Regina Doherty
Question:469. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason applications for leave of absence have been stopped; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40587/12]
View answerHealth Services Staff Issues
Questions (469)
Written answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Health Services Staff Issues
Questions (470)
Regina Doherty
Question:470. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a member of staff leaves the health service and then returns, if their term of service and grade remain on record, or are they considered as a new recruit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40588/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Departmental Staff Data
Questions (471)
Regina Doherty
Question:471. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Health if his Department still grants leave of absence; and if not, the reason this is not considered as a neutral cost saving exercise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40598/12]
View answerWritten answers
My department is prepared to consider applications from staff members for career breaks within parameters that apply across the Civil Service . Such applications are assessed individually based on the merits of each case.
Hospital Appointments Administration
Questions (472)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:472. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment at Cork University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40608/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Health Services Provision
Questions (473)
Emmet Stagg
Question:473. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 695 of 14 February 2012, if he will report further on the process in introducing a pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40610/12]
View answerWritten answers
It has not been possible to progress this issue in the manner previously proposed principally due to resource issues. However, my Department intends at the earliest opportunity to explore with the HSE alternative possibilities in this regard.
Question No. 474 answered with Question No. 395.
Medical Card Applications
Questions (475)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:475. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if he will approve a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40635/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services Provision
Questions (476)
Finian McGrath
Question:476. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will support a case of a person (details supplied) [40723/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Health Services Expenditure
Questions (477)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:477. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the total cost of taxi services and other private transport services paid for by the Health Service Executive for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012; if he will provide a breakdown of same based on year, HSE region and reason for service [40725/12]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Health Services Expenditure
Questions (478)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:478. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure by his Department and the Health Service Executive on room and venue hire for the years 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; and if he will provide a breakdown of same by year, HSE region and event type [40726/12]
View answerWritten answers
The information in respect of my Department is currently being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available. With regard to the Health Service Executive the question has been forwarded to the Parliamentary Affairs Division for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
HSE Staff Responsibilities
Questions (479)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:479. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of administration, clerical and management staff employed by the Health Service Executive and his Department on 1 June 2012; and if he will provide a breakdown of same based on HSE region, grade and work location [40727/12]
View answerWritten answers
The information in respect of my Department is detailed in the following table:
|
1st June 2012 |
|
|
GRADE |
No. of Staff |
|
Secretary General |
1 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
5 |
|
Chief Medical Officer |
1 |
|
Principal Officer |
26 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
79 |
|
Administrative Officer |
10 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
77 |
|
Executive Officer |
57 |
|
Staff Officer |
10 |
|
Clerical Officer |
65 |
|
Senior Statistician |
1 |
|
Legal Advisor |
1 |
|
Press Advisor |
1 |
|
Special Advisors to the Minister |
2 |
|
Personal Secretary to the Minister |
2 |
|
Personal Assistant to the Minister |
3 |
|
Health Promotion Policy Advisor |
1 |
|
Chief Environmental Health Officer |
1 |
|
Deputy Chief Medical Officer |
3 |
|
Advisory Counsel Grade III |
2 |
|
Professional Accountant Grade 1 |
1 |
|
Statistician |
2 |
With regard to the Health Service Executive, they have been asked to collate the data sought as soon as possible and it will be provided directly to the Deputy by them when available.
Health Services Expenditure
Questions (480)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:480. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the total cost of rents paid by the Health Service Executive and his Department for the period 2010 to 2012 inclusive; if he will provide a breakdown of same by year, HSE region and purpose of expenditure [40728/12]
View answerWritten answers
Management of the Health Service Executive property portfolio is a service matter. Therefore your question has been referred to the Executive for direct reply.
In relation to my Department, the position with regard to the total cost of rents paid for the period 2010 to 2012 inclusive is as follows:
|
Premises |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 to end September |
|
Irish Life Building |
€98,500 |
€98,500 |
€73,875 |
|
Ormond Quay |
Nil |
€48,000 |
€36,000 |
Irish Life Building, Block D: Formerly accommodated the Office of the Disability Appeals Officer. This office is now located within my Department’s Headquarters.
1 Ormond Quay Lower: Formerly accommodated the Irish Council for Bioethics. This lease was signed by the Council when it was still a separate corporate entity. As part of the winding up of this entity, my Department absorbed the staff on a secondment basis and took on the lease on Ormond Quay.
My Department is actively seeking an alternative use for these premises for the remainder of their leases.
Road Safety Issues
Questions (481, 482)
Robert Dowds
Question:481. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will outline the law in relation to cyclists wearing safety helmets. [40554/12]
View answerRobert Dowds
Question:482. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will consider making the wearing of safety helmets mandatory for all cyclists. [40555/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together.
At the present the Road Traffic Acts do not provide for the wearing of helmets by cyclists. There has been much debate in recent times relating to the wearing of helmets by cyclists and whether or not such wearing should be made compulsory. The consensus of those bodies concerned with road safety has been that the wearing of helmets by cyclists is best promoted on a voluntary basis by way of educational and publicity campaigns, such as those undertaken by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), rather than to impose a legal requirement with consequent prosecutions and penalties for contravention, particularly in the case of minors.
Cycling Facilities
Questions (483)
Brian Walsh
Question:483. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update in relation to the proposed public bike scheme in Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40051/12]
View answerWritten answers
My Department remains committed to exploring a range of mechanisms to seek to secure public bikes schemes in other cities in the state, building on the success of the Dublin Bikes scheme. While schemes in other cities are technically feasible, their commercial viability would require a collaborative approach with the private sector. Funding provision to meet the capital investment costs of the roll-out of public bikes in other cities has been identified within the 5-year capital funding allocation for Smarter Travel and Carbon Reduction Measures. However, operational funding is not available from within the constrained current funding allocation.
My Department, in seeking a means to progress the City Bikes Scheme, is currently exploring, along with the National Transport Authortiy, the launching of an “expressions of interest” in scheme sponsorship procedure to further the process of engagement with potential private sector funding.
Road Safety Authority Staff
Questions (484, 485, 486)
Paschal Donohoe
Question:484. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the numbers currently employed as staff with the Roads Safety Authority both on the administrative and non-administrative sections of the authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40057/12]
View answerPaschal Donohoe
Question:485. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the policy of the Roads Safety Authority in respects of re-hiring retired testers; the numbers currently being re-hired by the authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40058/12]
View answerPaschal Donohoe
Question:486. Deputy Paschal Donohoe asked the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the amount that was paid in compensation to Roads Safety Authority testers in respect of OUTS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40059/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 to 486, inclusive, together.
The matters addressed in these questions are matters for the Road Safety Authority, and I have referred them to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.