Written Answers Nos. 907-931
907. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if EU authorities regulate EU hemp food products which contain trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, as products controlled within the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13154/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
908. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if the European Commission regulates EU hemp products with trace amounts of THC such as food; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13155/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
909. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if all three sources of cannabidiol are regulated as food by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13156/21]
View answerThe use of certain extraction methods involving solvents, like supercritical CO2 or ethanol, in the production of hemp-derived foods or ingredients may bring them within the scope of the novel food Regulation.
A novel food is a food or food ingredient that was not available on the EU market to a significant degree before 15 May 1997.
A novel food must be authorised before it can be placed on the EU market.
I would be grateful of the Deputy would specify the three sources of cannabidiol referred to in his question, on receipt of which I can possibly provide further information.
910. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if the European Commission is in the process of providing scientifically authorised levels of THC in hemp foods in line with Article 28 of Council Decision (EU) 2021/3 of 23 November 2020 and with reference to Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13157/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
911. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recent clarifications provided by the European Commission to an organisation (details supplied); if Ireland will continue to apply criminal drugs laws to foods which are not controlled within the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13159/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
912. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if Ireland is the only EU member state with an existing hemp food industry which continues to use criminal drugs laws to control trace amounts of THC which is not controlled within the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13160/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
913. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the interests of justice are served by applying Irish criminal drugs laws to food products which are not controlled within the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs when the express purpose of those Irish laws is to give effect to the convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13161/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
914. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health his plans to exercise the Misuse of Drugs Acts against CBD foods with trace amounts of THC produced and or sold by Irish companies who have novel food applications pending at considerable cost on the advice of the Food Safety Authority given that the European Commission has indicated to an organisation (details supplied) that the Commission itself has regulatory authority over the certification pathway under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and that the Commission has now resumed the verification process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13162/21]
View answerRegulation (EC) No 178/2002 , Article 2, the Definition of “food” states that “food shall not include narcotic or psychotropic substances within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971”.
915. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health his views on the potential introduction of vaccine passports (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13164/21]
View answerIt is not yet understood whether the available vaccines prevent vaccinated persons from being infected or transmitting the disease to others. As such, the impact vaccinations will have on travel policies internationally is yet to be determined.
Discussions are ongoing, including at EU level, regarding vaccine certificates, their potential impact on travel policy and the importance of non-discrimination. The WHO continues to caution governments against introducing immunity passports at this time.
Under the current regime vaccinated persons are required to observe the mandatory testing and quarantine regimes that is in place when travelling to Ireland from overseas.
The Government gives continuing consideration to travel policy informed by the epidemiological situation internationally and public health advice.
916. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health when Sativex will be approved for use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13167/21]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drug schemes, in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In line with the 2013 Health Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list.
Reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, on the advice of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE). The NCPE conducts health technology assessments (HTAs) for the HSE and makes recommendations on reimbursement to assist HSE decisions.
The HSE has advised that, in 2014, it notified the manufacturer of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol/Cannabidiol, THC/CBD (Sativex) that there was significant uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness of the medicine and, as a consequence it did not support reimbursement of Sativex, at that time.
In February 2018, the HSE received a revised application from the manufacturer for pricing / reimbursement of Sativex indicated as treatment for symptom improvement in adult patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis who have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medication and who demonstrate clinically significant improvement in spasticity-related symptoms during an initial trial of therapy.
In April 2018, the HSE commissioned a full HTA with respect to this indication. On 12 August 2019, the NCPE received the applicant's submission. The Health technology assessment is currently ongoing at the NCPE. The output of this HTA will be an important input into the decision-making processes of the HSE.
The application for Sativex remains under consideration with the HSE and is being assessed in line with the 2013 Health Act.
917. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his plans to reinstate repair clinics for upper prosthetic limbs at Merlin Park Hospital, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13169/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
918. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health when a general practitioner (details supplied) in County Clare will be in possession of Covid-19 vaccinations to inoculate patients in view that some patients are over 80 years and have underlying issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13174/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
919. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health when the HSE will be in a position to resume issuing primary medical certificates in the context of the disabled drivers tax concession scheme which was halted in 2020 as a result to a Supreme Court ruling, if he will provide an update any progress in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13175/21]
View answerThe Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers (Tax Concessions) Scheme is underpinned by statute and comes under the remit of the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners.
The extent of the involvement of Health Service Executive (HSE) personnel in the Scheme relates to making a professional clinical determination as to whether an individual applicant meets the specified medical criteria for a Primary Medical Certificate, which is a requirement for the Scheme. This determination is undertaken by Community Medical Doctors for the relevant HSE Community Health Organisation on behalf of the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners.
