Results 1-20 of 4,877 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Tariffs: Statements (9 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The tariffs announced by the US Administration have caused concern and anxiety over the impact on Irish businesses and job creation across the country. The uncertainty in respect of sectors such as pharmaceuticals adds to this. While I know the Government has been preparing for this, it is regrettable that the US Administration made the announcements. Nobody wins from tariffs. However, it...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (9 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this issue. Before I start, it is important to acknowledge the incredible work performed by all nurses and the key role they play in delivering essential health services to those most in need across the country, not only during Covid but every day of the week. This Government is committed to supporting and continuing to grow the nursing workforce. We...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (9 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I can see the Deputy’s passion, and I do understand. It is important to reiterate our appreciation for the work carried out by all our healthcare workers throughout the pandemic, including those individuals who returned from retirement to help their colleagues and the public when they needed it most. I understand that. The temporary waiver of pension abatement was introduced at a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (1 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank Senator O'Reilly for raising this matter. Successful national cancer strategies have delivered continuing improvement in outcomes in Irish cancer patients. The benefit of our strategic approach cancer control is shown by the improvement in the number of patients living after having received a cancer diagnosis: more than 200,000 people now compared with 150,000 when the strategy was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (1 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Senator for her contribution on this matter. I acknowledge the efforts made by the NCCP and the HSE to improve compliance with radiation therapy targets of having at least 90% of patients beginning their treatment within 15 working days of being deemed fit for treatment. The most up-to-date figures, from January 2025, show compliance of 81% compared with last year's compliance...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service (1 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I worked with the Senator in this Chamber for many years. I welcome the opportunity to address the House on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, regarding his request for information on National Ambulance Service, NAS, response times and staffing for Cavan and Monaghan. The NAS serves Cavan and Monaghan from four ambulance bases, in Cavan, Virginia, Monaghan and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service (1 Apr 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know the Senator’s commitment and hard work and that he is very passionate about this. I concentrated in the first part of my opening statement on ambulance response performance and resourcing in the Cavan and Monaghan areas. I will now focus briefly on funding of services nationally. This Government has consistently committed to investing in the NAS in recent years. The total...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sexually Transmitted Infections (6 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Sexual health is a priority for this Government. Following expert advice, the second national sexual health strategy underwent an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback, which is now complete. The good news is that the strategy was approved to progress to design stage at the end of last week. Once design is completed, the strategy will be submitted for ministerial and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sexually Transmitted Infections (6 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The rates of gonorrhoea and chlamydia had reduced slightly by the end of 2024 in comparison with the last two years. Better access to testing may be reducing onward infections. The national sexual health strategy supports positive sexual health information. It will have education, research, prevention and information, particularly on stigma. All this will be in the strategy.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Sexually Transmitted Infections (6 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The funding includes €200,000 for additional PrEP drugs and €350,000 for additional staffing in public STI clinics providing PrEP from July 2025. I understand the Deputy's concerns. As I said, this strategy is urgent for us. I assure him that hopefully in the next few weeks or maybe two or three months, I will definitely come back to him with this strategy. As he said,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (4 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland’s Future sets out the Government's commitment to a health-led approach to drug use. The key actions to support this commitment include assessing the outcomes of the national drug strategy; publication of a new strategy; diverting those found in possession of drugs for personal use to health services, which is a matter the Senator is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (4 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Senator. I know how passionate she is about drugs policy. As she said, she has been working on this area for a long time and working with people in her community. Regarding the answers I do not get to today, I guarantee to her that I will meet her in the next few days and come back to her, if that is fair enough.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (4 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am delighted to be talking to the Senator about this matter today. The strategic action plan 2023-24 marked a significant milestone in the implementation of the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery. It contained 34 actions across six strategic priorities. These were to: strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (4 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: As I said, the HPRA has been notified by Xenon Pharmaceuticals of an expected return on 7 March. In relation to new HRT measures, the Minister for Health met the Irish Pharmacy Union on 11 February to discuss her objectives for expanding and reforming community pharmacy and to progress the HRT initiative in budget 2025. That is crucial. This was a constructive engagement and the Minister...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (4 Mar 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue. I totally agree with her. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, about this. Substantial progress has been made in recent years to support women through their menopause journeys. A number of medicines are authorised for use in Ireland as hormone replacement therapy for the treatment of menopause. Budget 2025...

The Future of Healthcare for Longer, Healthier Lives: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I, too, am delighted to be here tonight. Like the Minister and Minister of State, we also have been listening to all the concerns. There are very serious concerns here that we are committed to working on over the next few years. Investment in cancer care was one of the concerns that was brought up. I assure Members the Government is committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (19 Feb 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Deputy. In all our areas there have been major challenges. I work with families regularly, so I do know the challenges. I have listened to and taken on board the points the Deputy has made. I can assure her that addressing access to dental care, including for adult medical card holders, is a top priority for the Minister and the rest of the Government. A substantial...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (19 Feb 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to address the issue of participation of dentists in the dental treatment services scheme. The scheme provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services are provided by private dentists and clinical dental technicians who hold a contract with the HSE to operate the scheme. Services available annually and on demand...

Mental Health: Statements (18 Feb 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Members of the House for their contributions this afternoon. I will respond on behalf of myself and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. While we all recognise that there are areas for service improvement, the passion with which we have discussed the issues is a clear testament to the fact that mental health is an important topic across all parties, and across all parts of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mortality Rates (11 Feb 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Minister for Health extends her deepest sympathies to all parents and families who have experienced the tragic death of a child. The most recent data on child deaths comes from the second report of the national paediatric mortality register conducted by the HSE's National Office of Clinical Audit, NOCA, which is built on early data collection work. While the report makes for very...