This question is to ask the Minister for Health if he intends to introduce an adult immunisation programme and if he will make a statement to the House on the matter.

With the success of the vaccine and the pandemic thankfully behind us, have the Minister, Department and HSE considered a widespread publicity or information campaign on the benefits of immunisation from a public health point of view, the issues facing society and how we can bring information into the public domain? There is a lot of negative information and negativity regarding immunisation, vaccines and so forth. Has the Department or the HSE considered bringing forward a clear message that immunisation works and…

I accept the campaign by Laura and the excellent work that has been done, which has hugely benefited society. Has the Department developed an understanding of the challenges that exist? We are getting a lot of misinformation regarding vaccines. A lot of people are reading information on them. It is important that the State, aided by science, the Chief Medical Officer and advice of medical professionals, puts the information in a robust way in order that any attempt to undermine public health or vaccination or immun…

I ask the Minister to provide an update on mental health supports for stroke victims and the national stroke strategy from 2022 to 2027.

That is vitally important. One of the most common acquired disabilities in the country is stroke. I am heartened by the reduction in the number of deaths from stroke. I understand it could be the third largest cause of death in Ireland.

Second. That is fairly substantial. We also need to consider the supports being put in place for stroke victims. Through our work as public representatives, we know people are affected by strokes at quite a young age. We need to provide proper supports in communities. The Minister in his answer alluded to the fact that when people are discharged to the community after a significant amount of time in rehabilitation in hospital settings, their lives have been completely changed. To achieve the best possible outcomes,…

On Deputy Harkin’s question on social farming, first, I have to express an interest in it. I recently completed a course in UCC on practical supports for social farming. It is one of the great enablers. Farming and being close to nature is natural. It has a massive therapeutic value within society. I believe in the cross-departmental piece. The Minister of State outlined where she has given grants. I am familiar with the south Kerry partnership, which I visited on a number of occasions, and with my own IRD Duhallow…

What plans has the Minister to open tranche 2 of the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, and is any date set for the opening of such a scheme?

I acknowledge the work that was done to make sure the 46,000 farmers were accepted onto tranche 1. A number of farmers have been waiting this year. I also welcome the expressions of interest because I know an awful lot of work was done to get funding and everything else in place. I think the answer to my next question is probably in the negative. It concerns tranche 1 of the scheme and the ability to amend the scheme when something fairly substantial has arisen that was not included. It is a simple question but it …

Briefly, on tranche 1, is it the intention of the Department that those funds would be paid in 2023 for those who applied? How far along the road is the Department with regard to that process?

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Over recent weeks and months, people have quite rightly been concerned about road deaths. As I stand, I think of the many great friends of mine who passed away through road traffic accidents over the last number of years, and of their families. I think of the everlasting impact a road death can have on a family and on a community. We should be mindful of them and those who are left behind, as well as those who are involved in the accidents. We should be very mi…

I move: That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters entitled "Aligning Disability Services with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities", copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 23rd February, 2023. I welcome the opportunity to speak to this report. The report was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas back in March of this year. We are delighted to have an opportunity to speak on it. In the first instance, I will speak abo…

I welcome the debate. I had a commitment to speak to representatives of an organisation who were before a committee. I apologise that I had to nip out in the middle of the debate. I commend Deputies on the earnestness and genuineness of the debate. We constantly see the challenges that are there for people with disabilities. We see the need in this report. It is stark and lays out the challenges that are there and considers what we need for people with disabilities to ensure they are as included as possible. It is …

Does the Department have any plans to extend the payment of carer's benefit beyond 104 weeks? Many people go on the benefit to look after a parent, partner or child who has become chronically sick, and that care often must continue for longer than 104 weeks. These people may have years of stamp contributions.

I thank the Minister and congratulate her on the disregard increases she has introduced and the amount of work she has done in facilitating the carer's means test. I am fully aware of the work that had to be done to get those figures together. Well done to her on that. She referred to an interdepartmental group. There are a number of issues it could look at. The Minister said the average duration of a claim for carer's benefit is 76 weeks. How many people who come off the benefit cease getting any payment from the …

Will the Minister look at the figures for those who come off the carer's benefit?

In the review that is taking place, could we establish how many people who come off the carer's benefit and continue with the carer's support grant do not get the carer’s allowance? Perhaps that information could feed into the interdepartmental discussion group.

At a meeting of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters last week, we got a briefing from the Minister's officials, for which we are very grateful, on the concept of the disability Green Paper. Like everything, there are anomalies in the system, some of which relate to household income being taken into account where a person with a disability lives in the house. There is a disregard, and while it is not accounted for in the non-contributory State pension, it is accounted for in the disability allowance. A lot of …

Several issues arise. The Taoiseach mentioned respite and residential places. Service providers, predominately section 39 organisations, used to apply to what is now the Department responsible for the environment, and now apply to the Department responsible for housing, under the capital assistance scheme, CAS, for funding. Many find it cumbersome and difficult to access funding where available. A long time ago, many residential places were rolled out under the scheme. This should be examined and made more streamli…

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this serious debate. It is hugely important that we, in the Oireachtas and in society, ensure there is proper public service broadcasting into the future. I was in the US recently and there was wall-to-wall coverage on television of one or the other agenda. The corrosiveness of both sides was evident in a democracy. Public service broadcasting is a pillar of democracy and it is crucially important that the pillar society is built upon has the trust of the Oireachtas and the pub…