Written Answers Nos. 186-194
187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department is aware of the organisation of children's beauty pageants; if existing legislation is adequate to deal with such situations which might result in the potential abuse of children for commercial purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14656/14]
View answerAs Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I share the deep distaste of colleagues for events such as child beauty pageants which are not at all appropriate for children. However the answer is not always legislative.
It is noted that legislative proposals in France on banning pageants ran into difficulties in light of criticisms regarding the vagueness around the specifics of what types of events were addressed. Pageants can be labelled as ‘talent’ contests for example.
It is so encouraging and praiseworthy that each of the hotels approached by Universal Royalty, the company promoting a child beauty pageant, back in September of last year declined the opportunity to host the context. In the interests of children, they turned down the opportunity to make money. They have to be congratulated for that, as does the Irish Hotels Federation for opposing child beauty pageants in Ireland.
This is yet another demonstration of voluntary progress; of the culture of cooperation needed.
However, I have asked the Department to examine options, to commission an international review of other countries' responses to these issues in order to inform the Government's response, and future actions; and this evening I can confirm that my Department has now commissioned the Centre for Effective Services to undertake this review in 2014.
This research project will build on another current research project being conducted by University College Cork; commissioned and funded by my Department through its scholarship programme which is looking at the impact of commercialisation and sexualisation of children in Ireland. This important research is currently undergoing peer review and is expected to be published before the Summer.
In 2012, I extended an invitation to the Irish retail sector to respond to increasing concerns about the sexualisation of childrenswear. Retail Ireland, responded to my call and accepted my invitation to bring forward Ireland’s first ever guidelines on the ‘responsible retailing of childrenswear’.
These guidelines are not just about restricting what retailers can sell, but instead provide a more constructive guidance on best practice on a range of issues such as styling, slogans, age-appropriateness, size, labelling and marketing.
I believe this code is now playing an important and constructive role in informing future decision-making by retailers and I am happy to report that the number of complaints regarding inappropriate childrenswear have fallen. However I would urge parents to continue to feedback any concerns or complaints, either in-store or by contacting retail@ibec.ie.
An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, The Irish Dancing Commission, is also to be commended for their introduction of additional rules prohibiting the use of make-up including false eye lashes, the tinted make-up I mentioned, and artificial tanning products for the face. Dancers who are ten years of age or younger may no longer compete using any of these.
188. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which the mental health of teenagers and young persons remains an issue for concern in her Department in view of the extent to which incidents have been recorded in recent years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14657/14]
View answerThe issue of mental health and well-being in young people is a complex issue requiring inputs from a wide range of stakeholders including young people, parents, schools, the media, youth organisations and the Primary Care and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services HSE.
The prime responsibility for policy in relation to the treatment and support for young people with mental health problems currently lies with the Department of Health and the HSE.
My Department supports the The National Youth Health Programme which is a partnership between the National Youth Council of Ireland, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the HSE. The programme aims to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion/education support and training service to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in out-of-school settings.
This work is achieved through the development of programmes and interventions specifically for and with youth organisations throughout the country and the provision of training and support for workers and volunteers who implement these programmes. It is covered under the Mindout Mental Health Promotion training and resource pack delivered to youth organisations. The training is based on the resource Mindout which was developed by Health Promotion HSE West and NUI Galway. Mindout is a twelve session mental health programme which takes a positive approach to the promotion of emotional and mental health among young people, looking at the ways they cope ranging from personal coping skills to informal networks of support to professional or voluntary support services. Mindout adopts a universal mental health promotion approach which has strong links with the “Support for all” element of the recent guidelines on Mental Health Promotion for Schools published by the HSE, Department of Education and Skills and the National Office for Suicide Prevention.
The Learning Content includes
- Expressing Feelings
- Coping strategies and resilience
- Gender differences in coping behaviour
- The importance of social support
- Dealing with rejection and depression
- Positive self-talk
- Seeking help
The National Youth Health Programme also offers a Specialist Certificate in Youth Health Promotion. This programme is accredited by NUIG and adopts a whole organisational approach to health promotion. It focuses on a holistic model of an individual’s health and mental health and reinforces youth work as a valuable setting for mental health promotion.
