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The Minister for Health’s new Waiting List Action Plan lacks any credibility after the failure of her last plan, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice TD. Deputy Rice said: “A radically different approach to the one set out today, one which is in line with the reforms set out in Sláintecare, is the […]

Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide has criticised the HSE after the Minister for Mental Health was unable to provide the Dáil with information on approved psychology posts in older adult mental health services. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on mental health, said: “Minister Mary Butler’s failure to answer a straightforward question about workforce […]

Legislation and proactive resourcing is urgently required to tackle spiralling hospital waiting lists, which present a genuine threat to the health and wellbeing of thousands around the country, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “Almost 120,000 patients have been on a hospital waiting list for over a year – how […]

The CORU regulation process for counselling and psychotherapy must be immediately paused as it weakens professional standards and protections for the public, according to Social Democrats mental health spokesperson Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide said: “CORU, the State’s health regulator, has adopted a position that is entirely at odds with the main representative groups for counselling […]

Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide, the party’s spokesperson on mental health and disability, has cautiously welcomed proposals by the HSE for a new 75-bed acute mental health service on the St Stephen’s Hospital campus in Glanmire. Deputy Quaide, who worked as a clinical psychologist in the North Cork mental health services from 2013 to 2021, […]

The priorities for our health service in Budget 2026 are completely askew, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is Chair of the Oireacthas Health Committee, said: “In the Health Minister’s quest for productivity and value for money, she has lost sight of reform. “She seems to forget that without reform […]

Figures obtained by Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide show that the process of transferring younger people out of inappropriate nursing home settings remains frustratingly slow. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “Four years after the publication of the Ombudsman’s ‘Wasted Lives’ report, the HSE has confirmed to me that there are […]

Lack of workforce planning and the HSE’s failure to initiate a comprehensive recruitment drive is exacerbating the crisis in primary care services for young people, according to Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on mental health and disability, said: “This government continues to be in denial about the scale […]

The costly employment of agency staff across the health system, including in mental health services, reflects a deep failure in workforce planning by successive governments, according to Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on mental health and disability, said: “Figures released to me by the HSE showed that the […]