Results 1-20 of 1,059,752 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ned O'Sullivan OR speaker:Cormac Devlin OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Seán Haughey OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:Duncan Smith OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Seán Sherlock OR speaker:Chris Andrews OR speaker:Bríd Smith OR speaker:Alan Kelly) in 'Committee meetings'

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister, the Ministers of State and the officials for attending. There are just a couple of things that come to mind. It would appear that a better picture is emerging in the context of funding for health service that will lead to improvements for consumers right across the country. That is to be welcomed. How did the underspends to which the Minister referred come about?...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister. The underspends in question, in terms of their description, are misnamed.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: There should be an alteration in the description. The Minister has explained that. It should be done in order prevent people being misled and to enable those who may expect the moneys to be sent in their direction to know that this is or is not a possibility. They have to plan as well. In relation to the State Claims Agency and negligence claims, the total allocation of €485...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Have these been quantified? Have the areas where positive changes can be made with obvious beneficial results from the point of view of patients and in the context of the risk and cost to the health service been flagged? To what extent has a breakdown of the €485 million referred to, including legal fees, been obtained and what were the extent of the legal fees involved, if known?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: As a result of action taken.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: In terms of a reduction in the number of incidents, how will be able to monitor the extent to which potential catastrophic incidents can arise? What evidence exists which shows that the prevention of incidents is well in hand, as needs to be the case? The follow-on from that is the financial liability. How quickly will we see the effect of and be able to judge the preventative measures...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: All I will say is that this Department specialises in health. Insofar as possible, we need to prevent as many accidents or errors in procedures as possible in every way possible to ensure the money in the health budget is spent on health as opposed to legal fees. I saw something about the OPW. I have had some interaction with the OPW recently. While I cannot find it at the moment, the...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Okay. Is the expenditure normal? Has it been tested? The OPW has had a propensity to slightly exaggerate costs.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: I thank everybody for their statements thus far. I have a question for the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, regarding the additional funding this year. Will he give a breakdown on this? I am reading a breakdown of the additional funding in the press release and it gives a breakdown but the drugs task forces in the country will say that funding has been reduced, particularly in the last ten...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Does the Minister of State accept that in terms of the overall harm reduction budget and the money that is given towards task forces across the country, there has been a reduction, particularly in the last 12 years? Obviously, he is only in the position a number of months but does he accept that in 2012 more money was being allocated towards task forces than there is now?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Yes, I accept that but many people on the ground who are at the coalface will say there needs to be much more funding in terms of the evolution of drug dependency and drug use in communities. That has to be acknowledged.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Thanks a lot.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: I thank the Minister of State for that. Just to confirm, he referred to the safe injection facility. I would probably term it slightly differently. The "safe consumption room" is probably a better term. Is he saying this facility will be open in December?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: That is good news. I have a final question. Regarding harm reduction activities, wastewater drug surveillance is referred to in the press release. What exactly is that?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit.

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: On this question of a population increase by 2% or 84,000 every year since 2019, this means there has been cumulative population growth of 422,000 between 2019 and 2024. How much of that is indigenous growth and how much of it is due to inward migration?

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: We should have them because it gives a slanted impression. For instance, I do not see the number of people over 75 coming into the country as being in any way of the level referred to here but, by comparison, I see a huge number of young people coming in. I would say the ratio is very different from what these figures suggest. As well as that, I heard on a radio programme this morning...

Select Committee on Health: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 38 - Health (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Cloncurry drug treatment centre in Enfield, which is on the border of my constituency, is a case in point. I invite the Minister of State to visit if he gets a chance. It would be important to the assessment of the need and threat.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Second Stage (15 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have a short time. I welcome the budget and especially the work the Minister has done over the years. It is a fact that the Minister is hardworking, efficient and effective. I also pay tribute to her staff around the country. As a TD and public representative for 50 years, and I suppose I drive everyone mad by ringing up about clients, but I have to say on the record that the Minister's...