The Deputy is right about the funding. There is crossover. The paediatric orthopaedic teams who work in Cappagh do a lot of work in Temple Street. There has been less crossover with Crumlin but the Crumlin team is now working with Cappagh as well. There is going to be a lot of interaction in that regard. In terms of funding, there is money going to CHI, be that to Crumlin or Temple Street. That work is ultimately happening in Cappagh. There is additional funding going to Cappagh to allow it to do work. The Deputy a…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 78, 156 and 179 together. I thank Deputy Gould for the question. Similar questions were tabled by Deputies Colm Burke, Stanton and Cullinane. This reply addresses all of those questions. The development of new elective care capacity is a big commitment of the programme for Government. Last December, I brought a memo to Government and secured agreement on a new national elective ambulatory care strategy that will transform the way in which day cases, scheduled procedures, surgeri…

I thank both Deputies. The first thing to state very clearly is this is being prioritised and moved forward. I brought a memo to Government recently. We got agreement on the elective hospitals, including for Cork. One of the asks, and this is why I said it earlier, was that the proposal that came to me from the group that reviewed this had a very material change to it. As I said, the proposal I got was for day case only. Through extensive consultation at a political and clinical level, we changed that. It is a very…

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Two very important issues were raised, one of which is on the elective centre. It will be based in Cork, but remember, it is a regional hub. It will make a huge difference in terms of people being able to access care quickly, which ultimately is the mission in universal healthcare. That is what we are going to do. It will make a big difference. The Deputies asked me very directly about the revised business case, which arrived back in my Department on Monday, and the nee…

I thank Deputy Niamh Smyth for raising the issue. While I cannot discuss an individual case here, the situation obviously does not sound at all satisfactory for the Deputy’s constituent. Something does need to be done about that. The broad question, if I am correct, is around the general delays in Beaumont Hospital.

That is okay. I want to acknowledge that this is a huge inconvenience and cause of distress for patients and for their families, in spite of an incredible team in Beaumont Hospital which is really doing everything that it can. They have made every effort to avoid cancellation and postponement, but Beaumont Hospital has been impacted by the operational challenges that Covid brings. Beaumont Hospital has taken actions, including a period of prioritising unscheduled Covid-19 care and urgent time-sensitive work. My Dep…

I heard that testimony and it was so difficult to hear. It is just heartbreaking for Daire and for his family. He and children all over the country need access to the specialised orthopaedic surgeons and treatment in CHI at Temple Street, in CHI at Crumlin, in the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh, aided by some of the other hospitals. We are putting in place an ambitious plan. We are funding operating theatres, staff, diagnostics and many things. This will ensure, for Daire and other children who are waiting a…

We owe it to these children and to their parents. I met with the three hospitals last Monday. I went out to the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh on Friday and I had further meetings today. This is the top priority. We will fund and prioritise this. We will get these children the care they need. We will give the supports to our incredible clinical teams, so that they can do the job that they know how to do and that they want to do.

I thank the Senators for their contributions. I particularly welcome the group, Together for Safety, that has come here today. I acknowledge the great work its members have done and the advocacy and the energy the group has brought to this important issue. The most important thing to state is that we are legislating for safe access zones. That is happening. It is in the programme for Government; we are doing that. It is for the Oireachtas to decide whether it will be a version of this Bill, which would require sign…

A few direct questions have been asked. Absolutely, we will share the advice. There will be legal advice. We cannot share the advice of the Attorney General. My understanding is that we can share departmental advice. It is an analysis as opposed to a lawyer's opinion, and what we would all understand to be legal advice. I am happy to share whatever I can in that regard. What is probably more useful to us is the departmental advice. It has gone through it section by section and has worked through many of the challen…

I am more than happy to do so. I want an all-party discussion on this matter. I have been presented with opinion by the Department, which spent a lot of time looking at this. The Department got a very clear instruction from me to provide the heads of the Bill to me. It has been working very hard to that effect and has come back to say that this is very difficult to do. I am sure that if it were easy to do, Senator Conway's party would have done it in the previous Dáil, during the term of the previous Government, bu…

We can discuss the matter on another date. I have given the Senator everything I can at this point.

I will be sharing my time with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. We will take ten minutes each. I welcome this opportunity to update the House on the situation regarding Covid-19 in Ireland, as well as the measures being taken to address the threats posed. I will come to Omicron shortly, but I would like to start on a more positive note. In spite of the very significant threat posed by the Delta variant, it is clear that the national effort being made over the last number of weeks has been working. The effo…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:“Dáil Éireann declines to give the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) (Foetal Pain Relief) Bill 2021 a second reading in order to allow for the review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 to conclude and for its recommendations to be considered.” I thank the Deputies for tabling their amendment and acknowledge their legitimate and genuine views. As for the current approach o…

I welcome the opportunity to present the Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2021 to the House. The purpose of this Bill is to extend the period of application of certain emergency provisions that have been key to the Government's response and the national response to the pandemic. The emergency provisions that are to be extended include Part 3 of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, the Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers…

Nearly a year into our vaccination programme, we know a great deal about the effectiveness of the vaccines. This includes that there is a certain amount of waning immunity after six months or thereabouts - it is different for each of the vaccines. This is why we are rolling out our booster programme, which is continuing apace. We now have well over 1 million people who have received a booster or a third dose in the case of those who are immunocompromised. Today we started appointments and walk-ins for people in the…

There is an answer on that. It was approved.

I will try not to use the full hour. I thank colleagues for their time and their contributions. These debates are genuinely invaluable, to listen to new ideas and be challenged on what may or may not be working. Of course we are not getting everything right; no government is. It is very important that we listen to the challenges and in this House most of the challenges are very reasonable. That is not always the case in the Lower House but it is here. Various issues have been raised such as the TRIPS waiver, safe a…

It is a fair question but I would imagine that the Seanad would still want to discuss everything it votes on and it would be remiss of it not to do so. The Dáil would want to debate everything it votes on, and who decides what regulation is worth discussing or not? In the past week I have signed regulations on face coverings, international travel and other matters. Which of those are material enough to warrant debate?

While I understand the motivation behind this is well meaning and genuine, it is simply not practicable and it is one of the many reasons the Dáil and the Seanad do not regulate in other sectors either. The level of regulation required would mean the Oireachtas would cease to be able to do its job, which is to legislate. However, I am putting new processes in place to make sure Members are directly contacted about new regulations. Given all of that, there is a crystal clear requirement for this Bill and for us to h…