Written Answers Nos 430-446
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Written Answers Nos 430-446
430. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of staff currently employed in the processing section of the primary care reimbursement service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46268/14]
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.
431. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received a decision on their application to have their medical card reviewed; the reason for the delay in this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46270/14]
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.
432. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions No. 393 of 11 November 2014, No. 201 of 19 September 2014, No. 638 of 15 July 2014, No. 139 of 25 June 2014 and Nos. 209 to 212, inclusive, of 4 June 2014, the reason these questions have not been answered since 4 June 2014; his views on the fact that a parliamentary question tabled more than 175 days ago has yet to be answered by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46283/14]
View answerI am advised that a letter dated 24 November 2014 issued from Minister Varadkar to the Deputy with the information requested. I can, however, again provide the information furnished.
The HSE has advised that, at 10 November 2014 there were 489 medical card applications referred to Medical Officers. The time frames for the consideration and recommendation of these cases are as follows: 149 within 0 to 3 days, 230 within 4 to 10 days and the balance of 110 are within 11 to 20 days.
There are currently 11 Medical Officers, from across the HSE local health areas, engaged on a part-time basis to undertake medical card eligibility assessments. This equates to 4 whole-time equivalent Medical Officer posts. All Medical Officers, who undertake assessment of medical card eligibility, on the basis of discretion under the Medical Card Scheme, are qualified doctors with considerable experience in public health management.
434. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Health when a decision on a discretionary medical card will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46296/14]
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.
435. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health when a decision on a medical card review will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46303/14]
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.
436. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position concerning the reconfiguration of disability services in the area of HSE south; the work that has been done to date; the steps that remain to be taken including timeframe; the location of any proposed new facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46310/14]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive 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.
437. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 134 of 5 November 2014, the steps that will be taken to allow the person (details supplied) to access dialectical behavioural therapy as part of the public health sector or have their costs for accessing the treatment in the private sector covered by the Health Service Executive as the treatment is not available in their area. [46317/14]
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.
438. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health when general practitioner doctors were provided with the power to reinstate medical cards; the number of these cards both full medical cards and GP visit cards that were reinstated; the duration of the reinstated cards; if he will provide in tabular form the statistics regarding numbers of these cards in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46328/14]
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.
439. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will review a decision to refuse a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46329/14]
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.
440. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding dental treatment in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46363/14]
View answerThe HSE provides orthodontic treatment to patients based on their level of clinical need. An individual's access to orthodontic treatment is determined against a set of clinical guidelines and priority is given to patients with greatest needs. I have asked the HSE to investigate this matter and respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
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.
441. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of State board appointments that have been made under the aegis of his Department in 2014 without being advertised; the number that have been made of persons who had not formally applied for consideration of the particular appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46548/14]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Health in July of this year, I have made 19 board appointments. Of these, 7 were made on the nomination of bodies specified in legislation and 5 appointments were by Election. Of the 7 appointments made at my discretion, 4 were filled without being advertised.
2 appointments were made to the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal on the advice of the Attorney General's Office, as these members carry out a very specific role in relation to assessing the quantum of awards under the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act.
In the case of the National Haemophilia Council, 2 appointments were made on the Council's recommendations.
In the case of the VHI Board, expressions of interest for vacancies were invited by my Department in February 2014. Since then, as part of the process for assessing VHI's application for authorisation by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), the Bank has specified its requirements for the specialist competencies that should be held by VHI board members. The CBI requires particular types of expertise and skill mix for the VHI Board, and an appropriate mix between executive and non executive directors. The CBI assesses all nominations for Board membership under its own independent fitness and probity regime before appointments to the VHI Board can be made. Having followed the CBI process, I recently appointed three members to the Board of the VHI.
442. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expenditure profile for his Department at the end of October 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45923/14]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs Group’s profiled budget to end of October 2014 is €609,378m and the actual spend to end of October 2014 is €560,575m resulting in a period variance of €48,803m. These variances in the main arise in Vote 27 and are due to timing differences between the planned or profiled draw down of funding by implementing partners and the actual drawn down demands to date. My Department continues to operate within the budget allocation.
443. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the outcome to date of the all party talks in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46366/14]
View answerSince 16 October I have been in Belfast each week for political talks on a range of issues with a view to advancing reconciliation and the economic recovery agenda in Northern Ireland. Minister of State Seán Sherlock, T.D. has accompanied me most weeks. During that period work has been done across the four streams of discussions of the talks: (1) financial and budgetary issues, including welfare reform; (2) parades, flags and identity, and the past, as addressed in the Haass proposals and discussed in the all-party talks over the past year; (3) the functioning of the NI Assembly and Executive and the delivery of the Programme for Government; and (4) the implementation of key outstanding elements of the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements.
Review meetings to gauge progress took place on 5 November and again on 26 November. In recent weeks especially, there has been an increase in the momentum and intensity of the talks. There remains much work to be done, and the Irish Government is fully committed to playing its role in that regard.
I reported to the Taoiseach on 28 November, outlining the progress made to date and setting forth my views of the prospects for the coming weeks. There is a broad consensus that the window for an agreement is this side of Christmas. It will require absolute resolve to deliver on this.
