Written Answers Nos. 622-44
622. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a child (details supplied) in County Kildare will qualify for a free preschool place this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49443/13]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal programme implemented by my Department and provides a free pre-school year for children before they commence primary school. Children born between 2 February 2009 and 30 June 2010 qualify for the free pre-school provision in the current school year. Based on the date of birth provided by the Deputy the child in question will not qualify for the free pre-school provision this year but will be eligible in the school year commencing in September 2014.
623. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the distribution of funding provided to the youth service grant scheme, the special projects for youth scheme, the young people’s facilities and services fund rounds 1 and 2, the local drug task force projects, the youth information centres, and the local youth club grant scheme in 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49461/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes and supports to the youth sector. In 2013 funding of some €53.498 million including €1.75m capital funding has been made available for these schemes to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country.
Details of the funding allocated in 2013 to the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2, the Local Drug Task Force Projects, Youth Information Centres and the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme are outlined hereunder.
|
Programme/Scheme |
2013 Allocation €m |
|
Special Projects for Youth Scheme |
14.968 |
|
Youth Information Centres |
1.282 |
|
Youth Service Grant Scheme |
10.337 |
|
Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund 1 |
5.905 |
|
Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund 2 |
13.209 |
|
Local Youth Club Grant Scheme |
1.035 |
|
Local Drugs Task Force Scheme |
1.196 |
624. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding fluoride in the water supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48934/13]
View answerWater fluoridation and the use of appropriate fluorides is a major plank of public health policy in Ireland in the prevention and management of tooth decay. In 2002 the Forum on Fluoridation, which was established to review this policy, concluded that the fluoridation of public piped water supplies should continue as a public health measure. The Irish Expert Body on Fluorides and Health, established in 2004, continuously monitors new and emerging issues on fluoride and its effects. It advises that the balance of scientific evidence worldwide confirms that water fluoridation, at the optimal level, does not cause any ill effects and protects the oral health of the population. The opinion of the Expert Body is supported by major international scientifically validated reviews. The effects of fluoridation on health and related matters are kept under constant review.
625. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will explain the relationship between the Right of Place survivor group and the Health Service Executive; if he will confirm that employees of Right of Place are direct employees of the HSE. [49267/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
626. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical card review application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48795/13]
View answerThe 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.
627. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) may expect to receive an appointment for surgery in Cork University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48799/13]
View answerThe 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 Health Service Executive, 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 HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in this matter.
628. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the data that was considered by his Department when reducing the income ceiling for the medical card for those aged 70 years and over (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48844/13]
View answerThe Government recognises that the living costs of an individual living alone are more than half the living costs of a couple living together and that expenditure does not necessarily diminish relative to the number of people in the household. In that context, the over-70s income limit for a single person has been reduced proportionately less than the income limit for a couple. This differential concept is not new and is evident in other areas of public policy e.g.: the State pension is €230 per week for an individual and €436 per week for a couple; the provision of the Living Alone Increase - an extra payment for people on social welfare pensions who are living alone; differential income limits apply for medical cards for persons aged under 70 years between individuals and couples; and in the assessment for Supplementary Welfare Allowance, a differential applies whereby the rate for a dependent qualified adult is not half the personal rate of the applicant.
629. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ban the below cost selling of alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48845/13]
View answerThe Government has approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse, on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group Report. Legislation is being developed to provide for, inter alia, a minimum unit price for alcohol. This is a mechanism of imposing a statutory floor in price levels per gram of alcohol that must be legally observed by retailers in both the on and off trade sector. As part of our work, a health impact assessment, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, has been commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact.
The provision of such a price measure for alcohol - as opposed to fiscal measures - is aimed chiefly at preventing the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. A minimum pricing regime is a proportional policy exigency that allows the State to engage another parameter to deal with managing the supply of alcohol for the purpose of preventing its misuse. It is a policy aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner.
630. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ban the advertising of cheap alcohol deals in newspapers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48847/13]
View answerThe Government has approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse, on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group Report. Legislation is being developed to provide for, inter alia, a regime of minimum unit pricing for alcohol. The policy of minimum unit pricing will be complemented by implementation of the recommendation in the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group Report that an enforcement mechanism and regulations under Section 16 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2008 be developed. Section 16 provides for the making of regulations which may prohibit or restrict the advertising, promoting, selling or supplying of alcohol at reduced prices or free of charge in order to reduce the risk of a threat to public order and health-risks arising from the excessive consumption of alcohol.
631. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a minimum VAT return for alcohol products (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48848/13]
View answerThe Government has approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse, on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group Report. Legislation is being developed to provide for, inter alia, a minimum unit price for alcohol. This is a mechanism of imposing a statutory floor in price levels per gram of alcohol that must be legally observed by retailers in both the on and off trade sector. As part of our work, a health impact assessment, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, has been commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact.
The provision of such a price measure for alcohol - as opposed to fiscal measures - is aimed chiefly at preventing the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. A minimum pricing regime is a proportional policy exigency that allows the State to engage another parameter to deal with managing the supply of alcohol for the purpose of preventing its misuse. It is a policy aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner.
