Results 1,821-1,840 of 6,055 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Seanad: Access to Contraception: Motion (15 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: I thank Senators Pauline O'Reilly, Garvey and Martin, and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, for tabling this important motion. I thank them for the opportunity to set out the commitment of the Government and my Department to expand access to free contraception to all women aged between 17 and 25 and, indeed, the commitment to promoting women's health more generally through the work of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (15 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: The current position with regard to energy drinks is that, since 2000, there has been a legal requirement under EU legislation for all ingredients as well as the quantity of certain ingredients to be displayed on the product label. Additionally, since December 2014 an EU regulation requires that beverages containing a proportion in excess of 150mg/l of caffeine are labelled with the statement...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (15 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Healthy Ireland has led a number of cross government communications campaigns designed to help people look after their physical and mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis. The first of these was launched by An Taoiseach in April 2020. The #InThisTogether campaign offered advice, support and information around a range of themes, which included being active, eating well, coping at home,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (15 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025, is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of Ireland.  The Framework is now past the mid-way point for the implementation.  Since publication in 2013, there has been significant progress in implementation. This has included: - A focus on building an enabling...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (15 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: In late 2019 the Health and Wellbeing Unit in my Department commenced the development of a Strategic Action Plan for the next phase of the Healthy Ireland Framework.  Despite the challenges caused by Covid-19, which has caused some delays to the original timeline for this process, significant progress on the development of the Strategic Action Plan for Healthy Ireland has been...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Since early 2018, Healthy Ireland national communications campaigns have highlighted key messages around eating well, being physically active and minding our mental wellbeing. The current campaign;  ‘Keep Well’, promotes resilience and positive physical and mental health and wellbeing in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic. Sláintecare has...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Vitamin D is essential for bone and muscle health in people aged 65 and older. A recent Food Safety Authority of Ireland report found that older people do not get sufficient vitamin D from their diet or the effect of sunlight on their skin. To help counteract this, the Department of Health recommends that people aged 65 and older take a vitamin D supplement every day to ensure that they get...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025, is the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of Ireland.  The Framework is now past the mid-way point for the implementation.  Since publication in 2013, there has been significant progress in implementation. This has included: - A focus on building an enabling environment for...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: The HSE recently submitted the final report of the steering committee on the development of HSE transgender identity services to my colleague, the Minister for Health.  The Minister has asked the HSE to publish the report immediately. The report contains seven recommendations, all pertaining to the HSE and indicates that most of the recommendations are already in progress. In...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Promotion (10 Dec 2020)

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: Addiction Treatment Services (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Under the Health Act 2004 , as amended, the Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision of health and personal social services, including addiction services. The Health Service Executive can either provide these services directly or fund organisations to provide them on its behalf. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Strategy (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: ‘A Healthy Weight for Ireland’, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland agenda.  The OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and aims to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications and reduce the overall burden for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: The National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) is the Government policy framework for addressing the health and other needs of Travellers. It contains over 30 health-related actions across four themes. The Dept of Health and the HSE are represented on the steering committee for NTRIS and report on a regular basis on the various health actions. A key health action in NTRIS (#73)...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: In line with international trends, the demand for transgender services in Ireland has increased exponentially over the last number of years.  Services for transgender care have evolved organically over the last number of years, with adult services based in St. Columcille’s Hospital (part of Ireland East Hospital Group) and children’s services located in Our Lady’s...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (10 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: Sexual health is a priority for my Department, as evidenced by the publication of the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015 - 2020. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the Strategy’s key aims of reducing negative sexual health outcomes for everyone living in Ireland. Implementation of the Strategy is led by the HSE’s Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) and Subsequent Stages (9 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: I thank Deputies for their contributions to the debate on this Bill. Health insurance is held by a large proportion of people in Ireland relative to other countries, as has been stated by many Deputies. It is important that we took the opportunity to discuss this Bill and the positive effect that community rating and other aspects of health insurance regulation have on people's daily lives....

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second and Subsequent Stages (9 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time. I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on the Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2020. The Bill was published on 19 November and, as Deputies will be aware, successfully concluded its passage through the Seanad on 26 November. I welcome the support received in that House for the core principle of...

Mental Health Policy: Motion [Private Members] (9 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: I thank Deputies from across the various parties for moving this very important Private Members' motion on mental health and Covid-19. I echo what my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, said in her opening remarks about this issue being raised during what has been a difficult and distressing period for most people. As stated at the outset, the Government is not opposing the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Practitioner Services (9 Dec 2020)

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.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Frank Feighan: We all agree that recent news from the vaccine developers is a beacon of hope after a very difficult year. Vaccination is a hugely effective intervention for saving lives and promoting good health. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines is our absolute priority and any Covid-19 vaccine administered in Ireland will have to be authorised by the European Medicines Agency. While we await...