Implementing the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 and ensuring safe access to services under the Act remains a priority for the Department of Health. It is important that we remain aware that the majority of people in this country voted in 2018 to change our laws to allow greater access to termination of pregnancy services for those who need them. I take on board what the Senator said, but all indications are that these service are operating and available and are being delivered in hospitals…

I would like to thank Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to update the House on the Government's response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The focus of my statement is on socially excluded groups and, specifically, how the Government and the HSE have sought to protect them from the threat posed by Covid-19 and our plans for administering the Covid-19 vaccine to these groups. Not everyone faces the same risk from Covid-19. From the outset of the pandemic, NPHET and the Department of Health identified sociall…

I am happy to inform the Deputy that the Janssen single-shot vaccine was administered today to prioritised groups of medically vulnerable people living in homelessness services in Dublin. This group includes people with specific underlying conditions. There are more than 700 medically vulnerable people in homelessness services, and approximately 350 of them are due to receive the vaccine this week alone. The Janssen vaccine is very appropriate because it is a one-shot vaccine. It was incredible to see all the stake…

I thank Deputy Tully for raising the boarding out scheme, in which she is very interested. The Government is committed to supporting people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality, long-term residential care where this is appropriate. We will continue to develop and improve health services in all regions of the country to meet this objective and to ensure quality and patient safety. The …

Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Our overriding objective is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. The Government is committed to the continued enhancement of health and social care services delivery at both individual and community level. Under the Sláintecare model, we are looking at a significant shift in our model of care towards one that is focused on prevention and early intervention, a model in which care will …

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important issue. An inevitable impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the public health restrictions, which we put in place in order to control the transmission of the virus, has been a significantly decreased public presence on city centre streets during the last year. I fully appreciate this has resulted in some of those who need to be in the city centre at times feeling less safe due to this reduced footfall. The absence of activities, which would usually be available to yo…

The Deputy is justifiably concerned about antisocial behaviour in Dublin and its effects on local communities. Antisocial behaviour can radically change the complexion of where each of us calls home and can make us feel distressed and unhappy. It can pose a serious threat to community safety and weaken collective resilience. Strong community engagement and services are critical in reducing and preventing antisocial behaviour. This is central to the comprehensive community safety policy currently being developed by …

I thank the Senator for raising what is a very important issue. The senior Minister, Deputy Donnelly, myself and many others fully appreciate how restrictions across the health system are affecting service users. I acknowledge that the restrictions in maternity hospitals are particularly difficult for expectant mums and their partners. Indeed, a year and a half ago I was the partner of an expectant mum and the support that we were able to give one another, and especially that I was able to give her, was huge. Many …

This does not come under my remit, although I am responding to the matter. I acknowledge the difficulties and anxieties that restrictions in our maternity services have placed on women and their partners over the period of Covid-19. Any deviation from normal practice is a cause of regret. I hope our maternity services have performed very well in this regard and have continued to provide a safe and quality maternity care during this very difficult time. However, it must be borne in mind that maternity hospitals and …

In response to Deputy Cathal Crowe, we are very aware of the mental health issues and other related issues Covid-19 has caused for many families. That is why we brought in the Keep Well campaign, which is about keeping active. There are many issues we need to address. As the Deputy has rightly said, alcohol has been an issue. We welcome the fact that, over the last year, there has been a 6% reduction in the intake of alcohol, although that is a bit concerning because the retail premises, pubs, restaurants and so on…

I thank Deputies for their contributions on such a wide-ranging topic. Several significant issues have been raised. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for her response. I am sure she wishes to respond to as many more of the issues that were raised as possible. The physical and mental health well-being of people has been a Government priority throughout the pandemic. The Government has funded a range of Covid-specific responses to allow specialist community and residential mental health services to remain…

I extend my sincere congratulations to my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and her husband, Paul Hickey. It is a wonderfully exciting time for them and we are so pleased that she is the first Minister to have a baby in office.

I thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. The Covid-19 vaccine allocation strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The strategy was developed by the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, and the Department of Health, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, and approved by Government on 8 December 2020. Vaccine allocation is a matter for my Department and the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme is a responsibility of the HSE. As the S…

On the flash glucose monitoring devices, I will raise the matter within the Department, where I am sure it will be considered. The Senator will know that vaccination is recognised as one of the most cost-effective and successful public interventions. The WHO estimates that 2.3 million deaths per annum are prevented by vaccination and a further 1.5 million could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved. The Covid-19 pandemic has served to underscore the importance of the vaccination programme for the p…

I thank Senator Kyne for raising this important issue. I attended those presentations of the Saolta Group, which were quite interesting. As the Senator is aware, the national development plan states: New dedicated ambulatory elective only hospital facilities will be introduced in Dublin Galway and Cork. These facilities will provide high volume, low complexity procedures on a day and outpatient basis, together with a range of ambulatory diagnostic services. The high volume of demand for such services in these major…

I thank the Senator for his contribution. He must keep the pressure on and we hope that the Seanad will be kept informed. This issue is not part of my area in the Department but I am keen to ensure that we are kept informed. As I noted in my opening statement, the newly elective-ambulatory facilities in Galway, Cork and Dublin are expressly designed to deal with the high volume and low complexity procedures on the basis of day patients and outpatients. The site identification, validation and selection process that …

I convey the apologies of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, who regrets that she cannot be here to deal with this matter due to another commitment. I also apologise on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne. On behalf of the Minister and the Government, I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Government is committed to ensuring that the Stardust inquest proceeds as soon as it is safe to do so, having regard to the public health guidelines. Extensive work ha…

I again thank the Senator for raising this matter. I assure her the Government, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I are committed to ensuring the Stardust inquest will proceed as soon as it is safe to do so, having regard to public health guidelines. As I outlined, the Department of Justice is actively investigating the position and is engaging with the Office of the Attorney General to explore possible mechanisms to provide for legal aid for the very small number of families who do not meet the financial eligibili…

I thank the Deputy for articulating the very difficult situation of Jack and his family and the issues they are dealing with, especially during the Covid crisis. Developing all aspects of mental health, including improving links with other care programmes such as disabilities, is a priority for me and for the Government. This is underpinned by our new mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, the HSE service plan for 2021 for both mental health and disability care programmes, and the range of initiatives developed …

I thank the Deputy for keeping this important issue to the fore. He can rest assured that my colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Butler, and I will continue to do likewise, particularly in the context of the Government roll-out of the Covid vaccination programme nationally, as this will, in turn, benefit our respective care sectors. The Deputy described how Jack's parents are awake four nights a week. It is a very difficult time for them and I hope their situation can be addressed. It is essen…