Written Answers Nos. 257-266
257. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason there is no live register of sufferers of Huntington's disease here to work out the need for resources; and if consideration has been given to employing specialist nurses, as in Northern Ireland, who regularly liaise with families and sufferers of Huntington's disease. [15862/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
258. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the position regarding entitlement to a doctor-only card for those aged over 70 who lose their medical card on review; if there is an automatic entitlement to a doctor-only card in these circumstances; and the specific legislative provision for the policy of allowing former medical card holders to retain an entitlement to a doctor-only card. [15865/14]
View answerPersons who lose full eligibility under the gross income limits for an over -70s medical card will continue to be able to access GP services without charges, once all applicable criteria are met. A single person over 70 years old with a gross income of up to €700 per week will continue to qualify for free access to a GP. A couple over 70 years old with a gross income of up to €1,400 per week also qualifies for a GP service without fees.
Section 7 of the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2013 amended the Health Act 1970 to include a new section - Section 58A - which provided for an over-70s GP visit card. New applicants, or those under review, qualify for the over-70s GP visit card once the criteria set out under Section 58A are met.
259. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 23 January 2014, if the figures are now available; if he has given consideration to the suggested adjustment to the medical card review system (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15866/14]
View answerI am informed that the Health Service Executive is compiling the statistical data requested and I will revert to the Deputy on the matter as soon as it becomes available.
I note the Deputy's comments that "Pharmacists have confirmed that the vast majority of patients do not change pharmacist frequently and that it is rare for someone to change during the normal three monthly prescription period."
As stated in the Minister of Health's correspondence of 21 January 2014, under the General Medical Services Scheme, the nature of the pharmacy’s contract with the HSE is to dispense prescribed items to any person that holds medical card eligibility that presents with a GMS script and the basis of the contract, is open ended and does not operate on the basis of a confined list of medical card holders assigned to specific pharmacists. While I appreciate the Deputy's suggestions that pharmacists be advised of the pending expiry of medical card holders current eligibility, as I have stated previously, it is not practicable, given that it would involve notification to all pharmacies in relation to pending review assessments of all medical card holders.
260. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will undertake a series of initiatives to raise awareness about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, ensuring sufferers have access to the treatment abroad scheme and to recognise it as a long term illness. [15868/14]
View answerMy Department is finalising a national plan on rare diseases which is set in the context of the European Council’s recommendation of 8th June 2009. While no specific rare disease is mentioned, the council’s decision declared that it is estimated that there are between 5,000 and 8,000 rare diseases; and it states that the specificities of rare diseases are: a limited number of patients and; a scarcity of relevant knowledge and expertise. The Council’s decision recognised these specificities when it recommended that member states adopt a plan to guide actions in the general field of rare diseases. It is with this in mind that my Department is finalising a generic plan to apply to the 8,000 rare diseases estimated to exist, including Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
With respect to access to the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), the HSE processes applications on the basis that the treatment which the patient is being referred for is not available in Ireland. The presence of a rare illness, such as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, is not of itself criteria for availing of treatment abroad: most rare diseases are treated without any need for recourse to services in other jurisdictions. All patients in conjunction with their Irish based public referring hospital consultant have the ability to apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the state. Applications to the TAS are processed and a determination given in accordance with the statutory framework prior to a patient travelling to avail of treatment. Approved applicants/patients’ hospital treatment costs are covered through the issue of form E112 (IE) for the specific identified episode of care. Once a patient is discharged from a specific episode of care abroad their care immediately reverts to their Irish based consultant
Each application to the HSE TAS is reviewed individually on its own merits and there are no restrictions on a person making an application to the HSE TAS for review and decision. Previous approvals or declines are not used as an influencing factor on subsequent applications. Each application is for an individual episode of care unless otherwise specified by the consultant on the application form. It is not possible to give a “blanket” statement on applications to TAS for patients with a particular condition. As outlined above each application is reviewed individually based on the referral for treatment that is not available in Ireland.
The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme. The conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Long Term Illness scheme.
261. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a full medical card will re-issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15914/14]
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.
262. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if an early appointment can be made for surgical procedure of ENT status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15915/14]
View answerShould a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
263. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he intends to recommend the introduction of the vaccine for Meningitis B, Bexsero, in view of the recent spike in the condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15937/14]
View answerThe National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has not made any recommendation in relation to the use of Meningitis B vaccine in the primary childhood immunisation programme in Ireland. However NIAC has issued guidance in relation to the use of the Meningitis B vaccine in the control of clusters or outbreaks of Meningococcal B disease.
264. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently on the waiting list for an orthopaedic appointment at Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe; the current waiting time for an initial orthopaedic consultation at Portiuncula Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15942/14]
View answerIn relation to the detailed information requested by the Deputy, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly.
265. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that planning permission was granted in 2009 for the construction of a new independently supported footbridge adjacent to Markievicz Bridge, Sligo; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Sligo County Council submitted the applications to his Department for funding for the project in 2013 and 2014; if it is the intention of his Department to provide financial assistance for the project in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15728/14]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads, including bridges, in its area, is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act, 1993. Works on such roads or bridges are a matter for the relevant local authority to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the Council.
Sligo County Council were paid €75,000 in 2007 under the Specific Improvement Grant Scheme in respect of the Markievicz Footbridge. This grant was used to prepare preliminary design and planning procedures for this footbridge. No funding under the Specific Improvement Grant Scheme was provided for this scheme in 2013.
Given the need to prioritise funding for repair and strengthening works, the Specific Improvement Grants Scheme has been curtailed in 2014. Provision is still being made for minor bridge repair and rehabilitation works. In this context Sligo County Council has been allocated €189,000 for Bridge Rehabilitation works in 2014.
It is important to reiterate that the role of the Exchequer grant aid is to supplement Councils' own resource spending on regional and local roads.
266. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the duration of the merchant agreement where payment by debit or credit card is accepted for services provided by his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department to the public; when the term will end; if the merchant agreement is awarded by way of tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15745/14]
View answerThe online motor tax service operated by my Department on behalf of local authorities avails of merchant services provided through a framework agreement covering agencies across the Public Sector. This was established by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) following a tender process completed in 2011. The agreement is for a three year period with an option to extend for a further twelve months. The LGMA have decided to avail of this option and the agreement is, therefore, scheduled to conclude in April 2015.
Road Transport Operator Licensing has recently introduced electronic payments by debit or credit card operating under the same framework agreement as the online motor tax service.
Arrangements in the Mercantile Marine Office for debit and credit card payments commenced in 2007 following the receipt of quotations by three service providers. These arrangements will be reviewed in 2014.
