Results 401-420 of 1,081,497 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Kathryn Reilly OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Cathal Crowe OR speaker:Bríd Smith OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Colm Burke OR speaker:Richard O'Donoghue OR speaker:Catherine Murphy OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Fergus O'Dowd)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: An interesting point is that more than 1 million children have done ECCE, about one fifth of our population, as it has been available since 2009. The next steps will be a decision for the next Government. I have strong views. I agree with the Deputy. ECCE is the cornerstone of early learning and care. I would love to see it on a statutory basis so that every child would have a legal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister. With that said, it is for the next Government. It is important that this report is passed on and acted upon as quickly as possible because it is an important programme. We need to ensure that where changes can be made to improve it, that happens for the benefit of everybody. That is all I can say because the report has been published, which I welcome.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am interested in a mid-year entry point, which there was originally but was removed. Where a child is born just on the cusp of the next year, it can be frustrating for parents. It is worth considering that day-to-day change in the operation of the scheme. We spoke earlier about early years professionals. Ultimately, it comes down to State investment because if the State is to be more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Disability Services

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Pauline Tully: 8. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider undertaking a stakeholder review of the Progressing Disability Services model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43542/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Pauline Tully: Will the Minister consider undertaking a stakeholder review of the progressing disability services model in light of the fact that it does not work on many fronts?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: The implementation of the progressing disability services programme is agreed Government and HSE policy. This policy supports the reconfiguration of children's disability services to provide equitable child- and family-centred services based on need rather than diagnosis. Crucially, this aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The HSE's roadmap for service...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Pauline Tully: The progressing disabilities model is not working on many fronts. There were 91 CDNTs established before the end of 2021. According to the HSE census from a year ago, only one of those teams was fully staffed. A number were close but quite a number had vacancy rates up to 70%. A team cannot function with a vacancy rate of 70% or even 50% or 30%. Many children have no access to their...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I cannot disagree with anything the Deputy said in terms of the challenge the significant level of vacancy poses for the CDNTs all over the country and their ability to deliver crucial interventions for children and the subsequent improvements in quality of life for families. The next Government will look at the progressing disabilities model and have an opportunity to make decisions. We...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (24 Oct 2024)

Pauline Tully: We have been hearing about a recruitment campaign for quite some time. The progressing disability model was drawn up in 2013 or 2014, I think. At that time, workforce planning was not done and we now do not have sufficient therapists. I acknowledge it will take time to educate enough therapists but there is no guarantee they will work in disability services. There are many other areas...

Committee on Drugs Use: Family and Community: Discussion (24 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I was not expecting to be first but I thank the Chair. I have another meeting at 10:30 a.m on the Traveller issues Mr. McCann referenced. I have met many of the witnesses previously. They have painted a bleak picture but they also put forward solutions, suggestions and proposals that should be taken on board, at this stage, by the next Government in a very strong way. The witnesses have...

Committee on Drugs Use: Family and Community: Discussion (24 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: If we are going to make a change, such as decriminalisation of the person, we need to have serious service supports in place. Other jurisdictions did this and went down this road but they did not have youth workers, social workers, psychologists or addiction services in place to help people. That has to be a very important part of this. Would Mr. Perth like to come in on the subject of...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I welcome all the witnesses. Mr. Gloster, in his opening statement, mentioned the number of staff in August 2024 and said that the "growth is 23.3% since December 2019". Has the WRC change from a 39-hour week to a 37.5-hour week been part of the calibration?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: Has Mr. Gloster responded to the INMO with that information?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: On the 2,000 posts that were suppressed in advance of the embargo being lifted, Mr. Gloster gave us the figure for August 2024. Will he please give us the figure for December 2023?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: Yes

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I, too, picked up on the overtime payment and wonder how it happened. During a weekend night call-out in 2023, the employee was paid a rate of six hours' pay per patient for each of the four patients treated in a single period of 60 minutes. That same point was made by Deputy Kelly. It cost in excess of €2,800 for the call, which is an extraordinary amount. I can see the HSE's...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: This situation happens when the consultant is called in to a hospital, I presume, to see patients and there is nobody else to cover that. This person would have come in and seen four patients, and that is essentially how it happened.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2023: Health Service Executive (24 Oct 2024)

Catherine Murphy: The second item I want to deal with - I hope I will be able to come back in on a few other matters later - relates to the settlement of the employment case. This cropped up in the C and AG's report. It jumped out to us. I understand that there is a mediated situation and that this constrains what can be said. The settlement comprised €1.37 million for a loss of potential private...