Peadar Tóibín
Question:253. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability in County Donegal awaiting a HSE-funded residential placement; and the waiting times for same. [10616/21]
View answerDisability Services Data
Questions (253)
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 this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services Data
Questions (254)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:254. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability in County Mayo awaiting a HSE-funded residential placement; and the waiting times for same.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10617/21]
View answerWritten 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 this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services Data
Questions (255)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:255. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability in County Dublin awaiting a HSE-funded residential placement; and the waiting times for same. [10618/21]
View answerWritten 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 this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services Data
Questions (256)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:256. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability in County Cavan awaiting a HSE-funded residential placement; and the waiting times for same. [10619/21]
View answerWritten 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 this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services Data
Questions (257)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:257. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability in County Wexford awaiting a HSE-funded residential placement; and the waiting times for same. [10620/21]
View answerWritten 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 this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services Data
Questions (258)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:258. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a disability in County Limerick awaiting a HSE-funded residential placement; and the waiting times for same. [10621/21]
View answerWritten 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 this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Access
Questions (259)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:259. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to reduce waiting times for primary care ophthalmology appointments in the north Lee local health area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10623/21]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disabilities Assessments
Questions (260)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:260. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to reduce the waiting times for assessments of need under the Disability Act 2005 in the north Lee local health area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10624/21]
View answerWritten 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.
Home Care Packages
Questions (261)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:261. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of home care packages being provided in each local health office, LHO, area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10625/21]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Questions (262)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:262. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, waiting lists by age and gender in the Cork north Lee area in tabular form. [10627/21]
View answerWritten 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 Insurance
Questions (263)
David Cullinane
Question:263. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10638/21]
View answerWritten answers
The inclusion of maternity benefit in all health insurance products is a statutory requirement, as part of a legal obligation on health insurers to provide a specific minimum level of benefit in all health insurance products sold. Minimum benefit is one of the four key principles on which the Irish private health insurance regulatory system is based. Minimum Benefit Regulations, provided for under the Health Insurance Acts, require insurers to offer a minimum benefit to every insured person. The key purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the continued availability of the type of broad hospital cover traditionally held as a minimum by the insured population and to ensure that individuals do not significantly underinsure. In the absence of the Regulations there is a risk that consumers could be sold policies that do not provide a sufficiently comprehensive level of cover.
The Minimum Benefit Regulations ensure that all consumers obtain an appropriate minimum level of health insurance cover regardless of what plan they purchase and that every plan available is inclusive of a minimum suite of benefits/procedures, some of which are available to the market as a whole and some of which will be applicable specifically to either men or women. By way of example, the Regulations include provision for such medical treatments as a prostatectomy or testicular biopsy (in the case of men) and cervical biopsy or maternity services (in the case of women).
The health services and procedures provided by minimum benefit should be viewed as a cohort of procedures that are important and of benefit to the community of the insured population, and thus should be protected and provided as a minimum base to all.
Health Services
Questions (264)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:264. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will address a series of concerns and queries raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10639/21]
View answerWritten answers
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Education Data
Questions (265)
David Cullinane
Question:265. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the categories and number of students by area of study and annual cohorts who undertake clinical or training placements in the health and social care services in each year in tabular form; the number of placement hours in each year for each area of study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10640/21]
View answerWritten answers
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Vaccination Programme
Questions (266)
David Cullinane
Question:266. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding a vaccine for a vulnerable person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10642/21]
View answerWritten 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 Insurance
Questions (267)
Chris Andrews
Question:267. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to insurance policies and maternity cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10643/21]
View answerWritten answers
The inclusion of maternity benefit in all health insurance products is a statutory requirement, as part of a legal obligation on health insurers to provide a specific minimum level of benefit in all health insurance products sold. Minimum benefit is one of the four key principles on which the Irish private health insurance regulatory system is based. Minimum Benefit Regulations, provided for under the Health Insurance Acts, require insurers to offer a minimum benefit to every insured person. The key purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the continued availability of the type of broad hospital cover traditionally held as a minimum by the insured population and to ensure that individuals do not significantly underinsure. In the absence of the Regulations there is a risk that consumers could be sold policies that do not provide a sufficiently comprehensive level of cover.
The Minimum Benefit Regulations ensure that all consumers obtain an appropriate minimum level of health insurance cover regardless of what plan they purchase and that every plan available is inclusive of a minimum suite of benefits/procedures, some of which are available to the market as a whole and some of which will be applicable specifically to either men or women. By way of example, the Regulations include provision for such medical treatments as a prostatectomy or testicular biopsy (in the case of men) and cervical biopsy or maternity services (in the case of women).
The health services and procedures provided by minimum benefit should be viewed as a cohort of procedures that are important and of benefit to the community of the insured population, and thus should be protected and provided as a minimum base to all.
Medicinal Products
Questions (268)
David Cullinane
Question:268. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of the supply and pricing agreement of medicines; the parties involved in these discussions; if he or his officials have engaged with an organisation (details supplied) on the matter; his views on whether greater reforms are possible to achieve more sustainable and affordable medicines here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10652/21]
View answerWritten answers
Since the 1970’s, pricing mechanisms and supply arrangements for medicines in Ireland have been determined by the terms of agreements between the State and the respective representative bodies of the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. The most recent agreement was the Framework Agreement on the Supply of Medicines to the Health Services 2016-2020.
This agreement was due to end in July 2020, however due to COVID-19 it was necessary to seek an extension. The Department of Health and the HSE entered into negotiations with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) in July 2020, agreeing an extension on the terms of the existing 2016-2020 agreement until 31 January 2021. A further extension on the existing terms was agreed until 31 July 2021 to facilitate preparatory work on the successor agreement within the context of the ongoing COVID-19 challenges.
My Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the HSE are presently engaged in preparatory work with a view to initiating negotiations on a successor agreement later this year. My officials will consider all relevant stakeholders as part of that preparatory work.