Wednesday, 26 Jun 2019

Written Answers Nos. 189-203

Drugs Payment Scheme Coverage

Questions (189)

James Browne

Question:

189. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health the reason medication for ADHD ceases to be reimbursed when a child reaches 16 years of age. [27147/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health Services (Amendment) Regulations 1971 (SI 277 of 1971), the age limit for the supply of drugs and medicines under the Long Term illness Scheme to persons suffering from mental illness is 16 years. For those over the age of 16, there are other arrangements which protect them from excessive medicine costs.

Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €124 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.

People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.

People who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.

Question No. 190 answered with Question No. 188.

Home Help Service Oversight

Questions (191)

Denis Naughten

Question:

191. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the reason CHOs cannot use an application and Eircode postcodes to cross-check claims by home helps for travel time under a ruling (details supplied) in a similar manner to cross-checking mileage for all community based staff making house calls; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27151/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.

Hospital Equipment

Questions (192)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

192. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of MRI scanners in each public voluntary hospital; the year in which each scanner entered service in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27156/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Home Help Service Data

Questions (193)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

193. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health the figures in respect of a service (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27158/19]

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

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Questions (194)

John Curran

Question:

194. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the report recently submitted to him by an organisation (details supplied); if the decision made in 2018 that did not provide the FreeStyle Libre device to all persons with type 1 diabetes will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27161/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under 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.

Occupational Therapy Provision

Questions (195)

Seán Fleming

Question:

195. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when occupational therapy will be provided to a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27172/19]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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.

Hospital Appointments Status

Questions (196)

Seán Fleming

Question:

196. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when a procedure will be carried out on a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27202/19]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Agriculture Scheme Appeals

Questions (197)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

197. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an appeal regarding the BVD support programme by a person (details supplied); if same will be finalised as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26933/19]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department provides financial support measures for farmers under the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea programme (BVD). The herdowner's initial application for compensation under the scheme was refused as he did not satisfy all the terms and conditions.

My Department subsequently received an appeal, which was approved and a compensation payment was issued to the herd owner on 19th June 2019.

Knowledge Transfer Programme

Questions (198)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

198. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if forestry knowledge transfer group participants can avail of three full years in the scheme as occurred in knowledge transfer schemes in other sectors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26981/19]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Forestry Knowledge Transfer Groups scheme is a completely separate exchequer-funded scheme aimed at forest owners, with different requirements and conditions to that of the other Knowledge Transfer schemes operating under the RDP 2014-2020. In designing the scheme, my Department consulted with stakeholders and the scheme was trialled during the pilot phase. The 2018 Scheme enjoyed excellent level of participation, with over 600 forest owners taking part.

The aim of the KT scheme for forestry is to improve knowledge of forest management amongst as many of the 20,000 private forest landowners in the country as possible. In this regard, it was decided that priority use of the available budget in the first three years of the scheme should go to giving as many of this group as possible access to at least one year of the programme. This will help build a solid foundation of forestry knowledge among a strong cohort of landowners. This can be reviewed at the end of the three years pilot programme.

I would emphasise though that there is absolutely nothing to stop any KT group continuing to meet beyond their one year in the scheme, either formally or informally, at their own initiative. In fact, this is something I would actively encourage and there are options for them to do so either through their local Producer Group for example or to establish a discussion group.

I am pleased to note that the Scheme recently launched for 2019, allowing for a fresh intake of participants, and has attracted considerable interest. These applications are currently being reviewed with a view to approving new groups shortly.

Climate Change Policy

Questions (199, 200, 201, 202)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

199. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projected contributions into the climate action fund planned for each year of the National Development Plan 2018-2027, which would see it rise to at least €500 million; and the estimated impact of each annual contribution on the general balance in each of the years concerned in tabular form. [26992/19]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

200. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the climate action fund will be used to fund public capital projects; if not, if it will fund other public spending commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26994/19]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

201. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projected use of climate action fund resources over the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2018-2027; the proportion of the funding that will be public spending or private grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26995/19]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

202. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the climate action fund will be used to fund commitments in the Climate Action Plan 2019; and if so, the level of such funding that will be used in relation to each specific project and or commitment. [26996/19]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 202, inclusive, together.

The Government has established the Climate Action Fund with the objective of funding initiatives that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets in a cost effective manner. It may also support innovative interventions in these sectors.

The Climate Action Fund will be funded through non-exchequer sources and therefore not impact the exchequer balance. The sources of funding include the use of unspent monies in the Energy Efficiency Fund and the repurposing of part of the existing petroleum products levy (commonly called the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy). The annual contributions to the fund from the NORA levy are projected to be circa €60 million on average per annum from 2020.

The first call for applications under the Climate Action Fund was a competitive call for grant funding that was open to the private sector and the public sector – with the exception of Government Departments. In the first round of the fund, €77 million is being allocated to 7 projects, leveraging a total investment of €300 million.

Although the scope of future calls has not yet been finalised, I expect a similarly competitive process will be employed. The outcome of these calls will determine the proportion of support provided to the public and private sectors.

The need for future calls under the Climate Action Fund to support a number of climate and energy priorities has been set out in the Climate Action Plan.

A number of the successful projects from the first call for applications that I announced last November have been included in the Climate Action Plan. These are the Dublin District Heating System (receiving support of up to €20 million), the Tallaght District Heating Scheme (receiving support of up to €4.5 million), ESB’s Electric Vehicle High Power Charging Infrastructure Development Project (receiving support of up to €10 million) and Gas Networks Ireland’s Green Renewable Agricultural Zero Emissions Gas Project (receiving support of up to €8.5 million).

Mining Licences

Questions (203)

Seán Fleming

Question:

203. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an application for a licence (details supplied) has been received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27201/19]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I refer the Deputy to my reply to question 1204 of 8 May 2019. The position is unchanged.