Written Answers Nos. 448-464
448. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if medicinal cannabis licences have been issued to women affected by the CervicalCheck scandal or for the treatment of cervical cancer or related illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47140/18]
View answerTo date Ministerial licences have been granted for medical cannabis-based treatments for twelve individual patients.
The Department can not disclose the clinical circumstances of individual patients who are the subject of Ministerial licences.
449. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if weekend home support, including newly approved support, will continue and include all cover according to days and times in their care plan for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47141/18]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
450. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health his plans to commence recruitment of home support staff in County Donegal to replace staff who have made it known they are due to and will retire, ensuring the continuation of home support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47142/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
451. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the reason for the fall in the number of staff nurses employed in the health services from April to September 2018 with 245 fewer employed over the course of those months. [47144/18]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
452. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the number of persons under 21 years of age who have access to the FreeStyle Libre under the long-term illness scheme; the number of persons over 21 years of age who now have access to the FreeStyle Libre under the long-term illness scheme, in tabular form by CHO and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47152/18]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
453. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 511 of 16 October 2018, if the additional superannuation contribution, ASC, is netted off pension costs only and not netted against pay for the 2019 health Vote on page 217 of the budget 2019 expenditure report. [47172/18]
View answerUp to and including 2018, pension related deductions (PRD) were netted against pay. As published each year in the REV, the net pay figure was gross pay less PRD, and the net pensions figure was gross pensions less superannuation contributions.
In 2019, as part of the Public Service Stability Agreement, PRD will convert to Additional Superannuation Contributions (ASC). As a result, the net pay figure is effectively the gross pay figure as there is no deduction to be taken. The ASC is netted off pensions costs instead of pay for the 2019 Health Vote, along with the existing superannuation contributions.
This explains why the pay figure is significantly increased, and the pension figure significantly decreased for the 2019 Health Vote as laid out on page 2017 of the Budget Expenditure Report.
454. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that an organisation (details supplied) is considering closing down its office in Dún Laoghaire leaving the visually impaired community of CHO area 6 without a local office and without the services it provides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47174/18]
View answerThe 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 a service issue, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
455. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the role of a person (details supplied) in the implementation of the proposed delivery of abortion services; the length of time the person is contracted for in that role; the level of remuneration for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47183/18]
View answerI referred this question to the HSE as it is within their remit.
456. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 will be fully implemented; the reason for the delay for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47193/18]
View answerCommencement of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 requires the completion of a number of interrelated tasks in order to ensure the new legislative framework is coherent at all stages for individuals.
The Children and Family Relationships (Amendment) Bill 2018 was enacted on 24 July 2018. This Act was introduced to correct typographical and technical errors in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, which will facilitate the subsequent commencement of Parts 2 & 3 of the Act. Parts 2 & 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 contain provisions relating to the regulation of donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) procedures carried out in the State, including dealing with the rights of children born as a result of those procedures. There are important administrative and operational arrangements to be put in place to facilitate the implementation of Parts 2 & 3, including the establishment of the National Donor-Conceived Person Register and the appointment of authorised persons under the Act. It is my intention that Parts 2 & 3 of the Act will be commenced as soon as possible.
A number of sections of Part 9 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 provide for the registration and re-registration of the birth of a donor-conceived child. Commencement of Part 9 of the Act is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice and Equality in consultation with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. However, a number of these sections have to be amended and have yet to be commenced. Commencement of these provisions is also dependent on commencement of Parts 2 & 3 of the Act.
Officials from the General Register Office, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of Justice and Equality, and the Department of Health are working together to ensure that the appropriate regulatory and operational mechanisms are in place to allow for the earliest possible commencement of all of the relevant legislation that will allow for birth registration of donor-conceived children.
457. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the policy regarding the need for note taking when Ministers and-or Ministers of State meet business and other leaders; the way in which this policy is outlined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46483/18]
View answerIn general, Minister of State Doyle and I are accompanied to such meetings by Departmental Officials, who take notes and minute the proceedings.
458. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an outstanding GLAS payment for 2017 will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46518/18]
View answerA Commonage Management Plan (CMP) remains outstanding for this applicant. Further payments cannot issue until the CMP is submitted. Both the participant and their advisor have been advised of the requirement to submit the Plan.
459. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts and work being undertaken to ensure all horses are microchipped and allocated passports; and if the use of scanners being available to An Garda Síochána to assist it in ensuring the law is being complied with in respect of this issue will be considered. [46643/18]
View answerThe rules governing the identification of equines are determined at EU level. Commission Implementing Regulation 262/2015 (CR 262/2015), which came into effect on 1 January 2016, lays down the current rules in this regard. This legislation was transposed into national legislation in Ireland via the European Union (Identification of Equidae) Regulations (S.I. 62 of 2016)(as amended).
CR 262/2015 revoked and replaced Commission Regulation 504/2008, which came into effect on 1st July 2009 and which introduced the requirement for equines to be implanted with a microchip by a veterinary practitioner at the time of initial identification.
Article 12(1) of CR 262/2015 provides that all equine animals must be identified with a passport no later than 12 months from the date of birth of the animal, and in any event, before moving permanently from the holding of origin. The passport must generally accompany the equine on movement.
Under EU rules, equines for which passports were issued with effect from 1st July 2009 must be implanted with a microchip by a veterinary practitioner and the number of that microchip must be recorded in the passport of the animal, thereby establishing a link between the animal and its identification document. This information must also be recorded on the database of the Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) that issued the equine identification document, in conjunction with the Unique Equine Identification Number (UELN) allocated to that equine for its lifetime. All relevant PIO registration data are also recorded my Department's central equine database.
Equines identified with a passport prior to 1st July 2009 are not required by EU law to be implanted with a microchip. Accordingly, the absence of a microchip in an equine does not necessarily mean that the animal is not identified properly.
Equine passports are issued by Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs) approved by my Department. Information available from these organisations suggest that high rates of compliance with the identification rules are being achieved.
Enforcement of equine identification legislation is primarily undertaken by authorised officers in my Department who liaise with authorised officers in the Local Authorities and other organisations including members of An Garda Síochána and officers of the Revenue Commissioners, as required. Authorised officers from my Department engage in checks at sales venues including marts and fairs, as well as at horse slaughter plants and at export points including ports and airports. These compliance checks are on-going and will continue to be undertaken.
The presence of a microchip in an equine cannot be established visually. When checking for the presence of a microchip in an equine, it is necessary to physically handle and scan the animal. From a health and safety perspective, this action should only be undertaken by personnel who are competent in the handling of equines. In that regard, where a member of An Garda Síochána requires an equine to be scanned, s/he should liaise with veterinary staff in the relevant Regional Veterinary Offices (RVO) of my Department who will assist in the scanning of the equine. All of the RVOs have sufficient supplies of scanners.
460. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an application by a farmer (details supplied) has been approved for payment; and if so, when payment will issue. [46709/18]
View answerThe applicant in question has received approval for Animal Housing and a mass concrete tank under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II.
The applicant has until 18 September 2019 to submit a payment claim for the completed approved works. A claim has not yet been submitted. Officials from my Department have been in direct contact with the applicant in relation to this case.
461. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on the inspectorate review of a penalty applied to a TAMS grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46751/18]
View answerA review in this case will be carried out by my Department. This review will be undertaken shortly and the applicant will be advised of the outcome in writing.
462. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on a TAMS II application by a farmer (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46783/18]
View answerAn application for a Tank and Animal Housing under the Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage System of TAMS II has been submitted by the person named. The application has passed the initial administrative checks and is currently undergoing the technical checks required before approval can issue.
463. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46842/18]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2018 Transfer of Entitlements application to my Department seeking the transfer of Basic Payment Scheme entitlements by way of gift as transferee. The transferor under the application used a temporary transfer number made available by my Department to facilitate the transfer. The Department is currently finalising such transfer applications to facilitate payment under the Basic Payment Scheme as soon as possible.
464. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a BPS payment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46973/18]
View answerThe 2018 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Application in respect of the person named was received on 17 April 2018. Processing of this application has recently been completed and payment will issue to the nominated bank account in the coming days.
