Results 1,241-1,260 of 3,871 for speaker:Catherine Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (7 Nov 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Government’s response to addressing substance misuse in Ireland is set out in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery -A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2020. The strategy emphasises a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland, based on providing person-centred services that promote rehabilitation and recovery. It identifies a set of key actions...

Written Answers — Department of Health: School Meals Programme (7 Nov 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The School Meals Scheme is an administrative scheme, operated directly by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which provides funding towards the provision of food to up to 1,700 schools and organisations benefitting up to 250,000 children at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. The Scheme aims to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Recruitment (7 Nov 2017)

Catherine Byrne: As the Deputy is aware, operational responsibility for delivery of the health services is a matter for the HSE, including the promotion of health and wellbeing. Therefore, this question has been referred to the Health Service Executive with a request that they respond directly to the Deputy with any relevant information with regard to staff recruitment relating to health promotion. ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Pharmacy Regulations (7 Nov 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Pharmaceutical Assistants (PAs) are registered with the pharmacy regulator, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI). Under section 30(1) of the Pharmacy Act 2007 (the Act) PAs may perform the same functions as a pharmacist, in the temporary absence of a pharmacist, with the exception of functions that are restricted to pharmacists under specific medicines legislation, such as vaccination...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (7 Nov 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Section 38(10) of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002 to 2015 provides the Minister with powers to "make regulations in relation to the control and regulation of activities which are intended or are likely to promote the sale of tobacco products". At present the regulations made under this section of the Act do not specifically prohibit the sale of the so called combi boxes referred to by...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Recruitment (7 Nov 2017)

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

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (26 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Health and Well-being Programme in my Department is responsible for coordinating the implementation of Healthy Ireland which is the National Framework for Improved Health and Well-being 2013-2025. The Framework is based on evidence and experience from around the world which clearly shows that to create positive changes in health and well-being takes the involvement of the whole of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Funding (24 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Department of Health and the Health Service Executive are totally committed to increasing breast feeding rates in Ireland. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, the National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026, the National Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016-2025 and the recently published National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 all emphasise the importance of supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Strategy (24 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233, 234 and 236 together. The national Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group (OPIOG) - under the Chair of my Department - is comprised of representatives from the following Departments and Agencies: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Department of Children and Youth Affairs; Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection;...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Strategy (24 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: In the context of the Deputy's question, my Department liaises with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on a regular basis. The FSAI has been validating food industry salt reduction work for many years. It has carried out this work by sampling foods from the market and having them analysed in the HSE Public Analysts Laboratory in Galway. This data is published annually and is...

Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (19 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Minister for Health will be here shortly. On behalf of the Minister, I wish to thank Deputy Kelleher for introducing this important legislative proposal. The Minister supports the reading of the Bill for a Second Time. He agrees with the overall objective of the Bill, which is to provide transparency regarding any funding or supports to medical practitioners by either medical device...

Topical Issues: Emergency Departments Services (19 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: On behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House. I will reply to the issue as tabled and then maybe pick up on some of the Deputy's concerns. The emergency department in Cavan has been performing well this year. Performance information from the HSE shows a 51% reduction in trolley numbers at the hospital in comparison with the...

Topical Issues: Emergency Departments Services (19 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: For the first time in a long time, there is a possibility of increases, particularly in capital spending in the budget for 2018. It is not acceptable that people entering an accident and emergency department do not have a proper room where they can speak one-to-one without everybody else listening to their business. I have never been in Cavan General Hospital, so I am not sure of its lay...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (19 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I thank the Senator for raising this very important matter. I am sorry the Minister cannot be here but he sends his apologies. Medicines play a vital role in improving the overall health of Irish patients. Securing access to new and innovative medicines in a timely manner is a key objective of the Irish health service. The challenge is to deliver on this objective in an affordable and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (19 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I note the concerns of the Senator and will bring back to the Minister the points she has made. At present, all I can give her is the information I have been given, although I wish I could give her more. I understand the difficulties people have, particularly when children at a very young age are experiencing difficulties within families, and in terms of how this affects them when they...

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Properties (19 Oct 2017)

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

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I thank the Deputy for this Topical Issue matter. Unfortunately the Minister, Deputy Harris, cannot be present so he has asked me to reply. I will refer to one of the issues he raised in a little while. Tallaght hospital is part of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, and the hospital is the principal provider of elective orthopaedics in the group. The hospital's spinal orthopaedic...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I have taken note of the Deputy's concerns and I will certainly raise them with the Minister. Maybe my reply was not specifically dealing with some of the issues the Deputy raised. A permanent spinal consultant took a post on 17 September 2017. Some 50% of the consultant's capacity is already dealing with immediate, emergency and urgent spinal cases. Tallaght Hospital is in the process of...

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (17 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I have that down here.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy Budget (17 Oct 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Government’s response to addressing substance misuse in Ireland is set out in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery -A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2020. The strategy emphasises a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland, based on providing person-centred services that promote rehabilitation and recovery. It identifies a set of key actions...