Written Answers Nos. 232-251
232. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which primary care in all regions, urban and rural, is likely to be reorganised in line with the increased demands and ready access to the services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28594/18]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
233. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which it is expected to ensure the retention of nursing, medical and consultant staff is sufficient to meet the demand nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28595/18]
View answerRetaining and increasing the number of nursing, medical and consultant staff in the public health service is a key priority for me and my Department. It is a significant challenge given a backdrop of global shortages in health professionals and international competition for medical staff trained in Ireland. Where vacancies arise, the HSE utilises a range of measures, including agency, locum and other-short term arrangements to support service delivery.
Considerable progress has been made in growing the nursing and medical workforce in recent years as the economy has improved and more resources have become available.
Increasing nursing and midwifery numbers has been a key priority for the past 18 months. The 2017 funded workforce plan, as part of the Nursing Recruitment and Retention Agreement, committed the HSE to recruiting 1,224 additional nurses and midwives. The final report setting out progress on implementation of the Agreement shows that there has been a significant growth in the appointment of nurses and midwives with 942 WTE of the 1,224 posts filled (WTE’s). The HSE remain committed to the Agreement and efforts are underway to develop the 2018 nursing workforce plan. It has once again committed to offer all 2018 graduating student nurses and midwives permanent contracts within a Hospital Group or CHO, subject to their attaining registration and satisfactory performance. Nursing numbers have increased by 2,638 in the five years to end April 2018.
With regard to consultants, numbers have increased by 101 in the 12 months to end April 2018 and by 456 in the five years to end April 2018. The number of Non Consultant Hospital Doctors has also increased, by 284 in the 12 months to end April 2018, and by 1,368 in the five years to end April 2018. The HSE has been focussed on addressing issues associated with the creation and approval of consultant posts and successful recruitment. It is now implementing the report 'Towards Successful Consultant Recruitment, Appointment and Retention', completed in December 2016. It is also focussed on implementing the recommendations of the 'MacCraith Group' to support the recruitment and retention of consultants and NCHDs
Following on from its first report, in which it identified recruitment and retention problems in specialist groups in the health sector that are internationally in demand, the Pay Commission is currently giving consideration to a number of groups including nurses and consultants and is expected to report by the end of July. While there are many challenges I am satisfied that we will be able to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of nursing, medical and consultant staff to meet demand.
234. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28598/18]
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, since 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 the Deputy directly.
235. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the extent to which his attention was drawn to the use of private investigators to track hospital consultants, pertaining to public and private work; if contracts were used to detail the surveillance required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28602/18]
View answerThere are occasions when it may be appropriate utilise the services of a private investigator in the context of court proceedings and in this instance it arose in the context of defending the recent High Court cases taken by consultants who held Consultant Contract 2008 in pursuit of pay increases.
Consistent with the Government decision in February 2017 to robustly defend the High Court cases, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, supported the decision of the HSE to utilise private investigators in preparing defences to the lead cases. This was not brought to my attention as it was considered to be consistent with the Government decision.
The three Departments reaffirmed their position in the lead up to the hearing date for the ten lead cases. This investigative work was required to gather evidence to support the HSE's counter-claims in relation to non-compliance by consultants. It is noted that the use of surveillance by a private investigator was limited to a small number of the lead cases.
236. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the oversight measures, contractual obligations and regulations in place in cases in which his Department hires a private investigator to investigate health service staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28603/18]
View answerMy Department does not hire private investigators to investigate health service staff. The issue the Deputy is referring to was in the context of court proceedings where such services may be appropriate where evidence may need to be gathered to support a case.
237. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if the HSE's national estate committee has discussed and made a determination in respect of an application for capital funding for a project proposal (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28635/18]
View answerI understand that the Health Service Executive replied to the Deputy's previous parliamentary question regarding the disability centre in Donegal on 19 June 2018 and informed him that the capital proposals for the centre will be considered in July at the next meeting of the national capital and property steering committee.
238. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the deadline of 1 July 2018 will be brought forward to allow farmers participating in GLAS to cut traditional hay meadows in the coming week to avail of the good weather which is forecast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28411/18]
View answer239. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the cutting date for the traditional hay meadow will be brought forward by one week in view of the weather forecast to enable farmers that are in the GLAS scheme to complete their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28415/18]
View answer241. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding haymaking under the GLAS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28575/18]
View answer242. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the start date for the cutting of traditional hay meadows under GLAS can be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28597/18]
View answer243. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for a once-off amendment to the rules regarding traditional hay meadows under the GLAS scheme to allow for the saving of hay or haylage off such crops in order to avail of the strong spell of sunny weather forecasted. [28623/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 238, 239 and 241 to 243, inclusive, together.