The Deputy may be aware that following a Supreme Court decision of June 2020, the assessment process for Primary Medical Certificates was suspended at the request of the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe T.D.. Following the approval of the Finance Act 2020 which provides for the medical criteria in primary legislation, the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, T.D., issued an instruction to the Chief Executive Officer of the HSE to the effect that Primary Medical Certificate assessments can recommence with effect from 1st January, 2021.
In the context of the national effort to suppress and manage the impact of COVID, the ability to hold assessments is impacted by, among other things, the public health restrictions in place and the role of the HSE Medical Officers in the roll out of the COVID vaccination programme. The HSE has confirmed that the Community Medical Doctors and their teams are predominately deployed to the COVID vaccination rollout in residential care facilities and other health care settings.
I have been informed that the HSE is considering the matter of Primary Medical Certificate assessments in the context of their revision of the HSE Recovery and Restoration Plan, taking into account the pressures and challenges to the health services presented by COVID.
920. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Health the actions he plans to take to end the practice of imposing parking fees at all public hospitals given that they have proved a costly burden on those attending the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13179/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government makes a commitment to introduce a cap on the maximum daily charge for patients and visitors at all public hospitals, where possible and to introduce flexible passes in all public hospitals for patients and their families. My Department and the HSE are currently engaging on this issue in order to achieve this new Programme for Government commitment.
921. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter regarding the payment of ambulance service personnel (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13181/21]
View answerPublic service employers are required to ensure that public monies are appropriately spent and accounted for. In that light, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy to advise their approach in recouping the monies that the Deputy is referring to.
922. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the reason a speech and language therapist is being removed from a school (details supplied) on the basis of HSE rationalisation and speech and language therapists are now to be accessed locally; the reason the school-based therapist cannot remain in situ alongside their community counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13182/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
923. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason PCRS will not accept specific documents to progress a medical card application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13184/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
924. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the remuneration for pharmacists working in mass vaccination centres; if the method of their recruitment has an impact on their remuneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13190/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
925. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that arrived into Ireland in each week from 1 January 2021 to date and declared on the passenger locator form that they had been in a category 2 designated state in the previous 14 days; the number from each category 2 designated state in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13205/21]
View answerAll passengers arriving to the State are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form (PLF) in accordance with SI 45/2021. There are limited exemptions from this requirement, as set out in the regulations, such as for international transport workers, diplomats, etc. The Passenger Locator Form is used to support a system of engagements with arriving passengers including the targeting of public health messaging by SMS and may be used for contact tracing.
It should be noted that PLF data does not constitute formal arrival data into the country, due to the different intended purpose for the system and also the number of exempted persons as set out above. In addition, some passengers may complete a PLF in advance but be unable to travel as intended, and the data below may include some duplicates for certain travellers. Passengers may be completing a PLF and not staying overnight in the state or transiting onto Northern Ireland.
The designation of Category 2 states is provided for in SI 44/2021, with those Regulations coming into effect on 6th February 2021. Since then, a number of additional Category 2 states have been designated and the total number now comprises 33 states.
Numbers provided are for countries where a minimum number of 10 arrived from a Category 2 country, as providing any smaller numbers could risk identifying individual passengers. Where a passenger has declared that they have travelled in a number of Category 2 countries prior to arriving into Ireland, the most recent country is reported. Passengers will only appear once on this report.
The data below is an indicative number of passengers whose journey originated in a Category 2 state as well as those passengers that listed a Category 2 state in their recent travel history from 8th February to 7th March. This data was not captured for January.
48,199 Passenger Locator Forms were completed 8th Feb – 7th March from all countries of departure for relevant travellers.
8.6% of the Passenger Locator Forms indicated a category 2 country during this period.
Number of accompanying children U16 are declared on the PLF, further information is not recorded on these passengers.
The figures below are subject change due to ongoing data cleansing e.g. duplication where passengers completed the ePLF twice.
|
Country |
8th-14th Feb |
15th -21st Feb |
22nd-28th Feb |
1st-7th March |
Total |
|
UAE |
914 |
302 |
373 |
239 |
1828 |
|
Brazil |
318 |
391 |
408 |
348 |
1465 |
|
South Africa |
84 |
62 |
89 |
78 |
313 |
|
Austria |
47 |
36 |
37 |
29 |
149 |
|
Argentina |
16 |
15 |
27 |
38 |
96 |
|
Other Countries* |
66 |
77 |
100 |
78 |
321 |
|
Total |
4172 |
Other Countries*
Angola, Botswana, Bolivia, Burundi, Cape Verde, Colombia, Chile, DR Congo, Ecuador, Eswatini, French Guiana, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Suriname, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
926. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the level of compliance in filling out the passenger locator forms on a weekly basis in each of the past five weeks; the number of forms which were correctly and incorrectly completed on a weekly basis, respectively; and the number of persons that refused to fill out the form on a weekly basis in tabular form. [13206/21]
View answerAll passengers arriving to the State are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator form, there are limited exemptions from this requirement for international transport workers, diplomats and children under 16. The Passenger Locator Form is used to support a system of engagements with arriving passengers including the targeting of public health messaging by SMS and email and may be used for contact tracing. Passengers may have completed a passenger locator form in advance of travelling and not travelled. Invalid paper forms may have illegible information including phone numbers or other essential information that is unclear and is required for follow-up. The paper form has been updated to an OCR form to improve legibility. Efforts continue to promote the use of the online form.
