Written Answers Nos. 220-225
220. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, a breakdown of the number of staff currently employed in the ambulance service in County Donegal, including a breakdown of the various grades and locations of these posts; and if he will provide comparable figures for the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013. [7086/14]
View answerThe detailed information sought by the Deputy in relation to health service staff is a matter for the HSE and, accordingly, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
221. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the funding that will be provided for the ambulance service in County Donegal in 2014 and the comparable figures for 2009 to 2013, inclusive. [7087/14]
View answerAs these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he will review a recent decision to refuse a medical card on appeal in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is an epileptic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7117/14]
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.
223. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the reason persons (details supplied) in County Kildare are being assessed as individuals in respect of the nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7121/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
224. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding calorie counts in restaurants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7125/14]
View answerThere are no current plans to introduce legislation in this area. As Minister for Health, I set up a Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO), comprising representatives from the Department of Health, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Education and Skills, the Health Service Executive, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and safefood to examine and progress a number of issues to address the problem of obesity. Voluntary calorie-posting in restaurants is just one of SAGO's various initiatives, amongst others, to assist halting the rising levels of overweight and obesity.
I previously wrote to a range of Businesses - Food Fast Food Outlets, Coffee Shop Chains and Catering Companies requesting that they put calories on menus. The most recent survey showed that 76% of fast-food outlets have put calorie menu labelling in place and this represents 410 individual outlets nationally. 50% of Coffee Shop Chains have put calorie menu labelling in place and this represents 92 individual coffee shops nationally. 43% of Catering Companies have put calorie menu labelling in place and this represents 320 individual catering companies who serve on average 170,000 meals per day.
Smaller/individual eating establishments indicated that they needed some support in introducing the scheme and a calorie counter software tool is being developed by the FSAI and is currently being finalised. As 95% of the public would like to see calories on menus, once this tool is available and the food businesses have had adequate time to use the software tool and put calorie menu labelling in place, the Department of Health will review the operation of the calorie menu labelling scheme.
225. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Health the amount spent in 2012 and 2013 on home help nationwide and the amount spent in 2012 and 2013 on home help in the Health Service Executive west area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7136/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
