Written Answers Nos. 147-157
147. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the general process by which a summons to court is worded in relation to road traffic penalty point offences; if the wording is drafted by prosecuting gardaí and signed off by the Courts Service or if the summons is drafted by the Courts Service and signed off by An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42236/15]
View answerI am informed by the Garda authorities that in the first instance an offence wording is created by An Garda Síochána. Following approval by the DPP, the approval details are forwarded to the Court Services for offence coding and returned to An Garda Síochána for uploading onto the Garda PULSE system. This then allows a member of An Garda Síochána to apply for a summons by imputing the specific offence code assigned to the particular offence in respect of which they are creating the summons for.
The issue of summonses is regulated by Rules of Court. Order 15 of the District Court Rules as amended defines the format and procedure for the issue of summonses alleging offences and includes the issue of summonses for road traffic offences including penalty point offences. The specific format of summons is defined in Forms 15.1 and 15.2 of Schedule B to the Rules depending on whether the summons is being issued on application by a Judge of the District Court or on application to an appropriate office within the meaning of Section 1(14) of the Courts (No 3) Act 1986 as amended. The relevant Rules and Schedules are available on the Court Service website www.courts.ie.
148. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to bring forward changes to section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42281/15]
View answerSection 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000 generally prohibits discrimination in relation to the admission policy operated by an educational establishment except where it is a primary or post-primary school operating in an environment which promotes certain religious values. In such circumstances, the establishment, under subsection 7 (3) (c), may favour the enrolment of students of a particular religious denomination in preference to others, or refuse to admit a student who is not of that denomination. However, any preferential admission policy in this regard is only permitted to the extent that it is essential to maintaining the religious ethos of the particular school. The provision reflects the freedom of religion guaranteed in Article 44 of the Constitution as interpreted by the Superior Courts and in particular the right of every religious denomination to manage its own affairs and maintain institutions for religious or charitable purposes. There are currently no plans to amend this section of the Equal Status Act 2000.
I should add that the broader issue of schools' admission policies is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.
149. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding for a counselling service (details supplied) in Dublin 13 will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42189/15]
View answerThe service in question receives funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for the following activities:
- Marriage/Couple Counselling
- Child Counselling
- Bereavement Counselling
- Bereavement Support
The organisation received funding of €49,600 in 2015 from Tusla.
Tusla values the work of counselling organisations and recognises the positive contribution that this service makes in supporting families and local communities.
As the Deputy will be aware, I announced a significant increase in Tusla’s funding allocation for 2016. Tusla will have available to it an increase of €38 million, or over 5.0%, on the allocation for 2015.
The precise level of funding to be provided to particular services is now being considered by Tusla in developing its Business Plan for 2016, which will be sent to me for consideration.
The Government, since its establishment, has attached particular priority to supporting vulnerable children and families and the significant increase in funding being made available to Tusla next year represents further evidence of our delivery on this ambition.
150. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if he has read the report by Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 into the death of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42058/15]
View answerI was very sorry to learn that the late individual referred to by the Deputy was left exposed for a period of time on the Whitworth ward in Beaumont Hospital and that his dignity was compromised. It's not the standard of care that anyone aspires to. The patient referred to in question did not die while a patient in Beaumont Hospital. As the Deputy will be aware, I cannot comment in detail on individual cases. I have no access to individual patient information which is confidential.
I am informed that the Chief Executive of Beaumont hospital ordered an independent investigation into the provision of care to individual referred to by the Deputy and that the CEO has been in direct contact with the family regarding the report. I have asked the hospital to provide me with a copy of the report so that I can read it.
151. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding persons who require transcatheter aortic valve implantation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42081/15]
View answerAs 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.
152. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health when an operation for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be performed; if he is aware of delays in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42084/15]
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.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
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.
153. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who availed of all public addiction services, both alcohol and drugs services, in 2014 and in 2015 to date; the number currently on waiting lists for such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42112/15]
View answer154. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who availed of public addiction intervention services, both alcohol and drugs awareness and education services, in 2014 and in 2015 to date; the number currently on waiting lists for such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42113/15]
View answer155. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who availed of public addiction drug-related intervention services, and alcohol and drugs primary care and pharmaceutical services, in 2014 and in 2015 to date; the numbers on the waiting lists for these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42114/15]
View answer156. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who availed of public addiction specialist drug-related intervention services, and alcohol and drugs services, in 2014 and in 2015 to date; the numbers on waiting lists for these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42115/15]
View answer157. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who availed of public addiction services in inpatient, residential and detoxification units, and alcohol and drugs services, in 2014 and in 2015 to date ; the numbers on waiting lists for these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42116/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 153 to 157, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters, they have 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.
