Results 521-540 of 10,107 for speaker:Mary Butler

Written Answers — Department of Health: Patient Files (12 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care Services (12 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (12 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or...

Delivery of a Rights-Based Care Economy in Ireland: Motion (7 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I welcome the opportunity to address the Chamber on the important issues raised by the Irish Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in their motion on delivery of a rights-based care economy. I acknowledge the work of the chair, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, and deputy chair, Deputy Bacik, who put many hours of their time into driving on the caucus, and have done so for many years. I thank them...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: Very important issues were raised by Family Carers Ireland. I will answer both the Deputy's questions. In budget 2024, €1.4 million was secured for the commission on care. We are just working through the final details now, but it will be set up in January next year. There will be three different modules. The first module will be six months, there will be a second module of six...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank the Deputy for the question. I have engaged with her on this issue. The most recent update I have, and my office may have got back to her, is that she will have to request the information from the HSE in person.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: It is an internal document but I was able to facilitate the Deputy with the details for her area of Galway, which the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, just told me. I know the reason she wants the document. It is a very important document. We want to continue to make sure that we have HSE beds open. We do not want to see any more of them closed. The reason for the closures at present...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (7 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disease Management (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank the Senator for raising this really important issue. As we know, diabetes is a complex and pervasive condition that can require management across the healthcare service. This includes care delivered by general practice and community specialists, hospital inpatient specialist care, as well as self-management support. As we know, many people can live very well with diabetes and can...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disease Management (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I would like to see it earlier than 2025. In September 2019, Sláintecare integration funding was allocated to the HSE to design and procure a national diabetes registry and develop a full specification plan for a national diabetes registry. It was intended that the registry would be in place in 2021, but the project was paused, as we can all understand, because of Covid-19. As I said,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Waste Management (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: The latest report on waste statistics for 2021 from the EPA showed a concerning trend. To be honest, many people were disappointed because, as the Senator said, we would have assumed we were the best in class for packaging recycling because we were for a long time. The concerning trend showed that recycling rates did not keep pace with increasing levels of waste generation. Before I read...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Waste Management (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: The Senator hit the nail on the head when she said we are talking to those who want to do more but there are some people who do not want to do anything or very little. I think it starts in the schools with the green flag initiative. I was delighted when my local school, Portlaw National School, recently acquired its 12th green flag. Many generations of kids in the school have gone through...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: As a mother who always depended on school transport, I can hear the frustration in Senator O’Reilly’s voice. It depends where you live. People in large towns and cities do not realise how important school transport is until their children need it. For 18 years, I have been putting my youngsters on a school bus. They would not have secondary school only for that. I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I understand the Senator's frustration. It must be acknowledged that 149,000 children travelled to school on a school bus last year. Many of them had additional needs and were accompanied on the bus. It is an enormous logistical operation. As the country is at full employment, there are issues with getting home care and the same applies with getting bus drivers. We often hear reference...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the House on this important matter. I listened to what he had to say, and I read the response I am about to read yesterday evening. I suppose both of us could write the response at this stage. We have been invested in this with many of our colleagues for a long time. I commend the campaign groups, especially those with lived experience...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: It is important to reiterate those 24. For the second cath lab or any lab to open, you have to staff it. Twenty-four staff were funded. They are in place, 22 permanent and two agency, which is fantastic. We are seeing the fruits of that. Both cath labs are open five days per week and the additional hours this provides mean the waiting list for elective procedures in the cath labs is one...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second and Subsequent Stages (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, on Second Stage of the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023. The Bill was published on 16 November and concluded its passage through the Dáil on 29 November. This is an annual, technical Bill, comprising seven sections, all of which are focused on specific areas...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second and Subsequent Stages (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I thank all the Senators for coming in and, as they do every year, supporting this Bill. It is a technical but important Bill, and it has to be done. A high proportion of the population holds health insurance, 47%, while the Government continues to maintain the community-rated private health insurance market. I highlight the fact that 1.6 million people have access to a medical card or a...

Seanad: Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, I cannot accept this amendment. It is not necessary to include a requirement for an annual report on organ donation and transplantation activity in primary legislation. The HSE’s Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland already publishes an annual report on organ donation and transplantation activity. I have asked my officials to...

Seanad: Sex Offenders (Amendment) (Coercive Control) Bill 2023: Second Stage (6 Dec 2023)

Mary Butler: I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the Seanad on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee. She has asked me to thank Senators O'Loughlin and Clifford Lee for introducing this important Private Members' Bill, which is on Second Stage today. I also acknowledge the eloquent contributions made by all speakers. I am also pleased to have the opportunity to be here in my own right to...