Pat Breen
Question:707. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1557/16]
View answerHealth Services Provision
Questions (707)
Written answers
As 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.
Health Services Provision
Questions (708)
Pat Breen
Question:708. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1558/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
Health Services Provision
Questions (709)
Pat Breen
Question:709. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1559/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
General Medical Services Scheme
Questions (710)
Róisín Shortall
Question:710. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the cost of extending free general practitioner care to all children, to every person of 60 years of age and over, and to the entire population. [1565/16]
View answerWritten answers
Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2015, the HSE, Department of Health and Irish Medical Organisation are currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the General Medical Services (GMS) and other publicly funded health sector contracts involving GPs. A priority of these discussions will be the inclusion of chronic disease management for patients. It is not possible in advance of completion of the negotiation process to foresee what the outcome of the review may be and its consequent effect on the average cost of a GP visit card. Therefore, depending on the outcome of these negotiations, the estimated costs of extending free General Practitioner care to children over 6, persons over 60 years of age and the entire population may vary from the estimates provided, as these have been produced on the basis of the current costs.
Assuming the same terms, conditions, services as the contract for those children under the age of six years, the cost of extending Free GP care to the 6-18 year old age cohort is estimated at approximately €80 million.
The cost of extending free GP care to those aged between 66 and 70 is estimated at approximately €20 million. My Department has been unable to calculate the cost of GP visit cards for the 60-65 age cohort because the figures for this age group are not available from the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) - its standard grouping being aged 55 to 64 years. The cost of extending free GP care to those aged between 19 and 65 on the same basis as the current contract is estimated at approximately €400 million. The PCRS's most recently available average cost of a GP visit card was used in these estimations.
The cost of extending free GP care to those not already covered by free GP care would be, on the basis of the above range of assumptions and estimations, in the region of €500 million.
Health Services
Questions (711)
Michael McGrath
Question:711. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be assessed by a service provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1571/16]
View answerWritten answers
As 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.
General Medical Services Scheme
Questions (712)
Seán Fleming
Question:712. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of increasing the weekly income limits for the general practitioner visit card by 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. [1572/16]
View answerWritten answers
I can advise the Deputy that to estimate the costs of any of these measures would require information on the income position of the cohort of the population who do not currently qualify for a GP visit card. As this information is not held by the Department, it is not possible to assess the effect of any of the adjustments suggested.
As the Deputy will be aware, from mid 2015, the Government ensured that all children aged 5 and under and persons aged 70 or older can access a GP service without charges.
General Medical Services Scheme Expenditure
Questions (713)
Seán Fleming
Question:713. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2014 of the general practitioner visitor cards for persons under 70 years of age. [1573/16]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, 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 the Executive.
Human Rights Issues
Questions (714)
Shane Ross
Question:714. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the medical condition of a person (details supplied); if he has received information from the Egyptian authorities on whether this person's trial will go ahead in the near future, the supports being provided to this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46481/15]
View answerWritten answers
The welfare of this citizen remains a key priority for me and my Department. All our actions are in support of our twin objectives of securing his release at the earliest opportunity, and caring for his welfare while he remains in detention. To that end, Embassy officials undertake regular and frequent consular visits with this citizen and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also interacts regularly with his family to provide support and assistance. Such a high level of visitation means that Embassy officials are well-placed to intervene on his behalf when issues arise, and numerous positive interventions have already been made on his behalf with the Egyptian authorities. My Department continues to liaise closely with this citizen, his family and his Egyptian legal team in regard to medical issues. The most recent consular visit took place on 28 December and the most recent direct contact with the citizen’s family was when Embassy officials spoke with one of its members last Saturday.
I remain in close contact with my Egyptian counterpart, Foreign Minister Shoukry, with Egypt’s Ambassador to Ireland, Ms Soha Gendi, and with EU High Representative Ms. Federica Mogherini in relation to this case. The Taoiseach has also spoken about this citizen’s detention with President al-Sisi on two separate occasions.
All the information we receive is carefully considered and informs our overall strategy towards the achievement of the above-mentioned twin objectives. As the local lawyers in any consular case are generally best placed to clarify and advise on issues relating to local law, Embassy officials remain in close contact with this citizen’s Egyptian legal team and will continue to support their efforts to secure his release at the earliest possible opportunity.
International Relations
Questions (715, 716, 717)
Finian McGrath
Question:715. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will request the United States of America to cease funding illegal policies against Cuba and that Cuba should be compensated for damages caused by the blockade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46634/15]
View answerFinian McGrath
Question:716. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the return of the illegal occupied territory of Guantanamo Bay to the people of Cuba; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46635/15]
View answerFinian McGrath
Question:717. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will actively support the ending of the blockade of Cuba; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46636/15]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 715 to 717, inclusive, together.
On 27 October 2015, Ireland and the other Member States of the European Union voted in favour of Cuba’s resolution at the UN General Assembly in New York calling for the ending of the US economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba.
Our view is that following the welcome restoration of US-Cuba diplomatic relations last year the embargo serves no constructive purpose. Ireland, along with the other Member States of the EU, believes that lifting the embargo, along with the full implementation of the package of economic and social reforms adopted by the Cuban parliament in 2011, would facilitate an opening of the Cuban economy to the benefit of the Cuban people.
