Robert Troy
Question:697. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the amount that was received in paid parking revenue by the Mullingar Midland Regional Hospital from 2012 to date in 2015 [29183/15]
View answerHospital Facilities
Questions (697)
Written answers
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.
Hospitals Building Programme
Questions (698)
Robert Troy
Question:698. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the new proposed accident and emergency department at Mullingar Midland Regional Hospital; and the date for completion. [29184/15]
View answerWritten answers
Your question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply as the delivery of the healthcare facilities is a service matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up.
Hospital Mortality Rates
Questions (699)
Robert Troy
Question:699. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the number of births and stillbirths at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar in County Westmeath, from 2012 to date in 2015. [29185/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Respite Care Services Availability
Questions (700)
Robert Troy
Question:700. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the status of the 90 bed respite facility promised for Athlone, County Westmeath; the number of home care hours that have been provided in counties Westmeath and Longford from 2013 to 2015; and if he has considered increasing the hours of home care assistants, to allow for more elderly persons to stay at home. [29186/15]
View answerWritten answers
There are no plans to develop a 90 bed respite unit in Athlone as there is an adequate supply of beds in the area.
With regard to home care services, the HSE provides a range of community-based services aimed at ensuring older people receive safe, timely and appropriate care and treatment at the lowest level of complexity, and as close to home as possible. Services are provided on a prioritised basis based on a care needs assessment and availability of resources.
In its National Service Plan (NSP) for 2015 the HSE stated that it will continue to progress the strategic realignment of services to provide home care and community support services in order to maximise the potential of older people in their own homes and communities. The levels of home supports planned for in the NSP are:
- 10.3 million hours of home help service supporting 50,000 people - this is same level of service as 2014;
- 13,800 people in receipt of a home care packages at any one time - this includes an additional 600 people supported under the delayed discharges initiative;
- 190 people in receipt of an intensive home care package at any one time - these packages were introduced for the first time in 2014 for people with more complex care needs.
Primary Care Centres Provision
Questions (701)
Robert Troy
Question:701. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide additional primary health care centres in counties Westmeath and Longford. [29187/15]
View answerWritten answers
The HSE has responsibility for the provision, maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and 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.
Departmental Staff Data
Questions (702)
Seán Fleming
Question:702. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the current average age of permanent staff employed within his Department; and the agencies under his Department's remit; the way this varies from the end of 2008 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29199/15]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tabular statement.
|
YEAR |
Average Age of Staff |
|
2008 |
46.1 |
|
2011 |
46.9 |
|
Date 2015 |
48.6 |
I have asked that the HSE respond to you directly on the aspect of the question that relates to their public sector employees. In relation to Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of the Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated.
Health Screening Programmes
Questions (703)
Maureen O'Sullivan
Question:703. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will undertake independent health screening of communities living adjacent to Coillte public forests to ascertain the impacts of Cypermethrin as the regulatory bodies do not appear to have been monitoring or testing for impacts, while 100,000 litres have been used in public forests over ten years. [29213/15]
View answerWritten answers
I have been informed by Mr Simon Coveney, T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine that the regulatory system for plant protection products is designed to ensure a very high level of protection for humans, animals and the environment. Therefore only products that can be used safely, without any unacceptable risks to human health or the environment are authorised for use.
Furthermore, I am informed that a screening monitoring programme in 2005-2006 looked for cypermethrin at targeted sites but did not result in any detections and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are not aware of any subsequent detections.
In the circumstances my Department has no plans to undertake an independent health screening programme on the impacts of cypermethrin.
Health Services
Questions (704)
Maureen O'Sullivan
Question:704. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive has statistics concerning the detection of immune system illnesses over the past ten years, and if there has been any rise in such illnesses, particularly in areas which have the most concentrated amounts of public forestry, such as in Counties Donegal, Mayo, Clare, Galway, and Cork. [29214/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is Ireland's specialist agency for the surveillance of communicable diseases and is part of the Health Service Executive. The HPSC works in partnership with health service providers and organisations in Ireland and around the world to collate, interpret and disseminate data and information on communicable diseases.
As the information sought is not readily available in my Department I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly 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.
