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Thursday, 24 Jan 2013

Written Answers Nos 186-193

Ministerial Meetings

Questions (186)

Kevin Humphreys

Question:

186. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he or his officials met any representatives of the tobacco industry in the last six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3613/13]

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Written answers

Neither I nor any of my officials have met any representatives of the tobacco industry in the last six months.

Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Appeals

Questions (187)

John O'Mahony

Question:

187. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision on an appeal for disadvantaged area aid payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3635/13]

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Written answers

The appeal of the person named was recently forwarded to the DAS Appeals Committee for consideration; immediately that Committee has adjudicated on the appeal, the person concerned will be notified of its decision, in writing.

Rural Environment Protection Scheme Payments

Questions (188)

Dan Neville

Question:

188. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of REP scheme for 2012 will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [3701/13]

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Written answers

The person mentioned commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first four years of their contract. REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. These checks have now been completed in respect of the person named and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €4787.50 issued on 22nd January 2013. The balancing payment will issue shortly.

Youth Unemployment Measures

Questions (189)

Nicky McFadden

Question:

189. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way Ireland's EU Presidency programme can contribute to creating solutions to tackle the issue of youth unemployment; if she will expand on the concept of the role of youth work in supporting youth employment and the importance of quality standards in youth work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3492/13]

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Written answers

Ireland’s EU Presidency Programme focuses on stability, jobs and growth and this includes a priority objective on tackling youth employment. A range of relevant responses to the employment challenge are being pursued at European level through Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) and the Education Committee.

Youth employment is a theme which I will be contributing to during my Presidency of the EU Council of Youth Ministers through focusing on the potential of youth work and young people's engagement in youth activities and the way that learning complements more formalised systems of employment, education and training.

There is growing recognition across Europe of the potential of youth work services to enhance employability of young people, in particular for those not engaged in education, employment or training. In particular, recent European policy developments suggest that youth work has the potential to do more and has a special relevance for those young people who are marginalised from traditional systems of education, employment and training.

Youth Work (in its many manifestations – recreational, sporting, learning, volunteering) engages young people over a relatively long developmental period from ages 10 to 24 and beyond. It works for young people at their own pace. I see quality youth work as a commitment to continually ensuring and enhancing the optimum youth work provision and practice for youth people so that young people derive maximum benefit from their participation in youth work.

Ireland’s Youth Presidency Programme is seeking to maximise the potential of youth policy in addressing the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy and aims to highlight how youth policy, as expressed through quality youth work and youth activities, can do more to enhance a range of life skills including employability.

This priority theme will be advanced through the EU Youth Working Party’s work programme. I will invite the EU Youth Council in May 2013 to adopt Council Conclusions on the contribution of youth policy to addressing the goals Europe 2020, in particular, youth employment. These Conclusions will also be informed by the outcomes of the EU Youth Conference and Directors’ General of Youth meeting which I am hosting in Dublin from 11-13th March.

I also plan to host an expert round table event on quality youth work and its contribution to Europe 2020 and youth employment (20–21 June 2013, Dublin).

My Department is also working closely with the Departments of Education, Social Protection, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, to identify, in what ways, the youth sector can contribute to shared policy objectives to address youth employment.

Ministerial Meetings

Questions (190)

Kevin Humphreys

Question:

190. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she or her officials met any representatives of the tobacco industry in the last six months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3615/13]

View answer

Written answers

I have not met any representatives of the tobacco industry in the last six months, nor have any of my officials.

HSE Agency Staff Report

Questions (191)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

191. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he is in possession of the SIPTU report regarding the fiscal implications of the Health Service Executive hiring their own staff as against agency staff; if it is his intention to take any actions on foot of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3686/13]

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Written answers

I have not received the report in question and, accordingly, cannot comment on its contents.

Hospital Staff Issues

Questions (192)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

192. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to lift the embargo on non-nursing staff at St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3687/13]

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Written answers

The Government has decided that the numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. The health sector must make its contribution to that reduction. However, the HSE can make staff appointments once it remains within its overall employment ceiling and has the financial resources to do so. As the recruitment of non-nursing staff is a matter for the HSE in the first instance, the Deputy's enquiry has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Ambulance Service Provision

Questions (193)

Sandra McLellan

Question:

193. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health the level of ambulance cover to be provided in West Cork, limited to the four main towns; the hours per day to be covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3493/13]

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Written answers

In line with moves towards increased efficiencies in state services, as required by the Croke Park agreement, the HSE National Ambulance Service(NAS) has been moving, for some time, from on-call to on-duty rostering for the delivery of ambulance services.

In June 2011, following a Labour Court judgement (LCR 20002), the NAS put forward its plan for the phased elimination of on-call in the Southern Region. This plan began with elimination of on-call in East Cork and is currently moving across other regions in Cork. On-call rostering means the crew is not on active duty, but is summoned in the event of a call-out. Average time for vehicle activation from call-out is over 20 minutes. On-call is not an efficient or effective use of emergency resources and it significantly affects operational capacity, adherence to the Organisation of Working Time Act and health and safety for staff. A risk assessment for on-call has been carried out and is to be included on the NAS Risk Register. Discussions are also pending with the Health and Safety Authority on its concerns over the use of on-call.

The change to on-duty means highly trained paramedic crews will be on site in their stations or their vehicles to respond to dispatches immediately. The changes mean that resources can be deployed dynamically, based on need and demand patterns, rather than simply by station location. This allows for more flexibility and responsiveness and will produce better response times for the people in Cork and Kerry and a better service. In the new model of service, on duty ambulances and response vehicles will move to the optimal location at any time, based on predicted needs assessments.

The HSE has stated that it recognises the remote, rural location of West Cork and the proposed changes will be designed to suit the needs of this population. All of these measures will allow the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to provide a better, safer, more comprehensive and more efficient emergency ambulance service to the people of West Cork and to the Cork and Kerry region as a whole.

The details the Deputy has sought in relation to to the operational arrangements for each station are a matter for the HSE. Accordingly, this question has been forwarded to the HSE, who will reply directly to the Deputy.

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