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Thursday, 9 Jun 2016

Written Answers Nos. 176-185

Health Services Staff

Questions (176)

Eugene Murphy

Question:

176. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of low staff levels for a health care group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15177/16]

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Written answers

I 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.

Home Help Service

Questions (177)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

177. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health why he has not provided a replacement carer to a person (details supplied) under the home help scheme; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15184/16]

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Written answers

As 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.

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (178)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

178. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents from County Donegal who were treated in adult mental health facilities in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15187/16]

View answer

Written answers

As 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.

Mental Health Services Data

Questions (179)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

179. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of the 63 teams in operation and the number of clinical staff in child and adolescent mental health service posts which are located in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15188/16]

View answer

Written answers

As 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.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (180, 181)

Bobby Aylward

Question:

180. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health if he can provide funding through the HSE for the establishment of a gold star initiative or task group in Kilkenny such as the one in Cashel, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15191/16]

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Bobby Aylward

Question:

181. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health the process persons must follow in establishing a task force or group to achieve gold star status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15192/16]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together.

The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

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, the Deputy can contact my private office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.

Legislative Programme

Questions (182)

Paul Murphy

Question:

182. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the Bills he will reinitiate relevant to his Department from the previous Dáil; the Bills he will introduce in the coming sessions; when he will introduce each Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15203/16]

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Written answers

The Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014, the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 and the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 were before the Oireachtas when the previous Dáil was dissolved in February this year. The current Dáil has agreed that the Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2014 and the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 are to be restored to the Dáil Order Paper. Subject to the agreement of the Seanad, the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 will be restored to the Seanad Order Paper.

Information on other Bills under the aegis of my Department and in the new legislative programme is set out below, including information on the purpose of each Bill.

Title

Purpose

Current position

Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill

The Bill will control certain drugs, including prescription medicines, which are being misused and sold illegally.

For publication this session.

Open disclosures provisions for inclusion in Department of Justice and Equality Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill

These provisions deal with supporting the open disclosure to patients of patient safety incidents.

Expected publication date 2016.

Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (No.2) Bill

To insert policies and principles for secondary legislation into the Principal Act and to provide for the establishment of supervised injection facilities.

Drafting is at an advanced stage

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No.2) Bill

To amend the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, the Dental Act 1985, the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, the Pharmacy Act 2007, the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 and the Health Acts 1953 and 2004 to provide for:

(1) Amendments required by the transposition of Directive 2013/55/EU.

(2) An appeal against the minor sanctions.

(3) Amendments in relation to a number of other issues including amendments to the registration of medical practitioners.

Expected publication date Q4 2016.

Health Information and Patient Safety Bill.

To provide a legislative framework for the better governance of health information and initiatives including data matching and health information resources for use in the health service and support for clinical audit and patient safety notifications. The Bill will also provide for the extension of HIQA’s remit to private health service providers.

The General Scheme was approved in November 2015.

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill

To amend the risk equalisation credit rates and corresponding stamp duty levies payable under the Risk Equalisation Scheme.

Expected publication date Q4 2016.

New Children’s Hospital Establishment Bill

To establish a statutory body to provide paediatric acute services in Dublin at the new children’s hospital, taking over those services currently provided by Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin, Temple Street and the paediatric service at Tallaght Hospital.

The Bill will also make amendments relating to the functions of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (Establishment) Order.

Work is ongoing on a General Scheme with the aim of finalising this for submission to Government in July 2016.

Health (Transport Support) Bill

To provide for a scheme to make individual payments as a contribution towards transport costs to people with severe disabilities on a low income who cannot access public transport.

Work is ongoing on a General Scheme with the aim of finalising this for submission to Government in July 2016.

Patient Safety (Licensing of Healthcare Facilities) Bill

To provide for a mandatory system of licensing for public and private healthcare facilities.

Work is ongoing on a General Scheme with the aim of finalising this in 2016.

Assisted Human Reproduction Bill

To provide a legislative framework for the regulation of assisted human reproduction (AHR) practices and stem cell research.

Work is ongoing on a General Scheme with the aim of finalising this by end of Q1 2017.

Health and Wellbeing (Calorie Posting and Workplace Wellbeing) Bill

To require food premises to display calories on menus and to require all public sector employers to have and to report on a Health and Wellbeing policy.

Work on a General Scheme is underway.

Public Health (Sale of Tobacco Products and Non-Medicinal Nicotine Delivery Systems) Bill

To provide for inter alia, the:

(1) Introduction of a licensing system for the sale of tobacco products.

(2) Introduction of a licensing system for the sale of non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems (NMNDS).

(3) Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products from temporary or mobile units/containers.

(4) Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products at events/locations primarily intended for persons under 18 years of age.

(5) Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products by persons under 18 years of age.

(6) Prohibition of the sale of NMNDS by persons under 18 years of age and to persons under 18 years of age.

Work on a General Scheme is underway.

Health Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill

To provide for the extension of the Health Information and Quality Authority's functions to encompass regulation in the area of medical ionising radiation protection.

Work on a General Scheme is underway.

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Questions (183)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

183. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for HSE equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15215/16]

View answer

Written 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.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (184)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

184. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding persons in residential care overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15217/16]

View answer

Written answers

The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people and disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, it would be a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE). If the Deputy contacts my Private Office outlining details about a specific case which may be related to the question he has now raised, I will forward these to the HSE who will then contact the Deputy directly.

National Lottery Funding Applications

Questions (185)

Bobby Aylward

Question:

185. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Health to confirm receipt of an application from a residential home (details supplied) under the national lottery grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15228/16]

View answer

Written answers

My Department administers a national lottery discretionary fund from which once-off grants are paid to community and voluntary organisations providing a range of health related services. Funding in 2016 amounts to €3.286 million.

The closing date for receipt of applications was 6 May and my Department is currently finalising the processing of the applications, of which in excess of four hundred have been received. All applications will be acknowledged and all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application as soon as a decision has been made.

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