Written Answers Nos. 465-480
465. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of funding that her Department gives to Irish charities; the name of each organisation that receives funding; the amount of funding each organisation receives; the number that are open and transparent regarding salaries; and the steps she is taking to deal with non-disclosures. [53546/13]
View answerThe Department of Children and Youth Affairs currently provides funding directly to a wide range of community, voluntary and other organisations who have charitable status that are engaged in the provision of specific services to children and young people. The most significant share of the funding, which amounts to €249 million is targeted at implementing three major childcare programmes that include the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme, and the Community Education and Training CETS) programme. There is no salary component to this funding provision which is, by its nature, a capitation payment to meet the cost of child-care for parents/guardians.
My Department also provides annual funding to seven National Voluntary Childcare Organisations to enable them to provide a support service to their members in the context of these programmes. This funding amounted to €3.61m in 2013. The individual amounts paid were as follows:
|
Organisation |
€ |
|
Barnardos |
€0.553m |
|
Border Counties Childcare Network |
€0.302m |
|
Childminding Ireland |
€0.340m |
|
Early Childhood Ireland |
€2.055m |
|
Forbairt Naionraí Teo |
€0.241m |
|
Irish Steiner Kindergarten Association |
€0.050m |
|
St Nicholas Montessori |
€0.069m |
My Department also provides funds to support organisations through a number of other programmes that include the following -
- Funding for the support of voluntary youth work is made available on an annual basis to 30 national and major regional voluntary youth organisations through the Youth Service Grant Scheme which is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people. Just over €10 million has been made available this year to support the organisations. Bodies in receipt of funding in this area are required as part of their reporting to disclose salary details to the Department.
- Support for Barnardos and Early Childhood Ireland who act in the role of authorised signatory in accordance with the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations for the vetting of childcare providers. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has facilitated these organisations in this regard through the provision of funding, which amounts to €132,700 and €100,000 respectively in 2013, to cover the cost of providing this service. The funding provided in this instance is in respect of purchase of a service only with no specific salary element.
- The provision of €87,631 to the ISPCC towards the running costs associated with the operation of the Missing Children Hotline. The funding provided in this instance is in respect of purchase of a service with no specific salary element.
- The provision of €311,000 to Foróige to provide contractual services for a range of children and young people's participation initiatives that include supporting Comhairle na nÓg, Dáil na nÓg and consultation with children and young people on behalf of my Department and other Government Departments and agencies. These services are tendered for by my Department and reports received include details of all per diem payments made.
- Grants are also made available to groups and organisations involved in the provision of services to children and young people through the provision of €500,000 from the application based National Lottery Funding Scheme. The provision of lottery funding if essentially once off and, as such, proposals seeking support to meet salary costs are not generally recommended.
466. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52716/13]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
467. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22 who applied for a medical card renewal in July 2013 has not yet received a decision on the matter. [52471/13]
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.
468. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Laois will receive an appointment for an urgent theatre procedure in St. James's Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52481/13]
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.
469. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will maintain funding to the Dyspraxia Association of Ireland at 2012 levels to ensure the organisation can continue in its important work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52486/13]
View answerThe Government is fully committed to ensuring the on-going delivery of vital services and supports to people with disabilities within available resources.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has been provided with funding in the order of €1.4 billion this year to fund its 2013 disability services programme for children and adults with disabilities. This represents approximately 11.5% of overall health expenditure this year. The majority of this funding is distributed through non-statutory agencies who deliver over 80% of all disability services. There are in the region of 300 such agencies at present across the country that provide a significant and broad range of services for children and adults with disabilities in partnership with and on behalf of the HSE. It is important to note that many children and adults with a disability can be very effectively supported within mainstream child and adult health services.
Dyspraxia is a developmental co-ordination disorder that affects movement and co-ordination. For some children, dyspraxia can affect their learning capacity. For this reason they may require additional supports in the school setting to keep up with their classmates. A comprehensive range of supports is in place in our school system to support these children.
From a health perspective, there are a number of therapies that can make it easier for people with dyspraxia to cope. These include speech and language therapy, to improve speech and communication skills, and occupational therapy to find ways to remain independent and complete everyday tasks. Such therapy services do not necessarily have to be delivered through specialist disability providers and are frequently accessed through Primary Care Teams and community therapy services.
