Written Answers Nos. 201-209
201. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26543/14]
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.
202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a procedure in respect of treatment for a hernia will be offered in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26550/14]
View answerThe National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, 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 the particular query raised by the Deputy, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him on this matter.
203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26552/14]
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.
204. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if a full medical card will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has only been awarded a general practitioner visit card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26553/14]
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.
205. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the nature and extent of information requested of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare whose medical card is now under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26557/14]
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.
206. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the cumulative total of unapproved salary top-ups currently being paid under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27085/14]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply.
207. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if new legislation regarding mobile phones includes penalties for simply holding one's phone in one's hand while driving; the reason this would be any different to holding a cup or anything else; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26473/14]
View answerIt has been illegal to hold a mobile phone since the passage and commencement of the Road Traffic Act 2006. Separately, as the Deputy will be aware, it is an offence under the Road Acts to drive without due care or regard or to drive dangerously. A person who is observed driving dangerously as a result of their cup holding would be liable for prosecution under those provisions.
However while individuals may engage in such activity, it is not a major issue for road safety requiring a specific action. Mobile phone usage is. It is unlikely that a person is going to be holding a mobile phone if they do not intend to use it. Therefore to ensure that there was a clearly understandable and easily enforceable provision in legislation to stop this form of distraction, this particular requirement was introduced. It is unlikely that someone would be making or receiving a call, texting or browsing the internet through their cup.
The new regulations further restrict the use of mobile phones while driving with the emphasis specifically on the prohibition of texting while driving. The regulations close a loophole which may have permitted motorists to send a text message if a phone was held in a cradle within the car and prohibits the sending of an SMS or MMS message, or an email.
I do not intend to bring in a specific offence of cup holding but in the interests of safety, the Deputy is advised not to hold a cup while driving.
208. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide funding for local tertiary and cul-de-sac roads (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26371/14]
View answerI refer the Deputy to my answer to Dáil Questions 584 & 596 on the 10th June 2014 on the same matter.
209. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the contractor who carries out clamping on behalf of Dublin City Council will be regulated by the National Transport Authority under the Vehicle Clamping Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26376/14]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to legislate for vehicle clamping. Following approval by Government, I published the Vehicle Clamping Bill 2014 on the 9th June 2014 which I hope to introduce in the Oireachtas in the near future. Section 101B of the Road Traffic Act 1961 provides for the clamping and/or towing of vehicles illegally parked on the public road by local authorities or their agents. This Vehicle Clamping Bill underlines the current legislation in this regard, and provides for the extension of existing provisions to include compliance with a statutory two-tier appeals process and any regulations made under the Bill applying to the physical administration of clamping activities.
The full legislative details of the Bill, as they apply to both the public and private sphere, together with an accompanying Explanatory Memorandum are available for download from the Oireachtas website under the Oireachtas Business / Bills and Legislation section.
