Written Answers Nos. 55-67
55. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the additional support that will be provided to the three existing children’s hospitals pending the completion of the new hospital at the St. James's site, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40050/13]
View answerThe three existing paediatric hospitals in Dublin - Children's University Hospital Temple Street, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin and the paediatric service at Tallaght - will come together in the new children's hospital when built. The HSE National Service Plan 2013 sets out the quantum and type of health services to be provided in 2013 by the three hospitals, within the overall level of funding provided.
The three hospitals have stated their commitment to becoming a single service across three sites and are working closely together, with a single Clinical Director across the three sites, to ensure optimisation of resources and facilities. Ms Eilish Hardiman has now been selected as the Chief Executive Officer of the new Children's Hospital Group, in an open recruitment process through the Public Appointments Service. Ms Hardiman’s appointment follows the appointment in April of Dr Jim Browne as Chairman of the Board of the Children’s Hospital Group and the appointment in August of nine Board members, including the Chairs of the three existing paediatric hospitals. This is an important step in moving towards a single entity and in supporting the operational integration of the three existing hospitals in advance of the new hospital being completed.
56. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to address the waiting lists for orthodontic services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40054/13]
View answerThe HSE has commissioned an independent review of orthodontic services. The outcome of this review, which is near completion, will give guidance as to what changes will be desirable to provide the best possible model of care delivery, given the current resources available and future demand for services.
57. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost savings he will make in 2013 in charging the full cost of private care in public hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40051/13]
View answerThe details of the new in-patient charges are set out in the Health (Amendment) Act 2013. As a result of the discussions my Department has had with the private insurance industry, in order to agree a phasing in of the charges for all private patients, including those who occupy public beds, I have decided to implement these charges from 1 January 2014. It is expected that the new in-patient charges will generate an additional €30 million in revenue in 2014 for public hospitals providing in-patient services to patients being treated privately by a consultant.
The deferral of the implementation date to 1 January 2014 allows time to carry out an independent assessment of private patient activity, to ensure that the new charges raise only the intended €30 million in 2014. This assessment is currently underway. If it is necessary, I will amend the rates by amending legislation to deliver the €30 million.
59. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to any instances where the Health Service Executive fails to inform a card holder and their GP about the cancellation of a medial card; the number of medical cards that have been rescinded in 2011, 2012 and 2013 contrasted with the overall numbers of active medical cards in those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40063/13]
View answerI have been advised by the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service that it is unaware of any incident where a medical card has been cancelled or withdrawn without any notice. If you have a particular instance, you should forward the medical card number or PPS number of the person concerned and PCRS will investigate further.
In circumstance where eligibility is rescinded following a review process, the person concerned is notified accordingly and the respective GP is also notified automatically. Should a person, to whom a renewal notification is issued, fail to engage with the HSE during the review process, his/her medical card or GP Visit Card will expire automatically on the expiry date referenced in correspondence to that person.
The number of cards that have been withdrawn is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy. Details of the number of medical cards and GP Visit Cards are provided to my Department each month by the HSE. These figures are currently provided on a net basis, showing the balance after new cards have been issued and other cards, as appropriate, have been deleted from the Executive's database, e.g. following a review of a person's circumstances. The most recent figures provided to my Department by the HSE reflect the position as at 1 September 2013 and show 1,863,062 medical card holders and 124,361 GP Visit Card holders.
60. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when the promised White Paper on financing universal health insurance will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40036/13]
View answerThe Government is committed to a major reform programme for the health system, the aim of which is to deliver a single-tier health service, supported by universal health insurance (UHI), where access is based on need, not on income. Under UHI, everyone will be insured and will have equal access to a standard package of primary and acute hospital services, including acute mental health services. An Insurance Fund will subsidise or pay insurance premiums for those who qualify for a subsidy.
The Department is currently preparing a White Paper on Universal Health Insurance which will provide further detail on UHI. Intensive work is proceeding with a view to publishing the White Paper by the end of the year.
