Written Answers Nos. 144-163
144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the degree to which her Department continues to monitor global trade or financial markets with a view to identifying opportunities to compensate for Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46880/19]
View answerWhile the UK is and will remain a major market for Irish companies, expanding the Irish export footprint in markets beyond the UK is a key priority. In that context, Enterprise Ireland’s strategy is to support Irish exporters to be more innovative, competitive and market diversified.
The Irish exporting landscape is strong and companies in Ireland are succeeding in winning business worldwide for their products and services. Enterprise Ireland client companies achieved record levels of exports in 2018 of €23.8bn, against the backdrop of Brexit uncertainty. In 2018, the Eurozone region, which is a key focus of Enterprise Ireland’s diversification strategy, saw growth of 7.6% to €4.8bn, with Germany, France and the Netherlands each exceeding €1bn in exports. Exports to North America increased from €3.87bn in 2017 to €4.08bn in 2018, an increase of 5.5%. Our Enterprise agencies are now opening new offices around the world to support our companies in competing and thriving in global markets.
Ministerial-led Trade Missions support the Government's major drive towards market diversification. The majority of trade missions are taking place to the Eurozone, North America and Asia Pacific, which represent the strongest growth opportunities for Irish companies. These Trade Missions focus on promoting the innovative capabilities and competitive offerings of Irish companies to international buyers in sectors including internationally traded services, fintech, high-tech construction, engineering, ICT and lifesciences.
As well as the global efforts supported by our agencies, key to our success has been our commitment to trade liberalisation in order to open new markets for our indigenous sectors. The EU has successfully concluded a number of important trade agreements with trading partners and is in the process of negotiating or upgrading its agreements with many more. The existing suite of EU Free Trade Agreements and new trade deals will continue to be very important for Ireland. With a small domestic market, further expansion in other markets is essential to our continued economic growth and, in this regard, Ireland will continue to support the EU’s ambitious programme of negotiating new Free Trade Agreements, opening new markets for Irish companies and increasing export and investment opportunities.
145. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the funding available to a non-profit centre (details supplied) that wishes to expand to Letterkenny, County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46828/19]
View answerI am not aware of an application for funding from this body to my Department or its Agencies.
146. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on the launch of Future Jobs Ireland on 11 November 2019. [46656/19]
View answerSome two hundred attendees from enterprises, representative bodies, academia, public sector and civil society attended the national Future Jobs Ireland Summit on 7th November in Tangent, TCD’s Ideas Workspace.
The Taoiseach addressed the Summit which also featured a key note address by Ms Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the Centre for the New Economy and Society of the World Economic Forum. Ms Zahidi spoke on the topic of the future of work and skills: Global megatrends and implications for Ireland followed by Q&A session with attendees.
The purpose of the Summit was for attendees to exchange ideas and provide input to the development of Future Jobs Ireland 2020. The Summit offered stakeholders the opportunity to engage with each other and directly with Ministers in Breakout Sessions and the subsequent Panel Discussion. This year the Breakout Sessions focused on three themes namely Transitioning, Clustering and New Modes of Working which were chaired by Minister Humphreys, Minister Creed, Minister Ring, Minister Doherty, Minister McHugh, Minister Mitchell O’Connor, and Minister Breen.
The Summit was live streamed for transparency and to encourage wider engagement. Summit briefings along with videos of the presentations and panel discussions will be made available on my Department’s website: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Business-Sectoral-Initiatives/Future-Jobs/Future-Jobs-Ireland-Summit/.
My Department and the Department of the Taoiseach are currently working with the other Government Departments and other stakeholders to develop new commitments for inclusion in Future Jobs Ireland 2020 which is expected to launch in early 2020.
147. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of IDA visits to counties Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny in 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46854/19]
View answerRegional development remains a key priority of mine as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. Together with my Department and its enterprise Agencies, I am focused on strengthening investment and job creation all over the country. In 2018, 56% of all net new jobs created by IDA Ireland were in locations outside Dublin. Similarly, every region in Ireland, including the South-East region, posted net gains in jobs last year.
