Bríd Smith
Question:241. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to proposed changes to the operation of the emergency ambulance call out service as provided by the Dublin Fire Brigade. [7941/17]
View answerAmbulance Service Provision
Questions (241, 242)
Bríd Smith
Question:242. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health his views on the potential impact on patients and public safety of proposed changes to the operation of the Dublin Fire Brigade emergency ambulance call out service and the potential impact on hospital services and emergency departments. [7942/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together.
In recent years three comprehensive reviews of our ambulance services have been undertaken; the HIQA review, the Independent Lightfoot Review of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) capacity, and the review of Dublin ambulance services which was jointly commissioned by the HSE and Dublin City Council.
The Dublin ambulance services review is focused on identifying a service model for the optimal provision of emergency ambulance services and patient care in the Dublin region, including service quality, patient safety and value for money. I understand that the Review has been completed and is under consideration by the HSE and Dublin City Council.
I should also draw the attention of the Deputy to the HIQA (2014) report on ambulance services which highlighted significant public safety issues arising from two ambulance services operating in the same domain. The Report identified concerns around the existence of two separate control and dispatch processes, and also highlighted the need for greater clinical governance of both services. The Report points to the need for enhanced integration of ambulance service provision in the greater Dublin area.
I fully accept that, in the interest of patient safety, we need the Dublin Fire Brigade and the NAS to have a more coordinated and integrated approach to service delivery. I am therefore reassured that the HSE is working closely with Dublin City Council to devise and agree the elements of a safe, sustainable, integrated and quality ambulance service for the citizens of Dublin.
Finally, I would like to assure the Deputy that if, and before, any changes in the model of ambulance service delivery in Dublin are implemented, a formal proposal for same will be required to be submitted to both myself and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, for our consideration and approval. In that regard, discussions are ongoing between officials from my Department and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (243)
John Brady
Question:243. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health if a vaccination that was introduced into the infant vaccination programme on 1 December 2016 and backdated for infants born after 1 October 2016 will be backdated further (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7945/17]
View answerWritten answers
The HSE Service Plan included additional funding of €2.5 million for the expansion of the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule in 2016. Two changes were made to the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule with the introduction of Men B and Rotavirus for all babies born on or after 1 October, 2016. As the first doses of these vaccines are administered to children when they reach two months, the changes to the immunisation schedule took effect from 1 December, 2016. All vaccines administered through the Primary Childhood Immunisation Schedule are provided free of charge. Ireland is the second country in Europe to make the vaccine available free of charge as part of its national immunisation programme.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee makes recommendations in relation to “at risk groups” but not all of these are included in the current immunisation schedule. The introduction of the vaccine to the childhood immunisation programmes means that all children born on or after 1 October 2016, including those in "at risk groups", will automatically receive the vaccine. However, there are no plans at this stage to introduce a catch-up programme for older children. Those who have a medical card are eligible to have the vaccine administered by their GP free of charge. However the purchase of the vaccine is not covered by the medical card scheme.
Cancer Screening Programmes
Questions (244)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:244. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to reviewing the age for the cervical smear examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7953/17]
View answerWritten answers
CervicalCheck, the National Cervical Screening Programme, was introduced in 2008 and offers free smear tests to women aged 25-60. This is in line with international best practice.
Invasive cervical cancer is extremely rare in women aged under 25, with less than 5 women in this age group being diagnosed with this condition in Ireland each year. While changes in the cells of the cervix are very common for those under 25, in the vast majority of cases these changes will settle and return to normal without intervention. If the screening age was lowered to invite those under 25 for smear tests, young women could be subjected to unnecessary treatment that could have potential long-term negative effects on their health and fertility.
My Department encourages all women aged under 25 to be vigilant about their health and to consult their GP immediately if they have any symptoms which would raise the suspicion of cervical cancer. If necessary, their GP will refer them to a gynaecology clinic for further investigation. Similarly it is recommended that any woman concerned about cervical cancer on the basis of family history should discuss this with their GP.
