Tuesday, 15 Jan 2019

Home Help Service Provision

Questions (811)

James Lawless

Question:

811. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if additional home help hours will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1747/19]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (812)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

812. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1751/19]

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Written answers

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

The National Waiting List Management Policy, a standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, 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.

Question No. 813 answered with Question No. 562.

Health Services Staff

Questions (814)

John McGuinness

Question:

814. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the action being taken by the HSE to accommodate and redeploy staff from Saint Patrick's Centre, Kells Road, County Kilkenny; the number of staff involved; the number redeployed to date or accommodated by other agreements; if staff have opted for redundancy; if so, the number; if the Labour Court recommendations have been considered by all stakeholders; if so, the actions to be taken or the actions taken to date; his plans to support the workers who have given loyal service over a number of years and feel abandoned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1785/19]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Departmental Correspondence

Questions (815)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

815. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the customer complaints received by his Department in each of the years since 2016; if the complaints are grouped into categories; the nature of the complaints; the resolution of same; and the number progressed to the relevant Ombudsman in each of the years since 2016. [1874/19]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The customer service function in my Department manages all email complaints and customer service calls.

We adhere to the Principles of Quality Customer Services through our Quality Customer Action Plan and our Customer Charter. Our customer complaints procedure is published on our website.

The Complaints Procedure covers complaints about issues such as delays, mistakes and poor customer services which the Department provides. The Complaints Procedure does not cover:

Matters of policy;

Complaints relating to a hospital/the HSE or other health agencies;

Matters which are the subject of litigation; or

Matters which have been referred to the Ombudsman or Information Commissioner.

In excess of 10,000 customer service queries received annually. Since my time as Minister, no formal complaints have been made or processed through the complaints procedure

Basic Payment Scheme Applications

Questions (816)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

816. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54055/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The BPS application submitted under the applicant’s parents name and the BPS application submitted under the reference number have now been updated on the Department’s system under the one BPS application in the applicant’s name. The Department has subsequently processed the transfer of entitlements and payment will issue shortly. The Department has been in contact directly with the applicant in relation to this issue.

Fishing Licences

Questions (817)

Noel Grealish

Question:

817. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of marine salmon farm licences and land-based hatcheries; the number of salmon and-or biomass permitted for each; the system in place to check for overstocking as has taken place in the past; the regulation in place to deal with overstocking; the fish farm operators that had penalties imposed; the number of salmon farm licences that have been cancelled in the past ten years; the action he has taken to ensure that all equipment has been removed; the timeframe within which this should happen; if his Department holds bonds from fish farm operators to cover the costs of removing obsolete equipment in the event of an operator no longer being in a position to operate its licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54063/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department’s records indicate 33 marine salmon farm licences. My Department’s records also indicate 25 land based salmon hatcheries. In some cases the licences provide for additional species.

Production capacity, maximum cage numbers and/or maximum smolt input is determined on a licence-by-licence basis in the case of marine salmon farms.

Licensed marine salmon farms are inspected on a regular basis by my Department’s Marine Engineering Division. Breaches of licence conditions are dealt with by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and applicable EU legislation.

Circumstances have not required my Department to revoke a marine salmon farm licence during the period referred to by the Deputy.

The matter of unauthorised aquaculture structures on the foreshore is dealt with by my Department in accordance with the applicable Foreshore legislation.

Farm Inspections

Questions (818)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

818. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54067/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A letter issued to the above herdowner on the 27th of February 2018 informing him of a test that was due to be carried out on his herd by the 06th of April 2018. The test was originally due to be paid for by my Department, however as the test was not completed by the due date of the 06th of April, as per my Department's policy, the farmer was charged for the completion of the test. This policy was clearly laid out in the letter which issued to the farmer on the 27th of February. The test was not completed until the 26th of November 2018.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (819)

Brendan Smith

Question:

819. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding paid to date to applicants in County Cavan under the 2018 areas of natural constraint scheme and basic payment scheme; the percentage of applicants awaiting payment; when all payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54109/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Payments amounting to €33.8m under the Basic Payment Scheme have issued to 4,667 out of the 4,700 eligible applicants in Cavan. This represents less than 1% of applicants awaiting payment in Cavan.

