Written Answers Nos. 444-464
444. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the details of parental alienation syndrome; if it is recognised here; if there are plans regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47937/14]
View answerParental Alienation Syndrome is not included as a diagnostic entity in the International Classification of Diseases ( ICD ) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM ) and as such it would be inappropriate for me to comment on its authenticity.
445. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that the model of financing and provision of mental health service as provided by Aspen in Lucan, County Dublin, has been endorsed by the Minister for Justice and Equality, his plans to extend this model of provision to other types of care provided by the health service or to other parts of the country with regard to mental health service provision. [47942/14]
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.
446. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on an application for a discretionary medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47946/14]
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.
447. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on an application for entry into the specialist division of the register in the specialty of urology in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47947/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is a matter for the Medical Council. I have forwarded your request to that agency for direct reply.
448. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47952/14]
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.
449. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on proposals to implement the recommendations of the national rare diseases plan, published in July 2014. [47970/14]
View answerOne of the principal recommendations in the National Rare Disease Plan was the establishment of a National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases. This programme will be responsible for, among others:
- Mapping, developing and implementing care pathways for rare diseases;
- facilitating timely access to centres of expertise - nationally and internationally;
- developing treatment guidelines for many rare disorders;
- developing care pathways with European Reference Centres for those ultra-rare disorders where there may not be sufficient expertise in Ireland.
In line with this recommendation, a National Clinical Programme for Rare Diseases has been established in the HSE. A Clinical Lead for this programme has also been appointed. This clinical programme will ultimately be a channel for advancing and implementing other recommendations in the plan, such as those on National Centres of Expertise for rare diseases.
Meanwhile, the HSE and the EU Commission plan to fund jointly a rare disease post of Information Scientist in the HSE with a number of recommendations in mind. These refer to rare disease registries and the utility of data currently captured in health information systems.
Finally, the Health Identifiers Bill - the publication of which was recommended in the plan - has now been enacted. A similar recommendation on the Health Information Bill is being advanced.
450. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the concerns regarding the downgrading of the National Centre for Medical Genetics to a department within Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, Dublin 12; the improvements the Health Service Executive proposes to make to the services provided there and nationally for persons with genetic conditions; and the timeframe within which these changes are likely to be implemented. [47971/14]
View answerThe service for medical genetics in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin (OLCHC) provides services for patients and families in Ireland affected by, or at risk of, a genetic disorder. It comprises three integrated units: a clinical genetics service; a cytogenetics laboratory and a molecular genetics laboratory. The service is under the governance of OLCHC, which has recently made a decision to discontinue the separate identification of the service as the National Centre for Medical Genetics, in the interest of clarity on governance arrangements. I am assured that there has been no reduction in the scope of the services provided.
There have been rapid and progressive developments in genetics and genomic medicine over the past five years, and it is well recognised as one area of medicine that will continue to rapidly develop over coming years. A recently-commissioned review of the genetic services at OLCHC recommended the development of a plan for a National Genetic and Genomic Medicine Network to reflect best international arrangements for the provision of genetic services. This recommendation has been accepted by the HSE and a Steering Group to progress it is currently being established.
451. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to further improve the D-Doc service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47982/14]
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.
452. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the ambulance response times for call-outs in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 for the north-west area of Connemara, County Galway, including Renvyle, Letterfrack, Leenane, Maam and Cornamona; the length of time it takes for the ambulance to leave its base; its journey time; the time to transport a patient to the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47988/14]
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 they will follow the matter up with them.
453. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if a medical card will be reinstated in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who availed of a discretionary card in the past. [47989/14]
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.
454. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans for the transposition of the EU tobacco products directive; the proposed legislative timeline for this transposition; the proposed transition periods for the various measures therein to take effect; if he will exercise the option to delay the ban on menthol cigarettes until 2020; the options available to utilise with regards to the treatment of e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48025/14]
View answerA newly revised Tobacco Products Directive was formally adopted by the European Council earlier this year. The Directive came into force on 20th May 2014 and harmonises rules on tobacco products and certain aspects of e-cigarettes across Europe. Areas covered by the revised Directive include labelling and packaging, ingredients and emissions, traceability and security features and cross border distance sales of tobacco. Member States have two years to transpose the new rules into national law.
The Tobacco Products Directive states that the provisions relating to the ban on characterising flavours shall apply from 20 May 2020 for those tobacco products with an EU wide sales volume representing 3% or more. Menthol tobacco products fall within this category.
Any discretionary options set down in the Directive are being considered by my Department.
In addition to the provisions in the Tobacco Products Directive, the Government has approved the drafting of a General Scheme of a Bill to prohibit the sale of non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems (including e-cigarettes) to those under 18 years of age and by those under 18 years and to introduce a licensing system for those products.
The Department of Health will continue to monitor existing and emerging evidence on the potential harm and the potential benefits of these products, so as to inform decisions around any future additional regulation in this area.
455. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all official foreign trips he and Ministers of State in his Department plan to take between now and the end of 2015; if he will provide the names of the persons he and Ministers of State in his Department will meet on these trips; the purpose of the trips; the duration of the trips; if there are plans to use all of these trips to promote Ireland as a good place for doing business and as a destination for foreign direct investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48034/14]
View answerCurrently, I am scheduled to attend three meetings abroad, up to the end of 2015. These are:
- 9-11 February, 2015, the European Parliament Plenary, Strasbourg;
- 20-21 April, 2015, informal meeting of European Health Ministers, Riga;
- 19 June, 2015, EPSCO Council meeting, Luxemburg.
Currently, Minister Lynch is not scheduled to attend any meetings abroad.
I can assure the Deputy that both Minister Lynch and I will continue to promote Ireland as a good place for doing business and will take every opportunity to encourage direct foreign investment, both at home, and abroad.
456. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a review application forwarded to the medical card office from this Deputy in June-July still awaits a decision (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a review application may take up to five to six months to process; the reason this review has not yet been processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48052/14]
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.
457. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that the public nursing homes throughout the country are retained and, where necessary, upgraded and extended in order to ensure the continuation and availability of nursing home facilities in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48054/14]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2007, statutory responsibility is given to the Health Information and Quality Authority for the independent inspection and registration of certain categories of designated centres including residential care settings for older people.
All public units are currently registered with HIQA and the HSE is applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet residential need now and in the future. My Department is in consultation with the HSE on an ongoing basis and the position will be kept under review.
458. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the important role and position in the context of caring for older persons in the case of a hospital (details supplied) in County Dublin; if his attention has been drawn to the high quality of service threat, the dedication and expertise of the staff and the satisfaction of the local community with the quality and standard of service provided, if he will ensure against any diminution of the scale and quality of services; if he will examine the extent to which upgrading, extension and expansion may take place with a view to achieving the maximum original capacity of the hospital; the extent to which any threat to the ownership of the property has been rebutted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48055/14]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive 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.
459. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding surgery in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 17; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48068/14]
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.
460. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding funding for hostels (details supplied) in Dublin 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48074/14]
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 with them.
461. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 579 of 23 May 2014, he will include the drug cysteamine and cysteamine eye drops which have been granted a European licence, dispensed for the inherited metabolic disorder cystinosis, in the drug payment scheme. [48075/14]
View answerThe HSE is responsible for the administration of the primary care schemes, therefore the HSE has been asked to investigate the specific query raised by the Deputy and respond to him as soon as possible.
462. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive a decision on their application for a medical card. [48098/14]
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.
463. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive a decision on their application for a medical card. [48099/14]
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.
464. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive a decision on their application for a medical card. [48100/14]
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.
