As well as front-line urgent and emergency care, the NAS is also developing and expanding a range of clinically appropriate alternative care pathways to improve patient flow and reduce pressure on busy hospital emergency departments. The medical assessment unit, MAU, pathway for 999 patients introduced in Ennis Hospital treats patients referred by GPs, out-of-hours services, including Shannondoc, and National Ambulance Service paramedics. Last year, the NAS transported 430 patients to mid-west MAUs, including Ennis…

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú very much for raising this important issue to specifically discuss the care of children with autism who also have mental health issues. In addition, I acknowledge the Deputy's constant advocacy in this area. We have had many exchanges and discussions on trying to provide services. I acknowledge the case of the young person he mentions, whom he also mentioned last week in the Dáil. As the Deputy is aware, our child and adolescent mental health services are for those aged up to 18 years and wh…

I am determined to make further progress through the national office for child and youth mental health in the HSE, which has developed a new youth mental health action plan, published in February. This three-year plan for comprehensive reform across all youth mental health services sets out a roadmap to ensure all children and families have the pathway we have discussed. The new action plan aims to enhance integrated care across youth services, including supporting children and young people who have co-existing neu…

I move: Tuesday’s business shall be: - Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 24, 41 and 46] (any division demanded shall be taken immediately) - Motion re Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle (any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motions for Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 24, 41 and 46] (to be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes, and to be moved together and decided by one question) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the…

I note the dissent as set down by the various Deputies. They also dissented at the Business Committee last Thursday. We will do our best to find some speaking time. I will engage with the Opposition Whips to find speaking time regarding tariffs. We had speaking time on that two weeks ago. I said last Thursday that, as soon as 2 April had passed, we will know exactly where we are and that we will find time. Deputy Collins looked for time regarding Uisce Éireann, which will be facilitated next week, as I told him las…

For anybody who was not present at the Business Committee last Thursday, what I said was that we had statements on tariffs two weeks ago and that we were all waiting with trepidation as to what would happen on 2 April and that then we would discuss speaking time in the very near future about what we will all find out tomorrow.

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important mental health Bill, which, as he knows, is a priority of the Government. The restoration of the Bill to the Order Paper was one of the first actions undertaken by this Government. I was delighted to reinstate it. I met the Attorney General only last week on this. We are just trying to finalise the last of the amendments, which are quite technical in nature and some of which relate to other legislation, namely the Assisted Decision-making (Capacity) Act. There are…

No.

I move: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 222 of the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business, the following Revised Estimates for Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2025, be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members on 1st April, 2025, being a date later than that prescribed for the presentation of Estimates: Vote 24 — Justice ( Revised Estimate ). Vote 41 — An tÚdarás Póilíneachta agus Sábháilteachta Pobail ( Revised Estimate ). Vote 46 — Fiosrú ( Revised Estimate ). pr…

I welcome the opportunity to express my confidence in the Ceann Comhairle. Fairness as a politician is essential. What we see today is not fairness. There is no fairness to what the Office of the Ceann Comhairle represents and no fairness to the Ceann Comhairle, only verbal abuse, bullying and permanent outrage. What we witnessed last week would not be tolerated in any workforce or workplace. The pictures circulated that tell the story are pure embarrassing. What we are seeing from the parties opposite today are gr…

The Deputies opposite believe they have a veto. Let me say there is no such veto. We all fought an election and the people had their say. We came together on this side of the House to form a Government and those opposite tried to disrupt the process and lost. We put forward modest changes to Standing Orders to ensure everyone's mandate in the Dáil would be respected.

They objected to that. We put it to a vote and they lost. Sinn Féin has a chequered view of the ballot box and it really only plays second fiddle to its agenda. Its stated objective is to undermine the Dáil and Government and create mayhem. We know of its lack of loyalty to the institutions of the State.

The Government is about respecting the rights of Deputies democratically elected to this House - all of them. We take our direction from the people, the people who voted for us last November urging us to form a Government and run the country. It is from the people that we take our orders, not from Belfast or anywhere else.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question about mental health, especially men's mental health. He is absolutely right. Unfortunately, in 2022 we had 410 deaths by suicide and 80% of them were men. We have been looking at this very closely. We encourage people like the Headsup programme. We also encourage men to attend men's sheds and to be able to speak openly about their mental health challenges. One thing in the programme for Government is that I allocated €2 million specifically for counselling supp…

The legislation has not been voted on, Ceann Comhairle.

I move: Tuesday’s business shall be: - Motion re Amendments to Standing Orders (any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Statute Law Revision Bill 2024 [ Seanad ] (Second Stage) (to adjourn after 2 hours and 30 mins) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re National Ambulance Service, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Statements post European Council meeting of 20th–21st March, pursuant to Standing Order 133 (not to exceed 1 hr 33.5 mins, followed by 20 mins Q&A and Mi…

Agreed.

I move: That, until further notice in the 34th Dáil, and with effect from the week beginning Monday 31st March, 2025, the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business be amended as follows: (a) Standing Order 28: Constitution of the Business Committee In Standing Order 28, by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (2)(c): "(d) a representative of Other Members as defined in Standing Order 176A who are not members of a party in Government;"; (b) Standing Order 35: Order of Business I…

I move: Wednesday’s business shall be: - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate) - Statements on the Housing Commission Report (resumed) (not to exceed 2 hrs and 25 mins) Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Social Housing Tenant in-Situ Scheme, selected by Sinn Féin. Thursday's business shall be Statements on International Security and International Trade (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins). Thursday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Young Care…

As the Deputy will be aware, eating disorders are complex, individualised and are and can be one of the most serious mental health illnesses anybody can go through. As Minister of State, I am firmly committed to improving services for eating disorders in Ireland. The national clinical programme was set up in 2018, and when it was set up it was envisaged there would be approximately 60 people who would require the supports of clinical eating disorder teams. The figure now stands at approximately 600 in the space of …