Written Answers Nos. 362-378
362. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the recent court proceedings in which an action initiated by Tusla against a child care facility was dismissed on the basis that the agency had no authority to take the case; the reason the action was not initiated until after 1 January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45838/14]
View answerThe issues raised in the Prime Time programme in May 2013 demanded a comprehensive response by the Agency with responsibility for the execution and enforcement of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations 2006 which govern the provision of pre-school services in this country. This response included the prosecution in the courts of childcare providers that the programme alleged were in breach of these regulations.
The Government considered that the powers transferred to Tusla under the Child and Family Agency Act were sufficient to allow the Agency to continue to take prosecutions under the Child Care Act in cases where the work commenced prior to the establishment of the Agency. The Judge in his ruling in the District Court, however, took the view that, as the matters being prosecuted took place prior to the 1st January 2014, Tusla had no legal basis to pursue the prosecution.
I understand that Tusla will be seeking to have the decision reviewed as a matter of urgency and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.
363. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views regarding a tax credit scheme for child care (details supplied). [45880/14]
View answerThe introduction of a tax credit scheme is a matter for Government and the Minister for Finance in the first instance.
I am aware of the relatively high cost of childcare in this country and of the difficulties that this presents, particularly where both parents are in employment outside of the home. To help address the issue, funding of €260 million is provided annually by my Department to support the implementation of a number of targeted childcare support programmes that assist parents in accessing quality and affordable childcare. More than 100,000 children benefit from these programmes each year.
The question of tax allowances for working parents who incur childcare costs was considered prior to the introduction of the targeted childcare supports which are now in place. A number of issues emerged at that time which did not favour the introduction of tax relief for childcare. This approach would not benefit parents working in the home and could, therefore, be seen by some as discriminatory. Tax reliefs would favour the higher-paid, and those on the minimum wage or in part-time work would not be in a position to benefit to the same extent. Many parents use childminders or relatives to meet their childcare requirements and may not be in a position to obtain receipts, making it impossible for them to establish their entitlement to tax relief. There is also a view that the introduction of tax credits could lead to increased prices and therefore have limited impact in terms of savings to parents.
I consider that direct investment in childcare provision would be a fairer way of supporting parents who require childcare support. I am aware that, despite the substantial Government investment, the issue of childcare costs remains a significant concern for many parents throughout the country. Increasing the State supports provided to help parents with these costs would require a considerable level of funding which will be considered in future Budgets. These are matters I will be exploring in detail over the coming period.
364. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular form the funding that has been advanced to the Integration Centre from 2005 to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45911/14]
View answer366. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide in tabular form the funding that has been advanced in respect of an organisation (details supplied) from 2005 to 2014, specifically if any European funding has been channelled through his Department to this body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46240/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 366 together.
There has been no funding allocated by, or channelled through my Department to the Integration Centre to date.
365. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to introduce a second free pre-school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46117/14]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education programme was introduced in January 2010 and provides a free pre-school year to all eligible children before commencing primary school.
Despite the challenging budgetary situation, the pre-school year has been maintained as a universal and free programme, ensuring that a significant number of children can avail of pre-school services who would not otherwise be in a position to do so.
There is an increasing body of Irish and International evidence quantifying the benefits of early years interventions in terms of improving outcomes for children and in delivering significant economic and societal return to the State. In this context I believe the introduction of a second year would benefit children’s educational and developmental outcomes.
The introduction of a second pre-school year would require considerable additional funding, broadly in line with the cost of the current one-year provision, which is €175 million per annum. This additional funding is not currently available due to the financial constraints under which the Government is operating. In addition, all of the available evidence indicates that the quality of the pre-school provision is key to good outcomes for children. The implementation of the actions contained in the Early Years Quality Agenda, which involves a range of actions in key areas aimed at improving quality within early years services and enhancing the regulatory regime, is a key building block for any further extension of universal childcare provision.
Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, the national policy framework for children and young people 2014-2020, recognises the value of early childhood care and education in supporting children's early cognitive, social and emotional development, and the Government is committed to the introduction of a second free pre-school year within the lifetime of the framework once the required quality standards are achieved and subject to the availability of resources. My Department and I will be keeping this commitment under review in the context of the progress of the Early Years Quality Agenda.
367. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the responsibilities that were transferred from the Department of Health to his Department on his appointment as Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46306/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that since my appointment as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have continued to lead on anti tobacco legislation related to Plain Packaging and to a ban on smoking in cars where children are present.
Since my appointment as the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs I have overseen the continued passage of those pieces of legislation in both the Dail and in the Seanad. The Minister for Health and I, with the assistance of senior officials have agreed a protocol to ensure that both of our departments work together, as required, to ensure the safe passage of the legislation and to provide information around same.
This arrangement has not required a formal transfer of functions but involves agreement over lines of responsibility related to the provision of information.
My Department has a unique cross-government mandate and I, in line with predecessors, will continue to advocate across government on issues which particularly affect children and which would benefit from whole of government action.
368. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he had any discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the introduction of mandatory lifestyle education in schools in order that children are educated at an early age about the health risks of obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and substance misuse in line with recommendations of his Department's better outcomes brighter futures report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46307/14]
View answerThe National Youth Health Programme is a partnership operated by the National Youth Council of Ireland with the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department and the Health Promotion Unit of the HSE respectively.
