: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: I begin by welcoming the people in the Gallery. I also welcome the publication of the report of the working group to examine defects in housing. It is obvious that much work has gone into its 260 pages. The report estimates that up to 100,000 homes could be affected by building defects with a potential cost of remediation as high as €2.5 billion. There are many examples of building...

Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: We in Sinn Féin welcome the Bill and will support its passage to Committee Stage, where we will table amendments to its deficiencies. It is a comprehensive Bill dealing with the regulation of gambling. It is an important step but it must be accompanied by funding for addiction services, awareness campaigns and supports that are free of industry influence. In April this year, several...

Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Dec 2022)

Patricia Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is long overdue that we are making provision for maternity leave and maternity benefits for county councillors. The Bill also provides for the possibility of the co-option of a temporary substitute for an elected member who takes maternity leave or is absent due to illness. The Moorhead report looked at this issue and arising out of the...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Patricia Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It is an issue that is dealt with in a similar Bill around this time every year to provide for risk equalisation. Risk equalisation is a mechanism designed to give effect to the objective of a community-rated health insurance market where customers pay the same premium for the same health insurance plan, regardless of age, gender or health...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (30 Nov 2022)

Patricia Ryan: Kildare and Laois have some of the lowest Garda numbers per capitain the country. Some 55% of the Gardaí in one station in Kildare are out sick, mainly due to injuries sustained in the line of duty. Will the Taoiseach personally intervene to address Garda numbers in Kildare and Laois and to address morale and conditions in the wider force so that people can feel safe on the streets? I...

Drugs Policy: Motion [Private Members] (30 Nov 2022)

Patricia Ryan: I also thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin and the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. Over the past 25 years, almost ten people a week have died in the State as a result of drug taking. Along with Sweden, Ireland has the joint highest rate of drug-induced deaths among those aged 16 to 64 years in the European Union. Deputy Martin Kenny already mentioned that. The harmful...