This week, I will return to Belfast for further talks. Former Senator Gary Hart, Secretary of State Kerry’s Personal Representative, will also be in Belfast this week to meet the parties. I look forward to further engagement with Senator Hart, whose experience, energy and advice will I am sure make a significant contribution to our collective efforts.
444. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will appeal to the Pakistani Government to have compassion and commute the sentence of death on a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46369/14]
View answerThe Government remains very concerned about this case, especially following the decision to uphold this conviction by the High Court of Lahore. The Irish Ambassador accredited to Pakistan (from Ankara, Turkey) has conveyed our concern at this conviction on a number of occasions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, most recently in early November 2014. In the course of his meetings there in November 2014, he met a senior Pakistani Foreign Ministry representative and raised this case, noting that it is a matter of grave concern in Ireland. Officials in my Department have also recently raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan.
Freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression play a central role in the EU’s dialogue with Pakistan.
On 18 October this year, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service expressed deep concern and sadness at the High Court decision to uphold this conviction. They also called on Pakistan to ensure for all its citizens, full respect of human rights as guaranteed by international conventions to which it is party.
The death penalty in Pakistan and this case were also the subject of a statement made on behalf of the then EU High Representative Catherine Ashton at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 22 October last. In the course of this, it was noted that the EU, particularly its Delegation in Islamabad, would continue to both follow the case closely and to advocate for the verdict to be overturned. While not trying to intervene in an ongoing court case, the Statement noted that the EU would use any opportunity to raise this case and the wider issues of the death penalty and blasphemy law, with Pakistan.
The current EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, also visited Pakistan at the end of last October where he held an in depth dialogue with the Pakistan authorities on key human rights issues.
Ireland attaches great importance to the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. We are aware of the vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious minorities in Pakistan and will continue to raise this case and others bilaterally with the Pakistan Government as well as through the framework and mechanisms of the EU and the UN.
445. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of current primary teachers and post-primary teachers who have been Garda vetted; the number of both who remain to be vetted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46044/14]
View answerThe Garda vetting arrangements for the schools sector operate on a non-statutory basis and have been in place for new employees since 2006. The vetting arrangements were updated in 2010 and are set out in Department Circular 0063/2010.
The vetting arrangements will operate on a statutory basis when the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 is commenced. Some amendments are being made to this Act by the Minister for Justice and Equality before it is commenced.
The number of teachers vetted under the non-statutory arrangements continues to steadily increase. There are 90,121 teachers on the Teaching Council register and 53,753 of them have been vetted. This represents about 60% of the teachers on the register. A breakdown of these teachers by sector is attached for the Deputy's information.
The remaining balance of 36,368 that are not vetted are typically permanent teachers who have been in the same school since prior to 2006. Over the years the lack of capacity in the Garda Central Vetting Unit has been an impediment to getting all these existing teachers vetted.
The Garda Central Vetting Unit indicated to the Department, at a meeting in July 2014, that it now has capacity to vet these remaining teachers that were never vetted.
However, if this is done now under the current non-statutory vetting arrangements it would be confined to a check for criminal offences.
The forthcoming statutory vetting arrangements include a check for relevant "soft information" which is an important new aspect of the vetting arrangements. "Soft information" is referred to as "specified information" in the National Vetting Bureau Act 2012 and is information other than criminal convictions held by the Garda Síochána where such information leads to a bona-fide belief that a person poses a threat to children or vulnerable persons.
Given that the forthcoming statutory vetting arrangements will include a check for both criminal offences and also any relevant "soft information" the Department considers that at this stage it is better from a child protection perspective to wait for the vetting of these teachers to be done under the forthcoming statutory vetting arrangements. This will also dovetail with the amendments that are being made to the Teaching Council Act which include: (a) Linking compliance with the vetting arrangements with renewal of registration; (b) Strengthening the Fitness to Teach provisions so as to provide an appropriate mechanism for assessing a teacher's fitness to remain on the register if a vetting disclosure received in respect of a teacher indicates any potential risk of harm to a child. Removal of a teacher from the Teaching Council register is the best way of achieving child protection across all schools.
It is intended that all registered teachers will be vetted under the statutory vetting arrangements as soon as possible after the legislation is commenced. As of 27/11/2014 there were 90,121 teachers on the Register. 53,753 have been vetted.
The breakdown by sector is as follows:
|
Registration Regulation |
No. Registered Teachers |
No. Teachers Vetted |
|
Primary |
42687 |
26585 |
|
Montessori and Other Categories |
1277 |
646 |
|
Post-primary |
42069 |
23657 |
|
Further Education |
6339 |
5238 |
|
Sector unknown as teacher has not informed the Teaching Council of their qualification details or they are registered under Section 31(2) & (3). |
1480 |
152 |
|
Total |
93852** |
56278** |
** Please note that the numbers in the table are higher than the overall total on the register as there are a number of teachers registered in two or more sectors.
446. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a building project in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45805/14]
View answerI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for additional accommodation comprising a resource room and staff accommodation. The application was assessed and I am pleased to advise you that the school were allocated funding for a resource room.
However in view of the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential mainstream classrooms and special education rooms, my Department has advised the school concerned that it is not in a position to provide funding in respect of the staff accommodation at this time.
