Written Answers Nos. 99-103
99. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if home help hours will be banked in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who avails of respite care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45536/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
100. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive policy regarding the replacement of motorised wheelchairs will be reviewed in view of the fact that some patients have had the same wheelchair for over 12 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45538/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
101. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions in which he is involved at European level regarding the growing movement towards recognition of Palestinian statehood; if Irish policy is developing in this regard towards offering recognition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44955/14]
View answer102. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to seek Cabinet approval to begin the process of offering Irish recognition of Palestine as a nation State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45050/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.
I refer the Deputy to my reply today to Priority Question No. 40 on the same topic, which was as follows:
Ireland has worked for many years, under successive governments, to achieve a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, involving the realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state. We have therefore always looked forward to being able to recognise a state of Palestine, in reality and not just as a symbolic gesture.
Successive governments and Ministers for Foreign Affairs have considered that a state of Palestine, and Ireland’s recognition of it, should come about as part of a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. All our actions remain geared to that ultimate goal.
Sweden’s recent decision to recognise Palestine has brought this issue to the fore within the EU. In a number of Member States, including Ireland, there have been strong parliamentary expressions of support for recognition – in most cases as an element of an overall solution.
The Foreign Affairs Council which I attended last week began a discussion among EU partners about the question of recognition, which will continue over time.
Clearly if there is no prospect of substantive peace talks resuming in the near future, then we will need to take close account of that in evaluating how we can advance our overall goal.
Our position is not set in stone. Against the background of a deteriorating situation on the ground, I will continue to consider any option, including early recognition of Palestine, which may advance the prospects for peace and help ensure that the two-state solution still has a chance of being realised.
Finally, the question of international recognition of Palestine, while important, is not a magic wand to resolve the conflict. Over 130 countries have already formally recognised Palestine, but the conflict continues. Only a comprehensive peace agreement will end the occupation and allow the full establishment of a Palestinian state in reality, as well as in theory. That is the consistent goal of everything the Government is doing on this issue.
103. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the dates of meetings of his Department's Management Advisory Council in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the names of the civil servants present at each of these meetings; if he or his Department's Minister of State was present at each of these meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45478/14]
View answerI have included in the table below the dates of meetings of my Department's Management Advisory Committee (MAC) in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. In principle, each meeting involves the Secretary General of the Department as Chair as well as the Heads of Division at HQ at Assistant Secretary and above grade.
An innovation introduced in 2013 has seen the appointment on an annual basis of four to five other members at PO - Counsellor or equivalent grade, with a view to improving both the gender profile and overall representativeness of the MAC. In another recent innovation commencing this September, a serving Ambassador has been asked to join the MAC, again on an annual basis.
In the past, meetings of the MAC normally took place on a monthly basis but, since the beginning of this year, meetings are normally held once a fortnight if possible. On any given date, one or more may be unable to attend due to other commitments or absence. Other Departmental officials attend MAC meetings periodically to brief and participate in discussions on topical developments in their areas of responsibility. In the time available, it is not possible to confirm exactly who was present on each occasion.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have met very regularly with the members of the Management Advisory Committee and I have joined their own meeting on two occasions, most recently on 18 November last. The Ministers of State at my Department are likewise in very regular communication with members of the Management Advisory Committee, but they have not participated in the Committee meetings.
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2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
3 February |
23 January |
21 January |
20 January |
|
23 February |
6 February |
21 February |
21 January |
|
28 March |
2 April |
5 March |
3 February |
|
4 April |
30 April |
25 March |
18 February |
|
8 April |
28 May |
30 April |
3 March |
|
18 April |
18 June |
20 May |
11 March |
|
16 May |
9 July |
4 June |
24-28 March inclusive |
|
27 June |
3 September |
10 June |
2 April |
|
28 June |
10 September |
3 July |
15 April |
|
4 July |
8 October |
9 September |
29 April |
|
25 July |
12 November |
7 October |
12 May |
|
5 September |
17 December |
4 November |
22 May |
|
12 September |
2 December |
9 June |
|
|
28 September |
24 June |
||
|
20 October |
8 July |
||
|
21 November |
15 July |
||
|
22 November |
21 July |
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|
19 December |
16 September |
||
|
20 December |
6 October |
||
|
3 November |
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18 November |
