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 emotional health and wel…
TDs / Mary Butler
Mary Butler
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health
Portrait: Mary Butler (CC BY 4.0) · source file
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216,769
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Contributions to debates 946 in all
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Plus 386 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
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Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Waterford 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the Department of Health with responsibility for Mental Health 23 January 2025 to now
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 broad national reach a…
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 of each Committee; an…
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 shall be taken in pla…
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 Committees
- Motion re op…
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.
It is not accepted.
I thank the Deputy for her question. This year, €160 million has been allocated to the 81 child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, teams across the country. That includes five eating disorder teams for young people. An additional €3 million has been allocated for a waiting list initiative. Yesterday, I visited two CAMHS teams, one in Ashbourne, County Meath, and the other in Swords, County Dublin. I visite…
We will continue to invest in mental health services.
No.
No.
No.
I thank the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for highlighting the ongoing challenges we are addressing in paediatric healthcare services in our country. Like everyone in government, I am deeply concerned by the issues that have come to light regarding Children's Health Ireland and the use of unapproved medical devices in spinal surgeries at Temple Street university hospital. This incident has understandably caused …
Oversight.
I move:
Tuesday’s business shall be Second Stage of the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025 (to adjourn after 2 hours).
Tuesday's private members' business shall be Second Stage of the Water Services (Repeal of Water Charges) Bill 2025, selected by Sinn Féin.
Wednesday's business shall be:
- Statements on Tariffs (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins)
- Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Commi…
With regard to committees, the Dáil reform committee, as agreed, will begin the process of establishing committees tomorrow evening, as Deputies are aware. The Government submitted the list of committees to the Dáil reform committee today and we are happy to discuss this at the meeting of the Dáil reform committee tomorrow evening. We will select the committees on Thursday morning, as was agreed with all the Whips la…
I again wish to express our deepest condolences to the Deputy on the death of Mary, his mother-in-law, and to the Fehilly and Crowe families. I also want to acknowledge the spirit in which he has raised these issues because at no stage did he criticise the men and women of the National Ambulance Service or our other first responders. Rather, he asked real questions, which he hopes will be addressed.
I welcome the op…
As well as front-line urgent and emergency care, the NAS is also developing and expanding a range of clinically appropriate alternative care pathways to improve patient flow and reduce pressure on busy hospital emergency departments. The medical assessment unit, MAU, pathway for 999 patients introduced in Ennis Hospital treats patients referred by GPs, out-of-hours services, including Shannondoc, and National Ambulan…
I thank Deputy Ó Murchú very much for raising this important issue to specifically discuss the care of children with autism who also have mental health issues. In addition, I acknowledge the Deputy's constant advocacy in this area. We have had many exchanges and discussions on trying to provide services. I acknowledge the case of the young person he mentions, whom he also mentioned last week in the Dáil.
As the Depu…
I am determined to make further progress through the national office for child and youth mental health in the HSE, which as developed a new youth mental health action plan, published in February. This three-year plan for comprehensive reform across all youth mental health services sets out a roadmap to ensure all children and families have the pathway we have discussed. The new action plan aims to enhance integrated …