Results 12,421-12,440 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 31:In page 25, line 35, to delete “the health services provider shall make,” and substitute “the health services provider may make,”.

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am sure the Deputy will agree that the objective here is to ensure that the patient acquires the appropriate information, receives an apology and that a process of redress is initiated. The facts of the patient safety incident will, of course, be recorded in the medical record file of the patient in any event. These facts will be there. It is important that we would consider a process...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputies will agree that this is groundbreaking legislation. It may well be overdue but it is appropriate and novel. The important aspect of section 10 is that we ensure that there will be cultural buy-in to this new legislation. In this regard, the Bill provides for certain protections for information given to the patient at an open disclosure meeting, including that the...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: This issue was the subject matter of debate on Committee Stage. Deputy Daly is right. I do not believe we should read section 10 in isolation. Section 15 deals with matters to be addressed by the provider before making open disclosure of an incident. It is in this context, perhaps, that the issue of the apology would be best framed. I say as much because open disclosure is fundamentally...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I do not believe it is possible to make an accurate or concrete prediction regarding every situation and all the circumstances of every case. Each case will have differences and peculiarities. Of course I accept what has been said to the effect that the reality of the situation is that in most circumstances an apology will be necessary and, having regard to the necessity for that apology,...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: These amendments relate to section 8, the section that defines the key concept of what constitutes a patient safety incident. It is an important definition based on the World Health Organization international classification for patient safety. That definition covers three concepts: incidents that caused unintended or unanticipated injury or harm to the patient; incidents that did not result...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I repeat that if a patient or any member of the patient's family has a concern that a near miss has occurred or that a no-harm incident has happened, it is quite logical, reasonable and, dare I say, obvious that he or she would make the provider aware of it and that the provider, having been made aware of it, would examine the issue. In the event then that the provider forms the view that...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am precluded by the rules of the House from responding, but Deputy Daly is mistaken when she refers to other jurisdictions. Mandatory disclosure for such a breadth of events would be challenging. It is not in place in any other country. This is not in place in England or in any other common law jurisdiction such as Canada, Australia or the US. In fact, there is no other country with...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I wish to assure Deputy Chambers that the Minister for Health will progress the legislation. He will immediately examine how the patient safety elements of the Health Information and Patient Safety Bill will deal with the points at issue. I again stress the importance of amendment No. 31 and want to state that what we are doing here is returning to the original wording of section 12. The...

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: Have the other amendments in the group been moved or discussed?

Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill [Seanad] 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I want to refer to the extensive debate on this issue on Committee Stage. The House will be aware that Part 4 of the Bill, as initiated, provided for the voluntary open disclosure of patient safety incidents and that an amendment was made to section 12 on Committee Stage in the Dáil on 29 June last to instead provide for mandatory open disclosure. Amendment No. 31 seeks to return to...

Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The debate has confirmed the support across the House for ensuring individuals or groups in Irish society will not in any way be disadvantaged by virtue of their socioeconomic status when seeking employment or access to services. I can confirm that the Government strongly shares that view. However, I do not believe the Bill provides the answer to the challenge. Adding a new ground of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. This includes identifying and progressing any necessary remedial or refurbishment works required at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned is the subject of a valid Deportation Order made on 19 February 2013. The Deputy might wish to note that persons the subject of a Deportation Order are obliged to remove themselves from the State and to remain out of the State. Representations were received on behalf of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Vetting Applications (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I have contacted the Deputy's office to request additional information in respect of the person who is the subject of his question in order to be in a position to make enquiries with the Garda Authorities. When the information has been provided, I will make the necessary enquiries regarding this vetting application and revert directly to the Deputy when they have been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Refurbishment (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy will appreciate that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works (OPW), which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. This includes identifying and progressing any necessary remedial or refurbishment works required at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I can inform the Deputy that no payment in respect of such an event has been identified in the records available (i.e., from 2010 to date).

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Community Policing (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the Garda Commissioner who is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Naturalisation Applications (8 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is under consideration and has not yet reached a conclusion but I understand however, that the case is due to be submitted for decision in the near future. As the Deputy will appreciate,...

Order of Business (7 Nov 2017)

Charles Flanagan: I have already met some of the families involved and would be happy to do so again.