Joining GLAS is a voluntary commitment by a farmer to undertake certain actions during their participation in the scheme. The Traditional Hay Meadow action in GLAS promotes the maintenance of a traditional method of forage conservation that is beneficial to grassland flora and fauna. Farmers who have opted to participate in this action voluntarily commit to the closure of such meadows until July 1st and receive €315 payment per hectare per year to compensate for income foregone. In total, these farmers will be paid at least €18m this year for this one action. My priority is to ensure that farmers continue to qualify to receive payment for this action.
There are currently no plans to bring forward the date permitted for cutting these meadows.
240. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28466/18]
View answerThe person named was approved into GLAS 1 with a contract commencement date of 1 October 2015 and has received payment for scheme year 2015 along with the 2016 advance payment.
The participant was selected for an inspection and has requested a review of the inspection findings. The Department has received additional documentation in support of the review request. This documentation is currently being examined. The person named will be informed of the outcome when the review is complete.
244. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of 2017 basic payments scheme, BPS, recipients with payment entitlements with an initial unit value less than 90% of the BPS national average by county; and the number in each county that have to date reached 60% or above of the BPS national average based on latest BPS data. [28624/18]
View answerThe following table details the requested information based on initial allocation values:
- Number of Farmers with Payment Entitlements with a 2015 Initial Unit Value less than 90% of the Basic Payment Scheme National Average by County and,
- Number of Farmers that have Payment Entitlements greater than or equal to 60% of the Basic Payment Scheme National Average in 2017 by County
|
County |
Number of Farmers with Payment Entitlements with a 2015 Initial Unit Value less than 90% of the Basic Payment Scheme National Average by County |
Number of Farmers that have Payment Entitlements greater than or equal to 60% of the Basic Payment Scheme National Average based on 2017 Payment Entitlement Values by County |
|
CARLOW |
432 |
296 |
|
CAVAN |
2302 |
1298 |
|
CLARE |
3384 |
2202 |
|
CORK |
4545 |
2731 |
|
DONEGAL |
6184 |
2271 |
|
DUBLIN |
284 |
158 |
|
GALWAY |
6171 |
3041 |
|
KERRY |
4856 |
2341 |
|
KILDARE |
769 |
440 |
|
KILKENNY |
930 |
628 |
|
LAOIS |
861 |
528 |
|
LEITRIM |
2684 |
1447 |
|
LIMERICK |
2446 |
1475 |
|
LONGFORD |
1036 |
670 |
|
LOUTH |
537 |
326 |
|
MAYO |
7154 |
3467 |
|
MEATH |
1313 |
760 |
|
MONAGHAN |
1553 |
932 |
|
OFFALY |
1313 |
760 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
2993 |
1932 |
|
SLIGO |
2578 |
1478 |
|
TIPPERARY |
2285 |
1479 |
|
WATERFORD |
766 |
474 |
|
WESTMEATH |
1336 |
796 |
|
WEXFORD |
1004 |
650 |
|
WICKLOW |
938 |
537 |
|
TOTAL |
60,654 |
33,117 |
245. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of commonage farmers who have completed a commonage management plan by county in tabular form; the number of commonage farmers who have not completed a CMP; the number of commonage farmers who have received 2017 GLAS payments, that is, 85% and 15% payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28625/18]
View answer246. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of commonage farmers by county in tabular form; the number of commonage farmers who have applied to GLAS 1, 2 and 3 who have had their applications processed by county; the number of commonage farmers that have received or not received their 2017 GLAS payments, respectively, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28626/18]
View answer247. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of commonage farmers who have applied to GLAS 1, 2 and 3 that have had their applications processed; the number who have received or not received their 2017 GLAS payments, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28627/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 245 to 247, inclusive, together.
Commonage Management Plans are a core requirement for participants with a commonage GLAS action, within the GLAS scheme. I would encourage any GLAS applicant with outstanding obligations, such as the finalisation of a Commonage Management Plan to speak to their Advisor and ensure that this work is completed as a priority. Without the submission of all the required information, these applicants will remain ineligible for further GLAS payments. A number of cases remain ineligible for payment as the GLAS participant and/or their Advisor need to take action.
Attached is the requested breakdown of commonage information in tabular form.
