Written Answers Nos. 164-184
164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and or expected position in the determination of long-term residency, permission to remain, stamp 4 update or eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6604/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was refused for reasons provided to the person concerned in a letter issued on 5 February 2018 advising of the decision. The person concerned currently has permission to reside in the State until 20 September 2018.
It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The fact that a person may have had an application refused does not preclude or disqualify them from submitting a fresh application in the future. Indeed, the letter advising an applicant of a negative decision also informs them that they may reapply for the grant of a certificate of naturalisation at any time. The letter advises that, when considering making such a re-application, they should give due regard to the reasons for the refusal which were contained in the submission attached to the refusal letter and that any further application will be considered taking into account all statutory and administrative conditions applicable at the time of application.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and I know the Deputy will appreciate that it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when deliberations will conclude in respect of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6605/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is ongoing and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most cases are now generally processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
166. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the appropriate process to be followed to regularise residency in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6606/18]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State for a period of five years under the provisions of the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 on 28 October 2011.
I am further informed that INIS notified the person concerned in writing on 16 February 2017 that their application for retention of a residence card was refused as they were not in compliance with the Regulations. I understand that, following a detailed review of the circumstances, INIS notified the person concerned of the decision to uphold the refusal of a residence card on 17 August 2017.
I am advised that the person has been notified that consideration is being given by INIS to initiating a process for the purpose of arranging their removal from the State pursuant to Regulation 20 of the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015. It remains open to the person concerned to make representations to INIS in relation to the proposed removal.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
167. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the determination of eligibility for naturalisation and or stamp 4 update in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6607/18]
View answerThe position remains as outlined in response to the Deputy's Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 18 January 2018. The records indicate that the person in question currently has permission to reside in the State until 12 September 2020. An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person is currently being processed and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most cases are now generally processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
168. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when eligibility for naturalisation will be considered in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6609/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned currently has permission to remain in the State until 25 October 2018. This decision was conveyed to him by letter dated 7 October 2015.
I am advised by the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that no application for a Certificate of Naturalisation has been received from the person concerned. However, it will be open to the person concerned to apply for a Certificate of Naturalisation when he is in a position to meet the lawful residency criteria applicable to the lodgement of such applications. Details on the criteria to be met by persons lodging such applications are available from the INIS Website (www.inis.gov.ie).
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
169. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if all necessary documentation requested has been supplied in the case of a person (details supplied); when it is expected an evaluation of same will be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6610/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy has entered the final stage of processing. A letter issued to the person concerned on 08 August 2017 requesting him to submit the prescribed certificate fee and other documents. No further processing of the application can take place pending receipt of a response to this letter.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
170. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the effectiveness of Garda mandatory roadside checkpoints in identifying and discouraging driving while under the influence of drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6636/18]
View answerWhile An Garda Síochána has been testing Irish drivers for drugs, with the assistance of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety (MBRS), since 1999, the Deputy will be aware that my Government colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, commenced the drug driving provisions in the Road Traffic Act 2016 on 13 April 2017.
Key measures in the relevant legislation include the provisions relating to Preliminary Drug Testing, which enable Gardaí to test motorists suspected of driving under the influence of drugs at the roadside, and the establishment of roadside checkpoints, known as Mandatory Impairment Checkpoints (MITs), to test drivers for the presence of both alcohol and drugs. These legal provisions strengthen the ability of Gardaí to tackle drug driving.
I am advised by Garda authorities that a total of 52,395 MIT checkpoints were conducted by An Garda Síochána since the legislation was commenced in April 2017 to the end of December 2017, during which 612 oral fluid tests were administered.
I am also advised by the Garda authorities that the following represents the number of positive roadside drug tests conducted each month since the commencement of the legislation on 13 April 2017 to 31 December 2017:
|
Month |
Positive Test Nos. |
|
April |
3 |
|
May |
5 |
|
June |
10 |
|
July |
4 |
|
August |
15 |
|
September |
6 |
|
October |
12 |
|
November |
13 |
|
December |
22 |
|
Total |
90 |
Of those 90 positive tests, I am informed that 89 persons were arrested, with one person having tested positive passing the subsequent impairment test.
It should be noted that the statistics provided by An Garda Síochána are provisional, operational and subject to change and are valid as of 1 February 2018.