The Dyspraxia Association is just one of a range of organisations around the country at present providing supports to specific diagnostic groups who do not receive HSE funding. Funding of these types of organisations is an issue that is under active and on-going consideration by the HSE. Pending approval of the HSE's National Service Plan for 2014, it is not possible to predict the service levels and funding to be provided next year for the disability sector.
470. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a full medical card will be reinstated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52511/13]
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.
471. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the provision of services (details supplied) at Sligo General Hospital. [52513/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
472. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in rheumatology appointments at the Mater hospital in Dublin; the reason appointments have been rescheduled three times in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Louth since August 2012, with the person receiving only a few days notice prior to the appointment being cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52519/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
474. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the Health Information and Quality Authority charges various organisations under its remit for inspections and other matters; if he will provide details of the charges that apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52554/13]
View answerThe Health Information and Quality Authority is entitled to apply charges for the services it provides for the registration and inspection of designated centres for older people and for the registration and inspection of designated centres for persons with disabilities. Details of the charges that currently apply are set out in the Health Act 2007 (Registration of Designated Centres for Older People) Regulations 2009, SI No. 245 of 2009 and in the Health Act 2007 (Registration of Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013, SI No. 366 of 2013.
475. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of the voluntary public hospitals in which public health services are provided; if he will provide a breakdown in tabular form of the electricity costs and other fuel types and costs, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively, in each of these hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52563/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
476. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health with regard to the voluntary public hospitals in which public health services are provided, which, if any, have combined heat and power plants installed and operational; if his Department and the Health Service Executive have calculated the potential annual savings in electricity and heating in each voluntary public hospital if CHP plants were installed; his policy in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52564/13]
View answerDelivery of healthcare infrastructure and financial management is a service issue. Therefore your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
477. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the funding available for community-based suicide awareness groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52570/13]
View answerAs this is a service matter this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
478. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for a National lottery grant in respect of an organisation (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52577/13]
View answerI am pleased to inform you that I have approved a grant of €55,000 from my Department's 2013 allocation of National Lottery funds for this organisation.
479. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in the past six months towards making the holders of long-term illness cards eligible for free general-practitioner care; the legislative timetable for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52590/13]
View answerThe Government is committed to introducing, on a phased basis, a universal GP service within its term of office, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Future Health strategy framework.
It became clear that the legal and administrative framework required to provide a robust basis for eligibility for a GP service based on having a particular medical condition, as outlined in the Programme for Government, was likely to be overly complex and bureaucratic for what is only a temporary first phase on the way to a universal GP service for the entire population.
As announced in the Budget, it has been decided to commence the roll-out of a universal GP service by providing all children aged 5 and under with access to a GP service without fees.
The introduction of a universal GP service constitutes a fundamental element in the Government's health reform programme. The current Government is the first in the history of the State to have committed itself to implementing a universal GP service for the entire population. A well functioning health system should provide equal access to healthcare for its patients on the basis of health needs, rather than ability to pay. The principles of universality and equity of access mean that all residents in Ireland should be entitled to access a GP services that is free at the point of use. Consideration is being given to a range of options for the implementation of a universal GP service with a view to bringing developed proposals to Government.
480. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Health if any salary top-ups have been paid to any members of staff at St Michael's House, Ballymun Road; if so, the amount that was given; the date on which it was given; and the source from which the top-up was taken and the position to which it was paid. [52598/13]
View answerArising from the HIQA report on Tallaght Hospital in 2012 which noted that a number of senior staff had been in receipt of remuneration in addition to the approved rates for their posts, my Department requested the HSE to take steps to ensure that similar payments were not being made in other agencies funded under Section 38 of the 2004 Health Act. The HSE’s Internal Audit Directorate undertook a detailed review of remuneration in these agencies. This review was concluded in March 2013 and identified a significant number of cases in which senior personnel were in receipt of additional payments outside the terms of the approved pay scales.
On 27 September 2013 my Department issued a pay policy, prepared following consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to the HSE. This policy, which reflects Government policy on senior public service pay generally, makes it clear that health service bodies, including the HSE, may not supplement approved rates of remuneration with Exchequer funding or non-Exchequer sources of funding.
As the issues raised in relation to St Michael's House, Ballymun Road are service matters this aspect of the Deputy's question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