Payments amounting to €10.24m under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme have issued to 4,539 eligible applicants in County Cavan. While there are 4,770 applicants with eligible land in County Cavan, not all applicants will meet other scheme requirements. Thus they will not all fall due for payment.

Regular pay runs will continue to take place under both the Basic Payment and ANC schemes to ensure that cases that become clear for payment are paid as quickly as possible.

Agriculture Scheme Payments

Questions (820)

Brendan Smith

Question:

820. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding paid to date to applicants in County Monaghan under the 2018 areas of natural constraint scheme and basic payment scheme; the percentage of applicants awaiting payment; when all payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54110/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Payments amounting to €27.1m under the Basic Payment Scheme have issued to 3,943 of the 3,957 eligible applicants in County Monaghan. This represents less than 0.4% of applicants awaiting payment.

Payments amounting to €7.73m under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme have issued to 3,781 eligible applicants in County Monaghan. While there are 4,035 applicants with eligible land in County Monaghan, not all these applicants will meet other scheme requirements and may not therefore be due a payment.

Regular pay runs will continue to take place under both the Basic Payment and ANC schemes to ensure that cases that become clear for payment are paid as quickly as possible.

GLAS Payments

Questions (821)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

821. 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. [54129/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The above named was approved into GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2017 and has received all payments in respect of the scheme year 2017.

In relation to payment for 2018, administrative checks involving a number of sections within the Department take place on all GLAS claims. All cases must clear validation checks before payment can issue. Department officials are working proactively to complete the checks. Once this case clears validations the 2018 advance payment will be made. GLAS payments are issuing on a weekly basis.

GLAS Payments

Questions (822)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

822. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a GLAS payment for a person (details supplied) was for only 5 ha of catch crop in view of the fact that they sold 10 ha; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54149/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named was approved into GLAS 3 with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2017 and has received all payments in respect of scheme year 2017 and the 2018 Advance.

An issue arose in relation to the eligible area for payment under the Catch Crop action which resulted in a reduction from 10.31 ha, as paid in 2017, to 5.15 ha for the 2018 Advance payment. This issue has been resolved and a balancing payment for the amount underpaid will issue to the person named shortly.

Questions (828)

Joan Burton

Question:

828. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget and spend in his Department for marketing, media and social media in each of the years 2016 to 2018; the projected spend for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54456/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Press and Communications Office in my Department is the primary point of contact between the Department and members of the media, as well as members of the general public. The office is responsible for communicating with media and members of the public regarding the work of the Minister, the Minister of State and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Department's social media presence is also managed by the Press and Communications Office.

The vast bulk of my Department's media expenditure is in respect of press notices in the specialised farming press, provincial and national newspapers. This expenditure includes the publication of Statutory Notices that are required to comply with various national and EU legislative requirements. Decisions on the placement of notices are made on a case by case basis, depending on the nature of the advertisement and the target audience.

Year	Amount
2016:	€312,021
2017:	€544,657
2018:	€295,527
2019 (projected):	€300,000

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (829)

Joan Burton

Question:

829. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff in his Department employed to work on marketing, media and social media in 2018. [54473/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Press and Information Office in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine consisted of the Press Officer and three support staff members in 2018. The Press and Information Office is part of the Communications Division and is headed by the Press Officer, who reports to the Head of Division, who in turn reports to the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for Human Resources and Corporate Affairs.

The Press and Information Office is the primary point of contact between the Department and members of the media, as well as members of the general public. The office is responsible for communicating with media and members of the public regarding the work of the Minister, the Minister of State and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The Department's social media presence is also managed by the Press and Information Office.

GLAS Payments

Questions (830)

Denis Naughten

Question:

830. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54538/18]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named was approved into GLAS 1 and has received payments for 2015, 2016, 2017 and the 2018 Advance. The Department has undertaken a review of 2015 and 2016 GLAS payments. This case has been identified as one of a small number due an additional payment due to an underpayment in 2016. The payment is due to be made in the coming weeks.