SouthDoc has provided assurances that the Blackpool treatment centre has not closed and there is no intention to withdraw services from any SouthDoc treatment centre. Patients continue to be dealt with by appointment only. That will remain unchanged. Appointments are available following contact with the SouthDoc call centre and triage services. Any person who requires out-of-hours GP care will be provided with that care either at a suitable treatment centre or, where his or her clinical condition so requires, in th…

I understand the Deputy's frustration. I have heard his concerns and I will convey them to the Minister. I have read out the best information that was made available to me this evening before I came to the Chamber. I wanted to take this matter because I know the Deputy wanted a Minister from the Department of Health to do so. I specifically stayed to do that. SouthDoc has provided assurance that the Blackpool treatment centre has not closed and that it has no intention of withdrawing services from any SouthDoc trea…

There was a retirement of one GP from the SouthDoc service. The HSE will communicate with the GMS patients concerned within the next two weeks informing them of the identity of their new GP.

No. I conveyed the information that I was given. We are eating into other people's time.

In your opinion.

I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising the issue of pollution in the River Sullane near Macroom. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of the Macroom wastewater treatment plant is a matter for Uisce Éireann, which, since 1 January 2014, has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. In turn, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, as the environmental reg…

I thank the Deputy and I will certainly bring his concerns back to the Minister, who has overall responsibility in these challenges. As the Deputy knows, the programme for Government is committed to funding Uisce Éireann's capital investment plan for water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis. There will be record levels of investment in water services by Uisce Éireann in the period 2021 to 2025, with a commitment of almost €6 billion in capital investment, of which more than €4.5 billion would be …

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue on Fermoy Educate Together National School in Cork East. I am answering this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley. I believe the Deputy has already pre-empted some of the response. The Deputy most certainly is aware that Fermoy Educate Together National School is an ordinary mixed school in the town of Fermoy, County Cork. I take on board the point and the fact he said that it was built in 1931 and that the Deputy started teaching there a few…

I thank Deputy Stanton for raising the issue of Fermoy Educate Together school. Individual school authorities are responsible in the first instance for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are organised at local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible, taking all relevant contextual factors into account - for example, classroom accommo…

Where is your housing policy?

Moore Street.

I thank Deputy Mythen for his question. I am from CHO 5. I am aware that we have an adult eating disorder team in place in Kilkenny but we still do not have a CAMHS eating disorder team in place. The model of care in 2018 advocated for 16 teams in total, eight adult teams and eight CAMHS teams. To date, we have 12 of the teams funded, of which 11 are in place. I announced one more adult team a few weeks ago for CHO 7. We have four more teams to go in order to reach the full model of care. I hope to do two more in b…

No.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss statutory home care with my colleagues across the political spectrum. We may not always agree with each other, but I know we are all committed to helping people who need a high level of health and social care service to live at home for as long as it is possible and safe to do so. Home support is an essential service for thousands of people each day across the country. Under my remit, the State is supporting approximately 56,000 older people to receive home support every day — t…

I acknowledge the input of all Deputies today. I thank all those who stayed to speak on a Thursday afternoon. We know the numbers are always a bit less on a Thursday afternoon but many Deputies contributed, which is very welcome. The thrust of the conversation concerns older people, statutory home care and the provision of home care. I will not use the full time allocated but I will say a couple of things. As Minister of State with responsibility for older people, I am extremely proud that, in 2019, before I was in…

I have just come from a meeting with a group called the Child and Adolescent Regional Eating Disorder Service, which was meant to be in the audiovisual room this afternoon. Due to the fact that another organisation which promotes supports for people with eating disorders was already presenting, however, the group whose representatives I just met pulled its presentation. It is important to note that 90% of people with eating disorders do get care in the community. The Deputy cannot avoid that fact. When I came into …

As I stand here, 11 eating disorder teams are in place and a further team has been funded. We need to get to 16. A total of 12 have been funded and 11 are in place. Our focus now is on inpatient beds. We have done a full review of mental health bed capacity throughout the whole country, and I want to see a geographical spread of eating disorder beds for adults.

I thank the Deputy for the question. I am a fantastic advocate for family resource centres as well. They do phenomenal work the length and breadth of the country. As far as I understand, their funding comes from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and his Department. I have been engaging with him because we are hoping to do some projects in respect of mental health supports, well-being and so on. I will certainly pass on what the Deputy has said. The centres are …

I thank the Deputy very much for his question. Some concerns have been raised about shortages of medicines. This is a feature of modern health systems worldwide and a global health problem. I know this can cause stress and anxiety for patients and pharmacists. Regarding the specific issue raised by the Deputy concerning Ozempic, I will get a written response for him. I do not want to comment on the other issue he raised, but I understand the perspective he is coming from. If people need medication and are prescribe…

Hear, hear.