Our concerns about economic measures against Cuba, which are contrary to commonly accepted rules of international trade, are long-standing and clear. We do not support unilaterally-imposed measures that impede the economic and commercial relations of EU Member States with Cuba.
The historic developments of the past year have seen considerable progress in relations between the United States and Cuba. We look forward to the ending of the US embargo and the removal of all remaining obstructions to trade and communication with Cuba. We welcome the commencement of bilateral discussions between the US and Cuba in Havana on 8 December, 2015 on the subject of compensation.
Together with our EU partners, Ireland also continues to encourage the US to bring about the closure of the detention centre at Guantánamo Bay. The question of jurisdiction and control over Guantánamo is a matter for the US and Cuban authorities.
Appointments to State Boards
Questions (718)
Colm Keaveney
Question:718. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the names of the persons he has nominated to serve in positions carrying remuneration, other than out-of-pocket expenses, on commissions, industrial, assurance, semi-State or other similar concerns; the amounts received annually in respect of each appointment; the name of the concern to which the appointment was made during the years 2011 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46672/15]
View answerWritten answers
I have not nominated any individual to serve in a position carrying remuneration, other than out of pocket expenses, in a semi-State organisation or organisation of the type referred to by the Deputy since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in July 2014.
Overseas Development Aid
Questions (719)
Seán Crowe
Question:719. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade as a contributor to the European Union trust fund for Africa and as member of the strategic board, how he will ensure effective governance and oversight of the fund to ensure that projects approved for migration management including border control and policing are compatible with Ireland and the EU's objectives of promoting respect for human rights; and what Ireland will do to ensure a clear separation between funding that is consistent with the rules for overseas development assistance and funding for migration management. [46714/15]
View answerWritten answers
Over the next five years, Ireland will contribute €3 million to the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Stability and Addressing Root Causes of Irregular Migration and Displaced Persons in Africa. Respect for Human Rights is central to the objectives of the Fund, recognising that human rights abuses are themselves a root cause of irregular migration.
The Final Declaration agreed by all participants and the EU–Africa Summit in Valletta in November 2015, at which the Trust Fund was launched, is explicit on the centrality importance of human rights issues. It notes that “respect for the dignity of refugees and migrants and protection of their human rights, regardless of their status, will remain our priority at all times”.
As a founding member of the Trust Fund, Ireland holds a position of Vice-Chair on the Fund’s Board and is a member of its Operational Committee. We will use these positions to ensure that the principles underpinning the Trust Fund are respected. We have already participated in the first meeting of the Trust Fund Board, which took place during the Valletta Summit, and in the first meeting of the Operational Committee for the Horn of Africa Window, which took place on 16 December.
Ireland has made it clear at all times in discussions leading to the establishment of the Trust Fund and subsequently, that it is essential that all programming under the Trust fund which comes from development budgets must be for activities which are clearly eligible to count as Official Development Assistance, in accordance with the agreed rules.
Human Rights Issues
Questions (720)
Seán Crowe
Question:720. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what he will do to ensure that respect for human rights remains a criterion guiding engagement with the governments which take part in the Valletta action plan and the Khartoum and Rabat processes, particularly in Eritrea and in Sudan. [46715/15]
View answerWritten answers
The protection and promotion of human rights has long been a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy. Our membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council (2013 to 2015) afforded us the opportunity to underline and reinforce that commitment at the very heart of the global human rights machinery.
Respect for human rights is also fundamental to the EU’s foreign policy. Since 1995, the European Commission has included a human rights clause in all negotiated bilateral agreements of a general nature. This so-called "essential elements" clause applies to agreements with over 120 countries. In 2012 an EU Special Representative for Human Rights was appointed further highlighting the EU commitment to human rights.
The EU Action Plan for Democracy and Human Rights (2015-2019) was adopted by the EU Foreign Ministers on 20 July 2015. The Plan includes a commitment to enhancing human rights safeguards in all migration and mobility dialogues and co-operation frameworks with third countries as well as in migration-related agreements, processes and programmes.
Ireland actively participated in the Valletta Summit Meeting of 11\12 November, 2015 which brought leaders from the EU and Africa together to address migration challenges originating in Africa. The protection of human rights is a central element in the Valletta Action Plan. The state of play of the implementation of the Plan will be regularly monitored within the framework of the Africa-EU Strategy, as well as within bilateral political dialogues among signatories to the Plan. This will help ensure that respect for human rights continues to guide engagement with participating Governments, including Eritrea and Sudan.
The Rabat Process – a framework for migration dialogue between the all countries of the EU and the countries of West and Central Africa – is under the guidance of a Steering Committee, the major decision-making body directing the Process. The Committee’s membership includes Belgium, France, Italy and Spain. Respect for human-rights is a core feature of the Rome Programme, the strategic framework of the Rabat Process for the period 2014-2017.
The Khartoum Process - which also highlights the importance of human rights in the context of Migration - is being steered by a group of core EU and African countries as well as by the European Commission and the European External Action Service. All EU member states as well as Eritrea and Sudan are parties to the Khartoum Process.
Given Ireland’s and the EU’s commitment to human rights, and that this commitment is effectively embedded in all three processes (Valetta Action Plan and the Khartoum and Rabat Processes), the Deputy can be assured that respect for human rights will remain a priority for both Ireland’s and the EU’s continuing engagement with these processes.