Written Answers Nos. 627-646
627. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has previously received payment for maintenance of an NHA in their REP scheme 1 no longer receives payment in this regard; and if he will consider providing financial assistance to them on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4325/13]
View answerThe person named received payments for maintenance of a National Heritage Area during their participation in REPS 3. However, the regulations regarding NHA’s changed for REPS 4 participants and ‘proposed lands’ were not eligible for payment under REPS 4. The person mentioned commenced REPS 4 in January 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. Following the administrative check an area discrepancy was discovered between the Single Payment Scheme application for 2012 and the REPS agri-environmental Plan which has resulted in the necessity for further clarification. This issue is currently being investigated with the intention of an early resolution and payment in respect of 2012.
628. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will undertake to set a quota for the catching of bass by Irish fishermen in Irish waters. [4436/13]
View answerIrish vessels are currently precluded from landing Sea Bass under the Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 230 of 2006) and the Bass (Restriction on Sale) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 367 of 2007). The complete ban for the commercial fishing of sea bass applies to Irish fishing vessels in all areas. These regulations were introduced as a co-ordinated set of measures with the Sea Bass Fishing Conservation bylaws. The by-laws impose a bag limit on anglers of two bass in any one period of 24 hours and a ban on angling for bass during the spawning season, from 15th May to 15th June in any given year. These measures have been in place since 1990 and were introduced arising from the dramatic decline of sea bass stocks in the 1970’s. Bass in Irish waters are a slow growing fish and, at a recruitment age of roughly 5 years, are late maturing fish. The distribution of bass around Europe is found mainly in southern waters, including the inshore waters of the south west of England and the English Channel. It is farmed extensively in Mediterranean waters.
The Marine Institute carried out an annual bass survey between the years 1996 and 2007. This survey validates previous research on the species and indicates that the stock of bass in Ireland’s inshore waters remains greatly depleted since the 1960s and 1970s. No reliable assessment is currently available for European sea bass in the north east Atlantic. ICES considers that a precautionary reduction of catches should be implemented. ICES gave advice for European sea bass stocks in September 2012. This advice states that commercial catches should be subject to a 20% reduction on landings in relation to the 2008-2010 average catch. ICES have also stated that management of sea bass fisheries need to take into account the distinctive characteristics and economic value of the different fisheries. Sea bass is of high social and economic value to large inshore fleets and to sea angling and recreational angling that contribute substantially to local communities.
There is a need to conduct scientific research on the biology and dynamics of sea bass in Irish waters. The Marine Institute have secured funding to start a PhD project on sea bass that will focus on the stock structure of Irish sea bass (what is their relationship to English Channel and Bay of Biscay stocks) and on the movements of sea bass off the south coast and into the Celtic Sea. This work will address clear knowledge gaps in the sea bass, but results will not be available until at least 2015.
The EU Commission indicated last year that it was considering introducing Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for seabass in specified fisheries management areas stretching from the North Sea down to waters off the coasts of Spain and Portugal for 2013. The Commission did not proceed with that proposal. The EU Commission had indicated that it proposed to use track record of landings of seabass by Member States fleets to establish each Member States shares of the TACs. As Ireland has implemented a complete closure of the commercial seabass fishery since 1990, under this methodology it would not receive any quota. I consider that it is unacceptable that the Irish fleet would not benefit from a share out of these fisheries because of the responsible approach taken to protect and rebuild the stock around Ireland. I made the case at the Fisheries Council and to the Commission that an alternative method of establishing access to the fisheries should be developed that allows Irish fishermen fishing opportunities for sustainable stocks of seabass in areas where the Irish fleet would operate. The EU Commission has not yet advised if it intends to pursue a TAC and quota regime for seabass for 2014. In that context, I will continue to press Ireland’s case at EU Fisheries Council meetings where the topic is discussed. I will consider management arrangements for seabass when and if Council decides on TACs and quotas for the relevant stocks.
629. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 524 of 18 December 2012, the position regarding an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4530/13]
View answerI can confirm that an appeal has been received from the person named and it is being examined. The applicant will be informed of the outcome in writing when the process has been completed.
630. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a REP scheme and single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [4551/13]
View answerThe person mentioned commenced REPS 4 in December 2007 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 mentioned and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €5797.89 issued for payment on 28th January 2013. The balancing 25% Year 5 payment will also issue shortly.
