Tuesday, 9 Jul 2013

Child Protection Issues

Questions (467)

Micheál Martin

Question:

467. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to concerns regarding child safety in a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33547/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. It is also my understanding that the particular case is currently the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. The employment of a teacher is primarily a matter for the management of the school concerned. Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. In the event that a school is made aware of a child protection concern it is a matter for the Board of Management to decide if there is a child protection risk that warrants the taking of action, such as placing an employee on administrative leave. The HSE will also have a role in assisting the Board of Management to come to a determination in such matters.

Schools are required to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of pupils and welfare of their pupils. From a child protection perspective, all schools are required to adhere to the "Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools” which are based on the "Children First – National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011". The HSE and An Garda Síochána also have roles in such matters as the statutory bodies responsible for the welfare and protection of vulnerable children in Ireland. The principles underlying this responsibility are outlined in Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children. While I cannot comment on a specific case which is before the Courts it would be prudent for Boards of Management to seek independent legal advice on all such matters and to maintain lines of communication with the statutory authorities.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (468)

Martin Ferris

Question:

468. Deputy Martin Ferris 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 Kerry. [32985/13]

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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. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (469)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

469. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the hardship caused by the reduction of preschool assistant support hours to children with disabilities, compounded by the staff moratorium which is preventing the recruitment of temporary staff for speech therapy purposes; if he will state whether discretion can be exercised; if so, who holds the authority in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33063/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Government is fully committed to protecting front-line services, including services for children with disabilities, to the greatest extent possible, notwithstanding the financial constraints which the health sector must operate within. Significant resources have been invested by the health sector in recent years in services for children with disabilities. In particular, there is now an increased awareness of the importance of early intervention for these children in terms of ensuring they get the best start in life and are supported as much as possible to reach their full potential.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Service Executive has operational responsibility for the provision of health and personal social services, including disability services for children. Within this context, it has a responsibility to ensure that the health-related needs of children with special needs are addressed and that these children are appropriately supported in preschool and school settings. This is done in a number of ways such as by providing grant-aid to support preschool provision in community preschools and by funding special preschools that cater specifically for children with disabilities. It also facilitates children with special needs to attend mainstream preschool by providing the necessary assistant supports. The HSE's role in supporting children with special needs involves it working in close co-operation with the disability service providers that it funds, with the education sector and with the parents and families of the children in question.

All service developments have to be addressed in the light of the current economic and budgetary pressures, and Government policy to reduce the numbers employed in the public sector. This policy requires that by the end of 2013, the health service achieves a workforce of 98,955 whole-time equivalents. Staff appointments may be made only where an inescapable service need has been identified and which cannot be addressed by other means, such as the redeployment of staff or reorganisation of services. The recently concluded Haddington Road Agreement has increased the working week of staff employed in the public sector. This will have the effect of increasing the overall staff capacity available to management to deploy in service delivery. My Department has asked the HSE to look at the specific case referred to by the Deputy and to respond to him directly on the matter.

Medical Card Applications

Questions (470)

John McGuinness

Question:

470. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [33173/13]

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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. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (471)

John McGuinness

Question:

471. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an operation will be arranged as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [33174/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2013, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the HSE, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists. In relation to this particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the Health Service Executive to investigate the situation and respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.

Regulation of Sunbed Use

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 472 to 476, inclusive, 493, 512, 521, 522, 525, 529, 531, 532 and 557 together.

I am aware that the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) has recently launched a campaign to highlight the need to protect young people from cancer-causing sunbeds. This campaign is focussed on the cancer risk associated with sunbed use and builds on earlier work undertaken by the ICS in this regard. On a broader front, the Irish public has also, over recent years, benefitted from the Society's "SunSmart Code" highlighting the danger of overexposure to the sun and measures the public can take to minimise such exposure. There is now a much greater public awareness and understanding of the health risks associated with both exposure to the sun and the use of tanning devices.

The apparent contradiction between the increase in skin cancers over the period from 1994 to 2010 on the one hand and the reduction in sunbed use indicated by the ICS research on the other hand can most probably be explained by the long latency period often associated with skin cancers - which can take many years to develop and present. The Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health has advised me that cohorts of the adult population who are at increased risk from UV radiation can best be dealt with by way of regulation rather than a prohibition. My Department has also been advised that prohibition on certain skin types would, in all likelihood, be incompatible with equality legislation.

