Written Answers Nos. 260-272
260. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards as of 1 March 2021; the number of general practitioner cards on the same date; and the number for each type of card issued on a discretionary basis on that date. [12430/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
261. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed discharges in each public and voluntary hospital at the end of February 2021; and the number to date in 2021, in tabular form. [12431/21]
View answer262. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of bed days lost in each public and voluntary hospital owing to delayed discharges in January and February 2021, in tabular form. [12432/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 together.
A delayed transfer of care occurs when a patient has been deemed clinically fit for discharge from an acute bed but their discharge is delayed because they are waiting for some form of ongoing support or care following their discharge. There are many reasons for this, such as a patient undertaking the application process for NHSS, awaiting assessment for a home support package, homelessness, ward of court application, and the availability of other health care or social care resources.
With regard to the Deputy's specific questions on the numbers of patients with delayed transfers of care and the associated numbers of bed days lost, in each public and voluntary hospital, I have asked the HSE to respond directly with the requested information.
263. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of patients aged 75 years or over that experienced an emergency department wait time more than 24 hours during January 2021; the number during February 2021; and the hospitals in which the wait occurred. [12433/21]
View answerThere are a number of factors which may affect the waiting times for older patients. In particular, people in the over-75 age category presenting to EDs are more likely to have complex needs and require admission to hospital than the population generally. Nevertheless, the National Service Plan 2021 includes an expected activity target that 99% of patients aged 75 and over attending at an Emergency Department be discharged or admitted within 24 hours and any breach of this target in respect of patients in this age cohort is regrettable.
This winter is particularly challenging due to the presence of Covid-19 and the uncertainty around the level of Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 healthcare demands. The HSE Winter Plan, supported by an additional €600m invested in health services, aims to reduce the number of patients waiting on trolleys for hospital admission and reduce Emergency Department waiting times while ensuring that patients and staff alike are protected in the Covid-19 environment.
There are specific supports in the Winter Plan for those at greater risk including older people, the homeless, and people with chronic illnesses, facilitated through additional Community Healthcare Networks, Community Specialist Teams, and Frailty Intervention Therapy Teams operating within acute hospital EDs. These measures will create the foundation and organisational structure through which integrated care will be provided locally within the community at the appropriate level of complexity.
With regard to the Deputy's specific question, I have asked the HSE to respond directly with the requested information.
264. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance attendances at each emergency department nationwide in January 2021; the number of such ambulances that waited longer than 20 minutes to hand over patients, get their trolleys back and return to responding to calls; and the number that waited longer than 40, 60, 90,120 and more than 180 minutes for same in tabular form. [12434/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
265. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the details in respect of both Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital for the end of February 2021 or the latest date available for the number of spinal fusion patients currently waiting less than four months for treatment; the number waiting four to eight, and more than eight months; and if he will provide the same information for other spinal patients in tabular form. [12435/21]
View answerI sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for treatment for scoliosis, and I am conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families. This Government’s priority is to improve waiting times for all patients accessing hospital treatment across all specialties, including Scoliosis.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result of the deferral of elective scheduled care activity in March, April and May of 2020, and since 2nd January 2021.
It is of note that key social distancing measures and Infection Prevention and Control requirements, such as two-metre distancing, have a material impact on the available physical space to deliver all hospital services, including scoliosis procedures, and this has had a significant impact on both available capacity and operational activity levels.
Despite the challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic last year, by 31st December 2020 Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) had carried out 322 scoliosis procedures, a decrease in activity of 16% compared with 2019.
Children’s Health Ireland has advised that under the current HSE guidelines, they have reduced the number of procedures to urgent and those that are time sensitive. Children’s Health Ireland has advised that they are working with the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh to expand orthopaedic capacity. This is expected to have a positive impact on orthopaedic long waiting patients, including reductions in waiting times for children with scoliosis. CHI is also running additional orthopaedic clinics in City West, using a new active clinical triage model, which is reducing the number of children waiting the longest for appointments.
Representatives of CHI, the Orthopaedic Spinal Team and the Advocacy Groups continue to meet as part of the Co-Design framework on a quarterly basis to work on providing solutions for patients in the spinal service.
In relation to the specific query raised regarding the number of children currently waiting less than 4, 4 to 8 and more than 8 months, respectively in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and Temple Street Children’s University Hospital at the end of February 2021, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
266. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if capacity can be increased for a course (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12179/21]
View answerThe College in question comes under the remit of SOLAS and, ultimately, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Insofar as my Department is concerned, we have proactively engaged with Teagasc to maximise participation in the Green Cert within the Teagasc network of agricultural colleges and regional education centres.
Approval has been secured from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to enable Teagasc recruit a further 20 Green Cert teachers on two year contracts. It will increase the number of available places on the part-time and distance education Green Cert options by between 800 to 1,000.
I understand that Teagasc will assign 15 of the temporary teachers to the Northwest and Northeast of the country where demand for the Green Cert is most acute. Teagasc has also appointed an additional three permanent teachers to the Northwest and Northeast catchment.
267. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision on an ANC appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be processed. [12240/21]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department.
