The Deputy has raised issues with regard to risk assessment. I will bring them to the attention of the Minister. The Government and the Department of Health remain fully committed to improving services in Limerick and throughout the country. It is clear that after what has been a very difficult couple of years at University Hospital Limerick, significant efforts are now being made to ensure that issues such as overcrowding in the emergency department and delays for elective care are being considered and addressed a…

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to address the question of waiting lists for orthodontic services. He mentioned the case of a young lady awaiting treatment and if he sends me the details, I will pass them to the Minister as well. The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have the greatest level of need and have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. An orthodontic assessment determines if the ref…

I have heard the Deputy's comments from across the Chamber and I assure him that the Minister and I appreciate the difficulties experienced by young people waiting for orthodontic care. As I outlined to the House, the Department and the HSE are undertaking a number of initiatives to address the question of waiting lists for orthodontic care. The Government is committed in the coming years to the transformation of oral healthcare services in accordance with the guiding principles set out in Smile agus Sláinte, the n…

I thank the Deputy for giving me this opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, to outline the funding and Government support for local authorities with particular reference to County Galway. Local property tax, LPT, was introduced to provide a stable and sustainable funding base for the local authority sector, providing greater levels of connection between local revenue and associated expenditure decisions. The LPT broadens the tax base by reducing the level of Central Fund…

I hear the Deputy loud and clear. I will bring his suggestions and deliberations back to the Minister. LPT allocations for 2023 have yet to be decided. We acknowledge the current funding pressures on local authorities. As such, the funding from Galway County Council and other local authorities will be kept under review as part of the normal Estimates process for 2023 in the context of the aforementioned LPT yield, following the re-evaluation process. There was unprecedented support for local authorities during the …

The Deputy outlined the various issues regarding contracts, transport costs, islander rates, the Attorney General giving legal advice and the ferries between Ros an Mhíl and Doolin. The sustainability of the communities on our offshore islands is a core objective of the Government, as the Deputy knows, and is set out in its Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, Our Rural Future. The policy acknowledges the importance for island communities of access to reliable, safe and affordable connectivity services to and from t…

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. The Deputy certainly feels very strongly about this. I am aware of the many offshore islands but I do not have a list of what islands are involved, although I am sure the Deputy has a fair idea himself.

I have noted the Deputy’s comments and I will raise those points with the Minister and the Department. Careful consideration is being given to any change that could substantially alter the contracts and put private operators at a disadvantage. However, the Deputy has raised some pertinent points regarding the islands. There is also the fact of the logistical issues for people leaving the islands in that they often need to keep two cars and they also have to take public transport, which is a valid argument. Again, I…

I thank Senator McGreehan for raising this issue and providing me with this opportunity to discuss developments in the area. The Minister for Health and I fully appreciate that sickle cell disease can place a substantial medical, social and financial burden on patients, their families and their carers. The Senator outlined exactly what Ms Esther Onolememen and her children had to go through regarding the lack of screening. It is a lifelong, inherited condition that affects both children and adults. At present, we h…

I have listened to the Senator and can assure her the Minister appreciates the difficulty faced by people suffering from this awful condition. She spoke about those who are genetically predisposed to this disease living in direct provision centres and requested a database be set up and satellite care centres be provided. That is a very worthy solution to a very difficult issue. There is no doubt with the growing prevalence of the disease, services for adults are stretched. The services available for those with sick…

I thank Senator Dooley for raising this issue which is raising its head all over the country. I have seen it in my constituency as well. As part of the broader Sláintecare reform of our health and social care system, the Government is committed to reorientating the model of care towards primary and community care. In furtherance of this objective, in budget 2021 my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, secured additional funding of €150 million for home support. This is supporting the development of a st…

Workforce challenges in the social care sector are international challenges that Ireland has in common with other jurisdictions. For example, in March 2022 the Scottish Government published a national workforce strategy for health and social care to address the challenges they face in Scotland. This Government is committed to addressing the strategic workforce challenges that exist in the home support sector in Ireland. It should be noted that, notwithstanding these challenges, progress is being made in increasing …

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I note his continued engagement with the Minister for Health and his Department on this issue. The requirement for international students to have health insurance is a matter of immigration policy, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice. I acknowledge the Senator's dedication to this issue and understandable frustration at a lack of response. I, too, am frustrated that he tabled a Commencement matter on this issue on 9 December last, to which I responded…

As I stated in my opening remarks, unfortunately it has not been possible to secure an agreement on these matters yet. However, I am informed by the Department of Health officials that communication is ongoing and that both Departments are working towards a solution. I take the officials at their word. Although this matter is not directly within the Minister for Health's policymaking role to determine immigration requirements and procedures, officials in the Department of Health have been engaging with officials in…

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions to this debate. On behalf of my colleagues, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Butler, I assure Members that this Government is acutely aware of the importance of respite care for service users and their families and remains firmly committed to ensuring increased capacity is built into respite services provided by or on behalf of the HSE. The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people wi…

I thank Senators Boyhan and McDowell for tabling this motion. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Government. Senators O'Donovan and Buttimer had a Commencement matter on this issue last week. It also has been raised by many other Senators and Deputies in the Houses. The motion highlights the Patients Deserve Better campaign, promoted by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland and its partners, which is calling for an additional 100 neurology nurses in our hospitals. …

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The model of care for hospital cancer treatment is centred on eight designated cancer centres, each serving a defined population and geographic area. UHG, is one of the eight designated cancer centres. The centralisation of specialist services into designated cancer centres aims to optimise patient outcomes through case volume, multidisciplinary working and infrastructural supports. As part of the Saolta University Health Care Group, UHG is the Saolta model 4 ho…

I thank Senator Kyne for his contribution on this matter. University Hospital Galway provides diagnostic services for breast, lung and prostate tumours, with a satellite service for breast cancer at Letterkenny University Hospital. The hospital has a reputation for the delivery of high-quality, innovative and safe care for patients, particularly through the provision of medical, surgical and radiation oncology services. As the Senator knows, over the past two years more than €40 million in new development funding h…

I thank Senators Carrigy and Wilson for raising this issue. The public health (tobacco and nicotine inhaling products) Bill 2019, which deals with these matters, is a legislative priority for this Government. Nicotine inhaling products, such as electronic or e-cigarettes, are relatively new and the science concerning their public health effects is continuously evolving. Analysis in this regard is made more difficult by the rapid and continuing evolution of the products themselves. For example, an e-cigarette from t…

As well the measure proposed under the public health (tobacco and nicotine inhaling products) Bill, it is important to recognise that electronic cigarettes are also regulated under EU legislation. A tobacco products directive that was published in 2014 was transposed into Irish law following the EU legislation. Under the regulations, health warnings that advise consumers that electronic cigarettes contain nicotine are mandatory on packaging. The regulations also provide for mandatory safety and quality requirements…