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Ministers Stephen Donnelly and Darragh O'Brien are both bringing memos to Cabinet today. Sam Boal

Cabinet to discuss scrapping hospital charges for under 16s

The Government plans to abolish charges for overnight stays as well as fees for day cases.

HEALTH MINISTER STEPHEN Donnelly will bring a memo to Cabinet today on scrapping some hospital charges for children under 16.

The Government plans to abolish charges for overnight stays as well as fees for day cases.

Charges for presentations to the Emergency Department will remain in place, it is understood.

The minister hopes the measure will reduce the financial burden on parents and aims to pass the legislation before the summer recess so charges can be removed immediately afterwards.

The statutory in-patient – an overnight/day case – charge is €80 per day. Under the current regulations, it is capped at a maximum of €800 per year. 

Opposition members previously highlighted concerns about patients being followed up by debt collectors for such charges

As well as reducing paediatric charges, a range of other initiatives on affordability are also being examined. 

The Department of Health said it has entered into talks with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) in a bid to expand free GP care to those aged six and seven.

The Government has also moved to reduce the limit of the Drug Payment Scheme Threshold, from €114 last year to €80, as well as widening access to medical cards for the terminally ill. 

Speaking on his way into Cabinet this morning, Minister Donnelly said the statutory in-patient charge can be a “huge financial burden”.

“You’ve got parents or guardians already dealing with the fact that their child is sick, that their child is in hospital, and then they can be hit with a huge bill,” he told reporters. 

He said today’s measure is a “really important” next step in the move towards universal healthcare. 

Housing

Separately, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is expected to update Cabinet in relation to medium and longer term housing options in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

The measures are in addition to those set out in Housing for All and are aimed at alleviating pressure on the wider housing system.

A programme to refurbish 2,500 vacant social homes is to be accelerated to help deal with the pressure being caused by providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. 

The existing Voids Stimulus Programme has been in operation since July 2020, with the government saying that an investment of €40 million saw the refurbishment of 2,500 homes in its first six months. 

Fresh funding for the scheme is now being earmarked to deliver more places for Ukrainian refugees. 

The plan includes an expanded acquisition programme where Local Authorities will have greater flexibilities to acquire certain homes, such as homes to move people and families out of homelessness and specific homes required for individuals with a disability or other priority needs.

The Department is keen to reiterate that these are measures aimed at the wider market and are not specific to Ukrainian refugees.

The minister will also update Cabinet that a cross-sectoral and cross departmental housing taskforce has been established to develop longer term housing options specifically in response to the war in Ukraine.

This taskforce is examining the medium term conversion of vacant buildings – both State-owned and private – to suitable accommodation specifically for Ukrainian refugees.

It will also look at the longer-term activation of planning permissions which have not yet commenced. 

The housing minister has emergency powers available to him under existing legislation whereby certain planning and procurement requirements can be exempted where required to speed up delivery in emergency situations.

Government spending

Government spending in the first 3 months of the year was €600 million below expectations and 3.2% below the same period last year, Cabinet will hear today.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath will explain the change reflects the difference in spending on Covid-19 measures and the emerging economic recovery.

However, he is expected to warn that pressures remain on public finances.

€1.5 billion of Contingency Fund that was earmarked at the time of the Budget has been accounted for to meet the economic impact as Covid supports are wound down, possible pandemic-related challenges next winter, and Ireland’s response to the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, which is likely to incur €3 billion.

He will highlight the importance of value for money in delivering supports for Ukrainian refugees, particularly in sourcing accommodation.

Ministers will also be updated on the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, which Budget 2022 made €1.1 billion available for under the EU’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

Secretaries General of the various government departments will be asked to identify sufficient eligible expenditure in their departments to ensure Ireland draws down its full allocation and any additional funding that becomes available.

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    Mute Al
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 4:16 PM

    I Love Dublin.

    66
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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 6:30 PM

    Its a kip.