For the month of February a total of 51,629 Passenger Locator Forms were completed of which 93.6% were valid and 6.4% were invalid.
There have been no incidences of non-compliance notified to the Garda National Immigration Board during the month of February.
927. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the percentage of incoming passengers who declared an essential reason for travel in each week from 1 February 2021 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13207/21]
View answerAll passengers arriving to the State are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator form, there are limited exemptions from this requirement for international transport workers, diplomats and children under 16. The Passenger Locator Form is used to support a system of engagements with arriving passengers including the targeting of public health messaging by SMS and email and may be used for contact tracing. Passengers may have completed a passenger locator form in advance of travelling and not travelled.
Since 6th February the reference to Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was removed from the PLF and the declaration on essential travel no longer recorded.
From the 1st to 7th of February inclusive a total of 12,659 Passenger Locator Forms were completed of which 46.3% claimed the essential travel exemption.
928. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the details of the specific arrangements in place at public hospitals to ensure that cancer patients are facilitated with easy access to car parking at reduced rates as directed to the HSE by his Department in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13211/21]
View answer929. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the details of the specific arrangements in place at public hospitals to ensure flexible charging systems for families and friends of patients that are frequent visitors as directed to the HSE by his Department since 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13212/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 928 and 929 together.
The Programme for Government makes a commitment to introduce a cap on the maximum daily charge for patients and visitors at all public hospitals, where possible and to introduce flexible passes in all public hospitals for patients and their families. My Department and the HSE are currently engaging on this issue in order to achieve this new Programme for Government commitment.
In relation to the specific queries raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
930. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that bereaved families that lost loved ones in a nursing home (details supplied) in County Louth are being asked for hundreds of euro by the HSE for access to records under freedom of information; if he will intervene in the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13216/21]
View answerThe Health Service Executive (HSE) is an independent body, in it’s own right for the purposes of Freedom of Information.
Statutory responsibility for the HSE’s compliance with the provisions and requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 lies with the HSE itself and not with the Minister for Health.
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
931. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the priority being afforded to mental health services; the extra funding made available to his Department for mental health services in 2021 compared to 2020; the extra resources that will be needed over the next five years to implement the sharing the vision mental health policy fully; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13302/21]
View answerMental Health is a priority for me and for the Government. Supporting positive mental health is particularly important during the current pandemic.
The Government remains fully committed to the continued development of mental health services, from mental health promotion to acute and specialist services. The approach taken reflects the principles of Sláintecare.
I am progressing the various mental health commitments set out in our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, and those in the current Programme for Government. In addition, I have recently extended Connecting for Life , the national suicide reduction strategy, until 2024.
The Government has invested significantly in enhancing mental health services. The Budget 2021 allocation of €1.076 billion for mental health is an increase of €50 million over 2020. Of the additional €50 million for 2021, €23 million will be used to commence implementation of many of the short-term recommendations in Sharing the Vision . This will fund an additional 153 staff in enhancing community mental health teams, including CAMHS, clinical care programmes, bereavement counselling, employment supports and crisis resolution.
The existing base budget each year plus any additional allocation will allow us to develop a more modern mental health service, which is recovery-focused and community based. One of the priority actions for 2021, as set out in the HSE National Service Plan, is to develop a sustainable costed plan for the governance, model of services and implementation of the national policy for mental health, Sharing the Vision, which has a ten-year implementation plan, overseen by the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC). The funding required will be based on the NIMC’s work plan, which will identify developments for each year. This funding will then be sought as part of the estimates process and in conjunction with the development of the HSE’s National Service Plan each year.
Sharing the Vision is not prescriptive on staff numbers, however the composition and skill mix of each community mental health team (CMHT), along with clinical and operational protocols, should take into consideration the needs and social circumstances of its sector population and the availability of staff with relevant skills. Providing the core skills of CMHTs are met, there should be flexibility in how the teams are resourced to meet the full range of needs where there is strong population-based needs assessment data.