I can confirm that the forthcoming Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill will make it an offence to sell or hire a sunbed to a person under 18 years of age or allow such a person to use a sunbed on a sunbed premises. A test purchasing provision will also be set out in the Bill to support enforcement of the prohibition on the sale or hire of a sunbed to a person under 18 years of age or to allow such a person to use a sunbed on a sunbed premises. Breaches of this core provision will result in prosecution and very significant penalties will be available to the courts in cases of non-compliance.

In addition to this prohibition on sunbed businesses from permitting persons under 18 years of age from using or hiring a sunbed, the legislation will also set out a comprehensive range of measures to promote a greater public awareness across all age groups of the dangers of developing skin cancer, premature aging and eye damage from exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Key provisions in the Bill will include:-

(i) a prohibition on anyone under 18 years of age using a sunbed on a sunbed premises;

(ii) a prohibition on the sale to or hire of sunbeds to anyone under 18 years of age;

(iii) a prohibition on the unsupervised use of sunbeds in a sunbed premises;

(iv) an exemption for medical purposes;

(v) control on the remote sale or hire of sunbeds (internet transactions);

(vi) sunbed operators, sellers and hirers will be required to notify the HSE;

(vii) a requirement that sunbed operators provide training for staff;

(viii) an enforcement regime and the imposition of penalties for non-compliance;

(ix) an obligation on all sunbed operators to provide protective eye wear to users;

(x) a requirement that warning signs be displayed in all sunbed premises;

(xi) a prohibition on certain promotional marketing practices;

(xii) a requirement on operators to ensure that sunbed users are made fully aware of the potential dangers of sunbed use; and a related provision whereby sunbed users are required to sign to confirm that they have been made so aware.

On the matter of the research commissioned by the ICS, this survey indicated that, at most, 7 people in a sample of 1,000 aged between 15 and 24 had used a sunbed in 2010. From this, an estimated national figure of 28,000 was indicated for sunbed use in the 15-24 age category. While it is difficult to conclusively estimate a national usage figure from such a sample, it is important to point out that the 4% of respondents who used a sunbed in 2010 represents a reduction from 9% in 2003 (a 55% reduction on the 2003 figure). The percentage of the 15-24 age category who use sunbeds is 5% and this has reduced from 10% in 2007 (a 50% decrease on the 2007 figure).

In summary, the research indicates that significant reductions in the use of sunbeds have been recorded over the past number of years. Greater public awareness of the risks of sunbed use has been an important factor in this regard and the ICS is to be complimented for their work in promoting public awareness of the dangers associated with over-exposure to the sun and from sunbed use. The forthcoming sunbed legislation will build on this process and I am delighted to be in a position to confirm that my Department expects to complete the drafting of this legislation within the next 6-8 weeks. The legislation has been accorded priority drafting status and officials of my Department are working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to complete the necessary drafting work. Once the drafting is completed, the legislation must be notified to the EU Commission under the EU Transparency Directive prior to its publication and initiation of the Bill in the Oireachtas. This EU notification requirement will necessitate a minimum of three months to complete.

Primary Care Centres Provision

Questions (477, 478)

Gerald Nash

Question:

477. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update in relation to the proposed development of a primary care centre in north Drogheda; when he anticipates that such a facility will be open to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32879/13]

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Gerald Nash

Question:

478. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health the position in relation to the proposed development of a primary care centre (details supplied) in County Meath; when he anticipates that such a facility will be open to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32880/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 and 478 together.

The delivery of primary care infrastructure is a dynamic process and must take account of changing circumstances including the feasibility of implementing the delivery of the centres by means of lease, direct-build or PPP. GP engagement and agreement to deliver services from primary care centres is central to the delivery of the necessary infrastructure. Laytown-Bettystown, Co. Meath and North Drogheda, Co. Louth are two of the 35 potential locations for primary care centres for development by way of PPP as announced in the July 2012 Infrastructure Stimulus Package. The HSE is currently finalising sites and assessing GP engagement at each location to determine their interest in participating in the primary care centre development. While it is not possible, at this time, to give start and completion dates for any of the individual 20 potential locations, the best estimate is that these primary care centres will be completed by late 2016.

Mobility Allowance Decision

Questions (479, 502)

Denis Naughten

Question:

479. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his plans to publish legislation on the reform of the mobility allowance scheme; if this new legislation will ensure that current recipients continue to receive the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32909/13]

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Finian McGrath

Question:

502. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the mobility allowance and the concerns many disabled persons still have regarding this allowance. [33083/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 502 together.