More detail in relation to the overall process for producing the White Paper, including the projects, studies and policy appraisals that need to be undertaken, is set out in the preliminary document on UHI, The Path to Universal Healthcare, published by the Department in February 2013 and available on its website, www.doh.gov.ie.
61. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will reverse the cuts that are affecting the services of over 2,000 persons with intellectual disabilities using the day and residential services of St. Michael’s House; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40040/13]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services, including disability services. The HSE either directly provides or contracts disability agencies such as St Michael House to provide a range of disability services through service level arrangements.
St Michael’s House received over €70 million in 2012 in funding from the HSE to provide a range of services to approximately 1,660 children and adults with an intellectual disability in over 170 centres in the Greater Dublin Area and Navan Co. Meath. The HSE and St Michael's House work in close collaboration with regard to the funding and delivery of services to people with an intellectual disability. As a voluntary agency, St Michael’s house are obliged to work within the resources available to them and in that regard have introduced significant efficiencies over recent years to remain within budget. The HSE has advised that these changes to date have not resulted in service contraction.
The Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) sets out measures relating to productivity, cost extraction and reform which together intends to achieve a required pay bill reduction of €150m identified in the HSE Service Plan 2013. The agreement provides a framework and opportunities for managers within the health services, including agencies such as St Michael's House, to reduce their costs associated with agency and overtime and a wide range of other pay costs, particularly through measures such as additional working hours and revised rates in respect of overtime.
The HSE has advised the Department of Health that the recent application of additional budget cuts under the HRA has presented a significant challenge to St Michael's House. A process is now underway between the HSE and St Michael’s House to identify the impact of these budget reductions on services. The Department of Health has received assurances from the HSE that both organisations are committed to working within the terms of the HRA to ensure that services are impacted upon only as a measure of last resort.
62. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of dedicated drug recovery beds in Dublin north city Health Service Executive; their location and the way the issues of density of drug recovery/supported housing accommodation are addressed within the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40065/13]
View answerThe Report of the Working Group on Drug Rehabilitation (2007) defined rehabilitation in terms of 'providing a continuum of care to problem drug users, enabling them to address their needs as most appropriate for them. These needs may include health, social, housing, employment, education and /or vocational'.
Arising from this report and in line with the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016, the National Drug Rehabilitation Implementation Committee, chaired by the Health Service Executive, has developed a framework providing protocols & guidelines for multiple agencies to work together toward a service user centred, case management approach to drug rehabilitation.
As the matter raised by the Deputy is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
63. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the Millennium Development Goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40185/13]
View answerThe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed by world leaders at the United Nations in 2000 as the framework for international development policy up to 2015. They provide a clearly measurable way to track progress in the fight against global poverty. The Goals are central to Ireland’s development programme, and to our renewed policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, which reaffirms our commitment to the fight against poverty and hunger as an integral part of our foreign policy. The Tánaiste and I took part yesterday in a major high level international meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York to review progress on the MDGs as the 2015 target date approaches and discuss the shaping of global development policy for the years ahead. We believe it is essential that the entire international community strengthens and accelerates its efforts to maximize progress on the remaining targets set by the MDGs by 2015. Ireland is recognised internationally for the strong lead we have taken in this process, and for the effectiveness of our aid programme, in some of the poorest countries in the world.
The Government’s new Policy on International Development also clearly restates our commitment to achieving the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development Assistance (ODA) when economic circumstances permit. Over the past two years, the Government has broadly stabilised the budget for development assistance, a significant achievement in the context of the very difficult conditions facing the country. Last year, we provided some €629 million in ODA, representing 0.47% of GNP. For 2013 we have allocated a total of €622 million to ODA. These represent very significant allocations of public funds and a genuine investment on behalf of the Irish people in assisting those less fortunate than ourselves.
64. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the name and business address of all of the providers of public relations services to his Department since the current Government came into office; the total amount spent on such services in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40221/13]
View answerMy Department does not engage external consultants for public relations purposes. Occasionally, consultants or companies with some communications experience are commissioned to provide services such as project management, logistics and event management. I am very conscious of the need to achieve value for money on all consultant expenditure and commissioning of such work is in full compliance with national and EU procurement regulations concerning tendering requirements.DHR Communications has been contracted since 2010 to manage and administer the Simon Cumbers Media Fund (SCMF) grants scheme. This involves managing two funding rounds each year, including through national and regional information workshops; managing and administering the application process; organising the judging process and providing detailed feedback to all applicants; processing grant payments and keeping detailed administrative and financial records; maintaining and updating the SCMF website and managing the SCMF student competition. DHR was awarded a two-year contract to 2012 and was re-engaged in February 2012 for a further two years following a competitive tendering process. Following a competitive tendering process, DHR has been engaged to plan, manage and execute a national Africa Day flagship event in Dublin. This includes the administration of a small grants scheme for regional events which DHR managed on behalf of my Department in partnership with a number of local authorities. DHR also worked to raise public awareness of the Africa Day events, including through the use of social media and the Africa Day website. This work represented a very minor element of the project and was conducted in close cooperation with my Department’s communications office.
Africa Day Family Days, incorporating musical entertainment, cultural activities and an African Bazaar, were hosted by the Department in Iveagh Gardens in 2009 and 2010, in CHQ in Georges Dock in 2012 and at the Farmleigh Estate in 2013. In 2011, the Department supported a smaller-scale series of performances, family events, art exhibitions, debates and educational activities instead of hosting a flagship event.
DHR also provided short-term management support services for the Review of the White Paper on Irish Aid, including the logistical management of the nationwide public consultation activities.
The table below sets out fees and third party expenses paid to DHR Communications since 9 March 2011.
DHR Communications’ business address is 80 Francis Street, Dublin 8.
Project and Event Management 9 March 2011 to date
|
Name of Project/Event |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
SCMF |
€50,988 |
€47,430 |
€55,112 |
|
White Paper Review |
€25,000 |
€26,026 |
nil |
|
Africa Day |
€6,806 |
€90,851 |
€102,670 |
66. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expenditure profile for his Department up to the end of August 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40321/13]
View answerMonthly profiles for expenditure and receipts are in place in my Department. Performance against profile is reported regularly to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and published by the Department of Finance as part of the Monthly Exchequer Statement. The Monthly Exchequer Statement for August has been published on the website of the Department of Finance. In some areas, expenditure and receipts are evenly distributed throughout the year. In other areas, there are considerable variations that are foreseeable. The profiles as far as possible take account of known variations. At the end of August, my Department had spent €418m out of a total net voted allocation for 2013 of €670m. This represents 62% of the net annual allocation. It is expected that the year-end out-turn will be close to or within the overall net voted amount. At the end of August, receipts classed as Appropriations-in-Aid were ahead of profile, largely due to increased passport fee receipts.
67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to provide additional overseas development assistance for Syria and that region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40322/13]
View answerThe tragic crisis unfolding in Syria and in neighbouring countries has resulted in enormous humanitarian needs, requiring an urgent and sustained response from the international community. With the number of fatalities surpassing 100,000, there are now close to 7 million people who are in need of immediate life saving support. In addition to more than 4 million people who are displaced within Syria, there are in excess of 2 million Syrians who have fled the violence to take refuge in neighbouring countries, one million of whom are children. In the face of this terrible suffering, it is imperative that the international community is united in demanding greater protection for Syria’s civilian population. The world has rarely seen a humanitarian crisis as bad as that caused by the conflict in Syria.
Ireland has been unwavering in its support to the international humanitarian response. To date, we have provided almost 11 million Euros to the relief effort and are one of the world’s most generous donors–on a per capita basis-to the response to this crisis. Through trusted NGO partners here in Ireland, as well as the UN and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement, we are playing a considerable part in the international effort to meet the massive needs both inside Syria and in the wider region.
My officials are continuously monitoring the evolving situation in Syria and the surrounding region, and my proposed visit to Lebanon next month will provide an opportunity to review the relief effort and assess humanitarian needs on the ground. In view of the immense needs in Syria and neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees, Ireland is likely to provide further assistance, within our means, to the humanitarian response.
