Results 161-180 of 349 for long speaker:Frank Feighan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (3 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: It has long been the practice, both in this country and internationally, that registered health professions pay an annual registration fee to their respective regulator allowing it to perform its functions independently of State support. The regulation of the healthcare sector and its professionals has become increasingly important over recent decades to ensure the compliance of set...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Relations (3 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: .... Individuals have a right to membership of any trade union, but they do not have a right that such a membership must be facilitated or recognised by their employer. Industrial relations policy has a long-standing objective of avoiding fragmentation in workers' representation in public sector employment and the trade union movement generally. This is to facilitate the orderly conduct...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Nov 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...community rating while maintaining sustainability of the market during these unprecedented times. The Bill allows us to maintain our support for the core principle of community rating, which is a long established and well supported Government policy for the health insurance market. I thank Senator Conway for his encouraging remarks on this. Senators Gavin and Hoey raised the issue of...

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Health): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...require approval from the European Medicines Agency prior to use. There remains a good deal of work to be done before we have a full understanding of the effectiveness of vaccines, including how long they may provide immunity for, and whether their effectiveness differs across particular age groups of the population, or between different ethnic groups.Most importantly, we need assurance...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Nov 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...the evaluation is thorough and informed. Although the private health insurance, PHI, market has demonstrated resilience and remained reasonably stable among significant uncertainty in 2020, the longer term impact on market profile and membership is yet to be determined. In recommending stamp duty rates and credits to apply to the health insurance market for 2021, the authority had the...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Nov 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...support community rating while maintaining sustainability of the market at a time of uncertainty. This Bill allows us to maintain our support for the core principle of community rating, which is long-established and well-supported Government policy for the health insurance market. The Bill will ensure that we can continue to provide the necessary support to ensure that the costs of...

Financial Resolutions 2020 - Financial Resolution No. 7: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...health and well-being initiatives in budget 2021, providing us with more opportunities to build on the excellent progress made so far through the Healthy Ireland framework, in supporting us all to live longer and better lives, and helping to reduce the burdens on health and social care services. The investment secured in budget 2021 will enable us to continue and expand on this work,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla -Topical Issue Debates: Alcohol Pricing (29 Sep 2020)

Frank Feighan: I want to begin by welcoming the raising of this very important topic by Deputy Ó Cuív. The programme for Government promises to honour our long-standing commitment to the introduction of minimum unit pricing of alcohol products in consultation with Northern Ireland. As Minister of State with responsibility for this issue, I want to assure the House from the outset that there is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Tests (22 Sep 2020)

Frank Feighan: .... As part of this, a comprehensive assessment of community testing and swabbing locations is being undertaken. Criteria considered include suitability and sustainability of the location as a long-term testing centre as well as travel times to test centres. As I said, we are constantly looking to improve further the responsiveness of the testing and tracing system and we will keep...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Support Services (10 Sep 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for raising this important issue. A key principle underpinning Government policy is to support older people to live in their own home with dignity and independence for as long as possible. In recent years, there has been a shift in the focus of healthcare provision towards home care. Home support services are key in facilitating older people to remain at home...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Levels (30 Jul 2020)

Frank Feighan: Obesity has long been recognised as a risk factor for a number of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.  These conditions, as well as obesity itself, have been identified with an increased risk factor for a more severe form of COVID-19 disease.  In recognition of the seriousness of the obesity crisis in Ireland, ‘A...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (17 Jun 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...to be in charge of the River Shannon. It was supposed to be the ESB but most of the local authorities and the OPW looked the other way. I am glad that in the past ten years we have come a long way in trying to address this serious problem. We had climate change and lack of management. I wish to compliment Leitrim County Council, Roscommon County Council and all the workers along...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...an issue for Enniscrone. There are many towns and villages throughout this country dealing with a similar issue. We had it years ago with An Daingean-Dingle. People simply cannot understand that it takes so long and so much legislation to deal with it. I am aware it has to go through a plebiscite in terms of the local authority but can the Minister of State inform me of the current...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (27 May 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...articulate and while I understand that we will take the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, it is an issue that needs to be brought to the Dáil Chamber. We have been dealing with Covid for a long time now but the health service is continuing to work away. I was coming back from the Dáil last Wednesday night and ended up in Sligo University Hospital. Everything is fine and...

Covid-19 (Employment Affairs and Social Protection): Statements (20 May 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...of people involved. Is there a reason for this of which we are not aware? Many people have contacted Deputies on this issue over recent weeks. On the pandemic unemployment payment, for how long will it remain in place such that people can plan for the future and what is the estimated cost of this scheme going forward? I again pay tribute to the staff of the Department of Employment...

Covid-19 (Housing, Planning and Local Government): Statements (7 May 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...home, and if we really want to help these rural communities, we must come up with some sensible solution. We do not want a solution that undermines the groundwaters, but this has gone on for far too long. I suspect that the Department or others have been dragging their heels by coming out with all these public consultations. Now is the time to make a decision. The solutions are out...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...there is guidance but perhaps the Minister could talk about that. We need the HSE to talk to the Irish Dental Association about new contracts for dental care post Covid-19. According to dentists it is long overdue. I look forward to the Minister's views on these points.

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Frank Feighan: ...of Covid-19 in residential facilities. That remains an area of huge concern. I also want to thank the National Ambulance Service and all of the people who carried out the 18,000 tests in the long-term residential facilities. It is an issue we certainly need to deal with. We have to be very careful that we open up certain businesses and schools at the right time. One business a lot...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Governance and Funding of Football Association of Ireland: Discussion (18 Dec 2019)

Frank Feighan: I thank the witnesses for coming in. It is hard to believe that, since last March, we would have arrived at this situation. I have a long involvement in junior soccer. I was treasurer of the Roscommon district league back in the 1980s, I was secretary of my local soccer club, I ran a double-decker bus to Germany in 1988 and I was at a celebration of junior football in Sligo County Council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Minority Sports and Women's Participation in Sport: Discussion. (11 Dec 2019)

Frank Feighan: ...spoke of an all-island hockey team. A little over two years ago, we were very anxious to have an all-island hockey team — it was a men's team — competing in the Commonwealth Games. We went a long way towards it. We would have to agree to embrace Ireland–Britain relationships. It would be opportune to have an all-island hockey team. I wish those present every...