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Thursday, 1 Feb 2018

Written Answers Nos. 186-197

Apprenticeship Data

Questions (186)

Niall Collins

Question:

186. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of persons enrolled in apprenticeships in her Department and State agencies under her remit by gender in tabular form; and if she will list each such apprenticeship. [5250/18]

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Written answers

There are a range of temporary secondments, internships and graduate development programmes in place across my Department and some of the Agencies under my Department’s remit, however there are no persons currently enrolled in apprenticeships.

IDA Ireland Jobs Data

Questions (187)

Michael McGrath

Question:

187. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the target number of jobs created in 2017 in the financial services sector by IDA Ireland; the number actually created; the target number to be created in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5277/18]

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Written answers

IDA Ireland’s performance in 2017 resulted in the third consecutive year of strong growth under the Agency's current Strategy. Employment levels in foreign owned companies have now reached 210,443 people, with 33,000 of these employed in financial services.

I am pleased that employment in this sector is growing, with 3,400 new jobs created in financial services by IDA client companies last year. While specific investment targets for financial services in 2018 are not available, job growth in the sector forms part of the Agency's overall five year targets which are outlined in the following table.

IDA Ireland’s Targets 2015-2019

Amount

Investments

900

Gross Jobs

80,000

Net Jobs

35,000

Portfolio of Companies

1,350

Cumulative R&D spend

€3bn

Eating Disorders

Questions (188)

Clare Daly

Question:

188. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 653 of 16 January 2018, the number of young children and teenagers ruled to have died in the past five years as a result of eating disorders. [5223/18]

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Written answers

This question was sent to the Department of Health for answer on the 16th January 2018. The HSE replied directly to the Deputy advising that cause of death determination is a coronal, not a HSE function and there is no formal feedback mechanism from the coroner's courts to the HSE, Mental Health Division. The HSE does not hold this information as requested. The Coroner may be able to assist you with your request.

National Maternity Strategy Implementation

Questions (189)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

189. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health when the national maternity strategy and national maternity standards will be implemented by the Saolta hospital group; if home birthing will be available in County Donegal by 2019; if midwife led care options in the north west will also be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5000/18]

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Written answers

The National Maternity Strategy - Creating A Better Future Together 2016 - 2026- aims to ensure that appropriate care pathways are in place in order that mothers, babies and families get the right care, at the right time, by the right team and in the right place. Similarly, it recognises that, while all pregnant women need a certain level of support, some will require more specialised care. Accordingly, it proposes an integrated model that delivers care at the lowest level of complexity and encompasses all the necessary safety nets in line with patient safety principles. The model consists of three care pathways - supported, assisted and specialised.

The Supported Care Pathway is intended for normal-risk mothers and babies, with midwives leading and delivering care within a multidisciplinary framework. Care will be delivered by the community midwifery team, with most antenatal and postnatal care being provided in the community and home settings. The woman can exercise a choice with her healthcare professional with regard to the birth setting, which may be in an Alongside Birth Centre in the hospital, or at home. The Strategy makes it clear that women should be offered choice regarding their preferred pathway of care, in line with their clinical needs and best practice.

The phased implementation of the Strategy will be led by the National Women & Infants Health Programme. To this end, the Programme has developed a detailed Implementation Plan which I was pleased to launch in October 2017. The Plan seeks to ensure that each Maternity Network/Hospital Group will have all three care pathways in place and operational in 2018. The Plan also provides that by early 2019, a minimum of 20% of pregnant women presenting at our maternity hospitals/units, including within the Saolta University Health Care Group, will have access to the supported care pathway.

I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly in response to your more detailed queries regarding implementation of the National Maternity Strategy and the National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services within the Saolta University Health Care Group.

Health Services Access

Questions (190)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

190. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a referral to another health facility is possible for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5008/18]

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Written answers

In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Health Services Staff

Questions (191)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

191. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the options available to a person (details supplied) who is unable to secure employment in the health sector here having previously worked outside of the State due to the requisite documentation being unattainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5009/18]

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Written answers

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.

Medical Card Eligibility

Questions (192)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

192. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of a medical card for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5019/18]

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Written answers

The Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.

The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information was issued to Oireachtas members.

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Questions (193)

John Curran

Question:

193. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his plans to make AEDs available in public areas here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5024/18]

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Written answers

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are devices that can correct abnormal heart rhythms in certain types of cardiac arrest. In the past number of years a number of AEDs have been installed in a wide variety of places throughout the country.

In December 2014, HIQA published a health technology assessment which found that public access to defibrillation would result in a number of patients surviving to hospital discharge. The report estimated that since 1998, more than 15,000 AED’s were sold in Ireland. The report also highlighted the value of expanded cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.

On this basis a national Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Steering group (OHCA) was established in 2017. This group represents professional bodies, NGO’s, patients, healthcare providers and other sectors. The purpose of this project is to improve survival rates for those who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest through the development and implementation of an out of hospital cardiac arrest strategy up to 2020. This work will support the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and Community First Responder Ireland (CFR Ireland) in their commitment to improve clinical outcomes for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA).

Both the NAS and CFR Ireland are working with other partners to enable a sustainable response to such events. The Department of Health and HSE are committed to improving survival rates of those who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest. Community First Responders offer a valuable and complementary resource to emergency ambulance provision and achieve improved survival for OHCA. Both the HSE and CFR Ireland intend to consolidate, enhance and implement further CFR schemes over the next five years. This includes increasing the availability of training in CPR in schools, work places and local groups and making Public Access Defibrillators more easily accessible with people knowing how to use them.

The OHCA Steering Group is considering how best to improve Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest survival by strengthening the ‘Chain of Survival’ across Ireland. National and international evidence and experience will be assessed to see if it can be applied in Ireland.

It is anticipated that the report of the OHCA Steering group, due later in 2018, will provide advice to the Department/Minister for Health and HSE on how best to strengthen the chain of survival for cardiac arrest, increasing CPR training, building on the Community First Responder Programme and making public access defibrillators more easily accessible.

Services for People with Disabilities

Questions (194)

John Curran

Question:

194. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health his plans to raise medical card income disregard for persons with disabilities entering the workforce; when he plans to make these changes; the amount he will increase the income disregard by; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5026/18]

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Written answers

I am committed to ensuring that the recommendation included in the The Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities Report to raise the medical card income disregard from its current level of €120 per week for people on Disability Allowance or on Partial Capacity Benefit is implemented. The Department of Health has been working with the HSE and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to progress proposals to give effect to this recommendation. Analysis has been undertaken to examine the number of people that would stand to benefit under this measure and to identify the best administrative route to implementing a change in the earnings disregard.

This work is nearing completion and it is intended to implement the recommendation in early 2018. This will be ahead of the Report's recommended implementation date of Q4 2018.

Legislative Programme

Questions (195)

John Curran

Question:

195. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for progressing the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 through Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5027/18]

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Written answers

The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is in the Programme for a Partnership Government. The Bill completed its passage through all stages in the Seanad on the 15 December 2017 and it is intended to bring the Bill into the Dail as soon as possible in 2018.

Hospital Beds Data

Questions (196)

Lisa Chambers

Question:

196. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health the bed capacity at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Castlebar, County Mayo; the number of beds that are vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5028/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Health Services Staff Data

Questions (197)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

197. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the staffing levels at a facility (details supplied) in County Donegal; the various positions held including all clinical and all non-clinical roles as at 1 January 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5039/18]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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