Dental Services
Questions (705)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:705. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health further to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 646 of 16 June 2015, if he will clarify if the 272 whole-time equivalent dentists referenced by him, are the staffing contingent of the public dental service; if the 184 dentists referenced by him are included amongst the 272 whole-time equivalent number; if he will confirm whether the Health Service Executive is now directly employing 41 fewer whole-time equivalent dentists than it was at the end of March 2015, the period with respect to which the executive provided a figure of 313 whole-time equivalent dentists in response to Parliamentary Question No.648 of 24 March 2015. [29215/15]
View answerWritten answers
In December 2014 the number of dentists working in the Public Dental Service was 272. The HSE has clarified that the figure of 184 is no longer relevant and was provided in error. It is a figure from a legacy database set up in the 1990's when HSE dentists were given a Dental Treatment Services Scheme number under a governance initiative.
The March 2015 data provided by the HSE comes from the Health Service Personnel Census (HSPC). The figure of 313 WTE's from the HSPC includes 40 specialist orthodontists. The equivalent comparable figure for December 2014 was 312 WTE's.
Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage
Questions (706)
John O'Mahony
Question:706. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health his plans to include asthma under the long term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29221/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive (HSE), unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
Medical Records
Questions (707, 708)
Maureen O'Sullivan
Question:707. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current location of the medical records from a nursing home (details supplied) in Dublin 2, including the birth registers, maternity theatre registers and patient charts; if he will specify the type of records held relating to maternity and obstetric services, in each of the years from 1951 until its closure, under arrangements pursuant to maternity services legislation [29222/15]
View answerMaureen O'Sullivan
Question:708. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current location of the medical records, including the birth registers, maternity theatre registers and patient charts, specifying the type of records held, relating to maternity and obstetric services formerly provided at the nursing home(details supplied) in Dublin 2, in each of the years from 1950 until its closure, under arrangements pursuant to maternity services legislation. [29223/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 708 together.
In accordance with the Registration of Maternity Homes Act, 1934, local authorities, as defined under the Act, were the registration authority for maternity homes. Records which were required to be kept at maternity homes included:
- (a) every reception into such home;
- (b) every discharge from such home;
- (c) every confinement therein;
- (d) every miscarriage therein;
- (e) every birth therein;
- (f) every death therein;
- (g) every removal of a child therefrom and of the name of the person by whom and the address to which such child is removed.
Over the years responsibility for the registration and inspection of such maternity homes transferred to the Health Boards and subsequently to the HSE. To help with this matter I have passed your query to the HSE for direct reply, but given the passage of time, I am not sure if all records relating to the nursing homes in question still exist. I am aware that some historic maternity records are held by the National Archives so it might also be worth addressing your query to that Office.
Cochlear Implants Provision
Questions (709)
Derek Nolan
Question:709. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of sequential and simultaneous cochlear implants fitted in 2015; the number of children awaiting implants; whether the bilateral implant programme will be rolled out in 2016 service plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29224/15]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Visa Applications
Questions (710)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:710. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 has not been granted access to the Irish embassy in Egypt to receive their visa to return to Ireland; and the steps if he will take to assist the person in doing so. [28799/15]
View answerWritten answers
The person referred to was denied entry to the Embassy of Ireland in Cairo due to a previous security incident at the Embassy. In addition, concerns were raised with the Embassy by third parties regarding the alleged conduct of this person in relation to visa matters. Should this person wish to submit a visa application, it is open to him to do so by having the application delivered by courier service to the Embassy’s public office and it will be processed in the normal way.
Passport Applications
Questions (711)
Jack Wall
Question:711. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to address the problem of gardaí having to sign passports, given that this procedure is so time-consuming; the alternatives currently being considered to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28822/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Passports Act, 2008 provides that the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be satisfied as to the identity of each applicant before a passport is issued. This serves to maintain the worldwide good reputation and integrity of the Irish passport, which, in turn, ensures the safe travel and well-being of Irish citizens as they travel abroad. The witnessing of applications by An Garda Síochána in the State is a cornerstone of this identity verification. Moreover, it helps to combat passport fraud and identity theft. However, recognising the additional workload the annual increase in passport applications (from 250,000 in 1995 to over 630,000 last year) has put on An Garda Siochana, the Passport Service is reviewing the witnessing process. It is intended that the process used to apply for a passport card will serve to pilot an online application form. This is likely to mean that the Garda witnessing requirement for adults renewing their passport application will be removed in the medium term. This will be implemented in tandem with a number of new identity verification measures including an increased reliance on the Public Services Card as the core identify verification mechanism for all passport applicants in the State.