The Government decided on 12 June last, to extend payments of Mobility Allowance to those currently in receipt for a further number of months, pending establishment of new statutory provisions to support the mobility needs of people with severe disabilities. The Government is very conscious of the needs of people with a disability who have relied on individual payments of Mobility Allowance to support their independence and will take all of this into consideration when making a decision on future arrangements.

Following detailed consideration of the Interim Report of the Review Group, which was established to seek an alternative method to provide for the priority transport needs of people in a manner that does not run counter to the Equal Status Acts, the Government has decided that new statutory provisions will be established to provide individual payments to people with severe disabilities who require additional income to address the costs of their mobility needs. The Government has agreed that an inter-departmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, will now be asked to develop detailed proposals for the operation of the new scheme or schemes, including eligibility criteria and administrative arrangements, and should report back to Government by October. The Final Report of the Review Group, which will include consideration of the wider issue of general transport for people with disabilities, will be submitted to Government in the coming weeks.

The Government has agreed that payments should temporarily continue to be made by the HSE to those persons currently in receipt of the Mobility Allowance for a further number of months, pending the commencement of new statutory provisions, on the basis that this would prevent hardship, and, on an interim basis, alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society. The existing position regarding the Motorised Transport Grant remains as before, i.e. the scheme remains closed. The inter-departmental group will examine this issue as part of its considerations of how future statutory arrangements should operate.

National Drug-Related Deaths Index

Questions (480)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

480. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have died in the past three years from overdoses of non-prescription use of painkillers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32913/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Irish National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI), which is maintained by the Health Research Board, is an epidemiological database which records deaths in Ireland due to drug and alcohol poisoning, and deaths among drug users and those who are alcohol dependent. I have been advised by the Health Research Board that information on 2010 deaths is the most recent data available. Data on 2011 deaths will not be ready until late 2013. I am further advised by the Health Research Board that while the NDRDI records all drugs or substances implicated in an individual’s death, including both over the counter and prescription medications, data is not available as to whether the prescription medication was prescribed to the deceased or if it was obtained by other means.

In 2010, there were 323 poisoning deaths recorded. Poisoning Deaths are defined as deaths directly due to the toxic effect of the presence in the body of a drug or drugs and/or other substance(s). Other terms used to describe such deaths include overdose, directly drug-related death and acute drug death. Deaths arising from adverse reactions to prescribed medication are not included in the NDRDI. In 2010, analgesic (pain killers) alone (eg paracetamol, solpadine, tramadol, tylex) including an analgesic containing an opiate compound accounted for 2% (7 deaths) of all poisoning deaths.

National Drug-Related Deaths Index

Questions (481)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

481. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths that occurred in the past three years where benzodiazepines played a role; his Department's role in counteracting the multi-prescription of benzodiazepines with persons claiming one prescription on their medical cards and paying in cash for others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32914/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The National Drug-Related Deaths Index maintained by the Health Research Board shows that benzodiazepines were implicated, either alone or with other drugs or substances in 310 deaths between 2008 and 2010, of which 103 occurred in 2008, 113 in 2009 and 94 in 2010. Data relating to 2011 will be available later this year.

The supply of prescription medicines, including benzodiazepines, is controlled in a number of ways. Under the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations, it is prohibited for a person to supply a prescription medicine except in accordance with a prescription, and the supply must be made from a registered pharmacy by or under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist. A person who contravenes these Regulations is guilty of an offence. In addition, medicines which have a high potential to be misused are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Acts. A person who has in his possession a prescription medicine containing a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs legislation for the purpose of selling or supplying it, is guilty of an offence under that legislation.

As a result of consultations with key stakeholders, draft Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations are currently being prepared to introduce stricter prescribing and dispensing controls on benzodiazepines. It is planned to finalise the draft Statutory Instruments shortly and publish these on the Department’s website as part of a written consultation process. This will be followed by a 3 month EU notification period required under the Technical Standards Directive because of the implications of the proposed regulatory changes on trade in pharmaceutical products. Government approval will then be sought to amend the legislation.

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Questions (482)

Gerry Adams

Question:

482. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on an appointment for Health Service Executive orthodontic services in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32927/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. The HSE has been asked to examine the specific query raised by the Deputy and to reply to him as soon as possible.