The oral-fluid test is one of the options available to members of An Garda Síochána in respect of the detection of intoxicated driving offences. Members of An Garda Síochána may perform a roadside breath test to test for the presence of alcohol prior to making a decision to perform an oral fluid test. Members of An Garda Síochána may also form the opinion that a driver is under the influence of an intoxicant from their observation of the person’s driving or the behaviour and appearance of the person when stopped.
In addition, the power to conduct an impairment test is provided under Section 11 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, as amended, which permit members of An Garda Síochána to require a driver to perform a number of tests in order for the member to establish if the driver is committing an offence. These provisions were further extended by the Road Traffic Act 2016, which permits members of An Garda Síochána to perform an impairment test following arrest in respect of certain road traffic offences.
The addition of the drug driving provisions to the extensive range of powers provided by the Road Traffic Acts as a whole enable Gardaí to further reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions on our roads and to prevent, apprehend and prosecute offenders.
Last year witnessed the lowest number of annual road traffic fatalities on record (159). Every death on our roads is a horrific tragedy and I am also very conscious of those injured on our roads. It is therefore imperative that the positive momentum across road traffic enforcement and road safety initiatives is harnessed towards further annual reductions in fatalities for the remainder of the life of the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020.
An Garda Síochána benefitted from considerable resource investment by this Government in 2017, which has contributed to the most welcome downward trend in road traffic fatalities.
The recruitment of an additional 150 Gardaí to Roads Policing Units this year will contribute to a stronger road traffic enforcement capability nationwide.
An Garda Síochána also intends to have a stronger focus on road traffic enforcement in the training provided to new recruits at Templemore and this will have a positive impact on enforcement and, as a result, safety on our roads.
Ireland has over a number of years developed a multi-agency approach to road safety through the involvement of a number of agencies working in partnership, under the aegis of the Road Safety Strategy. Progress in relation to the actions and outcomes set out in the Strategy are monitored on an ongoing basis by the Road Safety Authority and the other agencies involved, and overseen by a Ministerial Committee on Road Safety, which I attend.
An Garda Síochána’s Modernisation and Renewal Programme (2016-2021) sets out key strategic objectives for Road Policing which will inform and guide An Garda Síochána's Road Policing plans over the lifetime of the Programme. Under the Programme, the Commissioner will undertake a number of road safety traffic enforcement initiatives, including expanding the use of technology and increasing checkpoints.
This Government’s commitment to continue the ongoing accelerated Garda recruitment programme and continued investment in fleet and Garda ICT infrastructure will support the road traffic enforcement function performed by An Garda Síochána. Road traffic enforcement is a core Garda function and this Government is committed to further supporting An Garda Síochána in this regard.
171. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason a limited number of gardaí have received training to carry out roadside drugs tests; the number of trained gardaí in each division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6637/18]
View answerThe Road Traffic Act 2016 provides members of An Garda Síochána with the power to require a driver to provide a sample of oral fluid. Devices have been sourced and provided to An Garda Síochána by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, which tests the sample provided for the presence of cocaine, cannabis, benzodiazepine and opiates. This test can be performed at the roadside prior to arrest or at a Garda Station following arrest, in respect of certain road traffic offences.
I am informed that over 3,000 members of An Garda Síochána have received training in the process of oral roadside testing at this time. The relevant sections of the Road Traffic Act 2016 were commenced on 13 April 2017.
I understand that An Garda Síochána experienced some difficulties following the roll-out of training, but that these matters have since been addressed with training now being provided to members nationwide.
I have also been advised by the Garda authorities that training in the use of the equipment in question remains ongoing.
This oral fluid test is only one of the options open to members of An Garda Síochána in respect of the detection of drug driving offences. Members of An Garda Síochána may perform a roadside breath test to test for the presence of alcohol prior to making a decision to perform an oral fluid test. Members of An Garda Síochána may also form the opinion that a driver is under the influence of an intoxicant from their observation of the person’s driving or the behaviour and appearance of the person when stopped.
