Marie Sherlock

I apologise that I could not be here earlier. We were dealing with the ambulance strike due to take place next Tuesday so I missed the earlier contributions. I do not know who wrote the Government's countermotion this morning but the people sitting around the Cabinet table who signed off on it this afternoon and the person who wrote this have their heads in the clouds. Everything in the Government…

I want to ask about the national vaccination programme. Yesterday, HIQA issued its health technology assessment on the respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, vaccine stating that it is clinically effective for small babies but that the cost is too much to continue the mass roll-out. Last week, we had officials from the HSE and the Department of Health tell us that they very much believe in the clinical…

The Minister of State has inherited this Bill and somewhere in the order of 900 amendments have had to be dealt with as the legislation has gone through this House and the Seanad. The Minister of State’s own personal commitment to the Bill is very clear, and I very much welcome the improvements before us today. Regarding those issues raised in section 10, relating to how practicable it is to place…

I acknowledge there has been progress in this space but I want to flag a concern about the wording around any "relevant advocacy service". This is about how information is disseminated and the manner in which it is received. I hear what the Minister of State is saying about looking at ministerial regulation in this space but if at the heart of this legislation is ensuring greater rights for those …

I commend the Minister of State on all the work she has done and effort she has put into this. I know it has been a very extensive process over a significant period. She set out the timeline for the two most recent mental health Acts we have had in this country. Obviously, the words in this Bill are only as good as the level of willingness among the members of the medical profession - I know ther…

The Labour Party welcomes this Bill but part of me wonders how it has taken long. This Government has moved at a snail's pace on the regulation of vaping and nicotine inhaling products. When we look at what this Bill is trying to do, the Labour Party agrees with most sections. However, we have concerns with the pace at which the Government has moved and the comprehensiveness of this Bill. The rea…

I move: That notwithstanding the Order of the Dáil of 1st May, 2025, Deputy Marie Sherlock be designated the member in charge of the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021.

116. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the specific actions she has taken to radically reduce the record high levels of delayed transfers of care out of acute hospital settings, as seen in March and April 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28377/26]

I want to ask about delayed transfers of care. As the Minister knows, there is an enormous number across the acute hospitals at the moment. On 23 consecutive days between March and April-----

Is this question not related to delayed transfers of care?

I believed I had resubmitted a Priority Question but, clearly, there was an issue with regard to it appearing on the Questions Paper.

On 23 consecutive days between March and April, the number of delayed transfers of care exceeded 500 across our acute hospitals, and again over the last six days. This has a major impact, not only on the people who are caught in hospitals who should no longer be there, but also on admissions. We saw that 129 people were waiting over 24 hours on Sunday night for admission to our emergency departmen…

The Minister referred to beds and management. When I talk to a number of the hospitals that are experiencing some of the worst problems with transferring those patients, there is a huge absence of neurorehabilitation beds and dementia-specific beds. In particular, we know that in Cherry Orchard, two wards have been closed for almost the past two years, supposedly for fire remediation works. The Ki…

When I look at the Minister's letter of determination to the HSE this year, or arising from the budget, I see the big emphasis on home care support and very little emphasis on the construction of new step-down beds. We know that the vast majority of those being constructed at the moment are replacement beds. I think there are many reasons there is a need for step-down beds. I know my colleague, De…

An Saol.

It is residential there.

There is HSE money going to nursing homes. They are residential facilities.

129. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to urgently regulate the administration of dermal fillers as committed to in the programme for Government; when such regulation or legislation will be introduced; if she and her Department will engage with stakeholders regarding the best way to protect the public; if her Department received research from th…

My question relates to the regulation of the administration of dermal fillers in this country. Obviously, millions of euro is spent each year on beauty and cosmetic treatments. The vast majority are topical external treatments, but some are medically invasive. Unfortunately, there is something of a wild west out there in terms of who can administer these treatments. The incorrect administration, …

There seems to be a legal lacuna in this regard. The HPRA does not regulate the administration of clinical practice, and HIQA is obviously not looking at this either. I am conscious there are people out there – many of whom are in my constituency - accessing these treatments for a little as €60, whereas other practices charge in excess of €250. A lot of people are being lured in by the prices. It …

It has been a long time since our international teams gave us such pride and pleasure. I want to pay tribute to our international women’s team in particular, which pulled off a great win last night. Good luck to the team next Saturday, and indeed to the men as well for the future. The visceral sense of excitement in the north inner city over recent weeks, particularly because of Troy Parrott, has…

My question relates to auto-enrolment. From January this year, all employers in the State have to make the payment on behalf of their employees. Yet, employers providing services on behalf of the State are not consistently funded to pay this vital payment. I say "consistently" because some Departments are making provision and some are not. The Department of justice has made specific provision, par…

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. My question is about central government support to local authorities for bringing vacant and derelict properties across our towns, cities and villages back into use, and specifically the buy and renew programme that has been in place for a period. In the constituency I represent, Dublin Central, there is an absolute scourge of dereliction. Acro…

It is very welcome to hear this update. If I interpret correctly what the Minister of State said, we are moving from a buy and renew scheme to a renew and purchase or renew and sale scheme. It is slightly turning it on its head. That is not a bad thing, but the critical point is the amount of money that will be allocated for these projects. We know that 40,000 units of Dublin housing stock was bu…

I want to start by thanking my colleague, Deputy Kelly, for bringing forward this motion, and to express my disappointment in the Government's proposal to amend it today because we very much need to acknowledge the incredible work An Garda Síochána is doing across our country. As a Dublin Central TD, the Dublin riots will be an image and experience that will forever condition my approach to how we…