I thank the Deputy. This is a very specialised service. It is important to note that the orthoptist service ceased in July 2024 due to maternity leave. In fairness to the HSE in the area, after the senior orthoptist resigned in October 2023, even without the derogation, agency staff were used to continue until July 2024. Unfortunately, while every effort is being made to secure more agency staff to continue this specialised service, this has been unsuccessful to date, which is the worrying aspect of this. I believe…

I have only one. Apologies.

He was concluded.

No.

There are two more years of a lead-in.

I thank the Deputies for their contributions yesterday and today. The statements on the Bill have mostly been productive, positive and have all been in the spirit of seeking to improve our mental health services. I would also like to acknowledge the fact that Deputy Mark Ward sat through every minute of this debate, both last night and today.

I think that should be acknowledged and I thank him for that. I also want to acknowledge the new interim CEO of Mental Health Reform, who was also present last night and is here today. Deputy Wynne need not have any worries because I engage constantly with Jigsaw and Mental Health Reform, as do my officials. She does not need to have any concerns there. That is ongoing in the Department on a monthly basis. Yesterday evening, Deputies spoke about some of the complexities of the Bill, such as the criteria for involun…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Health pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." As Minister of State for mental health and older people, I am pleased to introduce the Mental Health Bill to the House. The Bill has been long in gestation. A commitment to review the Mental Health Act 2001 “informed by human rights standards and in consultation with service users, carers and other stakeholders” was committed to by the current and previous Governments. The review of the Mental Health Act and the development of a new Bill have featured in successive…

By HIQA.

I agree.

I thank Senator Cummins for giving me the opportunity to update the House on this matter, a really important issue on which the Senator and I have worked tirelessly for many years. The Minister for Health and I are fully committed to supporting our cardiac services nationally and cardiovascular health in general, which is a valuable part of our health service. I acknowledge the commitment made by this Government, recognising it has invested significantly in UHW. I also acknowledge the significant developments in ca…

I thank the Senator and also acknowledge our colleague, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh. People step up to the plate and become a part of the Government. When that happens, their job is to deliver. Working constructively together, I believe that we are delivering. We are not where we want to be yet, but we are moving quickly in that direction. Considerable progress has been made. We had a single cath lab which was a point of failure that broke down regularly. We all remember there was a mobile unit three days a week for diagno…

Hear, hear.

You have been found out, Deputy.

I am so proud to be from Waterford.

As the Deputy said, HIQA had to remove the registration for this nursing home. The HIQA report is there for everyone to see. The HSE, which is the provider of last resort, moved on to the site. While it was undertaking routine water-quality sampling, the situation changed significantly because positive legionella results at very high levels were returned across the site. This causes legionnaires' disease-----

Excuse me. Legionnaires' disease is very serious. In consultation with public health, a water-quality committee meeting was convened and a plan was immediately put in place to urgently address the situation. This included the implementation of immediate control measures. These measures can only be addressed, and the immediate risk can only be removed, when all the residents vacate the premises. I cannot ignore HIQA or public health, and I will not ignore the HSE. These residents have to be kept safe.

This legislation has three main aims. First, through amendments to the Health Act 2007, it will strengthen the regulatory framework for nursing homes and residential care facilities for people with disabilities and children, thereby driving improvements for those living in such facilities. These people are some of our most vulnerable citizens. It is vital that we have a robust system of regulation to ensure they are receiving safe and good-quality care. The provisions in the Bill will provide important new safeguar…

I thank Senator Conway for his contribution. To clarify with regard to the fair deal, this amendment applies when, for example, a bachelor farmer who needs the support of a nursing home wants to appoint a successor so the farm will stay within the family. The person appointed as a successor does not have to be the person who the farm is eventually left to in the will.