Written Answers Nos. 200-209
200. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the establishment of primary care centres in Celbridge, Leixlip and Kilcock in County Kildare; when these centres will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12562/15]
View answerThe development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system. Supporting infrastructure, procured through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multi-disciplinary primary health care.
The Kilcock primary care centre is one of the locations included in primary care centre PPP project. Considerable progress has been made in progressing this project. Planning permission has been awarded. The pre-selected bidders submitted their tender documentation in early February. These tenders are being assessed and evaluated. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2016 and it is expected that the Kilcock primary care centre will be delivered by early 2017.
Your question in relation to the status of the Celbridge and Leixlip locations has been referred to the HSE for update and direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.
201. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the reason a medical card has not been approved in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare, whose means have been assessed by the Department of Social Protection, which assessment has already taken into account the earnings of both persons and awarded a reduced level of payment on the basis of income which should also be acceptable as a means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12585/15]
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.
202. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the amount of State funding allocated to the national drugs strategy since 1997; more precisely, the local drug task force structures in County Dublin, and surrounding counties, with a breakdown by area task force and associated funding per year. [12590/15]
View answerResponsibility for leading and co-ordinating national policy on drug and substance misuse has been reassigned between Government Departments on a number of occasions since 1997. Responsibility for this very important policy area was assumed by my Department on 1 May 2011.
The table below sets out funding allocated for community based drugs projects from the Drugs Initiative to Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces since 2010. Comparable information for the period prior to 2010 is not immediately available. I will arrange for this information to be collated by my Department and to furnish this to the Deputy as soon as possible.
|
LDATFs |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Ballyfermot |
1,533,826 |
1,492,413 |
1,569,489 |
1,522,404 |
461,150 |
255,446 |
|
Ballymun |
1,243,552 |
1,209,976 |
1,180,695 |
1,145,274 |
632,817 |
422,958 |
|
Blanchardstown |
1,184,200 |
1,152,227 |
1,124,343 |
1,090,613 |
179,305 |
179,305 |
|
Bray |
1,656,849 |
1,612,114 |
1,573,101 |
1,525,908 |
573,860 |
573,860 |
|
Canal Communities |
1,645,413 |
1,600,987 |
1,562,243 |
1,515,376 |
338,605 |
338,605 |
|
Clondalkin |
1,495,408 |
1,455,032 |
1,421,577 |
1,428,930 |
388,114 |
388,114 |
|
Cork |
1,662,621 |
1,617,730 |
1,578,581 |
1,531,224 |
411,988 |
411,988 |
|
Dublin 12 |
1,180,005 |
1,148,145 |
1,120,360 |
1,086,749 |
74,013 |
70,997 |
|
Dublin North East |
1,294,199 |
1,259,256 |
1,228,782 |
988,234 |
422,251 |
422,251 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
975,475 |
949,137 |
926,167 |
898,382 |
94,676 |
94,676 |
|
Finglas Cabra |
986,452 |
959,818 |
936,590 |
908,492 |
263,277 |
263,277 |
|
North Inner City |
2,495,777 |
2,428,391 |
2,369,624 |
2,298,535 |
576,956 |
494,856 |
|
South Inner City |
2,276,911 |
2,215,434 |
2,161,821 |
2,096,966 |
255,720 |
176,043 |
|
Tallaght |
1,316,913 |
1,281,356 |
1,250,347 |
1,262,837 |
452,712 |
341,438 |
|
Total |
20,947,601 |
20,382,016 |
20,003,720 |
19,299,924 |
5,125,444 |
4,433,814 |
The figures for 2014 and 2015 respectively reflect the fact that €13.82m in funding relating to Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force projects transferred from my Department to the HSE on 1 January 2014, with a further €692,000 transferring on 1 January 2015.
203. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the number of positions of employment currently funded across all local and regional drug task forces. [12591/15]
View answerIt is assumed that the Deputy is referring to staff employed to support the day-to-day operation of Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces.
Drug and Alcohol Task Force co-ordinators are, in the main, employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE). However, the HSE also allocates funding to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces for other support workers, including the posts of development worker and administrator.
In the circumstances, I have asked the HSE to collate the information requested and to respond to the Deputy directly. 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.
204. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the current registered number of addicts accessing services in County Dublin and combined regional areas. [12592/15]
View answerThe HSE maintains the Central Treatment List, which is a register of all clients in receipt of methadone maintenance treatment for problem opiate use in Ireland. As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
205. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if the Government will provide a commitment to review drug policy over the past two decades, as it moves towards reviewing and implementing the national drugs strategy from 2017 to 2022, to include a national consultation process with key players, and the form this review will take. [12593/15]
View answerThe Government has consistently monitored the effectiveness of drugs policy over the past twenty years in order to ensure that the approach to tackling problem drug use in Ireland continues to be relevant and appropriate. As part of the process of developing a new drugs strategy in 2001, a review was undertaken in order to examine the progress and impact of the drugs policy at the time and to make recommendations for a new strategy. A Mid-term Review of the National Drugs Strategy was undertaken in 2005, which led to an increased focus on rehabilitation. This was followed by a review of the National Drugs Strategy in 2007, which informed the development of the current National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016.
Periodic reviews of progress across the five pillars of the Strategy are carried out through the Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair. A progress report is prepared each year and these are available on my Department's website. The 2014 report is being finalised and will be published shortly.
My Department is beginning work on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy for the period after 2016. The development of the new Strategy will involve an assessment of the extent to which the present Strategy has provided an effective policy response to the drug problem in the current context. The process will include a comprehensive consultation with key stakeholders and the public on the current national drugs policy and future priorities. It will also take account of evidence-based research, information and data sources on the extent and nature of problem drug use in Ireland. As Minister with lead responsibility for drugs policy, I intend to play an active role in the development of the new Strategy and I look forward to engaging with all interested parties in this work.
206. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the name of the company that was paid to supply methadone; the amount the company has been paid by the State in the past 17 years; and the savings this has secured to the State in the past 17 years. [12594/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days he should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
207. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Health the timeframe, if any, for a second palliative care consultant for the midlands region to take up the post in the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12599/15]
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.
208. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in determining an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12622/15]
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.
209. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all contracts and tenders awarded by his Department to a company (details supplied) since 1 January, 2004, including any such awarded singularly or as a joint bid or consortium including said company; if he will indicate which Department, agency or semi-State company was the contacting party in each case; the value in each case; the purpose of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13112/15]
View answerThere is no record in the Department of any payments being made to the company in question. If the Deputy wishes to provide specific details of further companies to check, please provide details to my Private Office and I will ensure a prompt response.
Contracts awarded by other bodies under the aegis of the Department is an operational matter for the body concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly. I have requested the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of contracts awarded to the named company. 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.