Herds with active commonage:
|
County |
2017 GLAS1 Advance Payment Paid |
2017 GLAS1 Balance Payment Paid |
2017 GLAS2 Advance Payment Paid |
2017 GLAS2 Balance Payment Paid |
2017 GLAS3 Advance Payment Paid |
2017 GLAS3 Balance Payment Paid |
2017 All Paid |
|
Carlow |
27 |
17 |
10 |
12 |
25 |
2 |
31 |
|
Cavan |
3 |
20 |
6 |
16 |
21 |
11 |
47 |
|
Clare |
60 |
17 |
34 |
15 |
49 |
12 |
44 |
|
Cork |
160 |
144 |
93 |
132 |
52 |
79 |
355 |
|
Donegal |
477 |
130 |
352 |
90 |
474 |
115 |
335 |
|
Dublin |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway |
410 |
173 |
264 |
66 |
313 |
66 |
305 |
|
Kerry |
446 |
103 |
272 |
94 |
181 |
60 |
257 |
|
Kildare |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
0 |
4 |
|
Kilkenny |
8 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laois |
11 |
4 |
7 |
0 |
15 |
2 |
6 |
|
Leitrim |
68 |
66 |
55 |
38 |
69 |
34 |
138 |
|
Limerick |
10 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
7 |
|
Longford |
8 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
|
Louth |
32 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mayo |
376 |
275 |
332 |
166 |
464 |
169 |
610 |
|
Meath |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
5 |
|
Roscommon |
15 |
9 |
16 |
3 |
16 |
2 |
14 |
|
Sligo |
70 |
27 |
60 |
23 |
75 |
14 |
64 |
|
Tipperary |
55 |
21 |
45 |
1 |
23 |
2 |
24 |
|
Waterford |
44 |
3 |
12 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
3 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Wexford |
32 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
14 |
0 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
51 |
12 |
54 |
8 |
60 |
0 |
20 |
|
Totals |
1033 |
671 |
573 |
2277 |
Commonage Management Plans Submitted/ Outstanding:
|
County |
No of CMPs Submitted |
No of CMPs Outstanding |
|
Carlow |
9 |
18 |
|
Cavan |
35 |
11 |
|
Clare |
34 |
61 |
|
Cork |
274 |
94 |
|
Donegal |
265 |
579 |
|
Dublin |
0 |
8 |
|
Galway |
316 |
424 |
|
Kerry |
204 |
366 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
4 |
|
Kilkenny |
0 |
6 |
|
Laois |
6 |
17 |
|
Leitrim |
85 |
52 |
|
Limerick |
9 |
8 |
|
Longford |
3 |
9 |
|
Louth |
1 |
27 |
|
Mayo |
399 |
464 |
|
Meath |
0 |
1 |
|
Offaly |
4 |
3 |
|
Roscommon |
13 |
29 |
|
Sligo |
39 |
96 |
|
Tipperary |
17 |
58 |
|
Waterford |
1 |
39 |
|
Westmeath |
0 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
2 |
16 |
|
Wicklow |
22 |
80 |
|
Totals |
1739 |
2470 |
248. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to expedite payments for the substantial number of GLAS commonage farmers who still remain to be paid their final 15% instalment for 2017. [28628/18]
View answerCommonage Management Plans are a core requirement for participants with a commonage GLAS action, within the GLAS scheme. I would encourage any GLAS applicant with outstanding obligations, such as the finalisation of a Commonage Management Plan to speak to their Advisor and ensure that this work is completed as a priority. Without the submission of all the required information, these applicants will remain ineligible for further GLAS payments. A number of cases remain ineligible for payment as the GLAS participant and/or their Advisor need to take action. A dedicated email address glascommonages@agriculture.gov.ie has been set up to support GLAS Commonage Advisors on any questions they may have, a guide to the completion of a GLAS Commonage Management Plan is also available on the DAFM website and the GLAS helpline is available 0761 064451.
249. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the contingency plans and strategies ready for deployment in the event of a no-deal Brexit in his Department for the agrifood and fisheries sectors as warned by several EU leaders and President Juncker; and the details of all such plans. [28629/18]
View answerMy Department continues to feed into the EU-UK Brexit negotiations, through the whole-of-government approach, to ensure that the post-Brexit environment for the agrifood and fisheries sectors remains the status quo.
Notwithstanding this, and in line with the whole-of-Government approach to Brexit contingency planning, my Department has been engaged in an assessment of the contingencies that may arise in relation to Brexit, and the resource implications for such contingencies.
My Department has been in consultation with the relevant stakeholders through a number of channels. These include DAFM's Brexit Stakeholder Consultative Committee, the All-Island Civic Dialogue process and, more recently, focused sectoral meetings with businesses that have a strong trading relationship with the UK and/or use the UK landbridge to Europe. These meetings have helped my Department to establish the extent of sectoral reliance on the UK market, the potential implications of Brexit for each sector and the possible responses to the challenges presented. My Department has also been analysing the potential practical impact of a 'hard' Brexit on the day-to-day functioning of trade, as well as potential WTO tariffs that might be applied to Ireland's agri-food exports to the UK. In addition, Bord Bia's Brexit Barometer has helped participating companies to assess their preparedness for Brexit and will be of assistance in the design of strategies to support such companies.
