Written Answers Nos. 156-167
156. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Health his views on the below-invoice cost selling of alcohol; if he will consider banning the practice to achieve the policy goals set out in the public health (alcohol) Bill 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33734/15]
View answerThe General Scheme of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill was approved by Government on the 3 February 2015. The Scheme includes provisions for minimum unit pricing, health labelling on products that contain alcohol, restrictions on the advertising and marketing of alcohol and the regulation of sports sponsorship. As part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, the measures were debated in detail by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children. The JOCH report was published in June 2015. The Department of Health is continuing to work on the preparation of the legislation. The Bill is due to be published in the autumn.
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will make it illegal to sell or advertise for sale alcohol at a price below a set minimum price. Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) sets a minimum price per gram of alcohol. The minimum price of an alcohol product would be based on the number of grams of alcohol in the product. MUP is a targeted measure, aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner, and designed to prevent the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. MUP is able to target cheaper alcohol relative to its strength because the minimum price is determined by and is directly proportional to the amount of pure alcohol in the drink.
The University of Sheffield study reported that the alcohol products most affected by this policy are those that are currently being sold very cheaply, often below cost prices, in the off-trade, i.e. supermarkets and off-licences. On the other hand, the study found that a ban on below-cost selling (implemented as a ban on selling alcohol for below the cost of duty and Value Added Tax) would have a negligible impact on alcohol consumption or related harms.
157. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he is liaising with the Health Service Executive, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to address the urgently needed provision of 500,000 additional personal assistant hours for citizens with disabilities in budget 2016, given that the projected €45 million cost over three years would be greatly offset by freeing up bed space in hospitals and care institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33649/15]
View answer182. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to support the funding of personal assistant services for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33778/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 182 together.
Work is currently underway in the Department of Health in relation to the preparation of budget estimates for 2016. As part of this process, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has submitted an estimate of its proposed expenditure for 2016, including health and personal social services for people with a disability. As discussions on budgetary issues are ongoing within the Department of Health, with the HSE and with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, I am not in a position to comment on the outcome of the process at this stage.
158. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to clarify the number of front-line emergency ambulances aged 12 years and over which are still in service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33663/15]
View answerThe Deputy may wish to note that the National Ambulance Service (NAS) operates its fleet in line with the requirements of CEN 1789, the European Union standard for ambulances. The NAS has a fleet of over 520 vehicles which travel over twenty million km each year. Fleet management policies in place, minimise, as far as possible, the potential for vehicle failure. Daily vehicle inspections are carried out by ambulance crews, and a defect logging system is in place. Replacement of stock within the fleet runs at up to 15% a year and, in 2015, 62 new ambulances will be added to the fleet, at a cost of €7.5 million. The NAS adheres to vehicle manufacturer’s specifications for service schedules and intervals. In line with current manufacturer and warranty requirements, each manufacturer’s main dealer network carries out the majority of heavy maintenance work.
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.
159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health to clarify, further to his response to Parliamentary Question No. 226 of 9 July 2015, the number of applications for medical cards and general practitioner visit cards where eligibility was granted, in each of the past 12 months to date; how many of the applications resulted in full medical card eligibility; in general practitioner visit card eligibility only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33673/15]
View answerI understand that the Health Service Executive corresponded with the Deputy on 22 September last detailing the number of medical card/GP visit card applications received and the number of medical card/GP visit card applications where eligibility was granted for the period August 2014 to July 2015. The HSE has been asked to further 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.
160. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a date for an operation for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [33678/15]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
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.
161. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 642 of 9 June 2015, if he will provide the exact waiting times for mastectomy prosthesis; surgical bras; swimsuits; etc for each Health Service Executive area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33680/15]
View answerThe Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he should contact my Private Office and my officials will follow up the matter with them.
162. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health whether he has reviewed the policy proposals recently launched by the Healthcare Enterprise Alliance, which propose to save €130 million on the annual medicines budget, through a series of reform measures; if he and his Department support these proposals and will move to implement them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33682/15]
View answer163. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the Healthcare Enterprise Alliance, with 15% of the Irish medicine market, will be included in the negotiations on medicines pricing, which are due to commence with the pharmaceutical sector next month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33683/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together.
Officials in the Department of Health are working with their colleagues in the HSE, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of Government Procurement to ensure that the State achieves the best possible deal in terms of value for money regarding the pricing and supply of medicines.
In this context, I welcome the recent proposals made by the Healthcare Enterprise Alliance. However, it would not be appropriate or in the public interest to comment on the State's position in advance of any negotiations or discussions it may undertake with supplier representative organisations.
Preliminary discussions have taken place with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) regarding a possible successor agreement to the existing drugs pricing and supply Agreement between IPHA, the Department of Health, and the HSE. It is not envisaged that the HEA will be a party to this process.
164. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the projected costs associated with the development of the primary care centres in Balbriggan and Swords in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33690/15]
View answerThe 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.
165. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he and the Health Service Authority will facilitate a person (details supplied) in having a wheelchair adapted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33695/15]
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.
166. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the status of an application from the Brothers of Charity Services in Ennis, County Clare, on behalf of their clients (details supplied) under the residential support budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33696/15]
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.
167. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will restore a full medical card, which was due for renewal in June 2015, to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [33699/15]
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.