Dental Services Provision
Questions (245)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:245. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be issued with a date for an orthodontic appointment; the reason for the cancellation of an appointment; if the dental equipment to undergo treatment is available for patients who are depending on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7954/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (246)
Willie Penrose
Question:246. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be provided with an appointment for a medical procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7956/17]
View answerWritten 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.
Drug Treatment Programmes Funding
Questions (247)
Róisín Shortall
Question:247. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the details of any new funding provided for drug services in 2017; the proportion of this that will be allocated to the proposed injecting facility and the proportion that will be provided for other services as identified by local drugs task forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8009/17]
View answerWritten answers
In line with the National Drugs Strategy, the Government is committed to continuing support for initiatives to tackle the drug problem. Reflecting this commitment, an additional €3 million in funding has been allocated to the HSE this year to improve addiction services. The increased budget includes provision of €0.75m to enable the establishment of a pilot Supervised Injecting Facility in the second half of the year. The remainder of the funding will be used to provide more detox places, improve access to under-18 treatment services and to enable the roll out of Suboxone on a phased basis, to patients who are not clinically suitable for methadone treatment.
Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in their areas and in coordinating action at local level, so that there is a targeted response to the problem of substance misuse in local communities. Every effort has been made to protect the budgets of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in recent years. In excess of €27.6m will be allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives this year. This level of funding is consistent with the amounts provided in 2014, 2015 and 2016. It is a matter for Task Forces to ensure that their budgets are effectively deployed to address current priorities and locally identified needs
Occupational Therapy
Questions (248)
Eamon Scanlon
Question:248. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have been waiting less than three months, between three and six months, between six and nine months, between nine and 18 months and more than 18 months for occupational therapy with occupational therapy services in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8011/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Occupational Therapy
Questions (249)
Eamon Scanlon
Question:249. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapists employed in the public health system in County Sligo; if there are any vacancies for occupational therapists in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8012/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (250)
Róisín Shortall
Question:250. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to reduce the waiting time for children with scoliosis to undergo critical surgery; the expected waiting times for urgent cases when the new unit opens in Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin; when he expects to clear the waiting list for this surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8016/17]
View answerWritten answers
Long waiting times for scoliosis surgery have to be addressed, and the Department has been working closely with the HSE to address service pressures, particularly in Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, which is the largest provider of scoliosis surgery for children and young people.
Additional funding has been provided in recent years to develop the paediatric orthopaedic services, including scoliosis services. €2m was made available under the Winter Initiative Funding in 2016 and over fifty additional patients have been treated to date under this initiative. As a result of investment, we made some progress but there is much more to do to provide the level of service that is needed.
I recently met with the CEO of the Children’s Hospital Group and of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC) to discuss immediate action that can be taken to reduce waiting times for children and adolescents with scoliosis.
While the new theatre in OLCHC was commissioned in 2016, it is only now being used for scoliosis surgery due to challenges with recruiting nurses. The hospital has undertaken an aggressive recruitment drive to attract new theatre nurses with the necessary paediatric training. As a result four new nurses will be in place by April. A further 16 international nurses have been offered posts, and have commenced the registration process. The recruitment of these nurses means that the new theatre will be used to provide the additional capacity for scoliosis procedures in OLCHC from April. This will allow an additional day of procedures to be carried out in the medium term. I am advised by OLCHC that an orthopaedic surgeon post in the hospital will also be filled by June. This means that from July, the hospital expects that the theatre use will be further increased. In addition I will receive an Action Plan for Scoliosis from the HSE by the end of February which will take on board the concerns of the advocacy groups.
