Written Answers Nos. 163 - 169
163. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the exact date the eighth report in respect of 2014 was submitted by Mr. Geoffrey Shannon, the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection. [41974/15]
View answerThe 8th Report of the Government appointed Child Protection Rapporteur was submitted to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on 10th April 2015. The Report relates to developments for the year 2014.
While the report was submitted to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Report’s recommendations relate to a number of Departments and Agencies and on receipt, it was circulated to all relevant Departments, for information. It is a matter for individual Departments to take the appropriate action on any recommendation relevant to its work. Where recommendations are proper to the DCYA they form part of the process of policy development and, if appropriate, inform the usual business planning processes.
My Department is currently finalising the process of submitting the report to Cabinet for approval to publish, prior to laying the report before both Houses of the Oireachtas.
164. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the status of an application for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42201/15]
View answer185. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the status of the revised funding application by an organisation (details supplied) as advised by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42004/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 185 together.
As the Deputies' questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputies. If the Deputies have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, they can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
165. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of additional acute hospital beds that have become available in 2015; and the full-year cost of providing these. [41857/15]
View answerAdditional funding of €117m has been provided in 2015 to relieve pressures on acute hospitals. This includes €18 million to support the acute hospital system over the winter period by providing additional bed capacity and other initiatives to support access to care. In preparation for the 2015/16 winter period, a total of 129 hospital beds which had been closed for refurbishment or for infection control purposes during 2015 are to be re-opened by the end of November. A further 301 beds are being added to support the acute hospital system over the winter period across various locations. The opening of additional capacity is contingent on staff recruitment and, at some sites, the completion of minor building works within very stringent timeframes.
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.
166. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 5 November 2015, if no new primary care centres have been delivered by way of public private partnerships since 2011; the number of such public private partnership delivered centres opened, by county, in each of the years 2011 to 2015 to date, in tabular form; and the projected outturns for 2015. [41858/15]
View answerThe development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care service. Supporting infrastructure, procured through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multidisciplinary primary health care.
There was no Public Private Partnership Primary Care Centre project delivery mechanism in place prior to the Infrastructure Stimulus Package announced in July 2012. Considerable progress has been made in progressing the primary care centre PPP project since July 2012. 14 primary care centres have been identified as being suitable for the PPP model. These primary care centres are expected to open in early/mid 2017. Please see spreadsheet below which provides the information by county on the PPP primary care centre project available at end September 2015.
|
Primary Care Infrastructure - Progress Update - Public Private Partnership |
Position - 30 September 2015 |
|||||
|
Count |
HSE Region |
County |
Location / PCT Name |
Delivery Method |
Construction/Planning |
Expected Opening Date |
|
1 |
DML |
Kildare |
Kilcock |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
2 |
DNE |
Dublin |
Coolock / Darndale |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q2 |
|
3 |
DNE |
Dublin |
Summerhill, north inner city Dublin |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q2 |
|
4 |
South |
Wexford |
Wexford Town |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q2 |
|
5 |
South |
Waterford |
Dungarvan |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
6 |
South |
Waterford |
Waterford City |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q2 |
|
7 |
South |
Tipperary |
Carrick-on-Suir |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
8 |
West |
Limerick |
Limerick City - Ballinacurra / Weston |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
9 |
West |
Galway |
Tuam |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
10 |
West |
Roscommon |
Boyle |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
11 |
West |
Mayo |
Ballinrobe |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
12 |
West |
Mayo |
Westport |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
|
13 |
West |
Mayo |
Claremorris |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q2 |
|
14 |
West |
Sligo |
Ballymote |
PPP |
Planning achieved |
2017 Q1 |
167. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made to protect the titles of "physiotherapist" and "physical therapist" in one register in relation to the Health Care and Social Care Professionals Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41860/15]
View answer173. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Health when he will make a decision regarding the titles of "physiotherapist" and "physical therapist" in relation to the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005; the recommendation which he has received in this regard from the State regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41907/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 173 together.
I expect that the Physiotherapists Registration Board will soon make the necessary bylaws under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to allow it to establish its register early next year. On this basis, the title of physiotherapist will be protected for the exclusive use of the board's registrants when the register's 2 year transitional period ends in 2018.
I am currently examining the issue of also protecting the title of physical therapist under the Act. In other English speaking countries, the title of physical therapist is often used by physiotherapists. In Ireland, however, the title is used by a number of practitioners who are not physiotherapists but who are competing with physiotherapists in the private sector in the provision of musculoskeletal therapies.
Earlier this year, having consulted with the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, I wrote to a number of relevant organisations regarding my proposal to protect the title of physical therapist as a variant of the title of physiotherapist and invited them to submit their views. The submissions are now being examined and I expect that I will make a decision on the matter before the end of the year. As you can appreciate there are many factors to consider. However, I can assure the House that my main concern will be to protect the public when it comes to decisions on this matter.
168. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the total amount of funding which will be provided in 2016 to the Health Service Executive in County Donegal for disability services; the amount of this funding that will be allocated for progressing disability services for children and young people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41864/15]
View answer169. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided in 2015 to date to the Health Service Executive in County Donegal for disability services under the 2015 operational plan; the amount of this funding that was allocated for progressing disability services for children and young people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41865/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 169 together.
The Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's (HSE) National Service Plan for 2015.
In 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist disability services:
- residential services to around 9,000 people with a disability;
- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated in the HSE National Service Plan in 2015 to provide day places for an estimated 1,400 young people finishing school and rehabilitative (life-skills) training. €4m in additional funding has also been allocated in the Plan to deliver an increase in the services for children with disabilities and reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
As the financial position in relation to the HSE Service Plan 2016 has yet to be finalised, it is not possible at this time to indicate the level of funding for the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2016.
As the specific issues raised in the Deputy's question for 2015 relate to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the 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.
