Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
104 Mr. English asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the training and education courses which exist for voluntary carers who are caring for elderly persons, persons with a long-term illness and persons with disabilities; if she has plans for this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31773/04]
View answer108 Mr. Perry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the funding which is available for training and education facilities for voluntary carers who are caring for the elderly, persons with a long-term illness and persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31774/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 108 together.
Considerable progress has been made in recent years in improving the situation of informal family carers. My Department, in recognition of the valuable service rendered by them, has made available additional financial allocations to the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority, for the purpose of supplying specific help to such carers, by way of provision of a respite grant and assistance in the home such as nurse, care attendants or home help. This funding also covers the cost of training programmes. My Department also provides separate financial assistance to the Carer's Association, Caring for Carers and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, by way of core funding which, in 2003 amounted to €1,884,936 and in 2004 will amount to approximately €2,017,714. A proportion of this provides support to carers, including training programmes.
105 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress made to date with regard to implementation of the recommendations of the Hanly Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31567/04]
View answerThe Government is committed to developing acute hospital services in a way that will command the confidence of people throughout the country. While implementation of some of the proposals in the report of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing has been hampered by continuing industrial action by hospital consultants, work on the other elements of the proposals is progressing. Detailed assessments have been prepared of the service and resource implications of the forthcoming reduction in non-consultant hospital doctors' working hours in each health agency. Negotiations with the Irish Medical Organisation on the reduction in non-consultant hospital doctors' hours required under the European Working Time Directive are continuing in the Labour Relations Commission. Local implementation groups have been established in eight hospitals as part of an agreed pilot process.
The medical education and training sub-group of the national task force has remained in place. I have asked the group to examine and report to me on the measures required to accommodate non-consultant hospital doctors' training in all postgraduate programmes and safeguard both training and service delivery during the transition to a 48-hour working week, which is required under the European working time directive by August 2009. The group has agreed a joint approach to training with the medical training bodies and the Medical Council, and has provided formal advice on the provision of medical education and training in a 58-hour working week.
