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Wednesday, 7 Oct 2020

Written Answers Nos. 239-258

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (240)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

240. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of Covid-19 cases involved workers in food and meat processing since 14 September; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29157/20]

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Written answers

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

Speech and Language Therapy

Questions (241)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

241. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) cannot get a speech and language therapy funded through the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29158/20]

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Written answers

The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.

The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.

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

Health Services Charges

Questions (242)

Richard Bruton

Question:

242. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost in a full year of each of charges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29175/20]

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Written answers

The Government recently approved the necessary funding to implement three of the Budget 2020 measures. These are:

- an increase to the gross medical card income limits for those aged 70 and over to €550 per week for a single person and to €1,050 per week for a couple;

- a reduction to the GMS prescription charges by €0.50c for all medical card holders. The charge would be reduced by €0.50c to €1 per item for the over 70s and by €0.50c to €1.50 for persons under 70. The maximum monthly charge would also be reduced to €10 and €15 respectively and;

- the monthly threshold of €124 for the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) will be reduced by €10 to €114 per household.

Officials in my Department are now making the necessary arrangements to ensure the implementation of these measures from 1 November 2020.

The full year estimated cost of the reduction in prescription charges by €0.50c for all medical card holders is €25m and the DPS monthly threshold to €114 per household is €19m. While the cost of increasing the over 70s medical income limits will be dependent on a number of factors, such as the number of additional medical card applications made to the HSE, the timescale within which these are made and the number of applicants who are deemed eligible.

Regarding the extension of GP care, the Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop. The introduction of the expansion of GP care without fees will be the subject of negotiation with the IMO, representing general practitioners, and the exact cost of each of the phased expansions will depend on the outcome of those negotiations.

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Questions (243)

Richard Bruton

Question:

243. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has concluded discussions on the possibility of encouraging the renting out of vacant homes of persons availing of the fair deal scheme by applying a lower rate of contribution to nursing home costs from this source or by other means; and if he has assessed the number of homes that might fall into this category. [29176/20]

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Written answers

The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as A Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

Under NHSS rental income is considered income for the purpose of the financial assessment, and is assessed at 80% less any allowable deductions. Allowable deductions include income tax and, therefore, any income tax arising from rental income should be deducted; other deductions include some health expenses, levies required by law to be paid, and interest on some loans in respect of a person’s principal private residence.

Action 17 of the Strategy for the Rental Sector commits the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) to examine the treatment, under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme's financial assessment, of income from the rental of a person's principal private residence where they move into long term residential care. This government has committed to “reform the Fair Deal scheme to incentivise renting out vacant properties” in the Programme for Government.

The Department of Health is currently engaging with the DHLGH in this regard to examine the policy and legal implications on this issue. Any changes to the treatment of rental income under the Scheme require careful policy analysis and consideration and if changes were to be proposed primary legislation would be required to give effect to them.

Health Services Charges

Questions (244)

Richard Bruton

Question:

244. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the charges that are made to private patients who are using public hospital facilities in either public wards, semi-private or private wards; and the proportion of beds in public hospitals for which such payments are received. [29177/20]

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Written answers

The Government’s policy is that the core function of the public hospital system is to provide equitable access to hospital services for public patients. In that context, all persons ordinarily resident in Ireland are eligible for public hospital services. In addition, patients may opt for private in-patient care in public hospitals subject to the requirement that the proportion of private activity is public hospitals should in the main be limited to 20% of total activity and private patient charges are set to recoup the cost of the hospital services provided to private patients.

Section 55 of the Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that the HSE may make available private in-patient services to persons who do not have or have waived their eligibility to public in-patient services. These services include accommodation, non-consultant hospital doctors, nursing staff, medicines, blood, medical and surgical supplies, radiology, diagnostics, operating theatres, laboratories, administration and support staff. It is also noted that patients opting to be treated privately must also pay the consultant fees associated with their treatment. The cost of a private patient stay is largely influenced by these staffing and operational costs rather than the room type occupied.

The statutory hospital charges under Section 55 that apply for such an episode of care is set out in the following table and depends on the category of hospital, duration of stay and whether the accommodation was provided in a single or multi-occupancy room. It should be noted that all in-patients opting to be private are liable for these charges irrespective of the designation of the bed or ward in which they are accommodated.