In relation to the specific issue raised by the Deputy regarding the waiting list and waiting times for children for scoliosis surgery and activity levels in hospitals, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
HSE Funding
Questions (251)
Róisín Shortall
Question:251. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that funding for the provision of a specialist clinic (details supplied) is ring-fenced; if he will direct the HSE to provide an explanation for the reason provision for this clinic was not made in its 2017 service plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8017/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Housing Adaptation Grant Applications
Questions (252)
Timmy Dooley
Question:252. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when a housing adaptation application for people with a disability will be assessed by the primary care department of the HSE in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8019/17]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Departmental Legal Costs
Questions (253)
John Deasy
Question:253. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the amount spent during 2016 by his Department and by each named public body under his Department’s remit on legal services, by reference to each firm or individual engaged, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8042/17]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the Department is currently being collated and will be forwarded as soon as it is available. I have requested the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of relevant expenditure by it.
Expenditure by other bodies under the aegis of the Department is an operational matter for the body concerned, and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
Severe Weather Events Response
Questions (254)
Robert Troy
Question:254. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who were refused entry to certain schemes in 2016 due to flooding issues. [7784/17]
View answerWritten answers
In response to the serious flooding last winter a comprehensive package of supports was put in place for farmers most affected including the introduction of a Fodder Aid scheme (replacing damaged fodder) and an Emergency Flood Relief Scheme. In addition emergency feed was provided where there was a risk to animal welfare on farms. The Emergency Flood Damage Relief scheme assisted farmers, under 3 categories,
a) loss of livestock,
b) damage to fixed agricultural structures and fittings, and
c) the necessity to move livestock to alternate housing (excluding the cost of feed).
There were 167 applications, of which 121 were deemed ineligible.
Those applicants who did not qualify were found not to have suffered losses under the three headings provided for.
Under the Fodder Aid Scheme, which compensated for lost fodder, there were 391 applications received of which 330 were paid a total of €660,000.
Severe Weather Events Response
Questions (255)
Robert Troy
Question:255. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a relocation fund for farmers who have been severely affected by flooding in recent years. [7785/17]
View answerWritten answers
Details of a one-off targeted and prioritised scheme to provide relocation assistance to assist those properties worst affected by the floods of 2015/2016 and for which there are no alternative solutions will be brought to Government shortly by the Minister for State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and flood relief. Legal advice has been received from the office of the Attorney General and Minister Canney is due to bring recommended administrative arrangements to Government in the coming weeks.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will use the recommended administrative arrangements for the Voluntary Homeowners Relocation Scheme to identify those farmyard buildings to be evaluated on an individual basis to determine if any alternative remedial works can be undertaken to protect those at risk farm buildings so as to inform the feasibility of any future once-off targeted scheme for Voluntary Farm Building Relocation.
Food Industry Development
Questions (256)
Robert Troy
Question:256. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to establish a food ombudsman similar to the UK to ensure the primary food producers get a fair price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7801/17]
View answerWritten answers
My colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, signed The Irish Grocery Goods Undertakings Regulations 2016, which came into effect on 30 April 2016 (S.I. No. 35 of 2016). The Regulations apply to food and drink retailers and wholesalers/group of related companies with a worldwide turnover of over €50 million. They prohibit a number of practices and are enforced by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) as provided by Act of the Oireachtas.
Relevant grocery goods undertakings (RGGUs) must submit their first annual compliance reports to the CCPC by 31 March 2017, including a detailed account of compliance, including where a breach or alleged breach of the regulations has been identified by, or notified to them and steps taken to rectify it. It is important to assess these reports for the first year of operation of the new regime, before considering initiating further legislation. In this connection I would like to note that neither the UK nor the Irish Regulations guarantee prices; they regulate practices.
Beef Industry
Questions (257)
Robert Troy
Question:257. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to introduce supports for beef farmers in view of the fact the price per kilogram is less than the break-even. [7802/17]
View answerWritten answers
I am acutely aware of the issues currently being faced by Irish beef farmers. My Department currently provides a range of supports across a number of schemes for Irish beef farmers.
One example is the Beef Data and Genomics Programme which forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme and will provide suckler farmers in Ireland with some €300 million of funding over the next 6 years. The program builds upon the substantial investment in data recording and genomics which has been made in recent years and will drive further developments and improvements in this area. It complements other RDP schemes available for beef farmers including GLAS, ANC scheme, TAMS and Knowledge Transfer Groups.
