Written Answers Nos. 198-207
198. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to enable the Health Service Executive to make available the Fampyra drug to patients who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35014/14]
View answerThe 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 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 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 HSE assessment process is intended to arrive at a decision on the funding of new medicines that is clinically appropriate, fair, consistent and sustainable. Due to the very difficult and challenging economic environment in which the Government targeted additional savings in health expenditure of €619 million in 2014, which must be achieved while protecting front line services to the most vulnerable to the greatest extent possible, the HSE decided it was not in a position to add the drug to the List of Reimbursable Items supplied under the GMS and other community drug schemes.
It is open to the supplier, at any time, to submit a new application to the HSE incorporating new evidence which demonstrates the cost effectiveness of Fampridine. Biogen Idec's Irish management indicated to the HSE in November 2013 that it intended to re-submit an application in April 2014. The HSE has advised it received a revised application from Biogen Idec on Friday 25 July. This application is currently being assessed in line with the agreed procedures and timescales. No further comment is possible at this time as the HSE decision making process is ongoing.
199. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the amounts provided in funding to Prosper for the past five years; if she will ensure that there are no cuts to its funding in budget 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35025/14]
View answerProsper Fingal is funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE has been asked to examine this matter and to reply directly to the Deputy.
The level of funding available for the health budget for 2015 has not yet been determined. Deliberations by the Government on the expenditure allocations for 2015 are likely to continue up until Budget time. As with previous Budgets, the difficult financial position facing the Exchequer will obviously require very careful management across all areas of expenditure.
200. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding hip operations in Cappagh hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35027/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
201. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 638 of 15 July 2014, 139 of 25 June 2014 and 209 to 212, inclusive, of 4 June 2014, the reason this question has not been answered; and when a reply will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35030/14]
View answerMy Department has again requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Health Service Executive to arrange for a reply to issue to the Deputy on 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 Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35105/14]
View answerThe Government has approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse to be incorporated in a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. These measures are based on the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012 and include provisions for the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol products. Work on developing a framework for the necessary Department of Health legislation is continuing and it is hoped to publish a General Scheme of a Bill in the Autumn.
A health impact assessment, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, has been commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact and should be finalised in the coming weeks.
203. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if it is the practice of his Department to employ an archivist to examine records and archives once records are deemed appropriate for archiving to determine the quality of the records, the importance, the estimated care and attention needed to preserve the records and so on; if not if he will consider this option in order to best capture the most valuable records before they potentially deteriorate in storage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35397/14]
View answerThe Department of Health does not employ an archivist.
My Department has a contract with a records management company for the secure storage of the Department’s inactive records, incorporating ordinary storage, high security storage and multimedia storage. This state-of-the-art facility is protected from flood, and temperature and humidity are recorded and monitored. This ensures that documents cannot be damaged or lost by being exposed to external conditions.
However, when the Department next proposes to archive records, consideration will be given to the possibility of employing an archivist on a contract basis.
204. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the total cost of his Department and those under the aegis for the storage of records and archives that are ultimately intended to be forwarded to the National Archives in time; if he will provide this cost for 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35421/14]
View answerMy Department has a contract with a records management company for storage and retrieval of the Department’s inactive records, incorporating ordinary storage, high security storage and multimedia storage, along with retrieval services for these records.
The cost of the storage of Departmental records is met by the Office of Public Works and the cost in 2012 and 2013 was €62,280 and €59,806 respectively.
I understand that the bodies under the aegis of my Department, including the HSE, are not scheduled under the National Archives Act, 1986.
205. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions that have been taken at European Union level on the imposition of sanctions on imported goods from the Israeli settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35017/14]
View answerIn recent years Ireland has worked within the EU to focus attention on the expansion of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as a negative and damaging factor, and a significant driver of the continuing conflict. The EU has stated clearly that settlements are illegal under international law and a barrier to peace. Since settlements are not in Israel, goods from settlements are not covered by the trade provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Goods from settlements do not enjoy the lower tariffs applying to goods from Israel and many other countries. The European Commission has taken administrative measures to help identify goods from settlements. Work has also been ongoing on EU-wide guidelines for the labelling of goods from settlements, so that they cannot be misrepresented to consumers as coming from Israel. Such misrepresentation is already contrary to EU law, but the guidelines would help clarify the position for importers and retailers. Work on the guidelines was set aside during the recent period of direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, but should now be brought to a conclusion.
206. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which assistance continues to be made available to persons (details supplied) in respect of their son who was killed by security forces in Bolivia; if the family will receive support during their current investigative trip to that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35068/14]
View answerThe Irish Government has fully supported the named family’s call for an independent international investigation into the killing of their son since his death in 2009. The Government has raised this issue regularly with the Bolivian authorities and also with the EU and with the UN, both with the UN Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions and at the Human Rights Council.
Officials from my Department are in ongoing contact with the family to provide consular support and to keep them informed of our contacts in relation to the death of their son. I met with the family on 27 August, and subsequently raised this case with both the EU Special Representative, Catherine Ashton, and the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. Officials in my Department have been assisting the family with preparations for the visit to Bolivia as part of our ongoing engagement on this case. The Embassy of Ireland in Buenos Aires, which is accredited to Bolivia, has requested meetings with various Bolivian officials on behalf of the family, and an official from the Embassy will accompany them in Bolivia to provide consular support on the ground during the visit.
207. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if it is the practice of his Department to employ an archivist to examine records and archives once records are deemed appropriate for archiving to determine the quality of the records, the importance, the estimated care and attention needed to preserve the records and so on; if not if he will consider this option in order to best capture the most valuable records before they potentially deteriorate in storage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35396/14]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has a dedicated archives unit based at the departmental file repository. This unit is responsible for managing the annual transfer of records over 30 years old to the National Archives, where in turn they are preserved and held for release to the public under the terms of the National Archives Act, 1986. The departmental archives unit comprises four permanent staff members and in addition uses the services of a retired DFAT Assistant Secretary to review files in preparation for their transfer to the National Archives.
Departmental records not yet due for transfer to the National Archives are stored securely in the departmental file repository. The Department has in place systematic records management procedures which enable it to meet its obligations under the National Archives Act; in addition, it has a close working relationship with the National Archives, seeking advice and guidance as appropriate.
