Written Answers Nos. 717-729
717. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the future plans for a unit (details supplied) in County Roscommon, which accommodates 25 older persons with enduring mental health issues, in view of intense speculation that it is about to be closed by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12049/15]
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 within 15 working days, please contact my private office and they will follow up the matter with them.
718. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health his views that State supports should be made available in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 4. [12050/15]
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.
719. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath regarding an application under the nursing home support scheme, in view of that person's circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12057/15]
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.
720. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will consider reducing the medical card prescription charge for persons with severe disabilities. [12074/15]
View answerPrescription charges are part of a set of measures introduced by Government in recent years to reduce pharmaceutical drugs expenditure. Medical card holders are required to pay a prescription charge of €2.50 per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €25 per month for each person or family. Prescription charges do not apply to children in the care of the Health Service Executive or to methadone supplied to patients participating in the Methadone Treatment Scheme.
There are no plans to amend the prescription charge, however, I am pleased that the prescription charge is frozen at the level set in 2014 as was announced as part of the packet of health measures in Budget 2015.
721. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if any research is being undertaken into myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12119/15]
View answerThe Health Research Board (HRB) is the lead agency in Ireland supporting and funding health research. The HRB has advised my Department that it has not received any applications to fund research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis in its current round of funding for research projects.
722. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the capital investment programme at the Sacred Heart Hospital in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12148/15]
View answerThere will always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. As with all capital projects, further development of the CNU programme, including the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon, must be considered within the context of the overall capital envelope available to the health service. There is limited funding available for new projects over the next multi-annual period 2015-2019 given the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place. In addition, the HSE cannot exceed or plan to exceed its approved commitment thresholds. The HSE is concentrating on applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet residential need now and in the future.
723. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason a reply has not been forthcoming from the Health Service Executive regarding funding in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [12154/15]
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.
724. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the proposed move of the National Maternity Hospital, currently located at Holles Street in Dublin 2, to a new building on the grounds of St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin 4; when it is anticipated that construction will start and when the new facility will be open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12155/15]
View answerThe proposed redevelopment of the National Maternity Hospital on the campus of St Vincent's hospital is one of the Government's major capital health projects. The project will deliver a modern, state-of-the-art hospital for mothers and babies. Co-location at St Vincent's, allows for optimal care for mothers, and particularly those at high-risk, by ensuring access to the range of medical and surgical specialties that they may require.
The project is progressing well. Design Stage 1 (preliminary design) was completed in December 2014 and the project has now proceeded to Stage 2a – Scheme Design. Thus the formal detailed design of the development is now underway. It is anticipated that a Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in Q4 2015. Assuming no planning difficulties, building is tentatively expected to commence in 2016. The development will be built on a phased basis and will, it is hoped, be substantially complete by late 2019.
725. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the current up-to-date position regarding the 20-bed adult cystic fibrosis unit at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9. [12168/15]
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.
726. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress made in filling the much needed additional nursing posts at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, in view of significant overcrowding taking place at the hospital [12169/15]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. 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.
727. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has prepared any outline analysis of the total health and financial cost of cigarettes and smoking by Irish citizens to the Irish Exchequer and economy generally during the history of the State and in particular during the past four decades. [12172/15]
View answer728. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has an analysis of the financial cost of the serious health damage being done by smoking of cigarettes during 2013, 2014 and to date in 2015. [12173/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 727 and 728 together.
There is currently limited information available in Ireland on the costs of tobacco use to our society. A study on the health costs of smoking carried out on behalf of the European Commission estimated that the annual healthcare costs to Ireland in 2009 was €664 million and that the costs of premature mortality due to smoking was €3,507 million. However, the study did not include environmental impacts, or differentiate costs attributable directly to smoking and indirectly to passive smoking.
The Department of Health has commissioned research to be carried out to assess the economic costs of smoking in Ireland. Key items to be included in the analysis are the costs relating to healthcare, morbidity, loss of productivity, mortality, second-hand smoke, fire, and environmental issues such as littering.
It is envisaged that work on the research will commence shortly, with a final report expected before the end of the year.
729. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has carried out any study of the legal class actions taken by American citizens and Government agencies against major cigarette companies in recent decades [12174/15]
View answerOfficials in my Department are aware of the legal actions taken in the United States against the tobacco industry but have not commissioned or carried out any studies in this regard.
Tobacco consumption is today the greatest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in Ireland, killing over 5,200 people a year. Smokers die on average 10 years sooner than non-smokers; and one in every two of smokers will die from a tobacco related disease. I am of the view that the measures we are putting in place to implement our tobacco policy, Tobacco Free Ireland will contribute to reducing the overall prevalence of smoking in Ireland to less than 5% and help meet our target of a tobacco free Ireland by 2025.
