Results 941-960 of 1,077,512 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Máiría Cahill OR speaker:Catherine Murphy OR speaker:Roderic O'Gorman)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (26 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I thank the Minister for outlining that. The location of the surgical hub has generated a lot of public interest. It has the potential to impact many people's lives across the north west. It is important we get it right. As I said to the Minister, this is not a Sligo versus Donegal issue. The north-west region alone is disadvantaged in many ways. We should not be forced to fight over...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (26 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Deputy Ward and I assure him, representatives from Donegal, the consultants and doctors in Letterkenny and the people of Donegal more broadly that I will do precisely that. I am committed to that region. That is why I visited it a number of weeks into becoming Minister for Health in order to understand for myself. I cannot look at it on a map or look at drawings. I have to be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (26 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I thank the Minister for her engagement on this matter. She has been proactive and committed to ensure that all the data and experiences are being taken into account. We appreciate this. In Donegal, we are grateful the Minister is listening to us. We are fighting our corner and are willing to listen. The Minister is taking all the situations into account. We appreciate and understand...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Health Services (26 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Deputy Ward and I hear what he is saying about his experience of the HSE. That is important. It is also important to reflect on local hospital management and their responsibility to advance cases on behalf of the hospital. When I met Deputies from Donegal, I went through the projects that had been advanced and supported. I recognised there was, in my view, insufficient surgical...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (26 Jun 2025)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Regulatory Bodies

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: 6. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to strengthen the inspection and regulatory regime in HIQA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34932/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: We are all reeling from the revelations about Beneavin nursing home and the nursing home in Portlaoise in recent weeks. It is clear that HIQA has given a wide berth to nursing homes when it comes to its inspection regime, which is in sharp contrast, I might argue, to how other authorities regulate, such as the Food Safety Authority and the Health and Safety Authority. I wish to hear from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I will answer on HIQA specifically and ask the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, for his perspective as well. HIQA plays a crucial role in ensuring high-quality and safe care for patients using our health and social care services. The Government strongly supports HIQA in maintaining and strengthening its critical regulatory role. While it provides an important role, it also needs...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister. There are four clear systemic issues within HIQA at the moment, notwithstanding that it is a much-trusted institution in the public's mind. That confidence has been dented, however. Clear legislative change and clarity are needed in four areas. The first issue is in regard to the licensing. I welcome what the Minister is saying about the licensing of corporate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy and I have engaged intensively at the health committee. I will go through the points she raised. With regard to the licensing, there is absolutely a lacuna there at the moment. Within a group of companies, the licensing inspection is on individual nursing homes and who they are run by, but the parent company is not under HIQA's remit. I want that to be changed. There is an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regulatory Bodies (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: There is an added piece with regard to leadership. In the responses at the health committee last week, in the instance of Beneavin nursing home, there is 100% non-compliance with fire safety systems in that building. We were told that it does not relate to the structure, but rather only to the fire systems. If the fires systems are not fully operational, there is an immediate fire risk....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Departmental Schemes

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: 4. To ask the Minister for Health if she will act to protect front-line healthcare workers impacted by long Covid and who are in receipt of the special scheme of paid leave; if she plans to extend this scheme or recognise long Covid as an occupational illness to quality for occupational injury benefit payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34984/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: As the Minister knows, the scheme for special leave for those who contracted long Covid is due to expire on in four days on 30 June. A total of 166 section 38 organisations and HSE employees are currently in receipt of this payment. To be frank, the response to date has been downright disrespectful and degrading to those who gave so much and risked so much at a time of such uncertainty and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Deputy. The role our healthcare workers played during the pandemic cannot be overstated, particular at the very early stage of it. They went beyond the call of duty, working in front-line environments, treating Covid-19 positive patients, particularly in the early days when the control mechanisms were what they ultimately became and while the risk was extraordinarily great....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: As the Minister knows, people's lives have been turned upside down by long Covid. This is not any ordinary type of illness. This was contracted in the workplace, yet there has been a persistent refusal by this State, in sharp contrast to the vast majority of EU member states, to recognise Covid as an occupational illness. The refusal to extend this scheme or to put in place a long-term...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: There is no intention not to recognise that or to not be empathetic, which is why the scheme for full pay was there for five years. I am aware that the Minister for Social Protection has reviewed the EU recommendation in respect of the recognition of Covid-19, not long Covid, for an occupational illness. Following that review, it was determined that Covid-19 did not meet the requirements to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Marie Sherlock: With respect, the Government is splitting hairs in distinguishing between Covid-19 and long Covid. Clearly, long Covid resulted from Covid-19. The reality is that the request has been for a framework to be put in place to support these specific workers. We are only talking about health workers. We are not talking about gardaí or the many other front-line workers who went out to work...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (26 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Again, I recognise that the findings of the Labour Court are still awaited and I respect that. I will also reiterate the terms of the sick leave scheme. Having been on full pay for five years, the healthcare workers may receive further full pay for three months, half pay for three months, temporary rehabilitative remuneration for 547 days of paid leave and the critical illness protocol that...