Written Answers Nos. 121-126
121. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to reduce the overcrowding in the accident and emergency department in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8782/16]
View answerThe ED Taskforce Implementation Group is overseeing the implementation of a range of initiatives to tackle ED overcrowding. These include:
a) Measures to reduce the numbers of patients attending hospital
A number of measures have been introduced to reduce the numbers of patients attending hospital, by improving access to primary and community care services.
b) Measures to expand hospital capacity
The second category of measures to alleviate ED overcrowding has focussed on expanding hospital capacity. In June 2015, €18m additional funding was made available to the HSE under the Winter Additional Capacity Initiative to increase hospital bed capacity. This initiative has facilitated the opening of 246 new hospital beds and the reopening of 116 previously closed beds, giving a total of 364 additional beds in our hospital system. Measures are also being implemented to expand hospital capacity, through the recruitment of additional hospital staff.
c) Measures to support timely patient discharge from hospital
Measures to facilitate timely discharge of patients from hospitals are also in place. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme has been a key measure in reducing delayed discharges. To further achieve improvements in the number of delayed discharges from hospitals, the HSE is in the process of establishing a Bed Bureau for the greater Dublin area.
d) Measures to enhance hospitals’ responsiveness to increased demand for emergency care
The final category of measures to alleviate ED overcrowding are those which seek to improve hospital processes and responsiveness to increased demand for emergency care. In November 2015, with the HSE Director General, a National Emergency Department Escalation Framework was issued to provide direction to hospitals on how best to manage capacity and patient flow at times when there is a surge in demand for emergency care.
In respect of specific overcrowding issues in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, 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.
122. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of respite beds in Counties Cavan and Monaghan in 2010, and at present; if he will provide additional beds in these counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8784/16]
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.
123. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) in Kerry University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8794/16]
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.
124. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) in University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8799/16]
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.
125. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence regarding cutbacks in services for young adults with a disability; why State funds allocated for these services have been channelled to other services; whether he considers persons with disabilities not worthy of adequate health services to allow them to be treated as equal members of society (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8801/16]
View answerThe Government continues to be committed to facilitating the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the life of the community through access to individualised personal social supports and services. This year the Government will provide €1.56 billion for health-funded services and supports to enable each individual with a disability to achieve their full potential and maximise their independence. The quantum of service to be provided, together with key deliverables and priorities, are outlined in the Health Service Executive's (HSE's) National Service Plan for 2016. The HSE is committed to protecting front-line services for people with disabilities, with targeted improvement in priority areas, including:
- the reconfiguration of children's therapy services, for which an additional €4 million has been provided;
- the provision of services for 1,500 young people on leaving school and rehabilitative training, which has been allocated an additional €7.25 million;
- the development of alternative respite models, with €1 million targeted funding;
- the reconfiguration of residential services, supported by €20 million in capital funding; and
- quality improvements to increase compliance with National Standards for Residential Centres for Children and Adults with Disabilities.
As the Deputy's concern outlined in the details supplied with the question relates 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.
126. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to support a matter (details supplied) regarding the European Union-Turkey deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8654/16]
View answerTurkey has a key role to play in resolving the Migration crisis, as most of the migrants and refugees who have entered the EU since early 2015 have travelled via Turkey. The EU and Turkey have engaged deeply on developing joint approaches and the EU’s engagement with Turkey was the focus of the most recent European Council on 17 and 18 March 2016.
The core intention of the EU-Turkey agreement which emerged from the Council is to break the business model of the people smugglers who are profiting from the suffering of the vulnerable. Critically, it should stop people getting into unsafe boats and risking their lives.
The need to comply with international law was at the heart of the March European Council discussions. The legal advice of the EU institutions was that there is such compliance.
All migrants will be protected in accordance with the relevant international standards and in respect of the principle of non-refoulement. The EU and Turkey have agreed that there will be no blanket returns and no automatic returns of asylum seekers. In addition, the €3 billion Facility for refugees in Turkey is aimed at supporting Syrians and other refugees by providing access to food, shelter, education, and healthcare. This funding has been accelerated and, as of 19 April, €187 million has been committed to the Facility.
Steps to address the migration challenge are also continuing outside of the EU-Turkey framework. In addition to the humanitarian aid provided by Ireland, we agreed last year to accept up to 4,000 migrants, despite our opt-out from EU legislation in the area of freedom, security and justice. Last year the Irish Naval service rescued 8,592 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea.