Hospital Category

Single-occupancy room overnight

Multiple-occupancy room overnight

Day-Case

HSE Regional Hospitals, Voluntary & Joint Board Teaching Hospitals

€1000

€813

€407

HSE County Hospitals, Voluntary Non-Teaching Hospitals

€800

€659

€329

HSE Expenditure

Questions (245)

Mark Ward

Question:

245. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a report into a service (details supplied) operations being managed by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29191/20]

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Written answers

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.

As the Deputy will be aware, specialist disability services are provided by a range of organisations. In some cases the HSE itself delivers these services directly and in other circumstances, the HSE relies upon funded providers to deliver these services. Organisations such as St John of Gods Community Services provide services for people with a disability on behalf of the HSE, on a contract for services basis, underpinned by Section 38 of the Health Act 2004. Service Level Agreements are set out between the HSE and the individual organisations.

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

HSE Expenditure

Questions (246)

Mark Ward

Question:

246. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if the private, fee paying part of a service (details supplied) will now be managed by the HSE; if it will now become a public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29192/20]

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Written answers

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

Disability Services Provision

Questions (247)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

247. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if external services will resume for schools (details supplied) run by a religious organisation, such as speech and language therapy which ceased due to Covid-19; if so, when the services will resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29198/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, recognises the need to improve services for both children and adults with disabilities through better implementation and by working together across Government in a better way.

The Government commits to prioritising early diagnosis and access to services for children and ensuring that the most effective interventions are provided for each child, to guarantee the best outcomes.

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

Departmental Budgets

Questions (248)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

248. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the timeline he is working to for the transfer of the disability budget to the Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration; the overall budget that is being transferred; the specific changes in the amounts allocated to each affected subhead of the Government estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29201/20]

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Written answers

Following the Government's announcement in June regarding the establishment of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability and Integration, arrangements are underway for the transfer of disability services to the new Department.

There are a number of factors to be taken into consideration in planning for this transfer of functions. Given the scale of the functions being transferred and the significant budget involved (c. €2bn in 2020), there are multiple financial, HR, policy, legal and governance workstreams underway within my Department to sequence the range of tasks necessary to effectively complete the transfer of responsibility between both Departments, which will include drafting and enactment of primary legislation necessary to underpin the transfer of functions.

Both Departments are engaged in regular meetings to provide effective oversight and co-ordination of the various tasks involved in the transfer of policy and budgetary responsibility. Significant work has already been undertaken to progress this complex task and a transfer date in Q1 2021 is being targeted for completion.

Medical Cards

Questions (249)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

249. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the eligibility criteria for medical cards for over 70 years of age. [29206/20]

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Written answers

The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020, enacted on 2nd August 2020, provided for an increase to the gross medical card income limits for those aged 70 and over to €550 per week for a single person and to €1,050 per week for a couple.

In recent days the Government has approved the necessary funding required to implement this measure and the new increased income limits will take effect from November 1st 2020.

Officials in my Department are therefore now making the necessary arrangements to commence the relevant section of the Act and are engaging with the HSE's National Medical Card unit to ensure all operational arrangements are in place for implementation of this measure.

Budget Targets

Questions (250)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

250. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the fulfilment of promises made in budget 2020 to increase the medical card income threshold for persons over 70 years of age, reduce the GMS scheme prescription charge, reduce the drug payment scheme threshold, and extend free general practitioner care for all children under eight years of age; the reason for the delay; the timeline he is working toward to deliver the promises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29210/20]

View answer

Written answers

The Government recently approved the necessary funding to implement three of the Budget 2020 measures. These are:

- an increase to the gross medical card income limits for those aged 70 and over to €550 per week for a single person and to €1,050 per week for a couple;

- a reduction to the GMS prescription charges by €0.50c for all medical card holders. The charge would be reduced by €0.50c to €1 per item for the over 70s and by €0.50c to €1.50 for persons under 70. The maximum monthly charge would also be reduced to €10 and €15 respectively and;

- the monthly threshold of €124 for the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) will be reduced by €10 to €114 per household.

Officials in my Department are now making the necessary arrangements to ensure the implementation of these measures from 1st November 2020.

Regarding the extension of GP care, the Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, which is an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop.

The appropriate date for commencing the expansion remains under consideration in light of COVID-19 and the additional pressures the expansion might place on general practice in that context and in anticipation of the usual increase in demand for healthcare services over the winter period. This date will be determined in consultation with the IMO. It is important to ensure that any additional pressures placed on general practice will not limit its capacity to meet the needs of all patients in the community.

