Lack of joined up thinking is a barrier to nursing home residents renting out their home

In Blog, Families, Infrastructure by Denis Naughten

Every year up to 4,500 people leave behind an empty home when they enter long-term nursing home care. Yet despite the unprecedented demand for rental accommodation just 400 of these homes are leased out.   There is something wrong when so few of these homes are leased out, particularly when the State places a financial charge against the value of …

We need real action to address housing crisis

In Blog, Families, Infrastructure by Denis Naughten

My Regional Independent colleagues and I met last night and put the following eight asks to Government on the housing issue taht would make a real difference to the current crisis. My position on the Private Members vote on housing tomorrow evening and the proposed no confidence vote will be dependent on the Government’s response. The objective behind our eight …

Parliament must use science to provide solutions to wicked problems

In Blog, Science, Science by Denis Naughten

This week I attended the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly where I addressed the issue of practical problem solving. Here is what I said: Report of the IPU Working Group on Science and Technology to the Governing Council 146th IPU Assembly– Item 14 (j) of the 211th session of the Governing Council 15 March watch it here: https://youtu.be/nHgK22bYRhE Thank you, Mr. President. On …

Update on Mater Hospital long COVID clinic

In Blog, Health by Denis Naughten

Last November, I raised the issue of access to long COVID clinics with An Taoiseach and specifically the imminent closure of the clinic at the Mater Hospital. (see video below) I have now received the following response from Minister Donnelly:   From: Ministers Office <noreplymo-health@corr.cloud.gov.ie> Sent: 23 February 2023 17:55 To: Denis Naughten <Denis.Naughten@oireachtas.ie> Subject: HEA-MO-12080-2022   HEA-MO-12080-2022 23rd February …

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

In Blog, Science by Denis Naughten

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science Did you know that 44% of all scientists in Ireland are female?   Today, Saturday 11th February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and  Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office  has published figures which show that nearly 41 per cent of all scientists in the EU are female …

Apply for the Fuel Allowance

In Blog by Denis Naughten

With the income limits for the fuel allowance increased from 1st January –   I’m asking you to Help make a difference this Christmas by assisting a pensioner, and those on the half rate cares allowance or disablement benefit to apply   Denis   Fuel Allowance From 1st January 2023, the following changes will apply to how income is assessed …

First national poll on long COVID

In Blog, Health by Denis Naughten

Access the data behind the very first poll of adults in Ireland on self-reported symptoms of long COVID by leading polling company, Ireland Thinks, which I commissioned.  Long Covid Poll Data I commissioned this research to get an indication of the scale of the long COVID issue because the health services in Ireland have failed to do so. In fact, the …

We cannot ignore long Covid any longer

In Blog by Denis Naughten

Long Covid is not just a problem for sufferers and unless we have the right response in place then it could cause problems for everyone on a hospital waiting list, as well as society in general.   Long Covid is a condition recognised by the World Health Organisation with common symptoms including tiredness, shortness of breath and brain fog among …

Government want families to pay to cover up their mistakes on electricity supplies

In Blog by Denis Naughten

The Governments proposed law to force families to pay for 450MW of electricity generators is ” the chickens coming home to roost Bill”. None of what is in this proposed law  should come as a surprise to anyone, particularly anyone in government because over a long number of years they have been made well aware of the issues we are …