Written Answers Nos. 1753-1777
1753. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the contact he and NPHET have had with a group (details supplied) to discuss the issue of vitamin D supplementation during Covid-19; if he will meet with the group or request that NPHET meet the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15321/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that an evidence synthesis paper on vitamin D and COVID-19 prepared for the NPHET was discussed at its meeting on 28th January 2021. The NPHET agreed that at present, there is insufficient high-quality evidence with respect to vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, and noted that ongoing developments, particularly Randomised Control Trials, in this area be monitored by the NPHET with guidance reviewed accordingly.
The NPHET agreed that efforts should be made to increase awareness of existing guidance. Adults spending increased time indoors or those who are housebound or in long-term residential care or have dark skin pigmentation are also recommended to take a daily vitamin D supplement.
While I have not met with the group is question, these issues are kept under ongoing review. The Government will continue to look to the NPHET to provide recommendations with regard to Vitamin D and COVID-19, as any further evidence emerges.
1754. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the online training courses which are required for recently retired nurses to complete in order to come back and work as a vaccinator for the Covid-19 vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15322/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1755. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the actions he plans to take for patients under the individual licensing system to provide a pathway to funding at source as they continue to suffer a significant financial burden to pay upfront for their prescribed medicine given that patients within the compassionate access programme will be funded at source for products from a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15323/21]
View answerThe products to which the Deputy refers are manufactured in the Netherlands by the dispensing pharmacy. Dutch government policy does not to permit the commercial export outside the Netherlands to wholesalers or pharmacists of oil-based cannabis products however they will allow the filling of individual prescriptions form EU citizens for collection by the patient or their representative. Owing to the Covid 19 pandemic since April 2020 the Department has organised the collection and delivery to their homes of products prescribed by Irish-registered clinicians in possession of a licence under the Misuse of Drugs Act to treat their patients.
Owing to the Dutch export restrictions the manufacturers of the products referred to have not applied to the HPRA to have their products considered for inclusion in the access programme.
It is a requirement for patients or their families to pay the dispensing pharmacy in the Netherlands and a reimbursement application can subsequently be made to the Primary Care Reimbursement Service in the HSE.
I would draw the Deputy's attention to Section 10B of the Health Act 2004 (as inserted by Section 6 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013, under which I, as Minister for Health, may not give a direction to the Executive,
10B.— The Minister shall not give a direction under section 10, or specify a priority or performance target under section 10A, as respects—
(a) any function of the Executive relating to the provision of treatment or a health or personal social service to any particular person,
(b) any function of the Executive relating to a decision concerning—
(i) whether or not a particular person is eligible for a particular health or personal social service (including the payment of a grant or allowance), or
(ii) the extent to which and the manner in which a person is eligible for any such service,
(c) any function of the Executive relating to a decision concerning the making or recovery of a charge for the provision of a health or personal social service by or on behalf of the Executive to a particular person or concerning the amount of such charge,
(d) any function of the Executive that has been specified in an enactment to be a function of the Director General relating to functions referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c)
1756. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be seen by CAMHS in view of the fact they have been waiting a number of years. [15327/21]
View answerAs this is as service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1757. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if family reunification of persons that have permission to reside in Ireland is deemed essential travel under Covid-19 level 5 restrictions. [15328/21]
View answerThe current Regulations in effect providing for public health restrictions are the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020, as amended, (S.I. No. 701 of 2020).
The regulations provide that a person shall not leave their place of residence, including to go to an airport or port for the purpose of leaving the State, without reasonable excuse. The list of reasonable excuses is non-exhaustive. It includes travel to give effect to arrangements for access to a child for parents or guardians of a child or a person who has a right of access to a child. It also includes travel to return to one’s place of residence and travel to attend to a vital family matter. Enforcement is a matter for An Garda Síochána.
Statutory amendments related to the Covid-19 pandemic are available here - https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/1f150-view-statutory-instruments-related-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
1758. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will sanction access to the drug dupilvmob to a person (details supplied) on compassionate grounds. [15329/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1761. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health the position of special needs assistants on the vaccination allocation sequencing as part of the national Covid-19 vaccination programme; if they are identified under group 10 key workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15334/21]
View answerOn the 23rd of February 2021, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy.
In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death.
The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.
The NIAC continues to monitor data around this disease and indeed emerging data on effectiveness of vaccines on a rolling basis. Further details are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b44b2-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-vaccine-allocation-strategy/
The next cohort to be vaccinated (Cohort 4) are those aged 16-69 and at very high risk of severe illness and death. Vaccination of this group began in March.
The ongoing review process will continue to look at the other priority groups yet to be vaccinated, along with the competing needs of those working or living in high-risk situations, carers who deliver essential services to highly dependent individuals in the home setting, and those who are socially vulnerable/disadvantaged.
It is important to emphasise that vaccination is only one part of our response to the prevention of COVID-19 infection. People who are vaccinated need to continue with all the public health measures that have been proven to reduce the risk of infection, i.e., limiting our social contacts, physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and avoiding non-essential travel until a sufficiently large proportion of the population are immune.
1762. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an orthodontic appointment for a child (details supplied); when they will be seen by an orthodontist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15354/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1763. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an issue in relation to waiting times for a public autism assessment will be addressed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15355/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1764. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason families of children with additional needs were left with no support during Covid-19 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15359/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1765. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason families in County Kerry referred to services (details supplied) are waiting over a year with no contact or support with crisis level situations in their homes. [15362/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1766. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the vacancies on the board of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board will be fully filled. [15364/21]
View answerThere are a number of vacancies on the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) at present. The immediate priority for me as Minister for Health is finding a permanent replacement for the previous Chair, Mr Fred Barry, who gave notice of his intention to resign from his position in January, effective from the end of February 2021.
