Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 4

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

128 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of ad hoc advisory groups in relation to policy or implementation established in his Department; the number of statutory committees; the number of other permanent groups; the number of interdepartmental groups; the cost of each in a full year; and the cost of individual advisers in the same period. [8593/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Heart/Lung Transplantation Consultative Group: cost, £5,370 in 1998. Adviser: Ms Phil Shevlin – cost, £9,984, from 1 October 1998 to 30 September 1999.

Cardiovascular Health Strategy Group: cost, £2,587 in 1998. Adviser: Dr. Emer Shelley – cost £17,000, for six months.

National Breast Screening Steering Committee: cost, £11,027.69 in 1998.

Health Technology Assessment: each agency represented meets its own expenses.

Health Care Materials Management Board: each agency meets its own expenses.

Joint Department of Health and Children/Health Board Service Plans Group: each agency represented meets its own expenses.

The National Ambulance Advisory Council: no costs other than travel and subsistence.

National Committee for Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis: there are no costs relating to this committee.

Working Group on Bacterial Meningitis: there are no costs relating to this group.

National Tuberculosis Committee: any costs arising relate to travel and subsistence. Payments in 1998 amount to £234.96.

Expert Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening: administrative support/running costs for the committee cost £30,500 in 1998.

Advisory Group on Primary Childhood Immunisation: there are no costs relating to this group.

Interdepartmental Working Group on Green Paper on Abortion: there are no costs involved.

Nursing Education Forum: annual cost, £100,000.

National Consultative Committee on Health Promotion: no costs in 1998.

Women's Health Council: cost in 1998, £75,000.

National Cancer Forum: no costs other than travel and subsistence. The special adviser to my Department on cancer services is currently paid £15,000 per annum.

Comhairle na Nimheanna (the Poisons Council): no cost

The Advisory Committee on Human Medicines: no cost to Department. Costs borne by Irish Medicines Board.

The Advisory Committee on Veterinary Medicines: no cost to Department. Costs borne by Irish Medicines Board.

The National AIDS Strategy Committee (NASC): under this committee the following sub-committees and groups operate – (a) The care and management sub-committee of NASC, (b) The surveillance sub-committee of NASC, (c) The education and prevention sub-committee of NASC, (d) The discrimination sub-committee of NASC, (e) Committee to oversee the establishment of routine antenatal HIV testing and (f) The regional AIDS co-ordinators from each of the eight health boards meet every few months to keep up to date on implementation of policy in relation to HIV/AIDS. Involvement on committees is on a voluntary basis and there are no fees paid to members.

The Methadone Prescribing Implementation Committee: Costs associated with it are absorbed by (a) the drug treatment centre, which hosts the meetings and provides the secretariat and (b) members of the committee whose time is approved by their parent organisation or, in the case of one member who is a pharmacist, who provides his time on an unpaid voluntary basis.

The Early Warning System on New Synthetic Drugs Committee: there are no costs or fees paid to members.

Dental Treatment Services Scheme: no costs other than travel and subsistence costs.

Audiology Working Group: no costs. This group has made its report and is no longer extant.

Traveller Health Advisory Committee and Physical and Sensory Disabilities Database Development Committee: neither of these committees has been operating for a full year.

Consultative Council on hepatitis C: cost, £82,367 in 1998.

Expert Group on hepatitis C: cost, £3,100 in 1998.

National Blood User's Group: no cost to date.

The Health Service Euro Changeover Group: no costs involved.

National Intellectual Disability Database Committee: no costs involved.

Expert Group on Viagra: no costs involved.

Group examining the introduction of the new Drug Payment Scheme: no costs involved.

Medical Manpower Forum: cost to end 1998, £35,000.

Advisory Committee on the Foreign Adoption Assessment Consultancy: no costs other than travel and subsistence.

Working Group to Review the Child Abuse Guidelines: costs in 1998, £12,292.22.

Three Man Group to assist Tallaght Hospital Board: approximate cost in 1999, £25,000.