Mary Butler

I thank the Deputy for his question. We saw eating disorders grow exponentially during Covid, for example. This was especially the case among younger girls aged 14, 15 and 16. Last year, for example, the eating disorder clinical team worked with approximately 520 young people. Many of those were transferred back to a GP for further support. It is possible to recover from an eating disorder but it …

I thank the Deputy for this important question. Eating disorders are complex and individual. They are the mental health illness with the highest mortality rate. The first model of care was devised around 2018. At the time, it was expected that approximately 50 people would present with an eating disorder. In 2024, 562 people were treated through HSE services. The national clinical programme on ea…

I thank the Deputy. He is right that eating orders are complex and individual. They are the mental health illness with the highest mortality rate. Every case is different. I acknowledge the advocacy groups, including Bodywhys and Cared Ireland. They provide enormous support to people with eating disorders and I acknowledge that. There are currently only three adult eating disorder beds in St. Vin…

I hope, with the support of the Minister and Cabinet, to look for funding in the Estimates process when I have the report at the end of June. These premises exist. We will also consider any new approved centres. Five will be rebuilt and we will potentially look at putting some beds in there. We will have to grow this incrementally. Everything we do is incremental because we need dedicated staff. T…

I move: Wednesday’s business shall be: - Motion re First Report of the Committee of Selection and appointment of Cathaoirligh (any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Members to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Dissolution of Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative S…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I note the requests from the Opposition Whips. They can be discussed at the Business Committee tomorrow morning. I informed Deputy Collins last Thursday that the debate on agriculture will take place next week. That has not changed. In regard to the amendment, the Government will not accept it.

I move: That Dáil Éireann: (a) approves the First Report of the Standing Committee of Selection in accordance with Standing Order 33, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 6th May, 2025, and appoints members to Committees accordingly; and (b) pursuant to Standing Order 113(2), appoints the following members as Chairs of Committees: Deputy Aindrias Moynihan – Chair of the Committee o…

I move: That Dáil Éireann, in accordance with section 8(3)(a) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2024, appoints the ordinary members of the Commission as follows: Deputies Catherine Ardagh, Frank Feighan, Pearse Doherty and Jennifer Whitmore.

I move: That the Order of the Dáil of 23rd January, 2025, in relation to the Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny) is hereby rescinded and the Committee is accordingly dissolved for the remainder of the 34th Dáil.

As Chief Whip, I am taking this question on behalf of the Taoiseach. I thank the Deputy for the question. The standard classification of industrial activity used by the CSO in Ireland is NACE. This is the statistical classification used, since 1970, for a wide variety of European statistics in the economic, social, environmental, and agricultural domains. Since the last version, NACE Revision 2, w…

The Department of Rural and Community Development has the policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Act and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. The Dog Breeding Establishments Act provides a regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and an immediate threat exists to public health or animal he…

I will bring the Deputy’s concerns back to the Minister. As she said, there were calls for other dogs to be banned. The dog control stakeholder group is currently reviewing that. As the group has said itself, it is quite complex. The most important thing is that, when the legislation is in place, it is implementable and enforceable.

I thank the Deputy and I acknowledge his constant advocacy with regard to new cancer drugs and drugs in general. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As the Deputy knows, the HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Reimbursement is for licensed indica…

I thank the Deputy. The level of investment in recent years is unprecedented in supporting patients through the availability of the latest and wide-ranging medicines. Since 2020, €128 million has been made available to fund access to 217 new medicines, including 74 for treating cancer and 57 for treating rare diseases. For 2025, an additional €30 million will be made available to enable access to …

I thank the Deputy for his very interesting contribution. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. I agree with every word he said. As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services, I am aware that extracurricular activities play a key role in helping learners to grow and succeed, both in and out of the classroom, and especially in regard to their emot…

I certainly will take the Deputy's request to the Minister. At present, the Department supports a number of national extracurricular programmes through core funding, including €400,000 for the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, €200,000 for SciFest, €250,000 for ESB Science Blast and €43,000 for the Engineers Ireland STEPS Programme. That gives a total of €893,000. These programmes have br…

Not opposed.

I move: That- (1) the Select Committees as contained in the report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform entitled "Orders of Reference and Establishment of Committees", laid before Dáil Éireann on 30th April, 2025, are hereby appointed pursuant to Standing Order 102, with the Orders of Reference as contained in the report, including the remit, powers, number of members and quorum o…

The following is a proposal to revise the schedule for 1 May, 2025. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or in the arrangements agreed on the Order of Business, that (a) the statements on the Farrelly commission report shall be taken at 10.23 a.m. tomorrow and shall be interrupted after 96.5 minutes and (b) oral parliamentary questions to the Minister for Social Protection s…

I move: Tuesday’s business shall be statements on Children's Health Ireland (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins) Tuesday's private members' business shall be motion re unnecessary hip surgeries at Children’s Health Ireland, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Motion re Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform on Orders of Reference and Establishment of Commit…

A Cheann Comhairle-----

In relation to the issues that were raised, Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised neutrality and the triple lock. I appreciate his attention to the Taoiseach's speech.

My apologies. The point I want to get to is that three of the items that were raised on the Order of Business for this week are not on the agenda, so we will discuss those at the Business Committee on Thursday morning as per usual The Minister will take statements on the Farrelly report and the Grace case tomorrow-----

-----and it is also scheduled for next week. In response to Deputy Collins, I am in discussion with the Minister to schedule this issue as soon as possible. I accept and acknowledge that he has raised it several times. We can discuss it at the Business Committee on Thursday morning.

To be clear on the agenda, we have statements on Children's Health Ireland for 202 minutes at 4.30 this evening and Sinn Féin is then bringing forward a Private Members’ motion on unnecessary hip surgeries, so the Minister will be in the House discussing health issues for five hours this evening.