Barry Cowen
Question:209. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) can expect an appointment at the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore. [2194/17]
View answerHospital Appointments Status
Questions (209)
Written answers
Under 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.
Residential Institutions Data
Questions (210)
Margaret Murphy O'Mahony
Question:210. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the number of State-owned residential homes for persons with disabilities by county, in tabular form; and the number of residents in each at the end of 2010, 2013 and 2016. [2197/17]
View answerWritten answers
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.
The particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
Nursing Home Beds Data
Questions (211)
Billy Kelleher
Question:211. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of State-owned nursing homes in each county and the bed capacity in each at the end 2010 and at the end of 2016, in tabular form. [2217/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Departmental Investigations
Questions (212)
Robert Troy
Question:212. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the cost to the Exchequer of any ongoing investigation or inquiry in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2393/17]
View answerWritten answers
From time to time, a Minister for Health may seek a report into certain issues which may be carried out by Departmental staff, but in the main, bodies such as the Health Service Executive or the Health Information and Quality Authority carry out investigations or inquiries into health related issues.
I will survey the Department to ascertain if there are any such investigations or inquiries ongoing in the Department which have yielded costs to the exchequer. I will advise the Deputy separately of these details as soon as possible.
Departmental Staff Relocation
Questions (213)
Jim Daly
Question:213. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application (details supplied) under the central applications facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2065/17]
View answerWritten answers
Each Government Department holds lists of requests from Civil Servants to transfer to specific locations and a Central Applications Facility was also introduced as part of the Decentralisation Programme which was cancelled in November 2011. The information contained on these lists is dated and in many cases obsolete.
As part of the Civil Service Renewal Process, a review of transfer arrangements is taking place across the Civil Service. A new mobility portal is being developed as part of a revised service wide mobility scheme and this portal will contain up to date information to facilitate an efficient transfer system. In the interim, my Department is reviewing historic transfer lists to identify officers interested in transferring to one of our locations. As I am sure you will appreciate, my Department has a large number of locations and this process requires significant resources. The applicant’s current position on the transfer list for my Department’s office in Clonakilty is number 11. My Department is reviewing its lists and will provide updated information to the applicant as soon as possible.
GLAS Applications
Questions (214)
Martin Ferris
Question:214. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive a GLAS payment. [2028/17]
View answerWritten answers
The person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received full payment in respect of the 2015 scheme year.
During the 2016 prepayment checking process an issue was identified with the Hen Harrier action. Department officials are examining this issue with a view to resolving and further processing the application for 2016 payment at the earliest opportunity.
TAMS Administration
Questions (215)
Jackie Cahill
Question:215. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the problems that are arising with TAMS II, whereby co-ops are providing loans to farmers to purchase equipment but the co-ops are still in ownership of the equipment and the farmers are being refused due to the fact they cannot provide proof of ownership (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2100/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Terms and Conditions of the TAMS II Scheme are very specific and state that applicants must have fully paid for the investments before grant aid issues. Only payments made prior to submission of the TAMS II payment claim can be considered as an eligible cost.
The extract from the Terms and Conditions states;
"Grant aid will not be paid in respect of new equipment or investments unless full ownership thereof has been transferred to the applicant prior to the lodgment of the payment claim. Full ownership is defined as when the applicant has fully paid for the investment".
There are no plans to change these conditions.
TAMS Administration
Questions (216)
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:216. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will initiate an urgent review of the procedures involved in applying for TAMS grants in view of the experience of so many farmers frustrated by the bureaucracy involved and the resultant long delays in the issuance of payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2120/17]
View answerWritten answers
Applications for payment for investment work undertaken under the TAMS Schemes are lodged online. Each application is examined and payments are issued where the applications are deemed to be eligible and in order. In a certain number of cases there are issues which need to be resolved before payment can issue. In all cases where issues arise with payment claims Department officials are in direct contact with individual farmers to progress claims towards early payment.
Aquaculture Data
Questions (217)
Clare Daly
Question:217. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department has taken to ensure that the organic status of fish products at a number of aquaculture sites is still valid in view of his Department's investigation of possible overstocking at these sites. [2124/17]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is currently examining possible overstocking in respect of certain aquaculture sites and pending completion of this examination it would not be appropriate to comment further. However, the organic status of all aquaculture products is secured by a separate formal certification process delegated by my Department to various Organic Control Bodies in accordance with the relevant EU regulations. The certification process involves regular inspection of all organic operators, production techniques and sampling of organic produce to ensure compliance with all EU requirements.