Results 1-20 of 52 for drugs speaker:Martin Conway

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Consideration and Implications of 2024 Health Services Funding: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)

Martin Conway: In his opening statement, Mr. Watt also spoke about the whole issue of orphan drugs, new drugs, and the spiralling cost of drugs. There is a concern, which this committee has articulated before, that we are slow to introduce new drugs in this country compared to other European countries. Could Mr. Watt quickly elaborate on what was contained in his statement in that regard?

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2018)

Martin Conway: ...comes to insurance and what is going on. Judges are going to have to get into the real world as well. That is not the reason I am speaking, however. There has been much talk recently about the drug epidemic and that thousands of people are using recreational drugs. Our colleague, Senator Ó Ríordáin, spoke about legalisation on soft drugs when he was a Minister. If we...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Martin Conway: I think today's announcement of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use to look at the issue of drugs and what our approach should be from the perspectives of legislation, education, health and public policy in general, is very welcome. To me, drug abuse and the hardship and turmoil caused by it to thousands of families the length and breadth of this country is one of our biggest challenges in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Citizens' Assembly (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to the House on this important issue. We all know that families the length and breadth of the country have been impacted by the drugs crisis. This crisis is impacting on counties, cities, towns, parishes, villages, streets and street corners and young, middle-aged and even older people. It is an epidemic, which Governments throughout the...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Martin Conway: ...to attend. It is hoped that we will be able to repeat the exercise in 2018. This morning, I had the great pleasure of launching a phenomenal community initiative on the part of the Blanchardstown drugs task force and the Safer Blanchardstown community organisation at the Gresham Hotel. The campaign, which is trying to make a start on dealing with recreational drugs, is called "Think...

Seanad: Crime: Statements (5 Dec 2019)

Martin Conway: ...and difficult and unfortunately, there are many victims of crime every day. I note, however, the Government has introduced and passed legislation to enhance the rights of victims of crime. Drug culture is a serious problem and not just in urban Ireland or in Dublin. Unfortunately, drugs are now freely available in every town and village. The people who are using drugs on a...

Seanad: Availability of Certain Medication: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Martin Conway: ...response from the Minister then was the same as his speech today. Senator Darragh O'Brien has been campaigning on this issue for a long time because he has been contacted by people for whom this drug has worked. I was contacted by a lady who lives in Dublin who has received enormous relief from this drug. All we can do is rely on the testimonials of the people who contact us. If there...

Seanad: Illegal Drugs: Motion (13 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: I welcome this important motion from the Fianna Fáil Party on the scourge of drugs in our society. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, to the House. For many years, she has represented communities, parts of which have been badly affected by drugs. She is on the ground and knows exactly the consequences drugs use has for people. She has first-hand experience of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Citizens' Assembly (29 Nov 2022)

Martin Conway: I thank the Minister of State for giving a specific timeline. I take it the citizens' assembly on drugs will be up and running by the end of quarter 1 2023, which is welcome.I also welcome the suggested potential discussion points that will be in the terms of reference regarding the health implications of drugs on our citizens, and indeed, the implications of drugs on young people and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (9 Nov 2023)

Martin Conway: ...that is accessible to everybody. I will outline a problem. On one hand, we are making it more affordable and easier to access medicines by providing medical cards to more people and reducing the drugs payment scheme. On the other, because of the shortage of medicines - and internationally at this stage - people cannot get the medicines they require either through the drugs payment...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Martin Conway: ...highlight a report that was done by the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality when I was a member of that committee. Unfortunately, much of society and many countries still see the problem with drugs as being justice-led whereas in actual fact, it needs to be health-led. I believe we are slowly but surely moving in that direction in this country. When Deputy Stanton was Chairman of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Thalidomide Victims Compensation (18 Oct 2022)

Martin Conway: ...Lower House, the Taoiseach responded to a question from Deputy Bacik based on the "Scannal" documentary which had been broadcast the night before. It laid bare the facts of the effect that the thalidomide drug has had on people in this country. There are four women who are in their 90s and who have survived. They took the drug through no fault of their own. The drug was removed from...

Seanad: Crime Policy: Motion (2 Oct 2019)

Martin Conway: ...of individuals and groups involved in criminality are effectively targeted and that such approaches include the use of money-laundering legislation and focused intelligence-led operations by Garda specialist units, including the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the National Economic Crime Bureau, the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations, with support as required from the Security...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2018)

Martin Conway: Most of the people on recreational drugs face a challenge in terms of their health. It is not a justice issue. As our society matures and evolves, we are going to have to have that difficult discussion and come up with a realistic plan to deal with the issue of drugs. I do not know what the processes are with the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. It is a very illustrious committee.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Martin Conway: ...who have rare diseases. Unfortunately, we are behind the curve yet again this year when it comes to rare diseases. It takes a third longer for people in Ireland with rare diseases to access drugs that have already been sanctioned and approved by the European Medicines Agency. It takes a third longer for people who have unique, different diseases to access orphan and new medicines that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Submissions on Drugs Review: Discussion (14 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: ...was that moving it into health was the appropriate thing to do. We are now in an election cycle so we need to look at initiating the debate, as Mr. Carey quite rightly said. The time is right. Drug use is a nationwide phenomenon, not just an urban phenomenon. I come from a rural part of a mainly rural constituency and I know that many of my neighbours use drugs on a recreational basis...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage (7 Oct 2014)

Martin Conway: As the Minister of State will be well aware, people who suffer from multiple sclerosis find the disease very debilitating and compromising. My understanding is, however, that a new drug, Fampyra, gives incredible relief to sufferers, but it is not available as a prescribed medicine under the long-term illness scheme. My question is simple. Does the Minister have plans to provide this drug...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (22 Feb 2022)

Martin Conway: ...being trialled but, unfortunately, they are not being trialled on adults because the resources are not there and the expertise is not in place at the Mater to do so. I am thinking, particularly, of a drug called Kuvan. Perhaps the Minister of State is aware of this drug. It is a new drug and it is believed it can revolutionise the lives of people who have PKU. However, it is no good to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2024)

Martin Conway: ..., yet when it comes to rare diseases, orphan medicines and new medicines, we are slower than any other country to introduce them. There was a provision of €20 million in the 2023 budget for orphan drugs but no provision was made in this year's budget.As the lead exporter among all European countries of pharmaceutical products, we should be leading the way in supporting and making...