Results 201-220 of 1,020,962 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín) in 'Committee meetings'

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: We have had much failure over many years in regard to the provision of the care of the elderly and we have not necessarily put in place those pieces that we should have. Everybody welcomes the greater level of enforcement powers for HIQA and the necessary reforms, and we will support this Bill. However, I do not think it goes quite where it needs to go. Of course, it provides for...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: I too am glad to speak on the Bill. The aspects of the Bill include mandatory information provision. It mandates that registered providers of nursing homes and residential services, excluding those for people with disabilities, must regularly supply key operational data to HIQA, as drafted in the Bill. I have often spoken to HIQA. I do not have a lot of faith in HIQA, as the Minister of...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Mary Butler: Sorry to interrupt, but I did meet Ms Bartley-Meehan.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Peadar Tóibín: I appreciate that but I ask the Minister of State to meet her again to give that apology to her. It is important for her that that happens. The whole situation around the Covid-19 crisis and nursing homes was incredible: 2,323 people died and 27% of all deaths during Covid happened in the nursing homes. They were the ground zero of Covid. The Government moved thousands of people from...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Matt Shanahan: I wish to share time with Deputy Tóibín.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Matt Shanahan: In the main, no one doubts the Minister of State's bona fides in regard to the work she is doing here. I welcome the arrival of this Bill. The preamble of the Bill refers to its purpose in regard to two existing legislative measures. It amends the Health Act 2007 to give new enforcement powers to the Chief Inspector of Social Services in HIQA, which consequently will provide for greater...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Peadar Tóibín: Mary Bartley-Meehan lost her son and husband to Covid-19 in Kilbrew Nursing Home within just six weeks of each other. Ultan had dementia. He had carcinoma cancer, which resulted in tumorous wounds on his face and head. He had been a resident in the nursing home since 2019. Mary was shown a video of her husband before he died and it was quite horrific. The side of Ultan's face was...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Fianna Fáil supports this Bill, which it is of utmost importance. It provides for the amendment of two Acts, namely, the Health Act 2007 and the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. The Bill gives new enforcement powers to the Chief Inspector of Social Services, including the power to issue compliance notices to enhance compliance with regulation in residential care homes and further...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The next speaker is Deputy Conway-Walsh. She will have to say a few things about Mayo.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Absolutely. Mayo for Sam. As the Minister of State knows, I have repeatedly called on the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to ensure there is accountability and proper oversight in respect of all care centres that HIQA deems likely to be designated care centres. For-profit organisations that care for vulnerable people in our society...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Mary Butler: The heads were approved today in Cabinet.

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: I am glad to hear that because we have been waiting for a very long time. While home care hours and funding have been increased since 2020, waiting lists remain stubbornly high. In February, there were over 5,500 people approved for a home care package but no carer was available. These staffing challenges have only been made worse by the regressive HSE recruitment freeze. That freeze...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Pauline Tully: While we will support the Bill, it is very limited and does not go far enough to protect people at risk of neglect or coercion and abuse. Currently, disability services are inadequately regulated. In 2019, a HIQA report on the first five years of the regulation of designated residential centres for adults and children with disabilities in Ireland found that significant challenges remain...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Róisín Shortall: I welcome this long-awaited Bill to progress recommendations 14.4 and 14.6 of the Covid-19 nursing homes expert panel, which the Social Democrats will support. However, it is deeply regrettable that it has taken this long for the Minister to produce the necessary Bill. While these reforms are welcome, the Bill will not deliver fully on the regulatory reform recommendations from the expert...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Mary Butler: And of Covid

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

David Cullinane: Covid should actually have been the battle cry or the rallying cry to this Government to actually deal with these issues. The Minister of State is actually making the argument for me. Covid was the big disrupter that said to the State that we need to do more about adult safeguarding legislation, homecare and a statutory homecare but the Minister of State did not deliver and she has to...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Patricia Ryan: As Sinn Féin's spokesperson for older people, Sinn Féin and I give cautious support to this Bill that seeks to reform HIQA's enforcement powers. Yes, it provides for compliance notices and better collection of nursing home data but it does not go anywhere close to addressing the huge concerns around safeguarding and regulations. The issues with HIQA have been ongoing since at...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Duncan Smith: We too in the Labour Party welcome this Bill. Transparency in healthcare is vital so that we as legislators know the areas that need improvement and can take action more swiftly, when needed. Amending the Health Act 2007 to give the Chief Inspector of Social Services new powers and to make amendments to existing provisions relating to enforcement, and the collection, sharing and publication...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: The Minister of State deserves a medal. I call Deputy Cullinane.