Results 1,661-1,680 of 3,871 for speaker:Catherine Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (31 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 513 and 519 together. As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputies.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (31 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Government is committed to putting a new National Drugs Strategy in place from 2017 onwards, when the current policy expires. As the Deputy will be aware, a Steering Committee with an independent chair, has been established to advise me on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy. While the format of the new Strategy has not yet been agreed by the Steering Committee, I very...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Addiction Treatment Services (31 Jan 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: HSE Funding (26 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter. He knows that the State has come through a very tough period. As a result of visiting different groups in recent months, I have become very much aware that many of them lost a great deal of funding and that services have been curtailed as a result. I hope that we may be able to reverse the position in this regard in the coming years. I...

Topical Issue Debate: HSE Funding (26 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Deputy Curran for raising the issue of the provision of funding for Tiglin residential rehabilitation services. As the Deputy is acutely aware, problem drug use continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing our country and is becoming more complex, with a wider range of drugs issues and abuse. I would like to emphasise this Government’s commitment and ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (25 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Government policy on tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The Strategy is a cross cutting area of public policy and service delivery, which requires a coordinated response to tackling the drug problem, involving the statutory, community and voluntary sectors. The overall objective of the Strategy is to tackle the harm caused to individuals and...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (24 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I understand the Deputy's concerns and have noted many points he has raised, which I will bring back to the Minister. I am satisfied that the current income limit generally provides for a fair and equal system of identifying those households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources. These limits generally provide that a household in receipt of social welfare will not breach...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (24 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: I apologise that the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government cannot be here to take this matter, which I thank the Deputy for raising. On 1 April 2011, the social housing assessment regulations introduced a new standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing in every housing authority. The aim of the new system is to move closer to a transparent,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Expenditure (24 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: My Department has been advised by the Health Service Executive that it is not involved in the provision of accommodation at the location mentioned.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (24 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: Government is committed to putting a new National Drugs Strategy in place from 2017 onwards, when the current policy expires. A Steering Committee with an independent chair has been established to advise me on the new Strategy. This Committee has been mandated to develop an integrated public health approach to substance misuse, which is defined as the harmful or hazardous use of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (18 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: With effect from 1 January 2014, operational and financial responsibility for the North East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force was transferred to the Health Service Executive. Therefore, this service matter has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug Treatment Programmes (17 Jan 2017)

Catherine Byrne: The Department of Health is primarily responsible for the health related aspects of drug policy. Under the Misuse of Drugs (Custodial Treatment Centre) Order, 1980 (S.I. No. 30 of 1980) the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, Dublin is designated as a place where persons convicted of certain specified offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 may receive custodial medical treatment or...

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

Catherine Byrne: Government policy on tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The Strategy is a cross cutting area of public policy and service delivery, which requires a coordinated response to tackling the drug problem, involving the statutory, community and voluntary sectors. Accordingly, the community sector is represented on the institutional structures that have...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Addiction Treatment Services (17 Jan 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: Addiction Treatment Services (17 Jan 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: Local Drugs Task Forces Funding (16 Dec 2016)

Catherine Byrne: With effect from 1 January 2014, operational and financial responsibility for the North East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force was transferred to the Health Service Executive. Therefore, this service matter has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (15 Dec 2016)

Catherine Byrne: I apologise for the fact that the Minister for Health cannot be here to take this Commencement matter and I am have been asked to take it on his behalf. I thank Senator Colm Burke for tabling this Commencement matter. Trolley numbers nationally were high in November and have been so far in December due to increased emergency department attendances, greater incidence of infection in several...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Consultant Recruitment (15 Dec 2016)

Catherine Byrne: I understand the point made by the Senator and his anxiety about accident and emergency consultant hours at Mercy University Hospital. The reply I was given clearly outlines that funding has been made available and that the HSE is in the process of providing another consultant, be it through Cork University Hospital or Mercy University Hospital. I will relay the Senator's concerns to the...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2016)

Catherine Byrne: I am finished.

Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Services (14 Dec 2016)

Catherine Byrne: I thank Deputy Aylward for raising this matter. I am pleased to take this opportunity to update the House on scoliosis services. Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery are not acceptable, and the Department is working closely with the Health Service Executive, HSE, to address services pressures, particularly in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, which is the largest provider of...