I will also be launching a scheme to provide funding of facilitators for Producer Organisations in the beef sector. This will encourage primary beef producers to form Producer Organisations and allow farmers to engage collectively with processors .
The work of Teagasc and ICBF is also critically important and my Department will continue to provide support to these organisations to improve productivity, reduce costs and improve overall profitability on Irish farms.
Access to new markets is also important and significant progress has been made in this context in recent years. My Department is currently in the process of attempting to secure beef access to a range of Third Countries including China, South Korea, Ukraine, Thailand and Vietnam. This builds on the opening of some major markets in the last two years including the US, Canada and Japan. This is a vital means of providing Ireland’s beef sector with as many commercial opportunities as possible for Irish beef in addition to our existing European markets.
My Department and state agencies such as Bord Bia will continue to work to ensure that as many markets as possible are opened for Irish produce to provide sufficient outlets for exports of Irish beef, lamb, pig and dairy exports. I allocated additional funding to Bord Bia in Budget 2017 for the specific purpose of dealing with the impact of Brexit which will help to support Irish food and drink exports in 2017. This, in addition to the opening of a new office by Bord Bia in Singapore this year, will ensure that exports of Irish beef are promoted effectively to provide viable export markets for any increases in Irish beef production.
I am also very conscious of the vital role that live exports play in providing an alternative market outlet for Irish farmers. The opening of the Turkish market for live cattle exports has seen over 19,500 exported in 2016, a number I am hopeful will grow in 2017. I also note that exports of live cattle to Libya have recommenced which is a positive and welcome development. My Department is also currently actively examining the possibilities of bilateral health certificates for the export of cattle to Kazakhstan, Montenegro and for breeding cattle to Morocco. I remain committed to ensuring that Irish beef producers have the option of exporting to as many markets as possible.
Young Farmers Scheme
Questions (258)
Robert Troy
Question:258. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports he plans to introduce to incentivise young farmers into the industry in view of the fact that the average age of a farmer is 57 years and that will increase by one year every four years. [7803/17]
View answerWritten answers
The National Reserve and Young Farmers Schemes were introduced under the reform of Direct Payments in 2015. These schemes were designed to provide financial support to young farmers and new entrants to farming during the crucial early years immediately following the setting up of a farming enterprise.
The National Reserve provides for an allocation of entitlements at the national average level or a top-up on existing entitlements that are below the national average to two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’. The Young Farmers Scheme is a separate scheme that provides for an additional payment to young farmers based on activated entitlements.
The Young Farmer’s Scheme will operate from 2015 to 2019. EU Regulations set down the definition of a ‘young farmer’ for the purposes of eligibility for the National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme as follows:
- S/he is participating in the Basic Payment Scheme in the year in which s/he submits an application;
- S/he is aged no more than 40 years of age at any time during the calendar year in which s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme;
- S/he is setting up an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application.
Details in relation to the application process for the Young Farmer’s Scheme 2017 will be widely advertised in the farming media and on the Department’s website. The closing date for applications under the Scheme will be 15th May 2017.
The National Reserve provides for an allocation of entitlements to eligible applicants under the two mandatory categories of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’. In 2015 the National Reserve fund was based on a 3% cut to the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling and provided some €24 million. Some 6,260 applicants were allocated entitlements under the 2015 National Reserve.
There was no National Reserve in 2016 as all available funding had been utilised under the 2015 scheme. In order to provide for a National Reserve in 2017 funding is required to replenish the Reserve. EU Regulations governing the scheme provide that funding for the replenishment of the National Reserve may be obtained by means of surrender of entitlements that remain unused by farmers for two consecutive years and by clawback derived following the sale of entitlements without land. It is envisaged that funding derived from these two sources in 2017 will be very limited. The Regulations also provide the option for Member States to apply a linear cut to the value of all farmers’ entitlements to fund the National Reserve. Consultation between officials from my Department and the Direct Payments Advisory Committee comprising members of the main farming organisations, agricultural education and farm advisory bodies takes place annually as part of the decision making process for the National Reserve. Decisions relating to the availability of a 2017 National Reserve will be made following determination of available funding and the completion of the consultation process involving the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which is currently underway.
The Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II provides grant aid for a range of investments aimed at facilitating the entry of farmers and generational renewal. The TAMS Scheme specifically targets support at young farmers by offering them a greater rate of aid intensity at 60% compared to the standard grant aid rate of 40%. In addition, support is being provided for grant aid for dairy buildings specifically for qualifying young farmers.
There are a number of tax measures specifically aimed at young farmers, specifically ‘100% Stock Relief on Income Tax for Certain Young Trained Farmers’ and ‘Stamp Duty Exemption on Transfers of Land to Young Trained Farmers’. The Agri-taxation Review was published as part of Budget 2015 and set out the main policy objectives for continuing support through agri-taxation measures including
- Increasing land mobility and the productive use of land
- Assisting succession and the transfer of farms.
Both objectives are especially relevant to young farmers and Budget 2015 included a number of new measures in this regard, as well as measures to enhance and strengthen the existing supports.
In addition I recently announced that the ‘Succession Farm Partnership Scheme’ has been approved and administrative arrangements are being finalised for its commencement this year. The Scheme provides for a €25,000 tax credit over five years to assist with the transfers of farms within a partnership structure and will promote the earlier inter-generational transfer of family farms. It will encourage and support important conversations within farm families about succession planning.
Food Labelling
Questions (259)
Robert Troy
Question:259. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce legislation to ensure pig products must denote country of origin on the label. [7804/17]
View answerWritten answers
My Department’s role on labelling of products is focussed on ensuring that such labelling conforms to a number of regulatory requirements such as mandatory country of origin labelling (COOL) where it applies to food products on sale in retail outlets here.
In 2011 the European Union passed the Food Information to Consumers (FIC), Regulation 1169/2011, which has updated the requirements for consumer information and labelling in a number of areas, and extended mandatory country of origin to meats other than beef.
Following on from the requirements of the FIC, Commission Regulation No. 1337/2013 introduced mandatory origin labelling for packaged meat products from pigs, poultry, sheep and goats from 1 April 2015. This provides for mandatory labelling of the Member State or third country of rearing and the Member State or third country of slaughter for these meats. The term ‘Origin’ can also be used where the country/member state of birth is the same as the country of rearing and slaughter. A Statutory Instrument was prepared by my Department to ensure that the necessary provisions were in place to implement this mandatory labelling requirement from 1 April 2015 and it is now fully in force.
My colleague, the Minister for Health, has overall responsibility for the general food labelling legislation and new EU food information regulations which were adopted by the Council of Health Ministers in December 2011. However, my Department plays a role in the enforcement of this legislation under service contract to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. My Department has assisted our colleagues in the Department of Health in the drafting of a new Statutory Instrument to bring the labelling of loose pigmeat, poultry meat and sheepmeat into line with the origin labelling rules for packaged meat brought in on April 1st 2015. This requires businesses who sell meat loose in their premises to clearly identify the country of rearing and slaughter of the animal from which the meat is derived. The draft SI has been finalised and my Department has placed it on the Technical Regulation Information System for notification to all EU Member States under the World Trade Organisations technical barriers to trade systems. Following on from completion of these standstill periods I would hope that the SI will be in a position to be signed by my colleague the Minister for Health.
Organic Farming
Questions (260)
Robert Troy
Question:260. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason organic farmers are not allowed to spread pig manure; and his plans to change this. [7805/17]
View answerWritten answers
Under the governing EU Regulation No 889 of 2008, organic farmers are permitted to use pig manure in organic production. This Regulation however prohibits the use of pig manure which is of factory-farming origin.