Actions needed to address this issue obviously extend way beyond the remit of my Department. My Department is currently leading the preparation of the new Children and Young People’s Policy Framework which will represent a new whole-for government approach to addressing issues affecting children and young people including their health, mental health and well being.
189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department has studied obesity in children with particular reference to identification of dietary habits and the dissemination of information or protocols to assist children, teenagers and parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14659/14]
View answerIn Ireland, The Growing Up in Ireland survey, 2011 found that 1 in 4 children as young as 3 years of age are overweight or obese and these figures are similar to those found in the Irish survey for the WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative and The National Children’s Food Consumption Survey, 2005. One in five teenagers is overweight or obese according to The National Teens Survey. This is of great concern as there are a multitude of short and long-term effects in not only in childhood but also in later life.
Overweight and obesity are a public health priority for the Minister for Health who has established a Special Action Group on Obesity whom he meets with regularly to progress the obesity prevention agenda. The Special Action Group on Obesity comprises key stakeholders including the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and is chaired by the Department of Health. It is recognised that alone no single initiative will reverse this growing trend, but a combination of measures should make a difference. For this reason the Special Action Group is concentrating on a range of measures including actions such as:
Calorie posting in restaurants
There is strong support for this initiative among the general public and also, in fact, within much of the food industry itself. Calorie posting has already commenced in a number of establishments and it is envisaged that in the coming months, when the necessary implementation mechanism has been devised it will be further implemented.
Healthy Eating Guidelines, including the Food Pyramid
These were launched on 13 June 2012. They will help inform people about the food and drink choices required for a healthy lifestyle and set out in plain and simple language the food servings the Irish population need to consume to maintain health and well-being.
Marketing of Food and Drink to Children
The Department of Health has worked with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, with regard to the marketing of food and drink to children towards a new Children’s Code up to 18 years, to restrict marketing of high fat, high salt and high sugar foods and drinks up to 7 pm.
Media campaign on preventing childhood obesity
In November 2013 a three year media campaign was jointly launched by the Ministers for Health and Children and Youth Affairs which aims to provide parents with practical tips in helping to ensure children and young people maintain a healthy weight. The advertising campaign is backed up by social media and printed resources for parents and also professionals both of whom were closely involved in developing the campaign. Reaction to the first phase has been very positive from parents and the second phase of the campaign is due to start shortly, focusing on increasing physical activity.
190. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which incidents of self-harm among children and or teenagers continue to be reported and monitored by his Department, whether at risk families in this regard are specifically identified for supportive action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14658/14]
View answerThe National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF), which is funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) operates the National Registry of Deliberate Self Harm. This is a national system which monitors the occurrence of deliberate self-harm presenting to hospital Emergency Departments. The NSRF compiles and publishes data on the incidence of deliberate self harm on an annual basis. Emergency Departments have the expertise in deliberate self-harm, crisis intervention nurses and/or liaison psychiatry services to support anyone who attends after an episode of self-harm.
Government policy on deliberate self-harm and suicide prevention is guided by our national strategy Reach Out which makes a number of recommendations in relation to fast track referrals to community-based mental health services, effective response to deliberate self-harm, training, reducing stigma and promoting positive mental health, initiatives aimed at helping young men and research. The HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) has primary responsibility for the implementation of Reach Out.
Action Area 12 in Reach Out aims to "Develop and resource an effective response in the health services or people who present to services having engaged in deliberate self harm and design ways to reach out to those who self harm but are reluctant to access traditional services and supports". In this regard, the NOSP fund a range of services including Pieta House; two on-line providers - SpunOut and Inspire Ireland, to provide direct information to parents, teachers and young people on self harm; a self harm liaison nurse post in Temple Street Hospital; training for community gatekeepers and front-line services responding to self harm from young people. In 2012 the NOSP also published an information leaflet for parents on dealing with and responding to self harm.
I would like to assure the Deputy that dealing with the current high levels of suicide and deliberate self harm is a priority for this Government.
191. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an appointment for an operation; the reason for the delay in receiving an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14455/14]
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.
192. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if accommodation will be made for a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow to take an incentivised career break from the Health Service Executive for family reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14461/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
193. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card review in respect of a person (details supplied). [14466/14]
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.
194. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a second necessary hip replacement operation will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14471/14]
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.