The Programme aims to provide a broad-based, flexible health promotion/education support and training service including making healthy choices in relation to alcohol, to youth organisations and to all those working with young people in the non-formal education setting.
The role of schools in relation to ‘lifeskills’ related issues is to complement the role of parents as primary educators of their children and to ensure that pupils have the essential resilience that will enable them to address a range of difficult issues such as substance abuse, healthy eating, obesity, knowing what is appropriate and what is inappropriate, personal safety, and bullying.
This is mainly achieved through the implementation of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum in primary and post primary schools. This programme aims to support pupils in developing a range of generic skills such as communicating, making decisions, knowing where to find reliable data, handling conflict constructively, and expressing feelings and emotions, which will enable them to deal appropriately with the different challenges they may face inside or outside of school.
The SPHE programme is also complemented by aspects of the Physical Education (P.E.) programme, which is implemented in all schools, as well as a range of initiatives that are designed to promote physical activity among pupils in schools. These include the Active Schools Flag which is funded by the Department of Education and Skills and supported by the Department of Health.
In order to build on previous experience and foster greater co-operation in the implementation across Government departments of policies on health promotion in the school setting, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health, with the Health Service Executive and the Professional Development Service for Teachers have established a Health and Wellbeing Steering Group to develop collaboration as a means of enriching and enhancing the health and wellbeing of children and young people in the school setting. Both service strands bring different and complementary knowledge and understandings about the needs of children and young people and strategies to address these.
369. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of State board appointments that have been made under the aegis of his Department in 2014 without being advertised; the number of appointments of persons who had not formally applied for the particular appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46542/14]
View answerI can confirm that the only appointments to a State Board under the aegis of this Department in 2014 have been to the Child and Family Agency. A Chairperson and 8 Ordinary Board Members were appointed 1st January 2014.
In May 2013, the Public Appointments Service advertised seeking Expressions of Interest from those interested in being appointed to the Board of the Family Support Agency having regard to both its existing statutory functions and its planned role in facilitating the establishment of the Child and Family Agency. The membership of the Board of the Family Support Agency was appointed to the Board of the new Child and Family Agency on its establishment on 1st January 2014.
370. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an appeal over a decision not to provide a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46123/14]
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. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
371. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the number of posts vacant within each operational area of child and adolescent mental health service; the average waiting time for a first appointment in each operational area; if he will provide in tabular form the number of persons waiting for their first appointment for more than three months, six months, nine months, one year in each operational area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45782/14]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
372. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45785/14]
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, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up with them.
373. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding the staffing levels at Naas General Hospital, the resources that have been assigned to cover both the old and new wings of the hospital; his views that this is sufficient; his plans to assign further resources in the context of recent warnings from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation on understaffing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45786/14]
View answerThe HSE has advised that Naas General Hospital has agreed staffing levels to cover the entire hospital. As the Hospital experiences surges in activity, additional staff are sourced to meet this demand. The HSE has further advised that Naas General Hospital has appointed twenty six staff nurses this year, fourteen of which were replacement posts and twelve new posts. The HSE National Recruitment Service is currently in the process of appointing a further eight nursing posts, of which six are replacement posts and two are new.
The HSE has assured me that the hospital will continue to engage with the National Acute Services Division and the Social Care Division within the HSE to take advantage of additional capacity initiatives to relieve pressure on the hospital throughout the winter season.
374. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of areas nationwide where brain natriuretic peptide is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45788/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
375. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health if he will approve a discretionary medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45793/14]
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.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
376. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who suffers from multiple sclerosis has not had their discretionary medical card returned despite no change in their financial circumstances and despite their medical needs increasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45796/14]
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.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
377. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if families of transplant patients who have to travel overseas are entitled to financial assistance; and if he will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who claims that subsistence is still outstanding to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45804/14]
View answerThe Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) as provided for in EU Regulations and Department of Health Guidelines, does not provide for Travel and Subsistence expenses for patients or their relatives travelling abroad to avail of approved treatments. However the HSE, subject to available funding, under the Treatment Abroad Scheme Travel Policy, may provide assistance towards reasonable economic air or sea travel fares for patients, and a travelling companion where appropriate or where the referring consultant identifies a necessity. Expenses other than air/sea fares are not admissible. However, patients who experience difficulty funding any additional costs may apply to the Department of Social Protection for assistance as an exceptional needs payment.
I understand the individual to whom the Deputy has referred has received appropriate assistance with his flight costs when accompanying a patient for treatment abroad. This was in line with the Treatment Abroad Scheme Travel Policy. Any further claim for subsistence cannot be met as it is not provided for under the Scheme.
On 12 November I introduced a scheme for the reimbursement of some expenses of living kidney donors which applies to living donor transplants in Ireland and to those who, under clinical supervision of the Renal Transplant Programme in Beaumont Hospital, travel to the UK for paired kidney donation. However retrospection does not apply in regard to such payments.
378. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health within the Galway hospital group, the average waiting time for an MRI scan from first referral; if he will provide in tabular form the number of persons waiting for more than three months, six months, nine months, one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45811/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
