I thank the Deputy for the question. I was expecting Deputy Clarke. Eating disorders are complex and individual and can be one of the most serious mental health issues. The national clinical programme on eating disorders is progressing well with 14 of the 16 teams envisaged by the model of care now funded and approximately 100 dedicated eating disorder clinicians working in teams across the country. Approximately 90% of people with eating disorders are treated in the community. Enhancement of eating disorder servic…

To be clear, since this model of care came in, no child under 18 has had to go abroad for treatment. Since 2019, 14 people have gone abroad for treatment under the auspices of the HSE. Other people may have gone under the cover of private healthcare, but we know that 14 people went abroad for very specialised treatment. Turning back to the Deputy's initial question, there were two phases to the clinical model of care when it was launched in 2019. I suppose the plan was centred on the fact that the HSE and best prac…

I thank the Deputy for his question. We saw eating disorders grow exponentially during Covid, for example. This was especially the case among younger girls aged 14, 15 and 16. Last year, for example, the eating disorder clinical team worked with approximately 520 young people. Many of those were transferred back to a GP for further support. It is possible to recover from an eating disorder but it is a very difficult process and happens on a case-by-case basis. For some people, it can take up to seven years to recov…

I thank the Deputy for this important question. Eating disorders are complex and individual. They are the mental health illness with the highest mortality rate. The first model of care was devised around 2018. At the time, it was expected that approximately 50 people would present with an eating disorder. In 2024, 562 people were treated through HSE services. The national clinical programme on eating disorders has progressed well, with 14 of the 16 teams envisaged by the model of care now funded. Approximately 100 …

I thank the Deputy. He is right that eating orders are complex and individual. They are the mental health illness with the highest mortality rate. Every case is different. I acknowledge the advocacy groups, including Bodywhys and Cared Ireland. They provide enormous support to people with eating disorders and I acknowledge that. There are currently only three adult eating disorder beds in St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. As of yesterday, nobody was waiting for a bed, which is unusual. There is normally …

I hope, with the support of the Minister and Cabinet, to look for funding in the Estimates process when I have the report at the end of June. These premises exist. We will also consider any new approved centres. Five will be rebuilt and we will potentially look at putting some beds in there. We will have to grow this incrementally. Everything we do is incremental because we need dedicated staff. They are dedicated and precise in the work they do. They work with people who are very ill with eating disorders. As I sa…

It is a pleasure to be back in the Seanad. I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her role. I thank Senator Andrews for raising this important issue. Every death by suicide has a devastating effect on the families, loved ones and entire community who are affected. Suicide and self-harm reduction are a priority for me as Minister of State and for Government as a whole. Just two days ago, I brought a memo to Cabinet to update Government on our work to improve suicide prevention in Ireland, including access to serv…

I look forward to walking on my own Darkness into Light walk in Portlaw this weekend. I normally attend the one in Waterford city but this time I am staying local. It is great to see all of these walks. Initially, they were in the big cities and towns but now they are in nearly every community, which has to be welcomed. I want to touch on some of the funding that has been provided. I recently increased funding for suicide crisis counselling through Pieta, the national suicide bereavement liaison service and the nat…

I move: Wednesday’s business shall be: - Motion re First Report of the Committee of Selection and appointment of Cathaoirligh (any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Members to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Dissolution of Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny) - Statements to mark Europe Day (not to exceed 2 hrs 25 mins) - Statements on the Farrelly Commission Report (resum…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I note the requests from the Opposition Whips. They can be discussed at the Business Committee tomorrow morning. I informed Deputy Collins last Thursday that the debate on agriculture will take place next week. That has not changed. In regard to the amendment, the Government will not accept it.

I move: That Dáil Éireann: (a) approves the First Report of the Standing Committee of Selection in accordance with Standing Order 33, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 6th May, 2025, and appoints members to Committees accordingly; and (b) pursuant to Standing Order 113(2), appoints the following members as Chairs of Committees: Deputy Aindrias Moynihan – Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food Deputy Malcolm Byrne – Chair of the Committee on Artificial Intelligence Deputy Alan Kelly – Chair of…

I move: That Dáil Éireann, in accordance with section 8(3)( a ) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2024, appoints the ordinary members of the Commission as follows: Deputies Catherine Ardagh, Frank Feighan, Pearse Doherty and Jennifer Whitmore.

I move: That the Order of the Dáil of 23rd January, 2025, in relation to the Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny) is hereby rescinded and the Committee is accordingly dissolved for the remainder of the 34th Dáil.

As Chief Whip, I am taking this question on behalf of the Taoiseach. I thank the Deputy for the question. The standard classification of industrial activity used by the CSO in Ireland is NACE. This is the statistical classification used, since 1970, for a wide variety of European statistics in the economic, social, environmental, and agricultural domains. Since the last version, NACE Revision 2, was published in 2006, Europe’s economy has evolved significantly, leading to a need to update this classification to ref…

The Department of Rural and Community Development has the policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Act and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act provides a regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and an immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments. I agree with the Deputy. We have had horrific instances where …

I will bring the Deputy’s concerns back to the Minister. As she said, there were calls for other dogs to be banned. The dog control stakeholder group is currently reviewing that. As the group has said itself, it is quite complex. The most important thing is that, when the legislation is in place, it is implementable and enforceable.

I thank the Deputy and I acknowledge his constant advocacy with regard to new cancer drugs and drugs in general. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As the Deputy knows, the HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Reimbursement is for licensed indications that have been granted marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory A…

I thank the Deputy. The level of investment in recent years is unprecedented in supporting patients through the availability of the latest and wide-ranging medicines. Since 2020, €128 million has been made available to fund access to 217 new medicines, including 74 for treating cancer and 57 for treating rare diseases. For 2025, an additional €30 million will be made available to enable access to new medicines. This will come directly from efficiencies to be achieved by the HSE. It is important to go back to the st…

I thank the Deputy for his very interesting contribution. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. I agree with every word he said. As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services, I am aware that extracurricular activities play a key role in helping learners to grow and succeed, both in and out of the classroom, and especially in regard to their emotional health and well-being. By taking part in sports, music, art, debate, volunteering and other clubs or competitions, …

I certainly will take the Deputy's request to the Minister. At present, the Department supports a number of national extracurricular programmes through core funding, including €400,000 for the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, €200,000 for SciFest, €250,000 for ESB Science Blast and €43,000 for the Engineers Ireland STEPS Programme. That gives a total of €893,000. These programmes have broad national reach and strong alignment with curricular and strategic goals. However, I fully recognise the demand for b…