Written Answers Nos. 190-199
190. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reason it has taking the Health Service Executive three years to provide information held by the regional adoption services to the birth mothers of children that were adopted in the 1980s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5050/13]
View answer191. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the reasons for the delay in providing documentation in relation to the adoption of their child to a person (details supplied) in County Galway by the Health Service Executive regional adoption services in Glanmire, County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5051/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy with the most up-to-date information.
192. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide in tabular form the number of organisations or agencies under the aegis of her Department that have vacancies on their board; the length of time any such vacancies have been unfilled; the number of vacancies that have been advertised; the number of applications to fill such vacancies that have been received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4854/13]
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. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools as provided in Part 10 of the Children Act 2001. Apart from the Ombudsman for Children's Office which does not have a board, I am responsible for all Board of Management appointments.
In line with the Government Decision of April 2011, on my Department's website I have invited expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies and Agencies operating under the Department's aegis. The notice indicates the vacancies in the boards of the respective bodies. My officials acknowledge all expressions of interest received and maintain a database of those expressions. My Department’s website is monitored and updated on a regular basis to reflect the vacancies as they arise. I have set out in tabular format below the details requested by the Deputy.
|
Board of Management |
Number of current vacancies |
Length of time vacancies unfilled |
Number of these vacancies advertised |
Number of applications to fill vacancies |
|
Children Detention Schools |
1 |
26/03/12 - present |
1 |
5 |
|
Adoption Authority of Ireland |
1 |
08/10/10 - present |
1 |
14 |
193. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding cuts to the youth services grant scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5006/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force Projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, the European Youth in Action Programme (administered by Léargas – the Exchange Bureau) and Gaisce – the President’s Award
Funding of €53.173m has been provided to my Department for the provision of youth services in 2013. Of this total funding, €1.75 has been provided in a new capital funding programme for 2013. The Youth Affairs Unit is working on the funding allocation for youth services in 2013 and in line with Government policy must have regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. The Department is seeking to ensure that, in the determination process for the allocations, the front-line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding. Every effort is being made by my Department to finalise the 2013 allocations so that youth projects and national youth organisations, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy, will be advised of their 2013 allocations as soon as possible.
194. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will review the proposed 10% cut to the youth service grant scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5007/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drug Task Force Projects and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, the European Youth in Action Programme (administered by Léargas – the Exchange Bureau) and Gaisce – the President’s Award.
Funding of €53.173m has been provided to my Department for the provision of youth services in 2013. Of this total funding, €1.75 has been provided in a new capital funding programme for 2013. The Youth Affairs Unit is working on the funding allocation for youth services in 2013 and in line with Government policy must have regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. The Department is seeking to ensure that, in the determination process for the allocations, the front-line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding. Every effort is being made by my Department to finalise the 2013 allocations so that projects and national youth organisations, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy, will be advised of their 2013 allocations as soon as possible.
195. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the latest update on the recommendations contained in the report of the national substance misuse strategy; the actions that have been taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4829/13]
View answerThe National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group reported in February, 2012. The report contains a range of recommendations to, among other things, reduce the consumption of alcohol in general. These recommendations are grouped under five pillars of Supply Reduction (availability), Prevention, Treatment, Rehabilitation and Research.
Real and tangible proposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy report. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including: legislation on minimum unit pricing which is about setting a statutory floor price per gram of alcohol; access and availability of alcohol - including of course structural separation in retail units where alcohol is sold; and advertising and sponsorship. Following consideration by the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and liaison with other Departments, I intend to bring forward specific proposals for consideration by Government as soon as possible. In the meantime, work on developing a framework for the necessary Dept of Health legislation is continuing. For example, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, a health impact assessment is being commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The health impact assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact.
196. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of landings there has been at each of the various hospital landing pads in the country over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4831/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
197. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin, in the National Service Plan 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4833/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
198. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding free general practitioner care for sufferers of long-term illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4839/13]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to reforming the current public health system by introducing Universal Health Insurance with equal access to care for all. As part of this, the Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, GP care without fees within its first term of office. Primary legislation is required to give effect to Government commitment to introduce a universal GP service without fees. Legislation to allow me, as Minister for Health, to make regulations to extend access to GP services without fees to persons with prescribed illnesses is currently being drafted by the Office of the Attorney General and the Department and it will be published shortly. Implementation dates and application details will be announced in due course. I have requested the Health Service Executive to confirm the number of people on the Long Term Illness Scheme and will revert to the Deputy in due course.
199. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to reduce the number of persons waiting in trolleys and wheelchairs at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4841/13]
View answerImmediately following my appointment, I set out to address the issues which cause unacceptable delays in patients being treated in our hospitals. I established the Special Delivery Unit, as set out in the Programme for Government. The SDU is working to unblock access to acute services by improving the flow of patients through the system. There was significant progress during the course of 2012 in reducing the number of patients waiting on trolleys. In December 2012, there were 23.6% fewer patients waiting on trolleys as compared with the same period in 2011. This equates to more than 20,000 patients whose experience of our acute hospitals has been significantly improved.
Since before Christmas hospitals have seen a significant increase in the number of very sick patients needing admission. The increase in norovirus in hospitals has been well publicised; we are also seeing high levels of admissions of frail elderly people and of patients presenting with fractures. However, evidence from the last year has proved that the health system has the capacity to respond to these challenges and to continue to improve emergency care. The situation is being actively managed at a national level, while all staff including consultants, nurses, allied health staff and management is working extremely hard to address the pressures experienced by hospitals since the New Year.
In relation to Beaumont hospital, an intensive work programme has begun between the SDU’s liaison officers, the Clinical Programmes and the hospital teams. Regular meetings are continuing and part of the agenda is to monitor implementation of service improvements. The SDU is satisfied that the hospital is engaged in ensuring that emergency patients are seen in a timely manner, focussing on working to achieve the national targets for unscheduled care.
