Results 1-20 of 1,054,734 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Catherine Byrne OR speaker:Seán Haughey OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:Bernard Durkan9)
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Brendan Howlin: I welcome the witnesses. It is almost with a sense of foreboding that we re-enter the horror story of the washout of Brexit, something which seems to have occupied not just this committee but also so much of all of our thinking for years in a very unproductive way. It is simply about trying to make the best of the situation for Ireland and, in my view, the United Kingdom. The outworking of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Brendan Howlin: When Mr. Donohoe says "not comfortable", are they legally able to be comfortable?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Brendan Howlin: So it is not a matter of being comfortable. It is that they cannot deal with it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Seán Haughey: I thank the witnesses for their presentations this morning and for the work they have done since that fateful vote on 23 June 2016.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Seán Haughey: This committee obviously has engaged with every aspect of Brexit right up to today.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Seán Haughey: We did our bit, with the various ministers, civil society groups and so forth. Obviously, the main objective was no hard border on the island of Ireland and that has been achieved. We engaged many times with Maroš Šefovi. He was ecstatic at the last meeting we had with him when the Windsor Framework was agreed. He was very happy that a good day's work had been done. It is...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Brendan Howlin: What about what went before?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Seán Haughey: Yes. I have another comment in relation to Northern Ireland having the best of all possible worlds, access to both the UK internal market and the EU's Single Market. We take on board the point made that not enough is being done to attract investment or to highlight the advantages of the Windsor Framework from the point of view of investing in Northern Ireland. That point is well made. ...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Seán Haughey: That is good to know
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Brendan Howlin: Constituency events are increasingly-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: The Windsor Framework and Related Matters: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Brendan Howlin: I understand the difference between dynamic alignment and mutual acceptable standards. Is it envisaged that an agreement would be that the European Union would accept UK veterinary standards or, more problematically, that it would accept EU standards and dynamic alignment adjusting for ever?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: I welcome our guests. Recruitment and retention has been an issue in recent years for nursing and all other staff. What are the main features of the difficulties that are being created there? Is it lower pay or lack of accommodation or is there some other reason that we should know about? It is absolutely essential that we have adequate staffing at all levels throughout the health service...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: A question arises. Does Ms Ní Sheaghdha believe that whatever is required should be recruited regardless of budgetary restraints?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: There has to be some level within which you operate.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: How do we compare with staffing levels in adjoining jurisdictions, for instance the UK, France or Germany? We are in the European Union. We are always extolled to comply with regulations that prevail in the European Union. How do we compare with our next-door neighbours when it comes to the payment of staff and salaries in general?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: We cannot compete with the sunshine countries in terms of climate but we should be able to compete generally in terms of salaries for staff. It is suggested, for instance, that there are 12.8 practising nurses per 1,000 head of population, which is one of the highest ratios in the European Union. I do not know whether that is true or false. Is it correct?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: That is debatable because it depends on who you talk to. We get criticism on that, too, and we have to try to answer the criticisms. When staff levels were increased - recruitment of 6,000 was approved and it went to 8,000 – what were the most sensitive areas to which those staff could be detailed? Were there areas that were more sensitive than others? Were there posts that need...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: Why?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: It is immediately obvious to some people within the service. There are some who claim within the service that is the way they see it. I agree with the assessment in respect of HSE staff but they have traditionally been over-employed in the health services. That is going back 20 years. There was always the reliance on agency staff and they became greater than the cause. Then those numbers...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Staffing Levels in HSE: Discussion (2 Oct 2024)
Bernard Durkan: If I can make one last point, I agree the population has grown but so has the budget. The budget for health has grown way ahead of what the population was in 1957, for example. The population has doubled since then but the health budget has doubled as well, and trebled.