Health Services Staff

Questions (251)

Verona Murphy

Question:

251. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE therapists within CHO5 who have been redeployed as Covid-19 testers and contact tracers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29212/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Health Services Staff

Questions (252)

Verona Murphy

Question:

252. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health when he expects therapists within CHO5 who have been redeployed to work as Covid-19 testers and tracers, particularly those in speech and language, physiotherapy and occupational therapy to return to their expert disciplines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29213/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

First Aid Training

Questions (253)

Verona Murphy

Question:

253. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if funding is to be reinstalled to offer affordable first aid training to full-time home carers caring for persons with disabilities and special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29214/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Health Services Reports

Questions (254)

Gary Gannon

Question:

254. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recent release of the national maternity experience survey, in particular the results that showed women experienced poorer at home care when it came to mental health particularly worrying in view of the fact that homecare supports has decreased during Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29247/20]

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Written answers

The National Maternity Strategy recognised the need to listen to women’s voices in order to develop and improve our maternity services and recommended that a National Maternity Experience Survey be undertaken. In that regard, I am very much welcome the publication of the results of the first survey, which I am pleased to note are overwhelmingly positive.

It is, I believe, really important that we recognise what is working well in some of our maternity services and extend that right across the system. However, it is just as important to recognise that some women did not have a positive experience. We must learn from those experiences too and address the areas where improvement is required, including in post natal support services. In that regard, the survey has informed quality improvement initiatives and each maternity hospital and Community Healthcare Organisation has now developed a quality improvement plan with clearly-defined actions to improve maternity care.

I am fully committed to improving women health services and am very confident that this survey will help us to deliver the safe, high quality, compassionate and responsive maternity service that the women of Ireland expect and deserve.

Nursing Staff

Questions (255)

Gary Gannon

Question:

255. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses by area in tabular form. [29248/20]

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Written answers

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

Nursing Staff

Questions (256)

Gary Gannon

Question:

256. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if public health nurses are currently active; if they have been redeployed by Covid-19 contact and tracing or if they are back within communities; and if not, if there is a date when they can be expected to return. [29260/20]

View answer

Written answers

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

Tuberculosis Eradication Programme

Questions (257)

John McGuinness

Question:

257. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1033 of 29 September 2020, if his Department records will show that in this case the herd met the singleton protocol and the risk indicator is low to assist the herd owner to achieve the best value for their herd (details supplied). [29009/20]

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Written answers

In line with a proposal from the TB Forum, my Department recently developed individualised reports that provide a simplified TB herd risk category for farmers, with herd-specific advice on how to reduce risk of TB. Farmers are already provided with information in relation to their TB risk, but this new report presents this in a very much more user friendly, detailed and practical form. There are no requirements whatsoever resulting from the recent TB letters. The objective of TB Herd Test History Statements and Reports that issued recently to all cattle herd owners is to help them to reduce the risk of Bovine TB in their herds and provide sufficient information to enable farmers to make the decisions appropriate to their situation. The individual TB herd risk categorisation is not shared with other farmers nor is it compulsorily displayed on mart boards unless individual farmers wish to share their own herd’s categorisation. As stated previously herds de-restricted following one clear test under the singleton protocol (as was the case with this herd) are still considered to have experienced a TB breakdown.

Livestock Issues

Questions (258)

John McGuinness

Question:

258. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1019 of 29 September 2020, the time frame involved In completing DNA tests on animals; the date on which the tests were taken; the likely date for completion of the tests; the correlations and the registration of the animals; if his Department will offset the extra costs to the herd owner (details supplied) in view of the delay being experienced and the negative financial implications of the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29012/20]

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Written answers

DNA testing of bovines can take a number of weeks to complete, depending on factors including the laboratory used and the size of the herd. Responsibility for arranging DNA testing and payment for same rests with the herd keeper concerned. My Department understands the DNA testing has been carried out but as the herd keeper is responsible for arranging same my officials do not have a date or a timeline for completion of the DNA analysis. Correlations and registration of relevant animals, where possible, can only take place when the DNA results are forwarded to my Department. My Department will not offset any costs relating to this issue as any delays arising are not attributable to my Department. My Department has continued to engage with the herd keeper over the last number of years to try to resolve the situation.

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