I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the House on this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. I assure the Senator that the Government remains fully committed to improving patient services and ensuring patient-centred care throughout the country. That commitment can be seen through the unprecedented level of funding that is being targeted right across the health service from budget 2022. This investment is benefiting many patients throughout the coun…

When the HSE provides the documentation, it will clearly outline exactly what posts are filled and the whole-time-equivalence the Senator talked about regarding how often the clinic is run. I hope the HSE's response also addresses pediatric diabetes in order that we know exactly what will be covered. We in Galway travel down to Limerick for the support on its pediatric diabetes site but I know we are backing up down in Galway and I wonder if the post is still filled in Limerick. I look forward to the Senator gettin…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Finance as he is taking oral questions in the Dáil at present. In February 2015, the Central Bank of Ireland, in line with its mandate to protect and safeguard financial stability, first put in place new macro-prudential measures for residential mortgage lending. These measures apply proportionate loan-to-value and loan-to-income limits to mortgage lending by regulated financial service providers in the Irish market. The key …

I must acknowledge the comprehensive response provided by the Department of Finance. It shows the flexibility and willingness of the Central Bank to engage and its openness, through the consultation period and the review, in recognition of changes in circumstances and different needs of people as well as the make-up of families. I will take that back to the Minister and I thank the Senator for raising this matter.

I thank Senator O'Reilly for raising this matter. I am answering on behalf of the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Peter Burke. The compact growth of cities and towns of all sizes to create more attractive places in which people can live and work is a key objective of the national planning framework, NPF. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is in the process of developing sustainable and compact settlement guidelines, SCSGs, for planning auth…

The national planning framework sets out the vision and strategic objectives to support Ireland's national, regional and local spatial development in economic, environmental and social terms to 2040. The delivery of increased supply of sustainable, affordable homes for people is an integral part of this vision and remains the Government's top priority. The sustainable and compact settlement guidelines currently being developed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the draft of which will be p…

I am thankful I have been given the opportunity to address my Oireachtas colleagues with regard to digital and assistive technologies. I know some Senators present are dependent on glasses, as I am. I am sure everyone is aware of friends, family or colleagues who use hearing aids, screen readers or other items and technologies that help them in their day-to-day lives. That is exactly what digital and assistive technologies are about: making life that bit easier and more accessible for people with different kinds of…

As there are no other Senators offering, how much time do I have?

Open-ended is even better. We will make it more intimate so that we can address the matters on which Senators engaged.

I thank my good colleague, Senator O'Donovan, for bringing us through a step in time to explain how organisations were set up and put in place in remote parts of Ireland to support families with disabilities who could not get into larger urban areas to seek support. The Senator mentioned CoAction which is an organisation that has supported a large part of south Cork in the delivery of services. It continues to do so and it has grown and grown. Senator Clonan is right. The topic of assistive technology is wonderful,…

I would like to ensure that I can bring about equity for the staff who deliver PA and home support services, thereby having a good pool of people we can go to so that we are not left short of people, and at the same time, grow the budget of that piece this year. That will support people with physical disabilities or behavioural challenges, or whatever they may face, be it part of the work or education piece. I refer to the devices. Senator Clonan gave the example of lifting a laptop and the skeletal device that Eog…

Thank you very much, a Cheann Comhairle, for putting me in the picture in the context of this matter. I am taking it on behalf of both the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman. I will keep to the script on this so that we can continue with the story. I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important matter here today and for giving me the opportunity to provide clarity on some issues. Management of the courts, operational ma…

Again, on behalf of the Minister for Justice, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. In addition to the progress previously outlined, she recently held a public consultation on the topic of parental alienation, which provided a valuable opportunity for stakeholders and citizens to express their views on this complex issue and inform her Department’s thinking on whether any legislative and policy changes may be required. All views, opinions and experiences submitted as part of this consultation have been welcom…

After what I am about to read, the Deputy will certainly have a few more comments to make. I thank Deputy Lahart for raising this important topic which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. I understand that the Deputy’s question is in relation to the impact on second and third level students, and other commuters, when buses on the 75, 175, 27 and 17 routes fail to operate according to schedule leaving commuters and students abandoned and stranded at bus stops and to learn how this is being addressed …

I know that.

I would like to reassure the Deputy that the NTA is engaging regularly with would Go-Ahead Ireland and other public transport operators regarding any service provision issues on the public service obligation network, and that the NTA is providing regular updates to the Department of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on these issues. I can also confirm that as part of the NTA's contractual performance monitoring system with operators, issues of poor reliability and punctuality performance can result in financial pena…

I have been informed that these matters will be discussed between the NTA and Go-Ahead Ireland at the forthcoming quarterly review meeting. Deputy Lahart may wish to be aware that penalties were previously applied to Go-Ahead Ireland for quarter 4 of 2021 and quarter 1 of 2022, amounting to €266,000 and €209,000, respectively. Further to that, the NTA formally meets Go-Ahead Ireland on a weekly basis to review performance-associated customer feedback and driver recovery plans and will continue to closely monitor th…

-----and the urgency around this matter for the Deputy's constituents.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for the opportunity to address the issue of dental services for medical card holders in south Kildare. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. Dental treatment for medical card holders aged 16 and over is provided under the dental treatment services scheme, DTSS. Services available annually have included an examination, two fillings and emergency extractions. More complex care and a broader range of treatments for p…

I will continue here with the script on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. The Minister has listened to colleagues across the Chamber and I can assure them that the Minister appreciates the difficulties experienced by people accessing healthcare and is providing solutions. As I have mentioned, additional funding has been provided to resolve the current problems of access to the dental treatment services scheme. However, the Minister and the Government recognise that the current model of provision of o…