I thank the Deputy for her question. She raised two distinct issues, which I shall address in order. The MCAP is operated by the primary care reimbursement service of the HSE and is a statutory programme to enable clinicians and patients to access prescribed cannabis-based products for the treatment of three conditions as specified in the HPRA 2017 report Cannabis for Medical Use - A Scientific Review, commissioned by the Minister for Health. As the Deputy stated, the three conditions are: spasticity associated wit…

As I stated earlier, the Department is currently establishing a clinical review group to review the publication to make recommendations to the Minister for Health. In response to an oral parliamentary question last week, he stated that he would be open to any expansion, if recommended, but that he would be entirely led by the clinicians in the group. The Deputy spoke about a specific case in the context of the ministerial licence. To ascertain which patients are eligible to have their products funded, the PCRS woul…

I thank the Deputy for his question. I also congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke, as I know the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, also does, on sitting here beside us answering questions on public health and drugs. On the Deputy's question, voluntary organisations form an essential and integral part of the overall health and social care system. Historically, the voluntary sector was the first to provide hospital and social care to the poor and to the most vulnerable in Irish society. Voluntary long-term r…

As I have said, the scheme I was speaking about will run through 2024 and allows eligible voluntary and private nursing homes to apply for up to €25,000 from a fund of €10 million to support structural works relating to fire safety and infection prevention. The first payments were made on 28 March, when a total of €1.86 million was paid to 82 nursing homes. That has been very welcome. I take on board the point the Deputy is making. The challenge for me is that the Department of Health is obliged to deliver policies…

I am conscious of the financial challenges faced by the nursing home sector but this year, the budget will be €1.5 billion to support 22,700 people under the fair deal scheme. There was an additional €45 million provided last year to increase the rates of fair deal. Many of the nursing homes which renegotiated saw an uplift, in rural areas of between 8% and 9% and in urban areas of between 6% and 7%. That increase is continuing this year. Both nursing homes we spoke to last week were tied into a three-year plan but…

It is two weeks.

I thank the Deputy for his question. There is a 100% commitment to put in place a new community nursing unit in Cashel, as he said. As he knows, very close to him, there is a fabulous 50-bed en suite community nursing unit being built in Clonmel. I visited it two weeks ago and it will be fully operational by next year. On the Deputy's specific question, HSE estates is currently exploring the best possible site for the nursing home. The commitment is there. In 2016 the previous Government undertook to rebuild 90 com…

I thank the Deputy very much for his question. This year, the HSE will hire 2,268 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, where there is no embargo in place. Some 68 of those will be across the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. The Deputy is seeking a disregard for specific staff. I ask him to forward the details to me. Disregards have been given for various whole-time equivalents in specific areas. In December last year, even though an embargo was in place, more than 900 staff were recruited because they h…

If the Deputy sends me the details, I will look at that for him.

I thank the Deputy for his question. In May 2023, a HIQA inspection identified concerns about the flooring of both the Sycamore and Willow units at Cherry Orchard hospital. These presented a significant potential health and safety risk. A subsequent HSE review indicated that the flooring had underlying structural issues which required immediate remedial work. I think if the Deputy was standing in my position, he would know that I cannot ignore a HIQA report-----

Excuse me, Deputy. I will answer the question. I cannot ignore a HIQA report that identifies concerns saying that there is a significant potential health and safety risk. The transfer of residents has begun, as the Deputy knows. Forty-three residents have been transferred from Cherry Orchard campus, with 17 residents still on site. The health and safety of each resident is the most important thing. This is their home from home. Unfortunately, HIQA has deemed it not fit for purpose and the residents' removal will ha…

No.

At the outset I want to pass on the apologies of the Minister for Social Protection who cannot be here to take this debate as she had a long-standing commitment. The Minister is not opposing the motion put forward by the Deputies. I welcome this opportunity to discuss the important issue of supporting our family carers. I thank the Regional Group of Deputies who brought forward this motion. I think this is a timely discussion. As the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, I regula…

We are playing ye on Sunday.

Hear, hear.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question and I acknowledge that she has raised it several times before. There is an issue with the recruitment of public health nurses in that particular area. The Department and the HSE are giving this their utmost attention. It is not a funding issue or a moratorium issue; it is due to a lack of public health nurses for that area. I will bring the Deputy’s concerns back again to see if we can expedite something. I agree with the Deputy that these developmental checks …

I thank the Deputy for raising the conference of the Psychiatric Nurses Association. When I finish here, I am heading to Trim, County Meath to address that conference at 3.50 p.m. I engage constantly with Mr. Hughes and the PNA. I thank them for all of the work they do. They often work with some of the most complex and vulnerable people in the country. I want to put something on the record of the Dáil because it was referred to earlier. There are issues in relation to psychiatric nurse staffing for inpatient facili…

Hear, hear.

I move: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises and notes: — the work of our healthcare workers in improving the health outcomes for patients with cancer; — the improvement in survival rates in Ireland during the current National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026, with more than 215,000 people living in Ireland following a cancer diagnosis compared to 150,000 in 2017 when the Strategy was brought to Government; — the strong performance of Ireland compared to other European countri…

It is a fact.