Wednesday, 23 Jan 2013

Written Answers Nos. 240-8

Health Promotion Issues

Questions (240)

Damien English

Question:

240. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health further to parliamentary question 639 of 3 July 2012, when his Department will publish submissions made to second public consultation process on the Your Health Is Your Wealth - Health and Wellbeing Framework 2012-2010 which closed on 1 June 2012; if he has submitted the memorandum on the framework to Government; if he will publish this memorandum; if he will outline the expected timeline for the adoption of the Your Health is Your Wealth - Health and Wellbeing Framework 2012-2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3365/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Responses received in relation to the June 2012 follow up consultation questions will be published on the Department of Health website by the end of January. A Memorandum to Government on the Health and Wellbeing Framework is currently being prepared by my Department for consideration by Cabinet in the coming weeks. The Health and Wellbeing Framework will be published once agreed by Government.

Public Private Partnerships Expenditure

Questions (241)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

241. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Health if he or the Health Service Executive are involved in, or have any plans for involvement in, talks with potential investors regarding a public private partnership arrangement for the building of a new regional hospital for the north east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3378/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Neither I nor my Department have not been involved in any such talks and I am advised by the HSE that they have not had any contact with private investors or funders in relation to this matter. However, the HSE have advised that they have responded to a number of queries from private parties, mostly regarding property and suitability of sites/lands in the Navan area for such a purpose. They advise that all such parties would have been made aware of the mechanisms required to progress such a project and advised that the progression of such a project would require capital approval or approval to progress a public private partnership process which would be subject to the guidelines and procedures as set out by the Department of Finance.

Dental Services Provision

Questions (242)

Jack Wall

Question:

242. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is the holder of a valid medical card and has been diagnosed with a dental disease, are they entitled to have treatment under the dental treatment services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3389/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Dental Treatment Service Scheme (DTSS) provides access to dental treatment for adult medical card holders. The HSE prioritises for treatment patients with special needs, high risk patients and those who have greater clinical needs. A free oral examination every calendar year and free emergency dental treatment with a focus on relief of pain and sepsis are available to all eligible patients.

The HSE has been asked to examine the individual case referred to by the Deputy and reply to him as soon as possible.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (243)

Michelle Mulherin

Question:

243. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; when it will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3390/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff Issues

Questions (244)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

244. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of applications received as of 17 January 2012 for the new nurse/midwife graduate programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3398/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE is proceeding with arrangements to commence the Graduate Nurse Placement Initiative. The recruitment process for Phase 1 for registered general nurses and covering the Acute Hospital setting and the Community commenced on 11 January, with the first of the appointments to be in place by the end of February 2013.

On 16 January, the HSE announced that it had extended the scope of this scheme to encompass nurses and midwives who graduated in 2010 and 2011, in addition to 2012 graduates, and applications are now being invited on this basis. It is not considered appropriate to disclose the number of applications received while a public service recruitment competition is in progress. I will ask the HSE to reply to the Deputy when the numbers become available. Applications under Phase 2 of this initiative, which will cover Mental Health, Intellectual Disability, Midwifery and Paediatrics, will be invited from February 2013.

Building Regulations Amendments

Questions (245)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

245. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to introduce the mandatory installation of carbon monoxide detectors into all public buildings, businesses and homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3424/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The installation of Carbon Monoxide detectors in buildings is currently being examined in the review of Part J of the Building Regulations. This review is being carried out by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

HSE Staff Remuneration

Questions (246)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

246. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons working in the health system in the public service and under the current Croke Park Agreement, who have salaries between €70,000 and €80,000, between €80,000 and €90,000, between €90,000 and €100,000, and over €100,000; the total number of personnel working across all sections of health in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3432/13]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The numbers employed in the health service have been reduced from over 111,000 at end-December 2008 to 101,519 at end-November 2012. In addition, salary scales for all health service grades have been reduced in line with Government decisions.

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy with the detailed information requested.

Health Services Issues

Questions (247)

Jack Wall

Question:

247. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if assistance will be made available in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3440/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Question No. 248 answered with Question No. 224.