I have been informed that the records of the Agriculture Appeals Office indicate that an appeal was received from the person named in November 2020. The Appeals Office requested the file and a statement on the grounds of appeal from my Department in December 2020.
I am advised that the file and statement has been sent by my Department to the Appeals Office and the appeal will be shortly assigned to an Appeals Officer for examination and determination. I have been assured that the appeal will be dealt with as quickly as possible.
268. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider changing the way horse statistics are presented (details supplied) to be more in line with the control of dogs' statistics headings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12278/21]
View answerThe Control of Horses Act 1996 provides powers to local authorities enabling them to control stray and wandering horses in their areas. Enforcement of the Act is a matter for each Local Authority.
Section 15 of the Act provides that the Minister for Agriculture may make grants towards the expenses of a local authority incurred under the Act.
The statistics provided by my Department are based on claims submitted by each local authority for this funding. At present, it would not be possible to provide a further breakdown, however, the required details may be available directly from the relevant authorities.
269. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an ANC payment appeal made by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12279/21]
View answerFollowing receipt of additional information in relation to the 2020 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) application of the person named, the Department recently completed the review of this new material but, unfortunately, there is no change to the decision.
A letter has issued to the person named informing them of the outcome and of their right of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office.
270. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason that farming companies are locked out of their accounts on the website of his Department when their account has been inactive for three weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12297/21]
View answerMy Department has a policy in place since online services were first provided that any account accessing agfood.ie (including staff, agents, partners and company accounts) is locked after 30 days of inactivity.
An exception to this has been provided for individual farmer accounts. Farming companies are treated the same as other companies across the AgriFood sector and their accounts are locked after 30 days of inactivity.
My Department provides a 24-hour on-call service to assist farming and other company accounts when they are locked.
271. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will amend as a matter of urgency the arrangements in place at present for cattle sales with particular reference to pedigree cattle sales in view of difficulties that have arisen (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12366/21]
View answerThe current Level 5 restrictions are essential for the protection of public health during this phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and Government policy is clear on what Level 5 restrictions entail.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, my Department has worked intensively in cooperation with marts' representative organisations to ensure that marts continue to be able to operate while protecting public health and complying with COVID-19 restrictions. I would like to commend marts, their staff and farmers for the resilience they have shown and the speed with which they have adapted to these circumstances.
I understand tha tthere are distinct challenges regarding pedigree sales. My officials have also discussed the specific challenges involved with pedigree bull sales with the breed societies and mart organisations and, based on that, specific COVID-19 rules for pedigree bull sales were issued which enabled the sellers to lead the bulls by halter into the sales ring, while still ensuring the protection of public health.
Under the current Level 5 restrictions, mart sales rings are closed in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 being spread when people are present in an area together. The proposal that sellers would remain with their bulls throughout the sales, interacting and speaking with buyers, would mean considerable numbers of people present in an area and interacting together for a lengthy period; this is simply not consistent with overall Level 5 restrictions.
Livestock marts have systems in place to conduct online auctions and are continuing to operate, including the online sales of pedigree bulls. Cattle throughput from 1st January to 28th February 2021 was at 94.2% of the comparable period in 2020 (207,450 versus 220,169 head). Sheep throughput in the same period was at 98.8% of the comparable period for 2020 (135,234 versus 136,896 head). Online sales reach a much higher number of farmers and agents than in-person sales do. Farmers wishing to purchase pedigree bulls can avail of this system and pedigree bulls are being sold in this way.
Last week, I launched the Marts ICT Infrastructure Scheme 2021. Livestock marts can apply to my Department for a grant to a maximum of €5,000 to cover 50% of expenditure by a mart on necessary ICT infrastructure. Further information is available at gov.ie - Livestock Mart Licence Application (www.gov.ie).
272. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she last engaged with the national broadband plan; and if she is satisfied with the current roll-out in rural areas. [12474/21]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) will bring reliable high-speed broadband to approximately 540,000 premises across the State, primarily in rural and isolated areas. These premises include homes, farms, community and health facilities, schools, and businesses.
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has been contracted by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to deliver the NBP in areas where connectivity is not commercially viable and, as such, responsibility for the NBP contract is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Notwithstanding this, the impact of the NBP rollout will be transformational for rural Ireland in terms of supporting both local and regional economies and sustainable rural communities. As Minister for Rural and Community Development, I take an active interest in the progress of the NBP.
Among the first deliverables under the NBP contract are Broadband Connection Points (BCPs). My Department, in collaboration with officials at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, are co-ordinating the roll-out of BCPs in every county in the State, including many of our off-shore islands. To date more than 120 BCPs have been declared 'live', with more sites connected every day.
I met with NBI in February for an update on the progress of the NBP project. NBI outlined recent positive developments, with the first high-speed broadband connections in the State intervention area taking place in counties Cork and Cavan. NBI also outlined their plans to improve information to the public on when individual areas are likely to be connected.
The National Broadband Plan will have a profound impact on the future of our country and will provide new opportunities for rural areas in particular. These include improved career opportunities for those living in rural areas, facilitating smart farming, allowing employers to access the pool of talent that resides outside our large towns and cities, and the provision of services such as eHealth and eLearning.
