John Browne
Question:1151. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be given an urgent appointment at Waterford Regional Hospital owing to a serious illness. [35545/13]
View answerHospital Appointment Status
Questions (1151)
Written answers
Improving access to outpatient services is a key priority for the Government. Collaborating with individual hospitals, the SDU, together with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) and the HSE, has developed the outpatient waiting list minimum dataset. This allows data to be submitted to the NTPF from hospitals on a weekly basis and, for the first time, outpatient data are available on www.ntpf.ie. For 2013, a maximum waiting time target has been set of 12 months for a first-time consultant-led outpatient appointment and this is reflected in the HSE service plan. The SDU and the NTPF will work closely with hospitals towards achievement of the maximum waiting time.
Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific hospital appointment query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (1152)
John Browne
Question:1152. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange to have dialysis provided by the Health Service Executive for an Irish-born person (details supplied) in County Wexford who is returning here from Australia. [35546/13]
View answerWritten answers
The Reciprocal Agreement on Treatment for Medical Care for Temporary Visitors between Australia and Ireland provides that where a resident of Australia is temporarily in Ireland, and needs immediate necessary medical treatment while in Ireland, they shall be provided with such medical treatment as is clinically necessary for the diagnosis, alleviation or care of the condition requiring attention, as a public patient within the public health care system on terms no less favourable than would apply to a resident of Ireland.
In relation to Australia, "resident" means a person who is an Australian resident for the purposes of the Health Insurance Act 1973 and holds either a current Australian passport or any other current passport endorsed to the effect that the holder is entitled to reside indefinitely in Australia.
The individual concerned should contact the Health Service Executive to arrange appropriate access to services in Ireland on a temporary basis. Contact details are available on the HSE website at www.hse.ie.
Exchequer Savings
Questions (1153)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:1153. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the annual saving to the Exchequer if all State agency board fees under the aegis of his Department were reduced by 25%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35801/13]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to board fees and savings on boards under my aegis is not readily available but I will forward a detailed reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Official Travel
Questions (1154)
Derek Nolan
Question:1154. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he is confident that all overseas travel undertaken by staff in State agencies is necessary; if the agencies ensure a robust business case is submitted before travel is sanctioned; if the agencies ensure the objective of the travel cannot be achieved through other means; if, on their return, staff must submit a report on the work carried out while they were on agency business overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36047/13]
View answerWritten answers
Operational responsibility for each agency lies with the respective CEO-Registrar. The CEOs and their management teams are acutely aware of the necessity to achieve maximum value for money in all areas of expenditure, including overseas travel. Appropriate reporting by officials following overseas travel would be part of the normal business processes. Officials from my Department liaise regularly with the agencies to ensure that the business objectives of the agencies are delivered within their respective budgets each year.
Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration
Questions (1155)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:1155. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the annual salary of all commercial State-companies' chief executive officers within the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36091/13]
View answerWritten answers
VHI is the only commercial State company under the aegis of my Department. The information sought is currently being obtained and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (1156)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:1156. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, a list of all non-commercial State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36218/13]
View answerWritten answers
The following table sets out the non-commercial State agencies currently under the remit of my Department.
|
Agency |
|
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland |
|
Dental Council |
|
Food Safety Authority of Ireland |
|
Food Safety Promotions Board - Safefood |
|
Health and Social Care Professional Council |
|
Health Information Quality Authority |
|
Health Insurance Authority |
|
Health Research Board |
|
Irish Blood Transfusion Service |
|
Irish Medicines Board |
|
Medical Council |
|
Mental Health Commission |
|
National Cancer Registry Board |
|
National Paediatric Hospital Development Board |
|
National Treatment Purchase Fund |
|
Opticians Board |
|
Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland |
|
Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council |
Road Maintenance
Questions (1157)
Jack Wall
Question:1157. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of regional and local road repair projects that have been announced since 1 January 2013, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34388/13]
View answerWritten answers
Details of the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations are outlined in the 2013 grant allocations booklet for regional and local roads which is available in the Dáil Library.
Public Transport Subsidies
Questions (1158)
Dessie Ellis
Question:1158. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost of public transport to the State for the period from 2008 to 2012; and if he will provide details of same. [34853/13]
View answerWritten answers
The cost of public transport to the State for the period in terms of Public Service Obligation payments and capital funding is set out in the following table. This does not include funding such as the Free Travel Pass scheme which is provided by another Department, in this case the Department of Social Protection.
|
Year |
PSO Payment (€’000) |
Capital Spend (€’000) |
|
2008 |
308,627 |
890,288 |
|
2009 |
303,188 |
633,236 |
|
2010 |
275,858 |
614,343 |
|
2011 |
265,141 |
377,210 |
|
2012 |
278,060* |
254,232 |
*The 2012 total reflects the additional €36 million approved by Government.
Cycling Facilities
Questions (1159)
Dessie Ellis
Question:1159. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the revenue and costs incurred in respect of the Dublin Bikes rental scheme since its inception. [34856/13]
View answerWritten answers
Responsibility for the roll-out, maintenance and commercial elements of the Dublin City Bikes Scheme is an operational matter for the National Transport Authority, working closely with Dublin City Council.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
Cross-Border Projects
Questions (1160, 1203)
Brendan Smith
Question:1160. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to advance to construction stage the Narrow Water Bridge project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34913/13]
View answer
Seamus Kirk
Question:1203. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he has taken to ensure the Narrow Water Bridge project goes ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35292/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1160 and 1203 together.
The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from local authorities own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for each local authority.
My Department has been in regular contact with the parties involved in the project referred to by the Deputy and I have been kept informed of developments.