In addition, the power to conduct an impairment test is provided under Section 11 of the Road Traffic Act 2010, as amended, which permits members of An Garda Síochána to require a driver to perform a number of tests in order for the member to establish if the driver is committing an offence. These provisions have been further extended by the Road Traffic Act 2016, which permits members of An Garda Síochána to perform an impairment test following arrest in respect of certain road traffic offences. I am currently informed that over 2,000 members of An Garda Síochána nationwide have received training in conducting Impairment Testing.
The introduction of Preliminary Drug Testing in 2017 strengthens the ability of Gardaí to tackle drug driving.
An Garda Síochána also intends to have a stronger focus on road traffic enforcement in the training provided to new recruits at Templemore and this will have a positive impact on enforcement and, as a result, safety on our roads.
172. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of roadside drugs tests carried out in each month since April 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6638/18]
View answerWhile An Garda Síochána has been testing Irish drivers for drugs, with the assistance of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety (MBRS), since 1999, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport commenced the drug driving provisions in the Road Traffic Act 2016 on 13 April 2017. One of the key measures in the legislation provides for Preliminary Drug Testing, which now enables Gardaí to test motorists at the roadside, whom they suspect of driving under the influence of drugs.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that 52,395 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints were conducted by An Garda Síochána following the commencement of the relevant legislation in April last year to end December 2017, during which 612 oral fluid tests were administered, 90 of which tested positive for the presence of drugs.
I am further advised that the following table details the number of motorists who tested positive for drugs at MIT checkpoints on a monthly basis for the period 13 April to 31 December 2017:
|
Month, 2017 |
No. of persons |
|
April |
3 |
|
May |
5 |
|
June |
10 |
|
July |
4 |
|
August |
15 |
|
September |
6 |
|
October |
12 |
|
November |
13 |
|
December |
22 |
In relation to the monthly breakdown of tests, I have this sought information from the Garda Commissioner and will contact the Deputy when this is received.
It should be noted that the statistics provided in this table are provisional, operational and subject to change and are valid as of 1 February 2018.
173. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans for further Garda recruitment to Templemore for 2018; the way in which these new recruits will be allocated to take account of areas in which Garda resources are required, such as in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6872/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of these resources.
I am informed by the Commissioner that the Garda strength of the Kildare Division on 31 December 2017 was 360, an increase of 48 since 31 December 2015, with 20 Garda Reserves and 30 Garda civilian staff also attached to the Division. When appropriate, the work of local Gardaí is supported by a number of Garda national units such as the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Armed Support Units, the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
This Government is committed to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. To achieve this the Government has put in place a plan for an overall Garda workforce of 21,000 personnel by 2021 comprising 15,000 Garda members, 2,000 Reserve members and 4,000 civilians. We are making real, tangible progress on achieving this goal.
Taking account of projected retirements, reaching a strength of 15,000 by 2021 will require some 1,600 new Garda members to be recruited on a phased basis over the next two years in addition to the 2,800 that will have been recruited by the end of this year since the re-opening of the Garda College in September 2014.
I am informed by the Commissioner that since the reopening of the Garda College in September 2014, just under 1,600 recruits have attested as members of An Garda Síochána and have been assigned to mainstream duties nationwide, of whom 80 have been assigned to the Kildare Division. I am pleased to say that Garda numbers, taking account of retirements, increased to 13,551 at the end of 2017 - a net increase of over 600 since the end of 2016.
I am also pleased that funding is in place to maintain this high level of investment in the Garda workforce to ensure that the vision of an overall workforce of 21,000 by 2021 remains on track. This year a further 800 new Garda Recruits will enter the Garda College. Also 800 Garda trainees are scheduled to attest during the year which will see Garda numbers, taking account of projected retirements, reach 14,000 by the end of 2018.
In 2018, funding has also been provided for a further 500 civilians to be recruited to fill critical skills gaps across the organisation and to facilitate the redeployment of Gardaí from administrative and technical duties to front-line operational duties. There are plans to strengthen the Garda Reserve with new Reserves expected to commence training in 2018.
This focus on investment in personnel is critical. The moratorium on recruitment introduced in 2010 resulted in a significant reduction in the strength of An Garda Síochána. We are now rebuilding the organisation and providing the Commissioner with the resources needed to deploy increasing numbers of Gardaí across every Garda Division, including the Kildare Division in the coming years.