This process is complex, involving many variables, and the detailed assessment is ongoing.
250. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has made changes to the operation of livestock bed and breakfast practice; if the option to apply for a certificate of compliance for movement to another holding for feeding purposes has been discontinued and all applications now treated as movement of an animal to another holding; if the passport or ID card is now required to accompany a bovine animal at all times during movement and each transfer recorded as a movement for QA criteria; if he consulted farming organisations in advance of bringing forward these potential meetings; the number of such meetings; and the rationale for such changes to bed and breakfast rules. [28630/18]
View answer253. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the introduction in January 2019 of new rules regarding the permit for the movement of cattle; and the reason for these rules in view of the fact they do not appear to be related to disease control. [28633/18]
View answer254. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether it is fair to farmers following the introduction in January 2019 of new rules regarding the permit for the movement of cattle of a scenario (details supplied). [28634/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250, 253 and 254 together.
The Department engaged in a consultation process with the farm organisations including ICMSA, ICSA and IFA on revision of the procedures for an application for a Certificate of Compliance associated with the movement of animals from farm to farm. The consultation process focussed on the movement of cattle for feeding purposes, requirement for specification of the destination herd and a reduction in the validity period.
My Department deemed it appropriate to review the application process for a Certificate of Compliance in the light of its endeavours on a consistent basis to ensure the highest standards in bovine traceability through the Animal Identification and Movement database (AIM). The AIM database underpins confidence in food supply, disease control, provides requisite assurances to consumers as to the origin/traceability of cattle and plays a key role in enhancing Ireland’s ability to trade internationally.
The facility to record feedlot movements on the AIM system was historically introduced to assist in the establishment of stocking density for premia payments. The facility to record this movement type is no longer required. Thus with effect from 1 June 2018, the option to apply for a Certificate of Compliance for movement of animals to another holding for feeding purposes was removed. All applications received on or after that date for movement to a feedlot are treated as an application for the movement of an animal(s) to another holding.
As has been the position to date, S.I. No 77 of 2009, European Communities (Identification of Bovines) Regulation 2009 requires that a person shall not, except in accordance with a permit, transfer ownership or responsibility for a bovine to another person unless the passport relating to that bovine is completed and transferred to the person concerned with the animals. In that regard the passport must accompany the bovine animals at all times during movement.
Keepers can continue to apply online for a Certificate of Compliance to move an animal to another holding using agfood.ie online services or an approved farm software package. Alternatively, keepers can complete a form NBAS 31A (that is available on the Department’s website or from a Regional Veterinary Office) and submit it to the Cattle Movement Notification Agency in Clonakilty as is currently the case.
The quality bonus payment scheme is a meat industry lead initiative and is not a Department scheme. For the purpose of the meat industry quality bonus payment scheme the count of farm residencies remains unchanged. That count is based on the number of residencies, including the herd of origin and each change in farm residency as a result of a farm to farm movement. Movements to a holding for feeding purposes have historically been counted as a farm residency movement and therefore the removal of the feedlot movement facility on AIM will not impact on this.
251. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to implement recommendations made in the report entitled People in Dairy Action Plan to address labour issues in the dairy sector. [28631/18]
View answerAt a meeting of the Food Wise 2025 High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC) last October, I asked Tom Moran, former Secretary General of my Department, to establish a multi-stakeholder industry group to consider in detail the range of labour issues facing the dairy sector and to prepare a report and recommendations on how they can be addressed. The 22 person group worked diligently over the subsequent months and I was delighted to publish their final report, ‘The People in Dairy Action Plan’, last week.
The Plan contains a total of 29 specific actions which are grouped into six broad areas:
- measures to ensure adequate availability of skilled farm operatives both seasonally and throughout the year (5 actions),
- improving the labour efficiency of farms (4 actions),
- developing dairy farmers into employers with good HR skills (4 actions),
- new training and ongoing CPD for dairy farmers and employees (6 actions),
- providing career progression pathways (5 actions), and
- promoting dairy farming as an attractive career (5 actions).
The Chairman of the group has emphasised that these six areas are all inter-linked and cannot be taken in isolation.
The success of the Action Plan will be in its implementation and I welcome the fact that it contains a chapter dedicated to this aspect, which sets out three specific actions:
- The appointment of a programme manager;
- The establishment of a stakeholder advisory group; and
- Consideration and development of funding mechanisms.
For each of the 29 actions, lead and support organisations are identified, as well as timelines. I have asked the Chairman to report back to the HLIC periodically so that implementation of the Plan can be monitored.