Unfortunately, on the basis of the tender prices received, the cost of the project is well beyond that projected. Louth County Council would be required to fund the shortfall and as it is beyond their capacity to do so, a decision to put the project on hold has had to be made.
Due to budget cut backs my Department has had to curtail its own investment on major new-improvement projects in recent times to focus available funds on necessary maintenance and repair work and therefore is not in a position to make up the shortfall identified. While my Department would be willing to consider helping to make up some of the shortfall, Louth County Council and the Department of Regional Development would also have to do so.
There does not appear to be strong support for doing this given the need to prioritise road maintenance and restoration over new projects and the fact that there are many other new bridge and new road projects that have a much higher benefit to cost ratio than Narrow Water. I am very disappointed that it has not been possible to find a contractor willing to build the bridge for the estimated cost.
Public Transport Subsidies
Questions (1161)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:1161. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost of public transport here in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; and if he will provide details of same. [35288/13]
View answerWritten answers
The amount of Exchequer, including both Public Service Obligation (PSO) and capital funding, for public transport in the years 2008 to 2012 is set out in the following table:
|
Year |
PSO Payment (€’000) |
Capital Spend (€’000) |
|
2008 |
308,627 |
890,288 |
|
2009 |
303,188 |
633,236 |
|
2010 |
275,858 |
614,343 |
|
2011 |
265,141 |
377,210 |
|
2012 |
278,060* |
254,232 |
*The 2012 total reflects the additional €36 million approved by Government.
Cycling Facilities
Questions (1162)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:1162. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the revenue and costs incurred by the Dublin Bikes rental scheme since its inception. [35291/13]
View answerWritten answers
Responsibility for the roll-out, maintenance and commercial elements of the Dublin City Bikes Scheme is an operational matter for the National Transport Authority working closely with Dublin City Council.
Noting the above position, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
Tourism Industry Issues
Questions (1163, 1164)
Jerry Buttimer
Question:1163. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an economic impact assessment has been carried out of the impact of cruise liners; if he will provide specific details of the number of cruises using the Port of Cork and the economic impact of these cruises in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34201/13]
View answerJerry Buttimer
Question:1164. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the efforts being made to increase the number of cruise liners visiting Ireland through the Port of Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34202/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1163 and 1164 together.
The Port of Cork is a member of Cruise Ireland, a marketing co-operative formed in 1994 to promote the island of Ireland as a premier cruise destination. Fáilte Ireland works closely with Cruise Ireland and has provided funding to them to promote the sector. The Port of Cork has enjoyed a steady increase in the number of cruise vessels calling at its facilities in recent years with 2012 being a record year for the port as 57 vessels called bringing 87,193 passengers and crew to the region. This year the port expects further growth and is on course to welcome 61 vessels and 135,386 passengers and crew.
It is important to recognise that the cruise industry is not a lucrative source of revenue for port companies themselves and that it can be difficult for investments in this area to remunerate themselves from the charges of ports levies. However, such visits do provide considerable benefit for the local and wider regional economy. All cruise infrastructure developments must be funded by the ports from their own resources on a commercial basis or through collaboration with those beneficiaries of cruise tourism, be they regional interests or the cruise operators themselves.
More generally, the development of cruise tourism is an operational matter for Fáilte Ireland. I have referred the Deputy's questions to the agency for further information and direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Tourism Projects Funding
Questions (1165, 1166)
Jerry Buttimer
Question:1165. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has details of the economic benefits of convention centres and concert venues for local economies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34203/13]
View answerJerry Buttimer
Question:1166. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his position on the development of convention centres and concert venues outside Dublin; if he will support measures by the Government to financially assist the development of such amenities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34204/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1165 and 1166 together.
My Department's role in relation to tourism relates primarily to the area of national policy. The Department does not routinely collect information on the economic benefits of convention centres and concert venues.
The National Conference Centre, known as Convention Centre Dublin, was developed under a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement to address a deficit in conference facilities of that scale in Ireland and it is important to note that Convention Centre Dublin will revert to public ownership at the end of the PPP.
The Government has no plans to support the development of further convention centres or concert venues. It would not be possible for the Government to grant aid a privately-owned conference centre as this would constitute state aid and would be unfair to other conference and convention centres it would compete with. However, a similar model to the Dublin Convention Centre or a loan or equity investment from the Strategic Infrastructure Fund could be explored. It is my view that Cork could benefit from a conference centre and that it would boost business tourism.
With regard to the economic benefits of business tourism, I am referring the Deputy's question to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply. Please contact my private office if a reply is not received within ten working days.
Sports Facilities Expenditure
Questions (1167)
Jerry Buttimer
Question:1167. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding provided by his Department for sport facilities and organisations in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34205/13]
View answerWritten answers
I presume that the Deputy is referring to the Sports Capital Programme, which is the Government's main vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. Details of all allocations under the programme since 1999 are available on my Department's website.
Semi-State Bodies Dividends
Questions (1168)
Timmy Dooley
Question:1168. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the possible Irish Aviation Authority bid for the 42% stake in the British air traffic agency; if he foresees the IAA being in a position to pay a dividend to the State in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34282/13]
View answerWritten answers
While the Irish Aviation Authority has expressed an interest in this share sale process, no specific purchase proposal has been developed and presented to my Department. In the event that such a proposal emerges, it will be carefully examined and evaluated and a decision taken as soon as possible.
In relation to dividends, the company declared and paid a dividend of just over €5 million earlier this year in respect of 2012. This was the first dividend paid by the IAA since 2004 and is a very welcome development for the Exchequer. The IAA is a successful State company and there is a shareholder expectation of dividend payments from the company on a sustainable and consistent basis into the future, including for 2013.