Results 1-20 of 124 for 5 million speaker:Finian McGrath

Seanad: International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Statements (4 Dec 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...which was an absolute priority for me and which I was delighted to work on and to help to get over the line; work to facilitate the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, including the codes of practice and the establishment of the decision support service, I will be returning to this later in the debate; publication of the Make Work Pay report, with 24 practical...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Provision (26 Nov 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...including over 8,300 residential places across the country. The allocation for disability services will rise to over €2 billion in 2020, as compared to €1.9 billion this year. The additional €133.7million represents an increase of 7% on the 2019 Disability Services Budget. €25 million in additional funding has been provided for new service developments in...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Nov 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...was to ensure that all young adults leaving school or training would have access to supports and services that meet their needs at one of the most crucial transition points of their lives. Additional funding of €13 million will provide supports and day services to approximately 1,600 young people with disabilities who will leave school and training next year. I recognise the...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 9: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2019)

Finian McGrath: ..., namely investment, without which we will struggle to reform. In my three years as Minister of State with responsibility for disability issues, I have secured additional funding of more than €500 million for disability issues. This is a figure one will not hear from the Opposition or in our national media. This has not been easy in the context of many other competing priorities...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): Respite Care Services (10 Oct 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...and home services in the past three years has been amazing, but if there are particular gaps in counties, I will listen to the position on them. At national level, the HSE received funding of €5 million to support the development of respite care services. That funding was subsequently allocated among community health organisations in the form of 12 respite care houses. As I...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services Funding (10 Oct 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...supports for people with disabilities, which will empower them to live independent lives.   The importance of increased respite services is acknowledged in this context.   At national level, the HSE received funding of €10 million to support the development of respite services in 2018.  This funding was subsequently allocated between Community...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Emergency Departments (1 Oct 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...in additional capacity. Progress has been made on increasing capacity in UHL. The average number of open inpatient beds increased by 4% between 2017 and March 2019. Since 2017, an additional 25 beds have been opened in UHL, including eight as part of last year's winter plan. A capital budget of €19.5 million has been approved for the provision of a modular 60-bed inpatient ward...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (26 Jun 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 944,000 customers with direct eligibility. In Budget 2019 the funding for the free travel scheme was increased by €5 million to a total of €95 million. Providing an accurate projection of the cost of extending the free travel scheme to all children in receipt of domiciliary...

Seanad: Community Participation (Disability) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019: Second Stage (19 Jun 2019)

Finian McGrath: .... As many of my Senator colleagues have mentioned, transport is one of the key themes in the strategy. In this regard the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is committed to implementing 15 specific actions that will support the overarching objectives in its remit. These include ensuring: that the planning and design of public buildings and public spaces is informed by engagement...

Seanad: Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024: Statements (16 May 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...are no NGOs. I give it some funding to keep it going. Some Members mentioned the target of 6%. My personal view is that it should be 10%. We are driving towards 6%. Some places have gone above 4%, 5% and 6%. I will refer back to the Senators on examples because figures arrived on my desk recently. Senator O'Donnell also mentioned the internships and I agree they could be extended to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Support Services Funding (15 May 2019)

Finian McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 5 together. The Government’s priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of our health service. We are committed to providing services and supports for all people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives. Significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services during...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (14 May 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...services over the past number of years. This year alone, the Health Service Executive has allocated €1.9 billion to its disability services programme, which represents an increase of €346 million since 2016. This is the highest ever level of funding in the history of the State. I thank my colleagues opposite for their support in that regard. I recognise that support. ...

Autism Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (2 Apr 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...and the greater the political will to develop autism services. Autism spectrum disorders are a group of life-long neurodevelopmental conditions that are estimated to affect between 1% and 1.5% of the population. Autism is a complex condition and sometimes results in physical, sensory and social difficulties that can cause distress for individuals and their families. When properly...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (2 Apr 2019)

Finian McGrath: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 555 together. Domiciliary care allowance is a monthly payment of €309.50 to the carer of a child with a disability. There are currently 43,439 children who benefit from the allowance.  The allowance may be used for the additional costs involved in caring for the child,  including additional transport costs where they arise.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Paediatric Services (19 Feb 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...and procedures is one of my top priorities and is a key commitment in the Programme for Government. The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) advise that as of the end of January 2019, there were 85,632 children waiting for an outpatient appointment, of which 34.5% (29,558) were waiting more than 12 months, and 21.9% (18,767) were waiting more than 18 months. A breakdown by hospital, as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Partial Capacity Benefit Scheme Eligibility (15 Jan 2019)

Finian McGrath: ...Benefit or Invalidity Pension and their current rate of payment. After the medical assessment, if a person's disability is rated as moderate, severe or profound their previous payment continues at 50, 75 or 100 per cent, respectively. The wage subsidy scheme (WSS) is an employment support which provides financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a...

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage (6 Dec 2018)

Finian McGrath: .... Instead, they are all redistributed to compensate for the additional cost of insuring older and less healthy people. In 2017, the risk equalisation fund redistributed approximately €650 million of premiums out of a total of €2.5 billion in premiums paid. The scheme is carefully monitored to ensure that none of the insurers is overcompensated, a scenario that would...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (4 Dec 2018)

Finian McGrath: ...operational in Ireland in an appropriate manner. Considerable progress has been made to overcome the remaining legislative barriers to Ireland’s full implementation of the convention as set out in the 2015 roadmap. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 was signed into law on 30 December 2015 and is a comprehensive reform of the law on decision-making capacity. Section...

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (20 Nov 2018)

Finian McGrath: ...goes to the Exchequer.They are all redistributed to compensate for the additional cost of insuring older or less healthy people. In 2017, the risk equalisation fund redistributed approximately €670 million in premiums out of a total of €2.5 billion in premiums paid. The scheme is carefully monitored to ensure that none of the insurers is overcompensated, which would...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2018)

Finian McGrath: ...and after the financial crash. This objective has been achieved. There have been considerable increases in the disability services budget and I am delighted to have secured an additional €150 million for 2019. That brings the disability budget to €1.838 billion. That is a record amount of spending on disabilities. This will allow us to tackle pressing issues such as...