Wednesday, 10 Jun 2015

Written Answers Nos. 120-127

Child Care Costs

Questions (120)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

120. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding child care costs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22662/15]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

Targeted funding is currently provided by my Department to support a number of childcare programmes. This funding, which is in the region of €260 million annually, provides support to more than 100,000 children each year. The programmes include the universal free pre-school year to which all children have access and a number of targeted programmes that assist low income and disadvantaged families and parents returning to the workforce. Only qualifying parents whose children are enrolled in childcare services participating in the programmes benefit from these supports.

I have established an Inter-Departmental Group to develop a coherent whole-of-Government approach to investment in early years and school-age care and education. This Group is considering the needs of children in their early years as well as the needs of school-going children. The Group has solicited the views of key stakeholders through a number of consultative processes including the Open Policy Debate on Future Investment in Early Years and School-Age Care and Education Services. The Group will make recommendations to Government on the direction of childcare investment that will support parents accessing childcare services in the future. The issue raised by the Deputy is not a matter for consideration.

Assisted Human Reproduction

Questions (121)

Robert Troy

Question:

121. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the legislation to regulate for surrogacy will be enacted; and if it will prevent persons who are unfit to have a child from doing so. [22669/15]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I can inform the Deputy that the question is most appropriately answered by my colleague the Minister for Health.

Health Services

Questions (122)

Finian McGrath

Question:

122. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will review a matter regarding the case of a child (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22674/15]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I can inform the Deputy that the question is most appropriately answered by my colleague the Minister for Health.

Departmental Schemes

Questions (123)

Dan Neville

Question:

123. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the motorised transport grant and mobility allowance scheme; if he will provide an update regarding the policy proposals for the drafting of primary legislation for the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22537/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Conscious of the reports of the Ombudsman regarding the legal status of the Motorised Transport Grant and Mobility Allowance Scheme, in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes. The Government decided that the preparatory work required for a new transport support scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health. The Department is seeking a solution which would best meet the aim of supporting people with severe disabilities who require additional income to contribute towards the cost of their mobility needs, while remaining within the available budget and satisfying all legal and equality concerns.

Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. Once policy proposals have been finalised and approved by Government, the time frame for the introduction of a new scheme will become clearer. The Health (Transport Supports) Bill is included in the Government's legislative programme for 2015. On foot of a Government decision, monthly payments have continued to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time the scheme closed, on the basis that this would prevent hardship and, on an interim basis, alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society.

Mental Health Services Provision

Questions (124)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

124. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the child psychiatric services continue to be readily available to primary or secondary level children in County Kildare. [22688/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As 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.

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

Questions (125, 126, 127, 152, 153)

Denis Naughten

Question:

125. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason persons on elective waiting lists are not informed of their entitlements under the cross-border Directive 2011/24/EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22725/15]

Clare Daly

Question:

126. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive does not actively inform patients of their rights under the cross-border Directive 2011/24/EU, with particular campaigns targeted at patients on waiting lists. [22742/15]

Anthony Lawlor

Question:

127. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Health Service Executive actively informs patients on waiting lists of their rights to access medical treatment abroad, under the cross-border Directive 2011/24/EU; the reason the executive has to date failed to do so in spite of the threat of European Union sanctions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22800/15]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

152. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the reason all patients currently on waiting lists for procedures are not made aware of their rights based entitlements under the European Union cross-border health care directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22667/15]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

153. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the latest developments on the full implementation of the European Union cross-border health care directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22668/15]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 to 127, inclusive, 152 and 153 together.

The EU Directive on the application of patient’s rights in cross-border healthcare seeks to ensure a clear and transparent framework for the provision of cross-border healthcare within the EU and is designed to clarify patients' rights to access safe and good quality treatment across EU/EEA Member States.

The Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. In line with practice in other EU Member States, the HSE, through the National Contact Point (NCP) office, provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive on its website - http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/cbd/ - and also by phone. The principal function of the NCP (which is the mechanism specified under the Directive for the dissemination of information on the Directive by Member States) is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements. The NCP also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the right to healthcare, if any, that they may have through the European legislation on the co-ordination of social security schemes (EU Regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The NCP is able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another member state.

The European Union (Application of Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare) Regulations 2014 - Statutory Instrument No. 203 of 2014 - came into operation on 1st June 2014 and implements the key provisions of the Directive, namely; providing for reimbursement by the HSE of qualifying cross-border healthcare, a system of prior authorisation, and the placing of the National Contact Point on a statutory basis. A further S.I. (No. 65 of 2015) to give effect to the remaining commitments was signed on 23rd February 2015 completing the transposition of the Directive.