Kieran O'Donnell

I appreciate how difficult it is for Elizabeth, Leo and his family. Once again, I thank the Deputy for providing the opportunity to discuss this important matter. As previously stated, it is hoped that through the implementation of the recently launched national rare disease strategy, we can increase rare disease research opportunity in Ireland. Knowing that meaningful research is being undertaken…

I thank Deputy Hayes for raising this important issue today. The clear focus of this Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes to buy or rent. There is a record level of investment being provided for the delivery of housing in 2025, with overall capital funding available of €6.8 billion. The capital provision is supplemented by a further €1.65 billion in current…

I join in acknowledging his recent passing. He was obviously someone very close to the Deputy. I am utterly committed to housing for all people. For me, it about providing choice. I take this very seriously and I am actively progressing and working on it. As the Deputy said, our demographic is evolving and we will have an older population. We have to bring a range of choices across the spectrum f…

I again thank Deputy Hayes for raising this important matter. I listened carefully to the points he raised. The Government is working diligently in conjunction with key stakeholders, particularly local authorities and approved housing bodies, to increase delivery of housing for older people. We also want to work with the private sector because everyone has a part to play in the delivery of housing…

I thank Deputies across the House for their contribution to the debate. I also thank Deputy Stanley for bringing forward the motion. As the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, announced, the Minister for Health and the Government are not opposing the motion, which provides a chance to update the Dáil on developments in this sector and to outline the Government's priority to fundamentally reform den…

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this important matter. I know his keen interest in this area. I welcome the ESRI report on future capacity requirements in older people's care, which was published on 30 June and encompasses residential care for older people and home support. The analysis in the ESRI report utilises the Hippocrates model to update baseline estimates of demand in 2022 for residentia…

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this matter. He will be aware the ESRI health capacity review on future capacity for care for older people is the third in a series of capacity reviews on Ireland's health services, following reports on public acute hospitals and general practitioner services. The ESRI will publish further analysis later this year. I note the points that the Deputy raises in the ot…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am taking this Topical Issue debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation is the lead-Department on protected disclosure legislation and provides guidance on all protected disclosure p…

On behalf of the Minister of Health, who I am taking this on behalf of, I thank the Deputy again for raising this matter. The Department of Health encourages all staff to speak up and raise any concerns they may have relating to potential wrongdoings in the workplace. The Department provides the necessary supports for any staff member who raises any possible wrongdoings. A staff member who makes …

I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley. I was speaking to him this morning in advance of the debate. He sends his apologies. He has to attend a meeting with the UK fisheries minister this morning. He will be in direct contact with the Deputy in the coming days on the matter. I hope that provides some level of reassurance.…

I again thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As I already stated, I am taking it on the behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, who will be in direct contact with the Deputy in the coming days. He would like to have been here to take the debate in his capacity as the Minister of State with responsibility for this area but had a prior arrangement to meet the minister for fish…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for public expenditure and reform, Jack Chambers TD. The community and voluntary sector plays a vital role in delivering public services across Ireland. Various organisations in the community and voluntary sector are contracted to provide services on behalf of the State and are provided …

I again thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As I have stated, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for public expenditure and reform, Deputy Chambers. Given how diligent Deputy McGrath is, I have no doubt he has already taken the matter up with the Minister. I ask him to outline the specific circumstances to the Minister directly following the debate. As I mentioned, …

No.

It is not being opposed.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — a national policy on adult safeguarding will be introduced for the health and social care sector, as set out in the Programme for Government, and this policy will commit to the development of adult safeguarding legislation for the sector, including nursing homes, and will build on …

The Deputy and I have engaged intensively at the health committee. I will go through the points she raised. With regard to the licensing, there is absolutely a lacuna there at the moment. Within a group of companies, the licensing inspection is on individual nursing homes and who they are run by, but the parent company is not under HIQA's remit. I want that to be changed. There is an acceptance in…

The context here is quite simple. I always go back to the needs of older persons in nursing homes. What we saw in that programme with the residents in the nursing homes in Portlaoise and Beneavin was wanton neglect and abuse of older people. We want to look at the regulatory system and how we can improve it. All aspects will be considered. This is ultimately about improvements and ensuring that ol…

I welcome that.

The Deputy should write to me about that.

I thank all the Members. Some 40 Members spoke in this debate. People were very constructive. Like everyone else, I was shocked by the programme. It was wanton neglect and abuse. I thank the Members for their very constructive engagement. I will attempt to cover the areas that people brought up. What we saw happening on the programme was pure wanton neglect and abuse of older people. It is as sim…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Healthcare (Transparent Payments) Bill 2022 be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow the Joint Committee on Health and the Department of Health to consider matters further.". I acknowledge the intention behind this Bill and thank the Deputies for rais…

I welcome the opportunity to discuss nursing homes and the care of older people. To begin, I want to acknowledge the "RTÉ Investigates" programme that was broadcast on 4 June. This was a very hard-hitting and harrowing programme which highlighted a litany of poor care standards in two nursing homes, showing clear neglect and abuse of older people, namely, the Residence, Portlaoise, and Beneavin Ma…

I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. At the outset, I should advise that the Water Services Act 2017 sets out the arrangements in place for the delivery of water and wastewater services by Uisce Éireann. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects are a…

I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil very much. I accept the points he makes and how genuine he is in raising them and outlining the impact. The Minister, Deputy Browne, has made inquiries and was informed that there are operational challenges in the wastewater network in Celbridge, including Hazelhatch. However, under the national leakage reduction programme, Uisce Éireann is progressing with the replacement…