Pádraig Rice

Absolutely. We talk a lot about productivity in healthcare. We also need productivity in Parliament. Returning to the topic at hand, the community pharmacy agreement, first I want to say that I welcome the investment in community pharmacies. In recent years, we have seen a real and tangible expansion of the services on offer in community pharmacies and that should be acknowledged. The Minister an…

I, too, welcome the visitors in the Gallery. I congratulate my colleague Deputy Ahern on introducing his first of legislation in the House. It is a significant achievement and great to see. As we all know, housing is the biggest challenge facing the country. We need to consider all measures possible to address this challenge. Part of that involves increased transparency and accountability, better…

My question relates to tuberculosis, otherwise known as TB. Last year, TB rates increased by 30%, which is really concerning. In 2024, TB cases in children under 12 months equalled the number recorded in the previous decade combined. This year, TB cases are expected to hit 300, yet this growing health crisis has been largely ignored by the Government. The sharp end of this crisis is experienced by…

The genocide in Gaza is, without a doubt, the issue I am contacted most about by people from Cork. I am frustrated by the lack of action we have seen and that I have nothing of substance to say to the people who contact me. I cannot answer their questions as to why the Government has not passed the occupied territories Bill or why it is allegedly allowing the use of Shannon and Irish airspace to f…

I am seeking leave to introduce a Bill.

I move That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 by restricting the advertising of alcohol-free and low-alcohol products bearing any statement of any trade description or designation, or a display or other publication of a trademark, emblem, marketing image or logo, of an alcohol product with the aim or direct or indirect effect of pro…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

The Minister of State and her predecessors have shown a shocking lack of urgency when it comes to vapes. Under the watch of successive Ministers, youth vaping rates have skyrocketed. Is this any wonder with flavours like cotton candy, cherry cola and bubble gum readily available in any corner shop or indeed with stores showcasing vapes like pick and mix rather than the display of highly addictive …

The problems with school transport are not new. If anything, this has become an annual fiasco. My colleagues Deputies Whitmore and Cummins have been raising this matter and calling for a restructuring of the scheme for a long period. In the time afforded to me, I want to refer to the consequences for some of the families in my constituency of Cork South-Central. Several families in Cork have conta…

I welcome Second Stage of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2025, which regrettably is the first health legislation to be taken on Second Stage since the general election last November. This is one of only two health Bills listed for priority publication yet it was only published last Friday, just shy of the summer recess. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile and modest legislation. To pick up on some commen…

I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on her speech, for her allyship and for speaking out. I know it is not easy. She has our full support. We hope to work together to progress trans healthcare and the Minister of State has the support of many of us across the House. I look forward to working with her to progress that. I thank her for her allyship and her words. They matter to many peop…

I, too, thank Sinn Féin for this motion and for putting a spotlight on this important issue. I also commend the campaigners in the Gallery. They should not have to be here, they should not have to share their stories and they should not have to email their TDs and lay out their pain, but I commend them on their work and their advocacy in respect of this matter. I urge the Minister to take action a…

Today, the HSE made an unequivocal statement that alcohol consumption causes cancer. That is why it is ramping up efforts to inform people of the link between alcohol and cancer. However, at the same time, this Government is rowing back on its commitment to alcohol health labelling, or at least Fine Gael is. I will read a quote to the Taoiseach: "Alcohol causes cancer, and we would be negligent no…

Will the Government introduce labelling?

Will the Taoiseach answer the question? Will the Government introduce labelling?

There is no answer.

The Minister has gotten this badly wrong. He has created huge levels of uncertainty and huge levels of stress for students, parents and families right across the country. The students of Ireland deserve better. They deserve clarity. Fees in this country are already far too high. Students are paying too much money to access what is a human right: basic education at third level. A recent report from…

My question today is about the new Cork city library. Four years ago, the Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, announced €50 million would be spent transforming Grand Parade and providing a new public library, a new central plaza and a boardwalk. The vision was big. We were promised a new 7,700 sq. m library with capacity for 1 million visitors per year, but like so many other key capital projects for Cork, …

My question relates to the insourcing and outsourcing of public healthcare. Yesterday, the Minister for Health published the HSE review of insourcing and outsourcing, which I welcome. The report confirms that the health service is over-reliant on these arrangements to reduce waiting lists. Despite the huge sums of public money involved, proper oversight has been severely lacking, leading to alarmi…

I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh and the members of the LGBT+ Restorative Justice Campaign, Kieran Rose, Brian Sheehan, Karl Hayden and others, for their work. I am delighted to co-sign this Bill on behalf of the Social Democrats. It is now 32 years since homosexuality was decriminalised, but some men are still living with the negative impact of criminalisation. Let us be clear: the prosecutions and conv…

2. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the failure of a number of symptomatic breast disease clinics to see newly referred patients within ten working days (details supplied); the steps being taken to ensure that these clinics meet their targets; if the required resources will be allocated to these clinics to ensure there is adequate staffing; to pr…

Access to symptomatic breast disease clinics has become a postcode lottery. Following an urgent GP referral, a person should be seen by a clinic within two weeks. However, timely access to these clinics varies widely. Last year, only four out of nine hospitals met the target of seeing 95% of urgent referrals within two weeks. The other five failed. The Mater Hospital only reached 29%, St. James's …

One report states that one in four people waited longer than recommended for an appointment at these urgent clinics. I would like to share with the Minister the experiences of two women from north Dublin. They had to wait for in excess of the two-week period to be seen by the matters symptomatic breast clinic. In February, one woman was referred by GP due to the presence of two lumps in her breast…

We absolutely need better planning here. A lot of this comes back to staffing. Greater resources must be allocated specifically to breast clinics to ensure adequate staffing throughout the country, regardless of where people live. To secure cancer care pathways greater workforce planning is required but this cannot be siloed in the Department of Health. We need joined-up thinking. The Departments …

21. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her Department has received a copy of a 2017 report into paediatric urology services, known as the Dickson report (details supplied); if her Department was made aware of the existence of this report by Children’s Health Ireland, CHI, or anyone from Temple Street or Crumlin hospitals prior to CHI’s establishment; her views on CHI’s decision n…