Results 1,721-1,740 of 6,077 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Drugs Strategy (24 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: The national drugs strategy provides an integrated public health response to substance use. It contains 50 actions to be delivered over the four year 2017-2020. The strategy is a dynamic process, with the flexibility to introduce new measures to address issues that emerge. Action 36 in the strategy is to consider alternative approaches to the possession of drugs for personal use and to...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Homelessness falls under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, but the Department of Health and the HSE are responsible for the delivery of a range of health-related services and supports for the homeless. Under health legislation, and the Health Act 1953 in particular, the HSE has a statutory obligation towards...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy. Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe is an acute general and maternity hospital that delivers a patient-centred, quality-driven, focused service and provides a wide range of diagnostics and support services. The hospital's catchment area includes patients residing in east Galway, Roscommon, the midlands and mid-western areas. As part of the winter 2020...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: The Department of Health harm reduction element of the health diversion programme provided €100,000 in 2020 to develop a national harm reduction campaign to raise awareness of the risk associated with drug use. The campaign will be delivered in 2021.

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: On the 24-7 drugs line, there is a drugs helpline in the UK that we have been trying to mirror. It is called Talk to Frank but it will not be called that here. There is a budget allocation of €170,000 for the service and the recruitment of three addiction counsellors is under way. It will not be 24 hour but it will be expanded to what we think will be needed, based on advice from...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: First, I agree with the Deputy regarding the ring-fencing of funding. My colleague, Deputy Richmond, and others have been to the forefront in that regard, so perhaps it is time for a debate on the subject of putting the money put back into the local drugs task forces or into addressing the issues. On the funding, in November 2020 I approved one-off funding of €20,000 for each task...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for the measured way in which he put his views forward. We come from different perspectives, but between us we try to get the best possible answers to this very difficult problem. The national drugs strategy sets out a health-led approach to drug use and it promotes a more compassionate and humane response to people who use drugs, with drug use treated as, first and...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I have made more than €1 million available for local drugs task forces. We also have up to €460,000 for targeted initiatives which we are seeking from various task forces. Again, I pay tribute to the great work the task forces are doing. I am aware of the awful situation in the Deputy's constituency, and the Deputy raised it with me previously. I am looking forward to a...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I have met many of the stakeholders. It is not rhetoric. I am informed that in 2020, some 1,006 single persons exited emergency accommodation into homes in the Dublin region. A lot of work has been done regarding rough sleeping and long-term users of emergency accommodation. It is not perfect but much good work has been done and we are putting a...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Deputy. I had a speech prepared that would have taken 15 or 20 minutes but, as the Deputy very rightly said, I had to remove something because I only had ten minutes. Regarding drug-related intimidation, I am very aware of such activity. An active illicit drug market leads to intimidation and a frightening environment for families and communities. A key action of the national...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: Yes. I will get the Deputy a written document with the up-to-date position on gambling. It is a cross-departmental matter, given that it is for the Department of Justice but also a public health issue. I have not seen the Bill, but I would support its gist. A great deal can be done. The Deputy is right, in that the pandemic has increased online gambling. I know that myself. Many young...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: Since the onset of Covid-19, 900 additional people have been seen by the opioid substitution treatment programme. They are being retained as part of the existing service level. Some €4.2 million has been provided for the service's continuation in 2021. I have met all of the drugs and alcohol task forces and we are allocating funding. However, there are many initiatives, for...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: Deputy Gould talked about addiction and gambling. It is a very serious issue that I share an interest in with the Deputy. It is also a Department of Justice issue. However, it crosses into our area. I would be happy to meet the objectives and work with them. There are other issues that we need to address and I can send the Deputy a paper on those.

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I welcome this opportunity to update the House on drug and alcohol services and health supports for people who are homeless during the Covid-19 pandemic. Not everyone faces the same risk from Covid-19. People who use drugs or alcohol in a problematic way are at heightened risk due to underlying health and social factors. These are compounded for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Gender Equality (18 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (17 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: Drug and alcohol task forces have a key role in coordinating inter-agency action and supporting evidence-informed approaches to problem substance use. The network of 24 task forces receives €29 million in annual funding from the Department of Health and the HSE. These resources should be directed towards interventions and strategies which are most likely to reduce problem substance use...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (17 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (17 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (17 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: The Gay Men's Health Service is a community STI service and is managed through HSE Community Healthcare East (CHO6). The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented interruption to normal healthcare activity, with all services affected. The closure of the GMHS in 2020 related primarily to the necessary redeployment of increasing numbers of personnel to diverse COVID-19 related duties....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Strategy (17 Feb 2021)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 788 and 789 together. The Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Tax was introduced on 1 May 2018. This followed a comprehensive preparation process including the publication of an internal working paper to inform consideration of a sugar sweetened drinks levy from a health perspective, and an extensive consultation process. Any further introduction of fiscal...