In so far as the allocation of newly attested Gardaí is concerned, this is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. I am assured by the Commissioner that the needs of all Garda Divisions are fully considered when determining the allocation of resources. However, it is important to keep in mind that newly attested Gardaí have a further 16 months of practical and class-room based training to complete in order to receive their BA in Applied Policing. To ensure that they are properly supported and supervised and have opportunities to gain the breadth of policing experience required, the Commissioner's policy is to allocate them to specially designated training stations which have the required training and development structures and resources in place, including trained Garda tutors and access to a permanently appointed supervisory Sergeant who is thoroughly familiar with their responsibilities under the training programme.
174. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department in each of the years 2013 to 2017; the average time taken in these years to complete the requests by his Department; the number of requests to his Department for these years that ran beyond the deadline for the request`; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6896/18]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table:
|
Year |
Number of Requests |
Number of decisions issued |
|
2013 |
550 |
573 |
|
2014 |
920 |
864 |
|
2015 |
941 |
950 |
|
2016 |
583 |
591 |
|
2017 |
796 |
780 |
The number of decisions issued per annum includes a carryover of live cases from the previous year.
Dealing with Freedom of Information requests is part of the daily work of staff across my Department so the time spent processing requests is not recorded separately. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide the details on the number of requests that ran beyond the deadline as those statistics are not readily available from the Department's current tracking system. The Department is in the process of introducing a new electronic FOI processing system during 2018, which will make it possible to provide more detailed processing statistics in the future.
175. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she, her officials or advisers have had meetings with the strategic communication unit since it was set up; the issues that were discussed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6524/18]
View answerMy predecessor in this Department met with the head of the strategic communications unit in September 2017. Since then officials from my Department have had, and will continue to have, ongoing contact with the unit in the development and delivery of major cross government communications campaigns.
176. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she has investigated the use of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as a mechanism to provide enhanced supports to businesses in response to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6548/18]
View answerExtensive work has been ongoing in my Department to prepare for all Brexit eventualities. This includes both research and the development of specific supports. Officials of my Department have had discussions with senior officials from DG Competition on the potential and the real difficulties encountered by Irish businesses as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. In November 2017, the then Tánaiste met with Commissioner Vestager and the issue of State aid was discussed. An outcome from this meeting was the establishment of a Working Group comprising representatives from DG Comp, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Enterprise Ireland and Department of Agriculture. The objective of the Group is to scope and design schemes to support enterprises impacted by Brexit in line with State Aid rules. Should issues arise that require an approach that does not fit within the existing State Aid rules, this can and will be raised as part of the Working Group discussions, and nothing has been ruled out.
The work of this Group has already commenced and it is due to have its third meeting in February 2018. In between these meetings, there has been engagement on specific issues to continue to progress matters. The work of the group will be informed by market developments as a result of Brexit and ongoing engagement with the business community.
A Rescue and Restructuring (R and R) Scheme was approved by the Commission in late November 2017. This scheme has been put in place as it was considered prudent to have contingency measures in place so that we can respond swiftly to changing circumstances if necessary.
I will be maintaining a strong focus on the SME sector and will consider the development of further initiatives to support business as required.
177. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the options open to a person (details supplied) to receive an employment permit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6583/18]
View answerAn application for a General Employment Permit for the person concerned was received on 26 November 2017.
A decision was made to refuse the granting of the application on 23 January 2018, and the applicant has been notified of this decision in writing and of their right to request a review of this decision in line with the provisions of the Employment Permits Acts within 28 days.
This application was refused on the basis that some essential documentation required for the application process was not provided by the applicant.
A refusal to grant an employment permit does not preclude an applicant from submitting another application for an employment permit. Such an application should comply with all of the legislative requirements pertaining to the particular employment permit type.
My officials have been in direct contact with the prospective employer within the last few days and have outlined the options available to them to assist with a resolution.
178. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if IDA Ireland has indicated concerns that lack of housing, child care facilities and education services are adversely affecting job creation by foreign companies and foreign direct investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6652/18]
View answerThe quality of our economic and social infrastructure is undeniably important when it comes to foreign direct investment (FDI). That is because businesses need to know that a jurisdiction has the necessary transport networks, connectivity, telecommunications systems, affordable childcare provision, schools, universities and housing stock to sustain investment and the jobs that go with it. Ireland has made great strides over the past several decades in improving our own national infrastructure, which is partly why overseas firms continue to locate here.