Value-Added Tax is a harmonised tax within the framework of EU law. The operation of the tax in Ireland is governed by the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010, which is in accordance with EU Council Directive 2006/112/EU Council Directive 2006/112/EC. The Minister for Finance has responsibility for this legislation.
Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax on the value added to a supply and the collection and recovery of VAT takes place at each stage of the chain of supply from manufacturing to retailer. Traders who are registered for VAT collect VAT on the goods and services that they sell. In turn such traders are entitled to recover the VAT that they incur on their business inputs used in the production of goods or delivery of services. Consequently, if there is a decrease in value at any stage in the process the trader is entitled to a refund of the excess of VAT incurred over that collected. In this regard, where a retailer is in a situation of net VAT gain as a result of below cost selling, this is not a loss to the Exchequer or an additional benefit to the retailer, it is merely how VAT is charged.
632. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the amount of money that has been given to the two companies that have been paid for the supply and delivery of hydrofluosilicic acid for the purpose of water fluoridation in the past five years; the names of the two companies that have been paid for the supply delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48849/13]
View answerFurther to Parliamentary Question No. 1166 of 5th November 2013, I wish to confirm that one company has been paid for the supply and delivery of hydrofluosilicic acid and not two as previously advised. The hydrofluosilicic acid is sourced from Derivados del Fluor (DDF) in Spain and supplied and delivered by Chemifloc, a company based in Shannon, Co Clare. I apologise for the error which was brought to my attention after the previous reply had issued. The money spent over the last five years is as follows:
|
Year |
Cost (including VAT) |
|
2008 |
€1.5 million |
|
2009 |
€1.6 million |
|
2010 |
€1.6 million |
|
2011 |
€1.7 million |
|
2012 |
€1.6 million |
633. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to lift the ban on the sale of amino acid L-tryptophan here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48850/13]
View answerI have been advised by both the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) that there is no legal prohibition on the sale of L-Tryptophan in Ireland either as a food or as a medicine. L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which can be found naturally along with a variety of other amino acids in whey protein, hydrolysed whey protein and hydrolysed casein products, which are sold freely on the European market as foods including in Ireland.
I have been informed by the IMB that no product containing L-tryptophan is currently authorised as a medicine in Ireland and that the IMB is not in receipt of any application to license any such product. Products containing L-tryptophan have been made available in Ireland by way of the exempt medicinal product scheme which allows unauthorised medicines to be supplied on foot of a prescription to a named patient.
634. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive intends to engage an additional orthodontist in County Louth to address waiting lists for orthodontic treatment for under 18s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48881/13]
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. The HSE has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy regarding orthodontic waiting lists in County Louth.
635. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form, waiting time periods for orthodontic treatment for under 18s in County Louth for the years 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48882/13]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. Orthodontic referrals are generally received via the Public Dental Service school screening programme. I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy regarding waiting times for orthodontic treatment in Co. Louth.
636. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if community physiotherapy services in County Kildare have been reduced, or have been terminated; if community physiotherapy services in north Kildare have been reduced, or have been terminated; if funding for community physiotherapy services has been reduced in Kildare or in north Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48883/13]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
637. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the protocol in relation to the calling of emergency services, with particular reference to an incident (details supplied); and the remedy open to the citizen in this case. [48884/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
638. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if all 11 recommendations following Health Service Executive investigations following the death of a person (details supplied) including No. 7, have been fully implemented in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin. [48890/13]
View answer639. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, has updated its guidelines on the management of intrauterine death to include lowering the dosage of Misoprostol to reflect recommended standards in RCOG. [48891/13]
View answer640. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason the RCPI-IOG guidelines regarding the use and dosage of Misoprostol were not implemented, as per Health Service Executive recommendations. [48892/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 638 to 640, inclusive, together.
As I responded to the Deputy in my reply of 13th October last, I have been advised that the circumstances surrounding this patient's death were investigated by the HSE under the National Incident Protocol following which 11 actions were recommended. I have been informed by the HSE that the Rotunda Hospital has now implemented all 11 recommendations. In relation to the other issues raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have referred them to the HSE for attention and direct reply.
641. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the average response time for an ambulance call in 2011, 2012 and to end of September 2013 in counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim; the percentage of occasions in which calls were outside this average; the national average response time in 2011, 2012 and in 2013; the number of occasions in 2012 and to the end of September 2013 on which ambulances from outside County Mayo were deployed to answer calls in County Mayo; the response time on each occasion; the number of ambulances on call in County Mayo at any one time and where they are based within the county; his views regarding the organisation of the ambulance services in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48903/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
642. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of shifts that have been dropped in the Health Service Executive ambulance base in St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8 since January 2013 until 11 November 2013. [48905/13]
View answer643. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of shifts that have been dropped in the Health Service Executive ambulance base in Laois since January 2013 until 11 November 2013. [48906/13]
View answer644. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the number of shifts that have been dropped by the national ambulance service since January 2013, identifying the bases in tabular form; the basis on which this decision was made; the criteria that applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48907/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 642 to 644, inclusive, together.
In relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply directly to him.
