No.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for giving me the opportunity to provide an update to the House on this important matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I acknowledge the importance of addressing the long waiting lists. Many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments and the Government is conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families as the Deputy rightly outlined. The Government has invested significantly in So…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and take this opportunity to confirm that the Government is absolutely committed to further strengthening orthopaedic services for all patients in line with Sláintecare. This is illustrated, as the Deputy will probably agree, in the significant funding increase South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork has received over the past number of years. Additionally, the Waiting Time Action Plan 2026 and surgical hub programme demonstrate the Government's commitment to red…

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue, and for raising the case of Tom, who is nine years of age, and of his mother, Niamh, who has sought assistance and help from the Deputy and many others. It is a priority for the Minister and Government to ensure that children who need mental health services can access them and access them on time. We recognise the impact that vacancies can have on service delivery. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has made clear that filling approved CAMHS posts must re…

As the Deputy outlined, recruitment is challenging. We hope a solution can be found for Tom and his mother and for many children in that situation. The Government remains committed to strengthening CAMHS through sustained investment and improved workforce planning and targeted recruitment so that vacancies are reduced and children and young people can access the care they need as quickly as possible. The ambition to expand child and youth mental health services is delivering for children and young people. Budget 20…

I thank the Deputy for the question. The programme for Government includes a number of commitments relevant to students attending special schools. These include the development and strengthening of bridges from special schools into employment. This is a priority commitment for the Government, as seen in the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. An interdepartmental steering group co-chaired by the Department of Education and Youth, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the …

The Deputy wants the best possible outcome. That is what we all want. In relation to the WALK peer model specifically, the Deputy wants more funding. I will bring her views back to the Minister. The provision of transition supports for students in school is a key priority for the Government and the Department. As I outlined, there is a commitment, as the Deputy said, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. The first programme plan of action 2025 will see the work within the Governmen…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to update Members on this important measure, which was signed into law during the summer recess following the approval of the Houses of the Oireachtas at the end of last term. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. The Deputy has asked some very technical questions. I do not have the answers but I will certainly endeavour to get those answers for him. On 27 July…

As with all new legislation, time must be given to allow for the operational implementation of the new measures across the 31 planning authorities. Where any individual has concerns about the use of any exemption, they can engage with the relevant planning authority prior to submitting their notification to use a class 3A exemption. It is a matter for the planning authority to investigate any concerns raised on a case-by-case basis and determine if enforcement proceedings are or are not required, as the case may be…

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. I thank her for providing me with an opportunity to highlight the supports available for people living with lymphoedema and the work under way to improve services across the country. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Lymphoedema is a chronic and progressive condition that can have a significant impact on a person’s health, mobility, independence and quality of life. In Ireland, it is estimated th…

The national lymphoedema and lipoedema education group continues to support professional development. It has produced a range of patient information resources, including information booklets and digital supports, that help patients like the Senator understand the condition and manage symptoms effectively. With regard to compression garments, I emphasise that the HSE provides compression garments, including compression sleeves, for eligible patients where a clinical assessment identifies a need. Provision is based o…

On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I thank Senator Conway for the opportunity to update the House on the delivery of aeromedical services for the people of west Clare and the surrounding area. Ireland's helicopter emergency medical resources are consultant-led services and are deployed nationally on a basis of clinical need, enabling aeromedical support to be provided across all regions, including County Clare and the wider mid-west. As the Senator will be aware, the HSE currently supplies two dedi…

In my opening statement, I focused mainly on aeromedical services in Ireland, particularly the helicopter emergency medical resourcing, HEMS, to provide access to emergency patient care for the people of the mid-west region, including west Clare. In the context of the mid-west region, I am informed that NAS plans to add three additional emergency ambulances to the mid-west region to provide for improved patient access to emergency care. These resources will be located in Ennistymon, Kilrush and Nenagh. Furthermore,…

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter in the House. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I am aware of the issues raised by the Senator. He will appreciate that neither I nor the HSE can comment on any individual case. The HSE, as a matter of routine, rigorously investigates any allegations of the nature made in this case and notifies all appropriate agencies and individuals. I understand that HSE West and North-West is progressing an in…

Again, I thank the Senator for his comments. He raised some serious and important questions, which he wants answers to. While the Department of Children, Disability and Equality holds overall responsibility for the legislative and policy framework under which child protection and welfare services are delivered, monitored, inspected and measured, it is the responsibility of all Departments to ensure children and young people are kept safe while accessing services provided or funded by each Department. The Senator sa…

I welcome the opportunity to deliver a closing statement on this Bill on behalf of the Government. I thank colleagues from all sides of the House for their contributions to today’s discussion. Let me begin by reiterating our shared commitment to unity on this island. For the record, I come from a very strong Fenian and republican tradition. My grandfather on my father’s side, Felix Feehan from Cullyhanna, County Armagh, was a republican. After partition, he ended up running a bakery in Tubbercurry, County Sligo. My…

The Office of Government Procurement, a division of my Department, acts as a central purchasing body, aggregating the State's purchasing power and establishing framework agreements for a range of commodities, including ICT goods and services. The establishment of a national-level framework is a significant undertaking. OGP framework agreements are established based on public sector bodies' needs and market capabilities and are a key instrument in delivering value for money, promoting SME access to Government contra…

We are reviewing the operation of the existing framework and obtaining relevant input from subject matter experts across the public service to improve the scope, specification and features. We are obtaining relevant market-specific commercial advice from IT market analysts and industry experts, and also obtaining legal advice from the CSSO. As part of the OGP’s governance process, we are conducting a review of the relevant risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies before final approval to publish. The framework i…

The current framework expires in September 2027. Until then, public service bodies can continue to procure renewals of their Microsoft licences in line with the rules governing the existing framework agreement. The OGP's objective is to ensure that it can aggregate the State's expenditure, delivering value for money in all the expenditure categories that it manages. The OGP also remains committed to ensuring that public service bodies have access to a compliant and effective procurement mechanism for Microsoft solu…

The forthcoming national public procurement strategy will set the strategic direction for public procurement in Ireland for the next five years. The strategy will for the first time establish a shared vision, values and objectives for the public procurement system, providing a common framework for the procurement of goods, services and works across the public sector. Given the scale and ambition of the strategy, it was important that sufficient time was taken to ensure that its development and implementation are in…