When it comes to foreign direct investment (FDI), site visits do represent a valuable tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in regional areas. However, as I have said before, site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential, as a significant percentage of all new FDI comes from existing IDA client companies. In 2018, there were three site visits to County Wexford while Carlow and Kilkenny hosted seven and five site visits respectively. Site visits to these counties are trending in the right direction with four site visits to Wexford, seven site visits to Carlow and 12 site visits to Kilkenny as of the third quarter of this year.
The overall outlook for FDI is positive for Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny. In 2018, there was a 5% increase in employment by IDA client companies in Wexford with 152 net new jobs added last year. Carlow has witnessed a 31% increase in FDI employment with 275 net new jobs added last year. While there were no new FDI-supported jobs created in Kilkenny in 2018, it is encouraging to note a number of recent announcements by Security Risk Advisors and AB Agri with both companies planning to create 50 new jobs each.
While progress has been made in helping to generating new investment in Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny, the Government remains determined to attract more FDI to the South-East region. The work of the IDA is obviously key in that respect and the Agency's staff will continue engaging with its clients, as well as the other enterprise agencies, to help create more jobs and economic opportunities.
148. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the contingency plan for access to milk bank supplies from the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit; the way in which supplies would be impacted under the proposed EU-UK deal; his plans to establish a milk bank here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46851/19]
View answerAs the question relates to service matters, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
149. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding an organisation (details supplied) received in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46711/19]
View answer150. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding an organisation (details supplied) received from the HSE in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46712/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 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 questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
151. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the feelings and concerns of those with disabilities who have visited a holiday centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46718/19]
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 service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
152. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be seen by an early intervention team; and if the liaison officer will contact their parents directly. [46719/19]
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 service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
153. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health when additional funding will be made available to a service provider (details supplied) to enable it to meet its needs for both adults and children. [46723/19]
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.
154. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he has considered a report concerning sodium valporate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46729/19]
View answerI am due to receive a briefing on the HSE's Valproate Response Project from officials in my Department in the coming days. I will consider the report in full at that time.
155. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if assistance will be provided to a family (details supplied) in County Cork to secure additional respite overnights for their child in view of the circumstances that apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46732/19]
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.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
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.
156. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the reason private ambulances are being ordered to transfer patients from Letterkenny University Hospital to other hospitals in view of the fact the national ambulance service has at times two or three intermediate ambulances set aside that could be utilised for this purpose. [46734/19]
View answerAs this is a service issue, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply.
157. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of beds operational and the number of nurses working in community hospitals (details supplied) in County Donegal in each of the years 1999 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form. [46735/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
158. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the waiting time for assessment for a place in an ASD unit in counties Cork and Kerry. [46737/19]
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 service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
159. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons availing of private health insurance in age groups (details supplied) [46755/19]
View answerMembership of the private health insurance market as of 1 July 2019 by age group:
|
Age Group |
Number of insured persons |
|
0-17 |
498,145 |
|
18-29 |
240,653 |
|
30-39 |
287,694 |
|
40-49 |
340,788 |
|
50-54 |
150,746 |
|
55-59 |
141,638 |
|
60-64 |
128,676 |
|
65-69 |
113,113 |
|
70-74 |
95,672 |
|
75-79 |
64,760 |
|
80-84 |
41,176 |
|
85+ |
28,227 |
160. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the way in which the HSE is improving services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities that also have mental health issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46756/19]
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 service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.
161. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if an independent external facilitator to engage in a consultative process in respect of Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, has been appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46765/19]
View answerAs I have outlined previously, no decision has been made yet on the draft Action Plan for Portlaoise Hospital. I committed to ensuring that local clinicians and the community would be consulted with before a decision is made. The appointment of an independent external facilitator for the consultation process is being progressed. The outcome of the consultation process will be a submission from my Department, setting out the key findings from the consultation process and recommended response to inform me in making a final decision on the draft Action Plan.
162. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if home care services will be reviewed for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46777/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
163. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will commence the employment of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46779/19]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly, as soon as possible.
