Mary Lou McDonald
Question:407. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in tabular form the expected carryover of capital expenditure savings from 2014 into the next year. [30179/14]
View answerDepartmental Expenditure
Questions (407)
Written answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that there is no expected carryover of capital expenditure into 2015 at the mid point of this year. However, it is too early to predict with any certainty the final end of year outturn.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (408)
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:408. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in tabular form the expected unspent current expenditure from 2014 into the next year. [30211/14]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that it is too early to predict with any certainty the final end of year outturn.
Departmental Staff Data
Questions (409)
Joe Higgins
Question:409. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of public sector workers on temporary contracts or other non-permanent contracts of employment in her Department. [30404/14]
View answerWritten answers
The number of staff in my Department on temporary or fixed term contracts is influenced by several factors, such as providing for temporary vacancies that arise from the operation of family friendly policies. At the present time there are some sixty eight temporary or short term contracts operating in my Department. Forty five such contracts relate to Temporary Clerical Officer posts to cover for permanent staff who avail of the Shorter Working Year Scheme and also to address other short term requirements.
Question No. 410 withdrawn.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (411)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:411. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that an urgent surgical procedure is carried out in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29963/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
Health Services Data
Questions (412)
Billy Kelleher
Question:412. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form a county breakdown of the waiting time for paediatric insulin pumps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29964/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services Staff Data
Questions (413)
Billy Kelleher
Question:413. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of paediatric diabetes nurses in the health system; where are they located; the number of children each nurse is covering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29968/14]
View answerWritten answers
As this question relates to an operational matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply.
Health Services Provision
Questions (414)
Robert Troy
Question:414. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the long waiting list for children waiting on eyesight tests in County Longford; and his views on same [29970/14]
View answerWritten answers
As the HSE is responsible for providing optical screening services for school age children, the HSE has been asked to examine this matter and respond directly to the Deputy.
Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage
Questions (415)
John Browne
Question:415. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will seek to have the Health Service Executive and Biogen reach an agreement regarding making the drug Fampyra available for patients suffering from multiple sclerosis under the community drugs scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29984/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
The HSE received an application for the inclusion of Fampridine (Fampyra®) in the GMS and community drugs schemes. The application was considered in line with the procedures and timescales agreed by the Department of Health and the HSE with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) for the assessment of new medicines.
In accordance with these procedures, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Fampridine and concluded that, as the manufacturer was unable to demonstrate the cost effectiveness of fampridine in the Irish healthcare setting, it was unable to recommend the reimbursement of the product. The report is available on the NCPE's website (www.ncpe.ie). The NCPE report is an important input to assist the HSE in its decision making process and informs further discussions between the HSE and the manufacturer of the drug.
The HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of new medicines that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. In these circumstances, the HSE has not approved the reimbursement of Fampridine under the GMS or other community drug schemes.
However, I am aware that studies are ongoing to assess the wider impact of Fampridine on both walking and quality of life for persons diagnosed with MS. The results of these studies will contribute to the evidence base demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of the product which can be used to support future applications for its inclusion on the lists of reimbursable items supplied under the GMS and other community drugs scheme.
The HSE met with Biogen Idec recently to discuss a potential revised application. The HSE expects that Biogen Idec will submit a revised application. The HSE will then re-consider the application in as timely a fashion as possible in line with the agreed procedures and timescales for the assessment of new medicines.
Medical Card Reviews
Questions (416)
Jack Wall
Question:416. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has been the holder of a medical card until this year will now regain that medical card under the new discretionary guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29985/14]
View answerWritten answers
In the context of the Government's decision to develop a policy framework for providing eligibility for health services on the basis of medical conditions, the Government recently announced that a medical card or GP visit card is to be issued to a person, with a serious illness, whose discretionary card was refused renewal since the centralisation of medical card assessments.
If the medical card or GP visit card to which the Deputy refers was awarded by way of discretion and was refused renewal in the period from 1 July 2011 to 31 May 2014 following the completion of an eligibility review, a card will issue by the HSE.
The HSE has commenced issuing letters to the persons concerned and this process should be concluded by the first two weeks of July. No action is required on the part of those affected as the HSE will be in contact. If people do not hear from the HSE by mid July, they should contact the HSE on its Lo-Call contact number: 1890 25 29 19. These individuals will be able to access medical card and GP visit card services in the normal manner when they have been advised by the HSE that their medical card or GP visit card is active.
The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the specific query raised 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.
Medicinal Products Licensing
Questions (417)
Seamus Kirk
Question:417. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Health when the current review of the advanced prostate cancer drug enzalutamide by the national cancer control programme will take place to determine its future availability here; if there is an approximate timescale available for the roll-out of said drug; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29989/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, therefore the HSE has been asked to examine the specific case raised by the Deputy and reply to him as soon as possible.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (418)
Billy Kelleher
Question:418. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated annually to cover the cost of vasectomies under the medical card scheme; the way these funds are distributed regionally; if funds are still available for 2014 to carry out these procedures under the medical card scheme; if so, if he will indicate the regions that still have money left in their budget to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29990/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
Hospital Services
Questions (419)
Billy Kelleher
Question:419. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason Thyrogen injections are not available to cancer patients at Cork University Hospital; his plans to introduce these injections for patients; the date on which this will come on stream; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29991/14]
View answerWritten answers
Two care options are available for the preparation of patients who are diagnosed with thyroid cancer, for radio-active iodine ablation - either withdrawal of oral thyroxine treatment or treatment with Thyrogen®. Both options are in line with international guidelines.
The treatment option utilised is determined by the prescribing consultant and the hospital’s Drugs and Therapeutics Committee. The current model of care in Cork University Hospital is thyroxine withdrawal and I am not aware of plans to change in this regard.
Medical Card Eligibility
Questions (420)
Micheál Martin
Question:420. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who has recently had a medical card revoked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29999/14]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.