Written Answers Nos. 512 - 529
512. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of representations he has received from Members of the Oireachtas and the number of these to which he had not issued a substantive reply by 31 May 2016 by month of initial receipt from 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15039/16]
View answerThe Department does not collect data in a manner that would allow the Deputy's question to be fully answered. However, during the period in question a total of 6,627 representations to the Minister for Health were received in the Department, including from members of the Oireachtas. In the same period, 5,213 representations were finalised.
513. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a primary medical certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15047/16]
View answerThe Drivers and Passengers with Disabilities Tax Relief Scheme is operated by the Revenue Commissioners and provides tax relief for vehicles purchased for use by people with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. The eligibility criteria for the scheme are set out by the Department of Finance, details of which can be found on www.revenue.ie.
In order to qualify for tax relief under the scheme, the person with a disability must have a valid Primary Medical Certificate, applications for which are processed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) Local Health Offices. If the HSE refuses and application for a Primary Medical Certificate, the person is informed that they may appeal the refusal to the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, which is based at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
As the Deputy's 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.
514. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health his plans to replace two of the three speech therapists in Kilcreene hospital in Kilkenny (details supplied). [15049/16]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If the Deputy has 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.
515. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his proposals to introduce new measures to deal with the growing problems due to the increasing availability of new psychoactive substances and the serious problems this is causing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15050/16]
View answerA Bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act to bring a number of new substances under the scope of that legislation is currently being drafted and it is the intention to publish it before the House rises for the summer. In addition to this, regulations will be made to introduce substantial additional controls on certain prescription drugs being traded illicitly, such as benzodiazepines and z-drugs medicines. The planned measures include introducing import and export controls, tighter prescribing and dispensing controls as well as an offence of possession, thereby assisting the law enforcement roles of Customs and An Garda Síochána.
Government policy on tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. The overall objective of the Strategy is to continue to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. A Steering Committee, chaired by an independent chair and with representatives from the Statutory, Community and Voluntary Sectors, has been established to advise on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy, which will cover the period from 2017 onwards.
A high level review of the current drug policy has been undertaken by a panel of international experts. The report of the review is expected to be finalised shortly and will highlight the key issues that need to be addressed under the new Strategy. The Committee will also consider the approach to drug policy in other jurisdictions and a review of international evidence on interventions to tackle the drug problem. Focus Groups have been established to advise the Steering Committee on the relevance of the current Strategy in tackling problem drug use in Ireland and to identify any gaps arising. This process will inform the identification of new measures to address the drug problem under the new Strategy.
516. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that additional much needed resources are allocated to an organisation (details supplied) which provides an important service in counties Cavan and Monaghan; if he is aware that demand for the services provided by this organisation is increasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15051/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE 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.
517. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15054/16]
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 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 HSE, 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 the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
518. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient psychiatric beds, including child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric beds; the number of these that are operational; and how this compares to the European average. [15057/16]
View answerThe recently published HSE Mental Health Division Operational Plan 2016 indicates details of various in-patient bed provision for mental health services nationally. This includes, for example, 997 Adult Acute beds, 76 Child and Adolescent Acute beds, as well as 70 Day Hospitals, 100 High Support Community based residences, 185 Medium and Low Support residences, and 93 in-patient beds within the National Forensic Mental Health service. The Operational Plan for this year is available on the HSE website.
As the issues raised by the Deputy are operational matters, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply, in respect of the detailed information sought. If she has not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
519. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when he will finalise a replacement scheme for the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant which were removed from new applicants over three years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15060/16]
View answerConscious of the reports of the Ombudsman regarding the legal status of both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant Schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts, the Government decided to close both schemes. Both schemes remain closed.
However, the Government also decided that monthly payments will continue to be made by the Health Service Executive to 4,700 people who were in receipt of the Mobility Allowance at the time the scheme closed, on the basis that this would prevent hardship and, on an interim basis, alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society.
The Government decided that the detailed preparatory work required for a new Transport Support Scheme and associated statutory provisions should be progressed by the Minister for Health. The Department is seeking a solution which would best meet the aim of supporting people with severe disabilities who require additional income to contribute towards the cost of their mobility needs, while remaining within the available budget and satisfying all legal and equality concerns.
Work is ongoing on the policy proposals to be brought to Government for the drafting of primary legislation for a new scheme. The proposals seek to ensure that:
- There is a firm statutory basis to the scheme's operation;
- There is transparency and equity in the eligibility criteria attaching to scheme;
- Resources are targeted at those with the greatest needs; and
- The scheme is capable of being costed and it is affordable on its introduction and on an ongoing basis.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Programme for Partnership Government acknowledges the ongoing drafting of primary legislation for a new Transport Support Scheme.
520. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for hip replacement operations; and the number of emergency hip replacement surgeries that are carried out in the event that a hip is broken. [15063/16]
View answerWith regard to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to him directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
521. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of emergency ambulance call-outs in County Roscommon in each of the years 2014 to 2015; and the length of time that the ambulance took to arrive at the scene of the emergency. [15064/16]
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 the Deputy directly. If he has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
522. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of persons under 18 years of age who were prescribed Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate here, in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15065/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
523. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health for details of the medications currently prescribed here to persons suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD; the number of persons recorded as suffering from ADHD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15066/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply within 15 working house, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
524. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the percentage of cases seen by the child and adolescent mental health services which relate to activity and attention disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15067/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue 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.
525. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 years of age who were prescribed Ritalin here in each of the years from 2012 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15068/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
526. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of children under 18 years of age who were prescribed Strattera here in each of the years 2012 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15069/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
527. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health the details of the most recent review carried out of the need for medication in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15070/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
528. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health to provide data on the number of missed outpatient appointments in the Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, County Meath, in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15075/16]
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.
529. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a single payment to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14266/16]
View answerThe person named submitted a Private Contract Clause application to my Department seeking the transfer of land and entitlements by lease as transferee. The 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application was submitted under the herd number shown prior to the herd number being changed into the name of the person named. My Department is working to resolve this issue which has prevented this application from being fully processed to facilitate payment under the Basic Payment Scheme. Once resolved my Department will contact the person named directly regarding details of his payment.
The person named also submitted an application under the 2015 Young Farmers Scheme to my Department. Once the Basic Payment Scheme payment has issued, the Young Farmers Scheme application can be finalised with a view to payment shortly thereafter.