The IDA's record results for 2017 show that Ireland remains one of the most attractive jurisdictions in the world for FDI. That is attributable both to the quality of our infrastructure but also to our talented workforce, pro-enterprise policy approach and track record as a home to global businesses. Our membership of the EU and Eurozone are other key attractions to investors.
While FDI levels in Ireland are at record highs, the Government, together with the IDA, engages regularly with businesses about how to improve Ireland's offering further to international investors. This includes listening to any concerns firms may have about issues that affect their capacity to recruit and hire workers.
It is the case, of course, that Ireland operates in a global market for FDI. Many of the jurisdictions that we compete with for investment have challenges of their own when it comes to attracting overseas companies. While Ireland, like other States, needs to improve the quality of its infrastructure, the levels of investment that we continue to attract reflect the confidence that international companies have in our country.
179. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of freedom of information requests received by her Department in each of the years 2013 to 2017; the average time taken in these years to complete the requests by her Department; the number of requests to her Department for these years that ran beyond the deadline for the request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6886/18]
View answerThe total number of FOI requests received by my Department and its Offices in each of the years 2013 to 2017 and the average time taken to complete these requests are set out in the table.
I can confirm that all of the FOI requests received were decided upon within the prescribed timeframes prescribed in the Freedom of Information Acts 1997, 2003 and 2014.
|
Year |
Total Number of FOI Requests Received |
Total Number of Hours taken to Process FOI Requests Received |
Average Time taken to Process FOI Requests Received |
|
2013 |
49 |
328 |
7 hours |
|
2014 |
70 |
383 |
5 hours |
|
2015 |
184 |
780 |
4 hours |
|
2016 |
202 |
1,077 |
5 hours |
|
2017 |
292 |
1,374 |
5 hours |
180. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the implementation of the Sláintecare report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6589/18]
View answerMy Department is currently preparing an implementation plan in response to the Committee on the Future of Healthcare's report, Sláintecare. This process is at an advanced stage, and officials from my Department are now engaging with the Departments of the Taoiseach and Public Expenditure and Reform on this matter. It is my intention to bring proposals to Government in the near future. The implementation plan will also be informed by the Health Services Capacity Review recently published by my Department.
In advance of the publication of this implementation plan, good progress has already been made on a number of key recommendations in the report. The Executive Director for the Sláintecare Programme Office is currently being recruited by Public Appointment Service. An international executive search process was undertaken as part of the recruitment process. The deadline for this competition is closed and the candidate selection process is underway. An operational budget of €1 million has been allocated for the Sláintecare Programme Office in 2018. I have established an independent review group, chaired by Dr. Donal de Búitléir to examine the impact of separating private practice from the public hospital system. A memorandum will be brought to Government in the coming weeks with the General Scheme for a Bill to introduce a Governing Board for the HSE, and a process for considering the future alignment of hospital groups and community health organisations will be initiated shortly, informed by a public consultation process.
In addition to this work already underway, it is important to note that a number of the recommendations in the report are already policy priorities with implementation under way. These include the roll-out of health and well-being and e-health strategies, the development of the GP contract, enhancing community nursing services, further roll-out of the Integrated Care Programmes, and the development of an integrated workforce planning framework.
The majority of additional funding for new health initiatives in Budget 2018 has been targeted at areas identified in the Sláintecare report, including a new primary care fund, additional home care and transition beds, reduced medicine and prescription charges, and targeted funding for waiting list reduction.
Very significant preparations are being put in place for the successful implementation of Sláintecare. This will constitute the most comprehensive reform of our health services ever undertaken. I am very confident that the period ahead will see a very notable advance in the implementation of Sláintecare in a manner that will build momentum and support for the overall change process.
182. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for one-to-one support for a person (details supplied) with a disability in attending a day service in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6476/18]
View answer183. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application for home support by a person (details supplied) County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6477/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together.
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.
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.
184. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by a person (details supplied) who has been awaiting a rheumatologist appointment for fibromyalgia for 18 months in Tallaght Hospital; and the length of time this person will have to wait to see a consultant. [6478/18]
View answerUnder 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.
