Written Answers Nos. 149-157
149. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will assure parents of children with disabilities that their assessments of needs will be completed on time, as per the Disability Act 2005; if the statements of need will be completed on time and implemented by the HSE promptly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4618/17]
View answerThe 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.
150. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve the country's accident and emergency departments; and if he will consider opening new minor injury units and guarantee all current accident and emergency departments are maintained. [4522/17]
View answerIn September 2016, the HSE launched the 'Winter Initiative Plan 2016-2017' which provided €40 million of additional funding for winter preparedness. This Initiative was developed to manage the expected winter surge in demand for hospital care in an integrated way across Primary, Acute and Social Care. On 5 January, in response to significant pressures in our EDs in the New Year, a series of enhanced measures were added to this initiative.
As part of the measures detailed in the Winter Initiative, the Smithfield Clinic which provides minor injury care in the catchment area of the Mater University Hospital was funded to expand its service with the aim of treating up to an additional 100 patients each week. This has been in place since 1st November 2016. A review of the five day week expanded service and determination of inclusion of weekend service will be undertaken shortly.
There are currently 11 Minor Injury Clinics operating nationwide, and as the Deputy will be aware, Minor Injury Units are for the treatment of broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, wounds, scalds and minor burns that are unlikely to need admission to hospital. In cases where an injury is more serious than originally thought, the patient is transferred to the hub ED linked to the Clinic for further assessment and treatment.
The HSE has recently launched an information campaign, including social media, to promote and further inform the public of the services available through these clinics and their locations.
The Programme for Partnership Government commits to a review of Medical Assessment Units, Urgent Care Centres and Minor Injury Clinics. Preliminary scoping work on this review is being carried out.
151. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Taoiseach the number of households within the boundary marker of an area (details supplied). [4895/17]
View answerAccording to the Census of Population (2011) figures, the population of the townland of Knockvilla was 44, with a total housing stock of 16.
The 2016 population and housing stock figures for all townlands will be available on the 20th July 2017 and will be contained within the CSO's Small Area Population Statistics.
152. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the islands has met since October 2016; and when it is planned to meet next. [4273/17]
View answer153. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the islands last met. [4541/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together.
The Cabinet Committee on Arts, Irish the Gaeltacht and the Islands met on the 13th October 2016. The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday, 27 February 2017.
154. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he spoke to Prime Minister May regarding the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. [4542/17]
View answerDuring my meeting with Prime Minister May on 30 January, I emphasised the importance of finding a way forward on legacy issues and in particular stressed the urgency of making progress in respect of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings which has been the subject of three all party Motions in this House.
I also discussed the Dublin/Monaghan Bombings and other legacy cases with Prime Minister May when I met her in July and again highlighted to her the importance of dealing with legacy issues and hoped there could be progress on the overall arrangements for dealing with the past.
In our engagement with the British Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and I continue to raise and seek substantive progress on the Dáil motions and urge the British Government to allow access by an independent international judicial figure to all original documents in their possession relating to these bombings.
Minister Flanagan has raised the matter in his meetings with Secretary of State Brokenshire on a number of occasions, outlining the importance of this issue for the Dáil and the Government and the expectation of a response. Minister Flanagan will continue to raise Dublin-Monaghan with the British Government and he has instructed his officials to also remain in close contact with their British counterparts on the issue.
The Government will continue to engage with the British Government on the request in relation to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, and pursue all possible avenues that could achieve progress on this issue, consistent with the request made by the Dáil, and in the hope that this could bring some measure of closure to the families.
155. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach the potential investment projects his Department put forward to the Department of Finance task force report for the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [4872/17]
View answerI welcome the agreement reached by Finance Ministers in December on the legislative proposal to strengthen and extend the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and hope that negotiations with the European Parliament can be concluded quickly. The new EIB (European Investment Bank) office I opened in Dublin in December should also provide further complementary support for project development in Ireland, building from the experience it has gained in tackling investment bottlenecks across Europe.
My Department will continue to support effective Irish engagement with EFSI, including through the work of relevant Cabinet Committees. By increasing EIB risk-taking capacity, we should expect to see EFSI enabling a stronger EIB footprint in areas such as direct lending to mid-size corporates, sharing of credit risk on SME innovation finance, and infrastructure projects that do not benefit from a sovereign guarantee.
However my Department was not directly involved in the work of the EU Task Force on Investment that reported in December 2014 as part of EFSI preparations. The Irish contribution to the Task Force was coordinated by the Department of Finance, working closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and other Government Departments having policy responsibility for specific investment projects.
156. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Taoiseach the final costs to the Exchequer of each commission of investigation that has been completed to date in his Department, in addition to the estimated costs to date of ongoing commissions of investigations. [5311/17]
View answerThe information on the costs of Commissions of Investigation for which I am the specified Minister is contained in the following table.
|
Name |
Cost |
Date of Conclusion |
|
Commission of Investigation in to the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings (MacEntee) |
€2.63 million |
March 2007 |
|
Fennelly Commission of Investigation |
€3.03 million (to end December 2016) |
The timeframe for completion of the Commission's final report is by the end of March 2017. |
|
Cregan/IBRC Commission of Investigation |
€1.52 million (to end December 2016). Note: The IBRC Commission indicated in its Interim Report that significant third party costs have been incurred which are likely to arise for payment in due course. |
The timeframe for completion of the first module of the Commission's work, in relation to the Siteserv transaction, is by the end of December 2017. |
It should be noted that figures provided for 2016 in respect of ongoing Commissions of Investigation are provisional figures and may be subject to end of year revisions, as part of the preparation of my Department's 2016 Appropriation Account.
157. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to implement any further amendments and-or legislation in relation to the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4767/17]
View answerThe position is that the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs). These are companies registered under the Companies Act, the members of which are the owners of residential units within the development, which are established for the purposes of ownership and management of such areas. The 2011 Act contains provisions relating to matters such as:
- the transfer of common areas to the OMCs (sections 4 and 5);
- voting rights of members of OMCs (sections 14 and 15);
- the provision of annual reports by OMCs to members (section 17);
- arrangements for the holding of annual meetings to approve annual service charges (section 18);
- establishment of a sinking fund to cover refurbishment outlays (section 19);
- arrangements for the making of House Rules (section 23); and
- establishment of a court-based dispute resolution process (section 24).
The Act also contains provisions which encourage the resolution of disputes that may arise between parties by means of mediation rather than recourse to court proceedings.
While I have no plans at present to amend the Act, I can assure the Deputy that its operation is being kept under ongoing review by my Department.
