I reiterate that the Government is absolutely committed to further strengthening and developing diabetes services throughout the country for children and adults. I draw the Deputies' attention to the FreeStyle Libre device that is proving very successful in helping children and young adults to manage type 1 diabetes. It is not an option to manage diabetes. Given the prospective increase in the number of people who will be affected by this chronic health condition in the years ahead, it is a necessity. The HSE has a…

I thank Deputy Higgins for raising this really important issue and for her valid questions concerning the role of advertising and the Government's response to the pandemic. She made a number of significant points about the effectiveness of hard-hitting advertisements and whether the ones currently being used have become ineffective at this stage. As we all know, Covid fatigue has set in and that is a problem. Covid-19 is a new, highly infectious disease for which there is no cure and, as of yet, no vaccine, althoug…

I again thank Deputy Higgins for raising this important issue. I welcome all the input on what is an evolving communications programme. I thank the Deputy because she has put a huge amount of work into preparing for this debate and pointing out where she feels there are some shortcomings in the advertising campaign. From the outset of this pandemic, the communication objective, as guided by the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has been to build trust in the public…

I thank all the Deputies for their contribution to this debate. Covid-19 has dominated the lives of our people, and, indeed, people around the world, for most of this year and it is fitting and correct that the Oireachtas gives due consideration to the response that continues to be mounted by the State. The work of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response is one important area of the role which the Oireachtas has performed on this issue. I acknowledge the work of the committee, the members and the secretariat, an…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach and I congratulate her on taking the Chair. I also thank Senator Bacik for the constructive way in which she always raises these particular issues as they are very close to all of our hearts. I have just spent the last hour on a webinar with Irish Rural Link and a significant part of the conversation was spent discussing care of the elderly, meals on wheels, day care centres and active retirement groups which are hoping to restart. This is, therefore, a very timely …

I fully understand the impact that the continued delays in reopening recreational respite services is having on older people and the important role this service plays. My mum attended a day-care centre near to where we live. She misses going there, the friends, the chat and the conversation. It is very important for people. All I can say is services will resume when it is safe to do so, but I cannot see that happening before Christmas. I am very hopeful that when we come out of lockdown, we will be able to open ser…

I thank both Deputies for raising this important issue. Any loss to suicide is a tragedy and I send my deepest condolences to the families, friends and communities affected. Each suicide affects the entire community and it is important that strong supports are in place to help the families, friends and the community. Last year, there were 421 deaths by suicide in Ireland; 317 were male and 104 were female. The devastation that causes to each and every family cannot be even put into words. Tackling suicide is a Gove…

This is a very emotive issue. There is no doubt that we need to continue to build resilience and strengthen all communities to reduce the incidence of suicide. It is also important to ensure that, where such a tragedy occurs, we have sufficient supports in place to help those who need them. The Deputies are right to say that we need to have the supports in place before a tragedy occurs. Deputy Ó Snodaigh referred to SPACE in Ballyfermot. It includes representatives from the HSE resource office, HSE adult mental hea…

On behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, I thank the Deputies for providing the opportunity to discuss the important topic of gas safety. Both of them articulated how important gas safety is from a health and safety perspective. We all know the television advertisements, which are very effective. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities is Ireland's independent energy regulator and has statutory responsibility for the regulation of gas installers with respect t…

I again thank Deputies Pádraig O’Sullivan and Michael Moynihan for giving me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister. I reiterate that the Minister has no function in the appointment of the Register of Gas Installers Ireland as the safety supervisory body for gas. That being said, the Minister is, of course, concerned with anything that could potentially lead to increased costs being passed on to consumers. However, it is important to ensure consumer protection and safety. The scheme is required to ope…

I thank Senator Cassells for raising this issue. I understand his frustration. I have heard him raise this issues on many occasions previously. I hope I will be able to give a little clarity on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley, who is unavailable and unable to be here this morning. I thank the Senator for giving me an opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position relating to the major building project for St. Mary's Special School in Navan, County Meath. The new school, when comp…

The Senator has articulated the position clearly and passionately. I understand his frustration and that of the hundreds of children, their parents and guardians on a daily basis, especially as other schools on the campus have been completed. I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister and speak to her about it. I reiterate that to expedite the progression of this major building project, the Department authorised the school and its design team to commence the pre-qualification process. Unfortunately, it is…

I thank the Senator for raising this important scheme. We are all familiar with the scheme in our constituencies. I am responding to this matter on behalf of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Heather Humphreys, as she is unable to attend. As the Senator rightly said, the local improvement scheme is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas that are not under the normal maintenance of the local authorities. The scheme is funded by the Department of R…

I thank the Senator for his comments and for welcoming the additional funding. I agree that the scheme is well oversubscribed. I know from my local authority area that it is a hugely successful scheme and it is a great opportunity for people and landowners to work in co-operation with local authorities to improve poor access roads to amenities such as beaches and piers. I will speak to the Minister directly and I will raise the Senator's concerns. He acknowledged that the funding has been increased by 5%. This is a…

I thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. He is definitely right that the conversation needs to be had. I am delighted to hear the person involved, who brought it to the his attention, has recovered. The HSE's national quality improvement team in the office of the chief clinical officer prepared and published guidance on this important matter earlier this year, with specific reference to the Covid-19 pandemic. This guidance is for healthcare workers regarding advance care planning and cardiopulmona…

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and thereby providing the opportunity to discuss this matter in the House. The fundamental principles of good clinical practice in sensitive policy issues are non-discriminatory decision-making, advanced care planning and assessment of the balance of benefit and harm. The Covid-19 pandemic presents new challenges in making advanced care plans and in cardiopulmonary resuscitation decision-making. The Senator has made two good points at the start. An information ca…

I move: That Dail Éireann resolves that the amendments to and other modifications of the Mental Health Act 2001 (No. 25 of 2001) effected by Part 5 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 (No. 2 of 2020) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on the 9th day of November, 2020 and ending on the 9th day of June, 2021. I am introducing a resolution to extend the sunset clause of Part 5 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020, which is due to expire…

I thank the Deputies who attended for their valuable contributions. We are facing into a very difficult period with introduction of level 5 restrictions as of today, and the worsening epidemiological figures across the country. In the past week alone, more than 8,000 cases have been confirmed and the national incidence rate sits at 262 per 100,000. The Government has implemented a suite of measures to address the deteriorating situation, including the introduction of level 5 restrictions nationwide, and the continu…

I thank the Seanad for giving me the opportunity to address these resolutions that seek to extend the sunset clause in two pieces of legislation, namely, the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, and Part 5 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020, both of which are due to expire on 9 November. First, I shall address the extension of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Ac…

I thank all Senators for their contributions, all of which were constructive and well thought out. As they all will know, we face a very difficult period. All indicators of the incidence and severity of the disease have continued to worsen in recent weeks, while in the past four weeks alone, there have been almost 9,000 cases. The national 14-day incidence rate is now 229 per 100,000. Ensuring a balanced and proportionate response to Covid-19 is a complex task. Since the beginning of the crisis, the dilemma facing …