Results 1,341-1,360 of 4,399 for speaker:Martin Browne

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: The committee also recommends that the secretariat write to the European Ombudsman and request an investigation into the issues relating to the lack of insurance options for thatched properties in Ireland and invite in Mr. Peter Boland, Director of the Alliance on Insurance Reform, to present on this topic. Is that agreed?

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: Petition No. 23 of 2022 is on the lack of facilities in Ireland’s towns from Mr. Tom Larkin. This petition relates to the petitioner's concerns that there are a lack of facilities in Balbriggan town for the growing population. The petitions case manager corresponded with Ms AnnMarie Farrelly, chief executive, Fingal County Council on 22 April 2022 and issued several reminders in...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: The third petition is No. 63 of 2022 entitled Ireland needs a National Lung Cancer Screening Programme from Ms Fiona Doolan. This petition proposes that Ireland should initiate a cost-benefit analysis regarding early screening for lung cancer with a view to implementation of a lung cancer screening programme. The petitions case manager corresponded with Professor Niall O’Higgins,...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: Petition No. 66 of 2022 is entitled Create a Health Services Student Allowance and is from Mr. Joel Rajesh. This petition relates to the petitioner's concern that healthcare students in Ireland face substantial costs in relation to placements at HSE public hospitals including meals, subsistence, scrubs purchase, laundering, accommodation etc. An allowance scheme to help with these costs now...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: As with what was said yesterday, it seems to be a no-brainer that if student nurses are not getting this allowance, this could also make a massive difference to student doctors and so on. It is not putting added pressure on families and it should help with the recruitment and retention of these people. Everybody knows there is a massive shortage in that field, so anything that entices young...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: Petition No. 1 of 2023 from Mr. Mark Darmody on behalf of his daughter, Miss Cara Darmody, concerns seeking immediate financial relief for autistic children whose families are paying privately for assessments and therapies; the petitioner seeks proper oversight and an external complaints system for the HSE and a full review of carer's allowance and how carers are viewed. The petitioner...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: No.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: As the Deputy says, I think the money families save the State is estimated to be €10 billion per year.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: That they are being pushed around in circles like this is crazy. The Department has admitted it is responsible. We have spoken to the Darmodys on several occasions and they have been up here in Leinster House. They and other families are prepared to go and pay privately, but if they do so they will not be reimbursed.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: A simple system should be brought in such that if a family is in a position to seek the services their child needs by paying for them privately, they should be reimbursed.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: On the allowance itself, the Darmodys and Richie Molloy from Family Carers Ireland gave a presentation yesterday. In that family, the mother was working in a good job and was on good money of over €800 per week.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: That is now down to €225. That works out as €1 per hour. It is a kick in the teeth to any family and for anybody who has had to give up work to care for youngsters. We will see what the response is once that is sent on to Mr. Darmody. That concludes our consideration of public petitions. I invite members of the public to submit petitions via our online portal, which is...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: All right. To inform people, as previously discussed petitioner Mr. Joe Hughes will make a presentation in the audiovisual room to Members and staff on the afternoon of Thursday, 18 May 2023 on the topic of sepsis awareness. The secretariat will issue an invitation in the coming days. This is in lieu of a committee meeting and as such, the committee's next private meeting is scheduled for...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: Very well. On behalf of myself, the committee, Ms Semple and the rest of the staff, I take this opportunity, as this is his first public meeting with us, to welcome Mr. Alex Alino on board. The amount of work done behind the scenes by the staff of the secretariat makes our job very easy. On behalf of the committee, I thank them.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report 2021 and Related Matters: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: Coming back to the issue of insurance, what power, if any, does the FSPO with regard to the overall pricing? In the ombudsman's opinion, what actually needs to be done about the huge differences in premiums? I ask him to comment on that.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report 2021 and Related Matters: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: There was never any mention to the couple that they needed the death certificate when they contacted the insurance company. It was only six months down the road that it was mentioned. At this stage, for obvious reasons, the couple does not want to have to go to the children of the chap who died looking for the death certificate belonging to their father.

Committee on Public Petitions: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Annual Report 2021 and Related Matters: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (4 May 2023)

Martin Browne: Yes.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (3 May 2023)

Martin Browne: I do not accept what the Minister of State has said. The only ones playing political football are local representatives belonging to the Government. They are on local radio and other media looking for special meetings with the Minister of State. She said the HSE has committed to the development of a new community nursing unit for older persons in Cashel. I received a reply to a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (3 May 2023)

Martin Browne: When will the design stage finish? We were told recently that funding depends on the design stage. When did the issues with the suitability of the site first emerge? Will reports that back up the HSE's decision that the St. Patrick's site is too small be provided? Do they even exist? How much has been spent on the preliminary stages of St. Patrick's to date? How far along are...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (3 May 2023)

Martin Browne: It is not suitable