I thank the Senator for raising this important issue about an update for the plans for a midlands hospice. I thank her for the compassionate way in which she has dealt with it. Her statement at the start, "You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life.", reflects exactly what a hospice does. The Government is strongly committed to the development of end-of-life services, which ensure the care and dignity of the dying person and the family are the focus. The Government is working to guarante…

I again thank the Senator. She is quite right that HSE estates is developing a costed, timelined plan for the development, to be ready by the end of 2021. The Department of Health is actively engaging with the HSE and representative groups on this matter to improve equity of access to an inpatient unit for the midlands. We had this battle in Waterford for many years. The friends of Waterford Hospice did phenomenal work and raised a significant amount of money over so many years. We would not have seen the Dunmore w…

I thank the Deputy for his question. On the €10 million that has to be spent by the end of the year, I have another meeting at 2 p.m. today. Local organisations were not contacted. We will be using Mental Health Ireland to allocate the money. When €10 million is allocated on budget day and has to be spent before the end of the year, an awful lot of work has to be done. However, community organisations will get the opportunity to apply through Mental Health Ireland, and we are working out the details. There is a gua…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue again. As he will know, we have had extensive collaboration and meetings on the Owenacurra site in Midleton. I am conscious of the fact that 19 people call Owenacurra their home. As the Deputy will know, however, the centre was built in 1960. It is not fit for purpose any more due to asbestos and fire safety issues. The Mental Health Commission contacted Cork County Council in March of this year to explain that it was very concerned. We are looking at solutions, as the Depu…

No, they are not.

Yes.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this hugely important matter, namely, the Government's response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The current level of Covid infections, both nationally and internationally, is of concern and is placing, yet again, a huge strain on our public services, not least our health system. I would like, at the outset, to commend the tremendous and tireless work and dedication of our health staff in continuing to provide vital services across the country. Notwithstanding the challenges w…

Well said.

I thank Deputy Burke for the opportunity to address the issue of the provision of medical aids and appliances, including wheelchairs, by the Health Service Executive in the Cork-Kerry region. I heard the Deputy raise the issue with the Taoiseach the week before last. The HSE provides a wide range of medical and surgical aids and appliances, including wheelchairs, free of charge to eligible persons such as medical card holders and people on the long-term illness scheme following assessment by a relevant health profe…

I could read out the script I have been given but it more or less reiterates what I have already said. I heard the Deputy raising this issue with the Taoiseach two weeks ago and what the latter said in reply. There are 28 children who are in need and, as far as the Deputy is aware, appliances will be provided for ten of them, leaving 18 without. I will take this issue back to the Department of Health and the Minister to see whether we can make some progress on it.

I thank Deputy Ward for raising this important matter. I was happy to stay late tonight to answer it because it is so important. The Deputy was not wrong when he said it was a stark report and it does require a cross-departmental approach. There is no doubt about that. The Government and I welcome this recent report by the Mental Health Commission, recognising the vital role it plays in supporting and assisting us in developing and improving our mental health services overall. The report presents a realistic pictur…

I appreciate the constructive approach the Deputy has taken to this matter. Sharing the Vision is clear that people with mental health difficulties in the criminal justice system should have access to mental health services equal to that of the general population. Everybody is agreed on that. Many of the recommendations made in this report are reflected in Sharing the Vision and Sláintecare. Sharing the Vision recommendations include opening the new forensic mental health unit in Portrane, the development of intens…

I believe we do.

It is good to see Senator O'Sullivan in the Chair.

I thank Senator Murphy for raising this issue in Seanad Éireann. I can safely say that this is not the first time I have heard about this from the Senator. As Senator Murphy has said, we have spent a lot of time discussing the previous Rosalie Unit. Staffing for the CAMHS Connect day hospital includes a consultant psychiatrist, a non-consultant hospital doctor, an advanced nurse practitioner, a senior social worker, a clinical nurse specialist, a senior psychologist and an occupational therapist. We are trying to p…

I thank the Senator for his positive approach. The Castlerea mental health hub represents a new approach to developing options in mental health services delivery, including the psychiatry of later life. It is my intention, and that of the HSE, that the Castlerea hub will help to inform this objective nationally. I will take up the Senator's offer to visit his county to see the centre. As I said, this is a new approach to developing options in mental health services and it is so important. One of the things I was mo…

I thank the Deputies for raising the matter and I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be very interested in the response as well. The system of municipal districts as a sub-county level of governance and decision making was introduced as part of the reforms brought about by the Local Government Reform Act 2014. These reforms provided for the dissolution of 80 town councils and the establishment of 95 municipal districts in their place. Within the local authority budget process, municipal districts consider draft…

I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which is important. He has set out the position clearly. On 19 October, the Government approved the reopening of the remaining aspects of the hospitality, entertainment and night-time economy. The hospitality sector has been permitted to reopen only with a full range of protective measures in place and the wide and robust implementation of the EU digital Covid certificate. Thinking back to the debate on the digital Covid certificate in the Dáil - I read the transcript a …

I will conclude by examining the supports that have been provided to Galway County Council in recent years. Across all schemes and funding sources, the Department provided €51.1 million in 2019 and €82.9 million in 2020 to Galway County Council. The increase in 2020 was due to an increase in capital funding for housing as well as funding in respect of the unprecedented Covid-19 commercial rates waiver, additional expenses and lost income linked to the pandemic. Galway County Council also uniquely received a once-of…

I do not disagree with anything the Senator said. Every decision taken by this and the previous Government was to protect people's health and to ensure they could be kept as safe as possible. I know the Government had to make tough decisions. The difference is we have vaccination and booster programmes now, along with the digital Covid certificates. I will try to get data on first doses given since 19 October and I am sure it will be easy enough to get. I take on board the Senator's point relating to photo identifi…