Róisín Shortall
Question:536. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for speech and language therapy by CHO, age category and time waiting. [33066/17]
View answerSpeech and Language Therapy
Questions (536)
Written 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.
Health Services Data
Questions (537)
Róisín Shortall
Question:537. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for cognitive behavioural therapy by CHO, age category and time waiting. [33067/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Mental Health Services Data
Questions (538)
Róisín Shortall
Question:538. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for CAMHS by CHO, age category and time waiting. [33068/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Mental Health Services Data
Questions (539)
Róisín Shortall
Question:539. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for counselling services by CHO, age category and time waiting. [33069/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
Dental Services
Questions (540)
Thomas Byrne
Question:540. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for dental surgery for a person (details supplied) in the Mater hospital. [33074/17]
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.
Hospital Beds Data
Questions (541)
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:541. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient beds in each of the three children's hospitals, namely Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght, respectively. [33077/17]
View answerWritten answers
In relation to the query raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
Hospital Closures
Questions (542)
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:542. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health his plans to close the children's facilities at Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght as inpatient paediatric hospitals once the new national children's hospital is fully operational. [33078/17]
View answerWritten answers
On completion of the new children's hospital new facilities, services will move from the existing locations into the new hospital and Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres. The transition of services to the new children’s hospital is scheduled to commence in Q3 2021 with transition of services to the paediatric OPD and urgent care centres commencing end 2018 (Connolly Q4 2018, Tallaght Q1 2019). Accordingly, paediatric services will no longer be provided at the Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital facilities. At Tallaght, the existing paediatric facilities will be used for adult services. The future paediatric services at Tallaght Hospital will be in the new paediatric outpatients and urgent care centre on the Tallaght hospital campus.
Home Care Packages Data
Questions (543)
Michael Moynihan
Question:543. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications submitted for home care packages in 2016 and to date in 2017; the number of these applications which were approved and refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33091/17]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Medical Card Administration
Questions (544)
Michael Moynihan
Question:544. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health his plans to provide for the backdating of medical cards to the date on which the application was submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33092/17]
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.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (545)
Michael Moynihan
Question:545. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the extremely long waiting lists in counties Cork and Kerry for cataract operations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33093/17]
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 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 you directly.
Respite Care Services Provision
Questions (546)
Robert Troy
Question:546. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his plans to enhance respite services in Mullingar. [33097/17]
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 Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability. The Health Service Executive's (HSE's) Social Care Operational Plan for 2017 aims to provide 182,000 overnight stays in centre-based respite services, in addition to 41,000 day respite sessions. There are 210 new home support/in home respite supports for emergency cases and 185 new emergency residential placements in the 2017 HSE National Service Plan.
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.
Sheep Welfare Scheme Expenditure
Questions (547)
Martin Kenny
Question:547. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount spent on the sheep welfare scheme; if there has been underexpenditure on this scheme; and if he has considered a top-up payment to successful applications. [32083/17]
View answerWritten answers
Last December the Sheep Welfare Scheme was launched under the Programme for Government in which there was a commitment to introduce a scheme for sheep farmers under the Rural Development Programme with a budget of some €25 million in 2017. The scheme provides support of €10 per ewe to farmers who undertake actions which make positive contributions to flock welfare.
The scheme represents a clear acknowledgement of the contribution the sheepmeat sector makes to the Irish Agri-Food industry, which in 2016 saw an increase in exports of sheepmeat of 3% in volume and 4% in value terms to €240 million. This scheme will make a vital contribution to ensuring the continuing viability and sustainability of the sheep sector in Ireland. There are also a variety of existing supports available to sheep farmers under the BPS, GLAS, TAMS, Knowledge Transfer and ANC schemes.
Payments have not yet commenced, but are scheduled to do so this autumn. Any underspend will not be fully quantified until all payments to applicants for their actions in the first year of the scheme have been completed. The details of this scheme, including the actions to be carried out by applicants and the amount of payment to participants, were approved by the European Commission after much negotiation in 2016. It is not possible under the terms of the scheme to issue top up payments to successful applicants.
TAMS Payments
Questions (548)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:548. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a TAMS 2 payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32109/17]
View answerWritten answers
The person named has submitted a payment claim under the Dairy Equipment Scheme of TAMS 11. There were a number of errors with the claim submitted which have been raised directly with the applicant. It is anticipated that these outstanding issues will be resolved over the next few days and once they are resolved payment will issue.
Agriculture Scheme Appeals
Questions (549)
Lisa Chambers
Question:549. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) sent to his Department on 12 June 2017 and to which the person has received no reply; when a reply will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32135/17]
View answerWritten answers
The person named submitted a 2016 transfer of entitlements application to my Department seeking the transfer of entitlements by gift as a transferee. The transfer application was rejected as it was not signed by both transferors and transferee, or authorised persons on their behalf, as required. Both transferors and transferee were advised in writing that the transfer application was unsuccessful and they were offered the opportunity to submit an appeal to my Department.
An appeal has been received by my Department and is currently under review. This review will be completed shortly and the person named will be notified of the outcome.
Fishing Industry Data
Questions (550, 551)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:550. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tonnage that is exported unprocessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32206/17]
View answerCharlie McConalogue
Question:551. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tonnage that is retained and processed here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32207/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 550 and 551 together.
The supply of fish in Ireland is influenced by the volume of fish landed by Irish vessels into Irish ports, landings into Irish ports by foreign vessels, aquaculture production and fish imported. In 2016, I understand that 281,000 tonnes of wild caught fish were available, while aquaculture provided 44,000 tonnes approximately and 66,000 tonnes were imported.
I understand that 272,000 tonnes approximately were processed to some degree in 2016. The degree of processing varies from basic processing such as chilling and freezing to added value processing such as filleting, cooking, marinating, smoking etc. The volume subjected to value added processing in 2016 was 111,643 tonnes.
The volume of fish exported unprocessed in 2016 was 54,100 tonnes. Some 158,200 tonnes were processed to some degree before being exported and of this, some 40,900 tonnes were subjected to added value processing.
Food Wise 2025 specifies an ambition to reduce the amount of fish sold in commodity form from 70% to below 50%. My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme is engaged in a number of initiatives to help achieve that ambition. The Seafood Capital Investment Scheme provides grants to seafood processing enterprises to invest in added value processing equipment and premises, while the Seafood Innovation and Business Planning Scheme provides aid to processors to develop and trial added value products and conduct packaging.