An application under the Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 12 April 2012; however there is no entitlement to payment under the scheme. The person named is also claiming payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and has not received payment due to insufficient stocking density. The person named had less than the required 0.15 average stocking density for the year.
631. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the single farm payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [4559/13]
View answerIn relation to the Single Payment Scheme, my Department received two applications for the transfer of entitlements to the person named. One application was received in March 2012 and the other in May 2012. One application was to transfer 0.6 entitlements by way of gift to the person named and the other was to transfer 0.5 entitlements by way of sale to the person named. Both of these applications were processed and an advance payment issued to the person named on 16th October 2012 with a balancing payment on 3rd December 2012.
The person named also submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2012 National Reserve. The 2012 National Reserve caters for farmers who commenced farming after 17th May, 2010. Applicants are required to meet certain criteria with regard to income limits and educational qualifications. Off-farm income cannot exceed €30,000 and total income, including farm income, cannot exceed €40,000. Applicants must also have obtained a FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture or its equivalent. The green certificate in farming is regarded as equivalent for this purpose. The person named was deemed ineligible as she does not hold the necessary farming qualification. However, payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the bank account of the person named on 17 December 2012.
632. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the reduction in the Budget for the School Completion Programme for 2012 and 2013 which is designed to retain young people in education and to improve children’s participation and attendance in school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4165/13]
View answerThe School Completion Programme (SCP) aims to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and to generally improve the school attendance, participation and retention of its target cohort. The SCP is one of three service strands, which also includes the Home School Community Liaison and the Education Welfare Service, being integrated under the remit of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). The SCP is a key programme under the Department of Education and Skills' DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) action plan.
I wish to inform the Deputy that €26.456m is being allocated to the programme in 2013. The allocation is in line with the proposals in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure for savings in the SCP for the years 2012-2014. In September 2012, the Local Management Committee responsible for each SCP project was notified that a reduction on last year’s allocation would apply for the coming academic cycle. The full year budget for the SCP was confirmed earlier than in previous years to assist local committees to effectively refine programmes and deliver targeted interventions within budget.
Each Committee was requested to review its Retention Plan to support young people, who are at risk of educational disadvantage, to remain in education and to finalise a programme of supports to effectively target available resources to meet local needs. Projects were advised to examine all elements of expenditure and to seek to reduce costs and achieve efficiencies while prioritising evidence based services to support children’s educational outcomes. The NEWB, which is responsible for the operational management and direction of the SCP, has assisted each local project in the process of reviewing its planned programme. The NEWB continues to work closely with management committees, schools and local SCP co-ordinators to ensure student supports are tailored to meet local needs.
The adjustment identified in CRE for 2013 and 2014 will be further considered in the context of a review of the programme to be undertaken in 2013. This review will address the potential to achieve greater consistency in programme delivery, administration and other costs amongst the 124 local SCP projects and related initiatives. A core objective of the review will be to ensure that available funds are appropriately targeted to support those pupils most at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving.
633. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the support available for the establishment of childcare including community childcare and in particular the costs for operators towards renting facilities for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3766/13]
View answerCapital funding grants were available to both community and commercial child care providers in the years between 2000 and 2008 for the development and refurbishment of child care facilities, with approximately €425 million being invested during this period. However, because of the economic situation, a review of capital expenditure was undertaken in 2009 and a decision was taken not to approve any further capital grant applications for new developments under the capital programmes.
In Budget 2012 the Government provided €6 million for remedial, maintenance, and renovation work in established child care facilities and to assist these facilities to purchase equipment for early education and child care services. This funding has been allocated. A capital allocation of €3.25m for child care facilities is available to my Department in 2013, and I am currently considering how this allocation can best be utilised for the benefit of the child care sector. Established child care services can apply to participate in three child care support programmes which are currently implemented by my Department. These include two targeted child care support programmes - the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme - and the universal Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme.
The CCS programme provides funding to community-based child care services to enable them to provide child care at reduced rates to low-income and disadvantaged parents. This programme is currently closed to new applicants, unless the service applying is a position to replace an existing service which has opted out of the programme. Both community and commercial child care providers can apply to participate in the CETS programme, which provides €145 towards the weekly cost of full time child care places for approved FÁS and VEC trainees and students, and the ECCE programme, which provides one free pre-school year to all eligible children in the year before commencing primary school. It is expected that the new after-school programme, which was announced in Budget 2013, will be open to both community and commercial child care providers.
634. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the assistance and supports available from her Department to a group of young persons (details supplied) in County Limerick who wish to set up a youth club. [3858/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €51.423m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Funding of over €1m is provided by my Department, through Vocational Education Committees (VEC’s), to approximately 1,600 youth clubs under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. Details of the scheme are available from the Youth Officer in Co. Limerick VEC and the Youth Club referred to by the Deputy should contact the Youth Officer directly for advice and support at the following address:- Youth Officer, Co Limerick VEC, Marshal House, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick, Tel: 061-442100.
635. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding Irish citizens adopting children from Florida, USA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3935/13]
View answerA delegation from the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) made an official visit to the US State Department in Washington in 2012. Following this visit administrative arrangements in relation to intercountry adoption between the United States of America and Ireland were drafted by the AAI and the Authority informs me that it expects to finalise these arrangements in the near future.
636. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the new legislation to move the Family Support Agency into the Child and Family Support Agency will come before the Oireachtas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4119/13]
View answerThe Task Force on the establishment of the Child and Family Support Agency reported in July 2012. The work of the Task Force informed the development of detailed legislative proposals to Government, covering a range of areas including the function and services to be overseen by the Agency, governance structures and implementation arrangements. Arising out of these proposals, the Government approved the Heads of the Child and Family Support Agency Bill and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The Agency will encompass services which are currently the responsibility of three separate agencies; namely the HSE, the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board. Drafting of the Child and Family Support Agency Bill is under way, in line with the policy decisions of Government. This legislation will be published, presented to the Oireachtas and debated at the earliest opportunity.
637. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding a case in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; the reason, due to an anomaly within the adoption system, a mother is required to adopt their own natural daughter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4222/13]
View answerUnder adoption legislation, when a child is registered on the Register of Adoption the child is deemed to be the fully legal child of the adoptive parent/couple, having exactly the same legal status as any biological child of the couple born to them within their marriage. In effect, once an adoption takes place, all previous links to the birth family are severed and the adopted person is considered part of the adopted family. In the case of step-parent adoptions, it is therefore necessary for the birth mother to adopt her child as part of the adoption process. I am currently examining this issue to see what options are available to address this issue.
638. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with reference to the public service reform document published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on 17 November 2011, Appendix IIa, Bodies to be rationalised, Amalgamated or Abolished in 2012, the progress that has been made on those bodies; the changes that require legislation; the expected timeframe for conclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4282/13]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO).
In July 2011, the Government decided that the Family Mediation Service should transfer from the Family Support Agency to the Legal Aid Board. This is in line with the Government’s commitment to facilitate the use of mediation in family disputes in order to speed up the legal process, reduce costs and ameliorate the stress of contested court proceedings. On foot of the Government decision, the Family Support Agency established a transition project team to transfer 45 individuals, or 24.29 WTEs, in some 16 locations throughout the country and an annual allocation of almost €3m to the Legal Aid Board. On 26th October 2011, the Minister for Justice and Equality signed the commencement order for Part 16 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 which gave effect to the transfer from 1st November 2011. This transfer was noted in the DPER public service document referred to by the Deputy.
I can inform the Deputy that the FSA is due to be merged with the new Child and Family Support Agency (CFSA) which will be established this year. The National Educational Welfare Board is also due to be merged with the CFSA. Legislation for the establishment of the CFSA is being prepared by my Department as a matter of priority. It is anticipated that the Bill will be published and enacted in the course of this session and it is my intention that the CFSA will assume statutory responsibility for services for children and families in 2013.
The potential benefits of merging the back office functions of the Ombudsman for Children's Office into the Ombudsman/Information Commissioner's Office also mentioned in the DPER public service reform document are currently being examined. It should be noted that following enactment of the Child Care Amendment Act 2011 the Children's Act Advisory Board was subsequently dissolved by means of the commencement by the Minister of Health of Part 6 of the Child Amendment Act 2011.
639. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will instruct the Health Service Executive to immediately start quick re-assessments of couples in possession of a pre-Hague declaration, Article 63 declarations, in view of the fact that it takes more than eight months in some cases to move from assessment to declaration and some applicants only have 10 months left to the expiration of 370 declaration; if she will instruct the Adoption Authority of Ireland not to stop issuing the Article 17 for adoptions from Thailand in view of the fact that there are still 10 families left on the waiting list for Thailand adoptions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4324/13]
View answerIn order to effect an intercountry adoption, prospective adoptive parents must hold a valid declaration of eligibility and suitability on the day of the Court judgement in the country of origin where the adoption is taking place. All declarations of eligibility and suitability issued under Section 63 of the Adoption Act, 2010, expire on 31 October 2013. However, following discussions between the Adoption Authority and the Health Service Executive, the latter have agreed that prospective adopters can apply for a new assessment 6 months prior to the lapsing of their original declaration. Therefore, from the 1st of April 2013 applicants holding a Section 63 declaration can apply to the HSE under Section 37 of the Adoption Act, 2010, for an assessment of eligibility and suitability to adopt.
Following assessment by the HSE, the Adoption Authority may issue a Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability under Section 40 of the Adoption Act, 2010. This Declaration will be valid for two years from the date of issue. The AAI and HSE will ensure that any prospective adoptive parent with a referral pending will be prioritised for assessment and issuance of a declaration of eligibility of and suitability.
The Adoption Authority informs me there has been no disruption in the receipt of intercountry adoption child referrals from Thailand. The Thai authorities allocated Ireland a quota of four referrals for 2012. Prospective adoptive parents proposing to adopt from Thailand should hold a valid Declaration of Eligibility and Suitability at all times, including the period after which they have received custody of a child and prior to effecting an adoption at the Thai Embassy in London. The Adoption Authority and the HSE are examining a range of issues in relation to assessments and the issuance of declarations. The relevant information on these matters will be published on the AAI website (www.aai.gov.ie).
640. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by prospective adoptive parents in the process of adopting from Bulgaria; the measures she and the Adoption Authority of Ireland are taking to remedy these difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4421/13]
View answerI am aware that a number of prospective adoptive parents have been asked to pay substantial fees to ARC within a short time frame. I recently met with a representative group of parents hoping to adopt from Bulgaria. Issues relating to the level of fees charged by an accredited body (ARC) are a matter for the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) and are covered in some detail by the Adoption Act, 2010 (Accredited Bodies) Regulation 2010. The fee structure employed by ARC has been examined and approved by the AAI.
At this meeting the Adoption Authority advised that, with the assistance of their auditors, the Authority is examining a number of issues in relation to accredited bodies, including an examination of levels of fees being charged by Irish agencies in relation to international norms. The auditors will also report to the AAI in relation to proposed payment schedules by accredited bodies. I have asked the AAI for a full report on this matter. Following this examination, the AAI will discuss the findings with ARC. The AAI have also agreed to make contact with the Bulgarian authorities to establish the position regarding intercountry adoptions. I have agreed to meet with the prospective parents group again when the AAI have had an opportunity to complete their examination of the issues.
641. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on inter-country adoption arrangements between Ireland and Vietnam; the way this programme will be administered into the future; if funding is guaranteed for the mediation agency Helping Hands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4438/13]
View answerIn September 2012 the AAI and the Vietnamese Central Authority for Adoption signed an Administrative Agreement for intercountry adoption. The Administrative Arrangement is the first international administrative agreement for intercountry adoption entered into by the AAI and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam since both countries ratified the Hague Convention. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is an independent sovereign state As such it will decide the manner in which it implements the Hague Convention, including the numbers of children deemed suitable for intercountry adoption having regard to the principles of the Convention. It is assumed that the numbers of adoptions by Irish parents may not reach previous levels. The Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI) has accredited two agencies for activities in relation to facilitating adoptions from Vietnam. While currently a number of issues in relation to accredited agencies are being examined no decisions regarding the funding of accredited agencies has been made.
642. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if the 2013 public sector redundancy scheme will be open to front-line health care workers in the Health Service Executive including nursing staff, nursing management, matrons; if they may apply for redundancy under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4169/13]
View answerThe 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. This policy requires that by the end of 2013, the health service achieves a workforce of 98,955 whole time equivalents (WTEs). While normal retirement and redeployment will achieve part of the required reduction, a targeted programme of voluntary redundancy in certain parts of the health service will also be introduced as a means of achieving the full reductions required. The HSE has been asked to consider the most appropriate way of targeting this scheme in order to ensure that any impact on frontline service delivery is minimised. It is not possible at this stage to say if any frontline health care workers will be eligible to apply.
643. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to the statement in the Dáil on 20 December 2012 that an internal audit of primary care centres was conducted and a report was produced on 9 October 2012, if he will lay before the Oireachtas a copy of that report. [4212/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, at the request of the Secretary General of my Department made on the 4th October 2012, a review was undertaken by the Department's Internal Audit Unit to determine whether or not any documentation generated from 2011 (memos, notes, representations, e-mails etc), was available within the Department, that would connect the Minister for Health and or/his advisers, or anybody acting on behalf of the Minister, to the selection of sites for the proposed primary care centres in Balbriggan and Swords. Following the examination of documents by the Internal Audit Unit, a reply issued to the Secretary General on the 9th October 2012, advising him that no documentation relevant to the request was found. A copy of this reply is included for the Deputy's information.
Secretary General,
You requested the Internal Audit Unit (IAU) to ascertain whether or not any documentation generated from 2011 to date (memos, notes, representations, e-mails etc), was available within the Department that would connect Minister Reilly and or/his advisers or anybody acting on behalf of the Minister to the selection of sites for the proposed primary care centres in Balbriggan and Swords. I understand the scope of the request did not relate to any policy decision to locate a centre in either town.
The Internal Audit Unit asked Primary Care Unit, Capital, EU/International and Research Policy Unit, the offices of Minister Reilly and the former Minister of State, in addition to Minister Reilly’s 3 advisers, to undertake a search with a view to locating any relevant documentation All parties advised the IAU that no records relevant to the request could be located.
In order to provide assurance, we also requested all relevant files to be submitted to IAU for further examination. A total of sixteen files, twelve from Capital, EU/International and Research Policy Unit and 4 from Primary Care were made available for this purpose. In addition, Minister Reilly’s Reps database was examined by your Private Secretary and separately checked by IAU. The former Minister of State’s Reps database was also searched, as was the Department’s PQ database for 2011 and 2012.
The checks carried out by the IAU confirmed that no documentation relevant to your request was found.
As advised previously, Minister Reilly’s constituency office was not contacted as the activities of that office are outside the remit of this Department’s internal audit function.
________________
Niall Staunton
Internal Audit Unit
9 October 2012.
644. Deputy Ray Butler asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that there is an adequate focus by the Irish EU Presidency on the clinical trials and medical devices directives which have direct implications for the 250 medical technology companies here, which export €7.2billion worth of product annually and employ 25,000 people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4350/13]
View answer645. Deputy Ray Butler asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the EU Medical Device Directive which is crucial to the 25,000 or so persons employed in this industry here is a key priority to advance during the course of the Irish running of the EU Presidency and remains the centrepiece of Presidency health agenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4529/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 645 together.
The Clinical Trials Proposal and the two Medical Devices Proposals (one on medical devices and one on in vitro diagnostic medical devices), are high priority proposals for the Irish Presidency and have been identified as two of the four priority areas for the Health Presidency programme. The objective of the Clinical Trials proposal is to address the decline in the numbers of clinical trials carried out in the EU. Clinical trials are essential for the development of new medicines and to improve and refine treatments with existing medicines. Clinical trials are also a key contributor to growth and jobs. A regulatory environment which supports and nurtures clinical research will benefit patients and also is essential for the growth of the pharmaceutical industry both in Ireland and in the EU in general.
The medical devices proposals are also designed to strengthen the EU regulatory system in the area of medical devices. The proposals are designed to ensure that all medical devices placed on the European market are safe for patients and to improve patient access to new innovative treatments. Following significant patient safety issues across Europe relating to hip and breast implants, patient safety is a key concern. There is, as the Deputy points out, a substantial and well established medical devices industry in Ireland and a strong and effective regulatory system is crucial for the continued success and development of this industry.
My Department hopes to make significant progress in the negotiations of both of these proposals during the Irish Presidency of the EU Council. My colleague, the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly met with the rapporteurs for the proposals in the European Parliament earlier this month to personally assure them of Ireland's commitment to making progress during the Irish Presidency.
646. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on a medical card application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3729/13]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