    21
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    Mute Integra-Ted
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 6:33 PM

    Don’t let the door hit you on the way out of Dublin so!

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    Mute john
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 4:22 PM

    Stunningly lyrical piece..very entertaining…

    50
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    Mute Cosmo Kramer
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 4:14 PM

    While Dublin has some brilliant People living in it and is very pretty it has turned into a dump.. The City Centre is full of junkies, drunks and gangs of young lads running riot. Beatings and stabbings are nearly a nightly occurrence and there’s not a Guard in sight.. Open drug dealings and drug taking can be seen all over the city centre..

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    Mute Al
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 4:18 PM

    Slight exaggeration. You always get one….

    40
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    Mute Harry Sheils
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 4:58 PM

    Got goosebumps listening to that. Fantastic.

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    Mute Vicko Aguilar
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 5:49 PM

    Beautiful! I ❤️ Dublin

    28
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    Mute Johnny
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 5:08 PM

    Dublin in a Cultural Jewel of Europe….not many cities have produced the amount Dublin has…U2 Bram Stoker Yeats Shaw Lynott Geldoff O’Hara and on and on the list goes….it took me a while but I love the city…not perfect but us Irish are far from perfect…

    About the controversy in Limerick City of Culture 2014…why feel the need to mention over and over again it when it was completely over amplified across the entire media infrastructure at the time…it was the 1st significant investment in culture in a City whose reputation had been destroyed by media…and it was the first city to expose political interference in Culture and how it is funded!!!

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    Mute joeythelad
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 4:51 PM

    I have been to a lot of European cities and I can tell you , you seldom seen junkies injecting openly on the streets ,mothers and fathers going around with kids in prams strung out , dirt and dog pooh and chewing gum littering the streets ,muggings, pickpockets, shoplifting , loads of stabbings and the frequent murder and theres much more I can add ,but that’s what Dublin is and that’s what I call a dump

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    Mute danielplainview
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 6:22 PM

    You’re what I call a dope

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    Mute Ana Nonymous
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 8:32 PM

    Have to agree with what you have to say beautiful piece though!

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    Mute Diarmaid O'Fionnachta
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    Nov 4th 2015, 1:30 AM

    Joey you;d wanna go to Rome. Very sketchy, much more so than Dublin!

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    Mute Sean @114
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 9:27 PM

    Like every city it has it’s problems but the pros far outway the cons……. The view across Dublin bay from Howth head, the Phoenix Park, shielded by beautiful mountains, great night life, welcoming people, culturally diverse, Croke Park, Guinness Brewery, great museums and gallerys, fantastic georgian areas, beautiful canals etc etc. Does it have drug and crime problems? Absolutely. It needs to be dealt with urgently by those elected to do so. Is everyone full of top o the mornin to you and cead mile failte? No the natives are by and large welcoming and witty but like any city we have our troubles and strifes. Overall though it’s a smashing city, with great characters, lots of variety and is a pretty hip place to live. I’m proud to tell people that I am Irish and I am from Dublin.

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    Mute joeythelad
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 7:02 PM

    If people cant see what I say when they go into town they must be blind

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 8:42 PM

    Remove beggers, bucket shakers and buskers. Then it would be much nicer.

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    Mute Catherine Mc
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 9:24 PM

    This it wouldn’t be Dublin !

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Nov 3rd 2015, 9:33 PM

    It would still be Dublin. Just without the harassment on the streets. It’s important to get rid of buskers and street performers too. It’s just begging via proxy. People should be forced to walk on the left on Grafton Street. Very annoying when you just need to get from A to B and Grafton Street is an obstacle course. Ban chewing gum all around the country too.

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    Mute Rathminder
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    Nov 4th 2015, 7:54 AM

    The audio was brilliant. Did the video need to begin with such dismal city scenes? Dublin is a city of golden light and great beauty as well as grey and dismal streets.

    2
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