Written Answers Nos. 226-233
226. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the way he intends to deliver on the reduction of fees payable to health professionals of some €70 million as outlined in the Health Service national plan 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2261/13]
View answerOn Budget Day, it was announced that the fees/allowances payable to certain health professionals will be reviewed. The professionals concerned are General Practitioners, Pharmacists, Dentists, Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians who hold contracts with the HSE, Smeartakers contracted under the CervicalCheck programme and Consultant Psychiatrists who hold contracts with the Mental Health Commission.
On 13th December 2012, the Department of Health placed a notice in the National newspapers and on the Department’s website advising that a Review under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 of payments to the above health professionals was being carried out. The notice stated that: The Minister has determined that a consultation process shall commence on 13th December 2012 and shall be completed by 11th January 2013; the Minister invites interested parties to provide written submissions to assist in his deliberations on these matters; the review shall encompass, but is not confined to, fees and allowances which have been reduced previously under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009; submissions should be sent by e-mail or post to the Department of Health to arrive not later than 5:30pm on Friday 4th January 2013.
The consultation process ended on Friday 11th January 2013. Following careful consideration of submissions made during the review and having due regard to Section 9 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009, the Minister for Health will decide whether any reductions in fees/allowances will be made, and, if so, the scale of reductions that would be fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Should the Minister decide that reductions are warranted, Regulations will be made under the FEMPI Act with the approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
227. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the way the waiting list for NHSS will be administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2262/13]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme is a demand-led, resource capped system of financial support for individuals who are assessed as requiring long-term nursing home care. The total gross budget for long-term residential care was €994.7m in 2012. The final budget for 2013 will not be available until the Revised Estimates for Public Services are published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The HSE operates a national placement list to enable it to operate within the budget for the Scheme. All applicants who are approved for funding are put on the placement list in chronological order by the date of determination of their application. Funding issues to applicants in this chronological order to ensure equity nationally. Funding is currently being released on a weekly basis.
The 2013 Service Plan sets a target of 22,761 people to be in receipt of financial support at end 2013. This would be an increase on the current position and allows for growth in 2013. Approvals will continue to be granted and the position will be kept under constant weekly review. The HSE is already monitoring the Scheme on a weekly basis and has demonstrated its ability to manage this process effectively.
228. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the way the money follows the patient programme as outlined in the Health Service national plan 2013 will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2263/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to introducing a prospective based "Money Follows the Patient" (MFTP) funding system whereby each patient would be funded on an individual basis. The introduction of this funding system is a critical stepping stone in the path to universal health insurance.
Under MFTP providers will be paid for the needs they address, the quantity and quality of the services they provide and the outcomes they deliver, rather than being in receipt of a historical block grant allocation. They will be liberated, subject to overall budgetary ceilings, to pursue the most cost-effective means of achieving this standard of performance.
It is intended that MFTP funding will commence on a shadow basis in 2013. A detailed policy paper on MFTP which outlines policy and implementation proposals has been developed. I am currently considering this paper and I intend to seek Government approval to publish it for consultation with key stakeholders in the coming weeks.
229. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide by Department/agency basis the number of persons who are seeking transfers to other locations; the number of transfers that took place in 2012 on a county basis on the number of transfers that took place in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2750/13]
View answerThe number of staff from my Department seeking transfers to other locations cannot be confirmed as staff can apply directly for transfers through the Central Applications Facility and also can seek to arrange transfers on a Head to Head basis with staff from other Departments. The Department may only become aware of the request when an offer is made through the Central Applications Facility or a proposal for a Head to Head transfer is submitted to the Personnel Officer.
However, I can confirm that one staff member has applied for a transfer to County Louth and three staff members transferred to Counties Meath, Louth and Cork in 2012.
The information in respect of the Non-Commercial State Agencies is currently being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available. 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.
230. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reasons that an application from County Tipperary under the sports capital programme for 2012 was deemed to be invalid (details supplied); if he will confirm the maximum funding amount available through this programme; if he will confirm the county budget as alluded to; if he will reconsider this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2269/13]
View answerIn the guide to filling out the 2012 Sports Capital Programme application form applicants were advised that in assessing applications, the Department would consider if a project was realistic in terms of scale, costs and grant assistance sought and that funding would be allocated to local club/school and community projects based on a combination of factors including population, the quality of applications received, geographical balance and the need to provide a variety of different sports facilities. Based on population and generous previous funding the total available for county Tipperary was €855,000.
The project proposed by the applicant referred to by the Deputy would have required approximately 35% of the budget for the whole county and the Department took a view that this was unrealistically high given the overall budget for the county. In County Tipperary 30 local projects were allocated grants and the maximum value of a single grant was €67,000. If the project referred to by the Deputy was to be funded it would have necessitated not funding several other worthwhile projects.
All of the money available for allocations under 2012 SCP has been allocated.
231. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a grant application made to his Department for road works to be completed in the Strand area of Youghal, County Cork and when a decision will issue. [2135/13]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads are a matter, for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority. The National Roads Authority (NRA) on behalf of my Department issued a circular in July last year to all local authorities inviting applications in respect of regional and local roads for consideration for funding in 2013 under the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme. Cork County Council submitted 21 projects for consideration for funding in 2013 and included in their submission was an application for funding for works on R634 Youghal Road. All applications are being considered having regard to the eligibility criteria, the need to prioritise projects, competing demands from other local authorities and the funding available for this grant in 2013.
I will announce the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations in due course.
232. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding funding in respect of a club (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [2165/13]
View answerThe club referred to by the Deputy applied for a grant under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme.
As the club do not appear to either own or have a long lease to the land where the proposed development was to be located, the only alternative was for the applicant to submit a joint application with the school who own the land. The applicant did not provide the documentation necessary for a joint application with the school and therefore the application had to be deemed invalid.
A letter setting out the reasons why the application was deemed invalid has been sent to the club contact. If the club requires any more information or clarification they should contact the Sports Capital Programmes Unit of my Department in Killarney.
The 2012 Sports Capital Programme is now closed and all the monies under this round have been allocated.
233. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide by Department/Agency basis the number of persons who are seeking transfers to other locations; the number of transfers that took place in 2012 on a county basis on the number of transfers that took place in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2754/13]
View answerThe Department currently has two internal requests for transfer to other locations and the number of transfers that took place in 2012 are as set out in the following table:
|
Number |
County From |
County To |
|
6 |
Dublin |
Dublin |
|
4 |
Dublin |
Kildare |
|
2 |
Clare |
Limerick |
|
1 |
Clare |
Clare |
|
1 |
Kerry |
Cork |
I forwarded your request to the agencies under my aegis. If you do not receive a reply within ten working days please contact my private office.
