I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. He is absolutely right that local communities have been to the fore over the past three months in responding to and welcoming our Ukrainian neighbours, who have had to flee their country. It is vital that Departments and public bodies work together to provide the best holistic response to ensure the safety of, and provide support to, people arriving in Ireland after fleeing conflict in Ukraine. My Department and the HSE are working to ensure the provision of medical servi…

I thank the Deputy for his comments. I do not think anybody ten or 15 years ago could have pre-empted that Mr. Putin would invade Ukraine and had the building ready as a result. I do not have the history of the Baggot Street hospital.

I know it is a substantial building. I should be clear and will put this on the record again. The Deputy mentioned that the HSE has its fingers in this, but the HSE submitted a list of potentially suitable properties to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for use as multi-occupancy accommodation. Baggot Street hospital was included in that list. I am replying on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and I take on board the Deputy's comments about a development company prepared to provide lab…

I thank the Deputy for her question. It is something I have looked into from the perspective of providing primary care psychology for children with mental health issues. Legislation would be required to set this up. The National Treatment Purchase Fund works very well for people who need hip replacements, knee replacements and cataract operations, but it is much more complicated for primary care psychology because a child could need four, six, eight, ten or 12 appointments. The Department has been looking into this…

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I am delighted to be here, as a woman, to discuss this. The Senator focused on one line which she said was important. It is up to each family to make the decision and the Senator is clear on that. We agree that it is important the family make the best decision for the mother and baby. I am answering this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. The promotion, support and protection of breastfeeding is a priority for children's health in Ireland. Breas…

Of the initial 10.5 infant feeding posts approved through the national maternity strategy, eight are filled. Cavan-Monaghan, Clare, north Tipperary, North Lee, and Longford-Westmeath have one each; west Cork has 0.8; south Tipperary, Wicklow south, Dublin south east, Dún Laoghaire and Wicklow north have 0.5 each. That comes to the 8.3 currently in place and on the ground today.

It is. Recruitment for nursing-related grades has been challenging, particularly due to Covid-19, but every effort is being made to recruit. The breakdown of the 24 lactation consultant posts is 9.5 for maternity services and 14.5 for community services. I have the breakdown here of where they will be allocated. I am keen, in my role as Minister of State with responsibility for older people, that the postcode lottery has to stop. Regardless of where one lives, one should have access to the service. It should not be…

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. For Eimear, her mum Julie and the 35 other children he referred to, this is a very important issue, especially for families with children who suffer from debilitating conditions. As the Senator will know, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes and for the administration of the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013…

The Minister for Health appreciates the desire of families to see their children who suffer from this debilitating condition access all potential treatments as soon as possible. However, section 6 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. As the Senator will be aware, the Oireachtas put in place a robust legal framework in the 2013 Health Act which …

All the Cork Deputies are smiling.

I begin by echoing the Minister’s comments regarding the Government’s commitment to the development and improvement of women’s health services. We know the infrastructure of our maternity hospitals leaves much to be desired and that there are deficits in women’s health services, in the choice of experience available to pregnant women, in the availability of mental health supports, physiotherapy, services for endometriosis and menopause, as well as difficulties with gynaecology waiting lists. We know this is the cas…

I thank the Deputy for her question and her continued interest in the matter. As she said, this is a very important sector. Currently, 55,000 people receive home care in their own homes. The Government is very serious about home care and I have a budget of €670 million to deliver it. Last year, we increased the level of home care by 2 million hours, bringing the total to 21 million hours delivered in that year. Unfortunately, we are challenged from a workforce point of view. Approximately 5,300 people are awaiting …

I am grateful to have an opportunity to contribute to today’s discussion on what is a very important matter. I have listened intently to the debate, the language, the concerns and the pros and cons. I have been in the House for the last two weeks listening to every debate I can and, between meetings, I watched the proceedings of the Oireachtas committee yesterday. I thank the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, for his speech on the issue, which I believe sets out clearly the reasons for, and the benefits of, the ch…

I appeal to the Minister to please be the Minister for Health who delivers a state-of-the-art national maternity hospital. The women of Ireland do not deserve to wait any longer.

One too many.

I thank the Deputy for his question. Psychology covers a wide area. I deal with psychology in the area of mental health provision and my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, deals with it in regard to disability services. I met with representatives of the Psychological Society of Ireland last week to discuss these issues. On average, between clinical psychologists, educational psychologists and counselling psychologists, there are approximately 84 graduates a year. As the Deputy knows, there is a huge…

The Mercy hospital in Cork was built after that.

I thank the Deputy for his question and for raising the issue of ophthalmology. He is quite right that the numbers are very high. The figure of 2,361 in University Hospital Waterford in CHO 5 is correct. Currently there is a new theatre being fitted out in respect of ophthalmology. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has also made available €350 million this year coupled with the €50 million already in place for the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, for waiting list initiatives. The details are being worke…

I thank the Deputy for raising this. We have spoken across the floor many times, and I acknowledge the number of times and the interest she has in mental health services for both young people and older people.

I thank the Deputy. With regard to the south Wexford CAMHS clinical nurse specialist, CNS, the HSE has indicated that the south Wexford CAMHS CNS is moving to north Wexford CAMHS and the north Wexford CAMHS CNS is moving to south Wexford CAMHS on 16 May next. There is, therefore, no diminution of the nurse staff complement in Wexford CAMHS. There will be two CNS posts at Arden House and two CNS posts at Arnold House for north Wexford CAMHS. That is the situation as set out to me. The Deputy mentioned the multidisci…