Written Answers Nos. 110 - 129
110. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he has identified the life-skill support requirements for young persons with particular reference to ensuring adequate provision at all levels, including access to education, sport and recreation, health and social services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43162/15]
View answerBetter Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014-2020) was developed following consultation with 66,705 children and young people, and a public consultation with parents and individuals who work with and for children and young people. It identifies the five national outcomes towards which all of government, and indeed all of society, must work to achieve for children and young people. These are that children and young people should be:
1. Active and healthy with physical and mental well-being;
2. Achieving full potential in all areas of learning and development;
3. Safe and protected from harm;
4. Enjoying economic security and opportunity;
5. Connected, respected and contributing to their world.
Based on these outcomes, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures sets out, centralises and coordinates key policy commitments for children and young people across Government, and commits to measuring progress against the outcomes. It also establishes a robust implementation infrastructure to support implementation and monitoring and has improved coordination of policies and services for children and young people.
111. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if a co-ordinated youth support service exists; his plans to address such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43163/15]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people and involve approximately, 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2016, current funding of €51m will be provided by my Department for these schemes.
My Department maintains close contact with the youth services throughout the country, and works closely with Education and Training Boards throughout the country.
My Department works closely with the national and major regional youth organisations, including the National Youth Council or Ireland, which has a representative role for the voluntary youth services. Regular meetings are held to exchange information and the youth services actively work with my Department on the development of coordinated policies and services that meet young people’s needs.
In line with the national Youth Strategy 2015-2020, the focus is on the outcomes to be achieved for young people in all developmental aspects of their lives, so that they are active and healthy, achieving in learning and development, safe and protected from harm, have economic security and that they are connected and contributing to their world. These goals are the basis for a coordinated approach across all youth stake-holders, including the youth services, in the implementation of national strategies for children and young people.
Youth Officers of the Education and Training Boards have an important support role to my Department, in the administration and coordination of youth services at local level. Youth Officers engage with local services, on behalf of my Department. They provide support and advice in matters to do with the application and reporting processes for funding and the implementation of quality standards in services for young people.
Many Youth Officers and local youth services participate in the Children and Young People’s Services Committees, set up by my Department, throughout the country. These Committees provide a forum for joint planning and coordination to ensure children and young people and their families receive improved, coordinated and accessible services at local level.
I, and officials of my Department have met, and continue to meet regularly, with youth organisations and groups. My aim is to see how we can work together in a coordinated way to bring about the best possible outcomes for young people.
112. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if he has studied obesity in children, with particular reference to identifying dietary habits and to disseminating information or protocols to assist children, teenagers and parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43158/15]
View answerChildhood overweight and obesity are a major public health issue in Ireland. Health information data from Growing Up in Ireland (2012), the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (2012), the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey (2015) and other sources confirm that one in four children are overweight or obese. As well as being a significant cause of concern for children’s health, the risk of obesity in older age is much higher if obesity starts earlier in life.
This Government established a cross-departmental Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) in 2011, to advise on how best to halt the increase in rates of obesity and how to reduce the burden on individuals, communities and the State. Its work programme has included:
- The development of revised Healthy Eating Guidelines;
- With Safefood, a multimedia campaign to tackle childhood obesity;
- Action during the Irish presidency of the EU which led to the development of an EU Joint Action on Childhood Obesity;
- Treatment Guidelines for overweight and obesity;
- Calorie Posting in restaurants;
- Developing a code of practice for marketing in the non- broadcast media.
In addition, my Department assisted in food labelling, and in the development of a number of treatment algorithms and clinical guidelines providing for child monitoring in primary care.
As the Deputy will be aware, I prioritised the development of an Obesity Policy and Action Plan under the Healthy Ireland Framework as major project for 2015. Improving the level of healthy weight in children and reducing health inequality will be at the heart of the policy. I am pleased to say that the Obesity Policy and Action Plan is now at an advanced stage, and I hope to be in a position to present it to Government in the near future.
113. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will allow citizens of the United Kingdom (details supplied) who receive an Irish pension to receive a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43193/15]
View answerUnder Regulation (EC) 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems, persons insured in any EU Member State, together with persons insured in any EEA Member State (Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein) or in Switzerland, are entitled to receive health care services in Ireland at the cost of that member state provided they are not subject to Irish social security legislation. Persons in this category are entitled to full eligibility and receive a medical card as evidence of their entitlement. The applicant is only required to demonstrate to the HSE that they qualify under the EU Regulations and there is no requirement to submit income details and details of savings.
The applicant must produce the appropriate E or S-form, completed by their Member State confirming the healthcare entitlement for which that state is liable. The position regarding the UK is that, under a reciprocal agreement, the EU S form is not required, however, proof of receipt of a qualifying payment from the UK authorities should be provided with the application to the HSE.
The HSE has responsibility to establish if an applicant is subject to Irish social security legislation. A person is considered subject to Irish social security legislation if s/he is in receipt of a contributory Irish social welfare payment or engaged in work in Ireland and subject to PRSI. If a person is considered subject to Irish social security legislation, the person will not qualify for a Medical Card under EU legislation, but may qualify for a means-tested medical card under national legislation.
114. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Health when a decision will be made on including the multiple sclerosis drug Frampidine in the medical card scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43048/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive added Fampridine (brand name Fampyra®) to its List of Reimbursable Items on 1 October 2015.
Reimbursement will be extended, under the Long Term Illness Scheme, where a demonstration of clinical response (based on objective criteria agreed with clinical experts) is recorded and where that clinical response is shown to persist, based on objective measurement at six-month intervals.
115. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health why this Deputy has not received a reply to Parliamentary Question No. 141 of 30 September 2015; and if this information is available or not. [43050/15]
View answerI apologise for the delay in replying to your previous Parliamentary Question. I understand that the National Ambulance Service is preparing a reply to you, which they hope to finalise and issue shortly.
116. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if an urgent assessment of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 will be arranged. [43051/15]
View answerAs the particular issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for 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.
117. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who is waiting to have a procedure in the South Infirmary Hospital in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43059/15]
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.
118. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health posts that were approved in 2012, 2013, 2014 and in 2015 to date but which are not yet filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43069/15]
View answerThe Government has provided €125 million ring-fenced funding for mental health since 2012 up to the end of 2015, to modernise services in line with A Vision for Change (AVFC) and Programme for Government commitments. A key focus has been additional posts to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for both adults and children. This funding is also being used to enhance specialist community mental health services for older people with a mental illness, those with an intellectual disability and mental illness, the forensic mental health services, and suicide prevention initiatives.
Around 1,150 new posts have been approved since 2012 to 2014. These posts facilitate the policy of moving away from traditional institutional based care to a patient-centred, flexible and community based mental health service where hospital admissions are greatly reduced, while still providing in-patient care when appropriate. As at end September:
- 400.5 or 96% of the 416 development posts for 2012 have started;
- 431 or 90% of the 477.5 development posts for 2013 have started;
- Of the 251 development posts for 2014, 103 have been recruited of which 97 had started by 30 September 2015, and a further 64.5 are at various stages of the recruitment process.
Following discussions between the Department of Health and the HSE around the allocation of the €35 million provided for mental health in 2015, the priority areas to be further enhanced and developed have been agreed and approved. Some of the funding will be used this year to improve safety and regulatory compliance of services, as well as funding enhanced service capacity, which was funded up to now through the use of time-related savings from previous years’ allocations. A further €35 million has been secured for mental health in 2016. The details of the 2016 Budget will be finalised with the HSE in the context of approval of its 2016 National Service Plan, which will also outline the total amount of funding for all services, including, mental health services, in 2016.
119. Deputy Eamon Gilmore asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of public funding for the Laura Lynn Hospice, the only children's hospice in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43071/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. 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.
120. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 412 of 27 January 2015, the status of the anomalous situation which results in medical card holders on mixed dosage medication being charged for each millilitre size as an individual item; his plans to address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43072/15]
View answerMedical card holders are required to pay a €2.50 charge per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacists, subject to a cap of €25 per month for each person or family.
Where a prescribed drug or medicine is required to be dispensed in different strengths and different containers, and therefore claimed as more than one item, a prescription charge applies to each claimed strength of the product.
I have asked the HSE to examine this matter to see whether a practical solution can be found in respect of the issue raised by the Deputy.
121. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding Gheel disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43073/15]
View answerGovernment policy is to enable young people with disabilities to develop the skills they will need to live independent lives to the greatest extent possible, and to receive the supports they need in order to achieve this. Additional funding of €12 million, was allocated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to meet the needs of almost 1,400 young people who required continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative training (RT) this year, of which €6 million was made available to provide services from September.
Finding the resources and the physical capacity to meet the needs of a growing number of new service users every year is a challenging task. When this year’s support requirements were identified, the cost of meeting those needs in full exceeded the amount available and an additional €1.5 million was added by the HSE to the overall allocation, making a total of €13.5 million full-year costs available to meet those needs. A further €1.5 million once-off capital funding was also allocated by the HSE for the provision of suitable buildings, premises and accommodation.
I understand from the HSE that by early July, 97% of all school-leavers in Community Healthcare Area 9 had been offered a placement from September which met their needs in full. In relation to the individuals that had applied for a service from Gheel Autism Services, the HSE indicated in early July that there would be an allocation of €708,000 made available to Gheel to provide the model of day service that they had developed and once off capital funding of €80,000. However, following extensive negotiations with Gheel during July and August, it was established that services for these individuals could not be delivered by Gheel within this allocation and that Gheel would not be a provider of services for these young people.
Following these negotiations, the HSE initiated discussions in August with two alternative service providers, Praxis Care and Autism Initiatives, who already provide quality day services to young people with autism. These providers have agreed to develop appropriate service responses for 21 young people. Of these 21, two individuals have recently commenced with Praxis. Home support services are being made available to the remaining 19 individuals as an interim arrangement and I understand from the HSE, that their new service will be in place by the end of March 2016 at the latest.
Each Local Health Office area in the HSE has a dedicated Disability Manager to coordinate the delivery of services to people with disabilities. It is open to this family to pursue the matter with the Disability Manager for their area who can be contacted at the HSE offices, Fujitsu House, Unit 100, 4th Floor, Lakeshore Drive, Airside Business Park, Swords, Co. Dublin, telephone 01-8953727.
122. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43074/15]
View answerWith regard to the specific query raised by the Deputy, 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.
123. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the status of the home-based crisis teams; the work they perform; the location of each team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43077/15]
View answerThe role of the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) is to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary interventions to address the range of needs of the service user. A Vision for Change recommends that the general adult CMHT should conduct assessments and provide a range of best-practice interventions for adults with complex mental health problems. This incorporates a number of treatment modalities to deliver services to local sectors including home-based treatment, crisis intervention, outpatient and day hospital programmes, acute in-patient care and risk assessment. Vision also recommends that home-based treatment teams be identified within each CMHT and provide prompt services to known and new service users as appropriate.
In relation to the specific issues raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues 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.
124. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13 will received a decision regarding a discretionary medical card. [43087/15]
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.
125. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will have surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43096/15]
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.
126. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure the return of a schools dental service to County Kildare, in the context of the development of a new primary health care centre on the Dublin Road in Kildare town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43098/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for 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.
127. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be provided with dental treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43115/15]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for 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.
128. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurse and registered general nurse community posts that are vacant in County Roscommon and in County Galway; his plans to fill these posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43116/15]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. 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.
129. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will receive a hospital appointment. [43128/15]
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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, 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.
