I was honoured to be invited by Gwen McKenna, on behalf of the Family Addiction Support Network, to launch the report, Crossing the Threshold - A facilitator's guide to running developmental and support groups. I understand the Department of Health agreed base funding of €152,000 for the FASN in 2020, delivered in four instalments of €38,000. Funding of €3,000 was also provided for a virtual annual conference, which took place earlier this year. In addition to the base funding of €152,000, the Department provides a…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I welcome this opportunity to update the House on the engagement with the north inner city drugs and alcohol task force on the arrangements for the selection and appointment of an independent chairperson. As Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy, I recognise and value the important role that drug and alcohol task forces play in co-ordinating drug and alcohol projects and services assisting individuals and families to address addiction issues…

There are a few points from the debate and media statements that I want to clarify. No accusations were made against any individual associated with the task force. I have not raised any issues about the honesty and integrity of the individuals involved, nor suggested in any way that they are unfit or untrustworthy. The Deputy suggested that we talk to the full task force and I will take that on board because it is helpful. I hope we can come to some agreement and in the next few days will be able to discuss the mat…

I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this topic on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, on the floor of the House today. I begin by again assuring the House and the Deputies present that I completely understand the difficulties posed by the restrictions in our maternity services for expectant mums, partners and families over the course of this pandemic. As we are all acutely aware, however, Covid-19 has been and still is prevalent throughout our communities…

I thank the Deputies. Again they have articulated and acknowledged the difficulties and the anxieties the restrictions in our maternity services have placed on women and their partners during the pandemic. Such a deviation from normal practices in our maternity hospitals is of course a cause for concern and something that is deeply regrettable. However, as I noted, these measures were necessary to protect mums, babies and partners, as well as those whose job it is to care for them. I have also mentioned the potenti…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, the position in regard to the new emergency department at UHG. This project is part of a larger development incorporating maternity and paediatric services and is included in the HSE capital programme for 2021. Approval has been granted to complete a temporary extension to the emergency department to provide additional accommodation, in the first instance related to Covid requ…

The Senator has raised this matter on numerous occasions. It is no harm to keep the pressure on and I thank him for doing that. As he will be aware, the project, which is part of a larger development incorporating the maternity and paediatric services, is included in the HSE capital plan for 2021. I will convey the Senator's frustration and concern to the Minister. Unfortunately, there is no date yet set for the planning application for the main building. The project is still proceeding through the stages of the pu…

I thank the Senator for raising this question and providing me with the opportunity to update the House on this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. Covid-19 has created unprecedented challenges for Irish citizens at home and overseas who seek to travel. Public health requirements have been put in place for travellers arriving to Ireland from overseas in order to protect against the introduction of new cases of Covid-19 and newly developing variants across the world. Based on knowledge to d…

I restate the importance of decisions we have taken on international travel. Measures introduced in response to the risks posed by Covid-19 are in place to protect the progress we are making in suppressing transmission rates at home while the national vaccination programme progresses. Important developments are under way as we transition to a new travel policy. Ireland has begun to issue EU digital green certificates to vaccinated persons. In the coming weeks, the passenger locator form will be overhauled to provid…

I am pleased to discuss this important issue and I thank the Senator for raising it. Approved housing bodies, AHBs, are independent, not-for-profit organisations and they are also known as housing associations of voluntary co-operative housing. It is important to be clear that AHBs are independent organisations and must operate in accordance with their own memorandum and articles of association. They are governed by their own board of directors and most are registered charities. Under section 6 of the Housing (Misc…

I note the concerns of the Senator. I cannot speak on behalf of any individual AHB but I must reiterate that the sale of property by an AHB to a tenant is a matter for the particular AHB. Should an AHB choose to sell these properties, it must ensure it complies with its own constitution and governing rules having regard to its primary objectives. The AHB must also comply with the provisions of the relevant legislation relating to the sale of charitable assets in accordance with any guidance issued by the Charities …

I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs who cannot be present due to other commitments. On his behalf, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Senator on the topic he has raised. The Naval Service is the principal sea-going agency of the State and is charged with maritime defence, fishery protection, contraband interdiction duties, search and rescue, and enforcing Irish and EU legislation, as appropriate. The Irish economic zone currently extends to 132,000 square miles. This a…

The Government acknowledges the challenges in the Naval Service in terms of recruitment and retention and the impact this has on planned fishery protection patrol days at present. The Minister's focus is on returning the Naval Service to its full capacity. The acquisition of modern new vessels, combined with an ongoing maintenance regime for all vessels within the fleet and the continuous process of refurbishment, refit and repair will ensure that the operational capabilities of the Naval Service, as the State's pr…

The Covid-19 vaccination programme is the largest immunisation programme in the history of the State. More than 4.1 million doses of vaccine have now been administered since the programme began in December. Approximately 65.2% of the eligible population have received a single dose while 44.5% have been fully vaccinated. The programme continues to gather pace and the trajectory it is on has been unhindered by the recent HSE cyberattack. This robustness has been matched by an agility which has enabled the programme t…

I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O’Gorman, who cannot be here. I thank the Senator for raising the issue. Officials at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are currently developing a tender process to secure additional accommodation for families with children, couples and single people seeking international protection. That process is still at a relatively early stage. There are a number of issues around the pr…

The current public procurement process is aimed at securing additional accommodation for international protection applicants to enable the Department to move away from the use of emergency accommodation. As I have said, there is an urgency to this exercise; while demand remains relatively low, it is likely to increase once the current travel restrictions are eased. The State has a legal as well as a moral duty to provide accommodation to any applicant for international protection who needs accommodation; a claim is…

I welcome the opportunity to address this House on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, about the work under way in developing a national register for AEDs and to echo the comment on the good work already carried out by community first responder groups under the auspices of our National Ambulance Service. As the Senator may be aware, the HSE is currently in the implementation phase of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy for Ireland. This strategy was developed by an interdisciplinary …

I again thank Senator Wall for raising this timely issue. It has given me the chance to speak about the continued implementation of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy by the HSE, and some of the community services in place. It is my expectation that the funding provided by the Government in 2021 will result in real progress in the development of an AED register, and the HSE is already making progress on some of the practical elements that need to be considered in that regard. In addition to this element of…

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and for the opportunity to clarify the position on the introduction of a minor ailment scheme in community pharmacies on behalf of the Minister for Health. The programme for Government contains a commitment to expanding the role of community pharmacies in managing patient health, and there have been a number of proposals in recent years to expand clinical pharmacy services, which the Senator outlined. These include recommendations to the Pharmaceutical Society of…

I again thank the Senator for raising this important matter. The Minister is keen to expand the role of community pharmacists in managing patient health, but he is of the view that for any new public health services in community pharmacy to be funded by the taxpayer, as elsewhere, they must improve health outcomes and provide value for money and benefits for patients. Any new or transferred services should also be based on sound evidence, which I think is the case in regard to this scheme, with matching improvement…