My officials have initiated the process to seek to appoint a new Chairperson though the Public Appointments Service (PAS). This may take a period of time, but it is considered important that we cast the net wide to find the right candidate for this challenging role.
In the meantime, and to ensure continuity and leadership on the Board, the Vice-Chair, Mr Tim Bouchier-Hayes, has been appointed as Interim Chair, effective from 28 February 2021.
On 23 February 2021, I appointed Mr Brian Keogh and Mr Michael Barry to the NPHDB from an existing PAS panel for the Board.
There are three remaining ordinary Board member vacancies. A panel for the subsequent selection of ordinary Board members will be established as soon as the new Chairperson has been appointed. It would not be considered appropriate from the perspective of good governance to appoint further members to the Board in the absence of a permanent Chairperson.
1767. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will request the HSE to retain the over 300 positions for newly-qualified intern doctors which are proposed to be cut in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15365/21]
View answerOver the past number of weeks, my Department and the HSE have been reviewing the option to increase the number of medical intern places for July 2021.
I have announced an increase of 120 medical intern posts for July 2021. The increase in the number of intern places will be supported with accompanying increases in postgraduate training places, to ensure these doctors can avail of the next step in the training pathway following completion of an internship.
Over the next number of months, the HSE will be undertaking a formal review of the number of intern posts and postgraduate training positions to ensure the number of intern places are in line with future medical workforce planning requirements of the health service. As part of this review the clinical sites where additional intern posts are most needed will be considered to ensure that the current configuration provides the most efficient and educationally appropriate model.
1768. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if persons with hereditary spherocytosis and who have received both doses of their Covid-19 vaccine can return to work; when the policy on same will be published by the HSE occupational health team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15366/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1769. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the reason no orders have been placed for the booster doses of the vaccines under development to deal with Covid-19 virus variants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15383/21]
View answerIreland is participating in a Procurement Exercise being operated by the European Commission on behalf of Member States to procure suitable, safe and effective vaccines, in sufficient quantities, to combat COVID-19. Six Advance Purchase Agreements (APA) have been negotiated by the Commission under this process to date. Ireland has opted-in to five APAs to secure vaccine supplies: BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen/J&J and CureVac. Government approval has been obtained to opt-into the sixth APA (GSK/Sanofi Pasteur), subject to the outcome of future clinical trial results.
Ireland has opted-in to pro rata allocation of BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Ireland has also secured additional doses of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine via options and top up contracts, which will bring the current total of BioNTech/Pfizer doses to approximately 6.5 million. Ireland has signalled interest in obtaining 1.64 million additional doses of the Moderna vaccine through a top-up contract.
Ireland has also indicated its intention to opt-in to additional APAs with Valneva and Novavax.
Overall, Ireland has signalled intent to opt-in to contracts for a total of 18.5m doses.
The new European bio-defence preparedness plan against COVID-19 variants called “HERA Incubator” will work with researchers, biotech companies, manufacturers and public authorities in the EU and globally to detect new variants, provide incentives to develop new and adapted vaccines, speed up the approval process for these vaccines, and ensure scaling up of manufacturing capacities.
1770. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health the position of home carers in the vaccine roll-out schedule; if home carers are designated as essential workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15387/21]
View answerOn the 23rd of February 2021, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy.
In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death.
The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.
The NIAC continues to monitor data around this disease and indeed emerging data on effectiveness of vaccines on a rolling basis. Further details are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b44b2-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-vaccine-allocation-strategy/
The next cohort to be vaccinated (Cohort 4) are those aged 16-69 and at very high risk of severe illness and death. Vaccination of this group began in March.
The ongoing review process will continue to look at the other priority groups yet to be vaccinated, along with the competing needs of those working or living in high-risk situations, carers who deliver essential services to highly dependent individuals in the home setting, and those who are socially vulnerable/disadvantaged.
It is important to emphasise that vaccination is only one part of our response to the prevention of COVID-19 infection. People who are vaccinated need to continue with all the public health measures that have been proven to reduce the risk of infection, i.e., limiting our social contacts, physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and avoiding non-essential travel until a sufficiently large proportion of the population are immune.
1771. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if a rationalisation of services under the new progressing disabilities model will result in the loss of in-school speech and language therapy services for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15396/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1772. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure speech and language therapy services remain in place for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15397/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1773. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure multidisciplinary services for a school (details supplied), particularly speech and language therapy services remain in place during a rationalisation of services under the new progressing disabilities model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15399/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1774. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health if persons with Down syndrome are entitled to a medical card; the reason some holders of a medical card who have Down syndrome are having their medical cards reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15400/21]
View answerUnder the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on means. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure.
The issue of granting medical cards based on having a particular disease or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.
However, every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from, the social and medical impacts of an illness.
In relation to the processing of eligibility reviews, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1775. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the way in which the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out for group 4 is prioritised by condition, severity and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15404/21]
View answerOn the 23rd of February 2021, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy.
In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death.
The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.
The NIAC continues to monitor data around this disease and indeed emerging data on effectiveness of vaccines on a rolling basis. Further details are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b44b2-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-vaccine-allocation-strategy/
The next cohort to be vaccinated (Cohort 4) are those aged 16-69 and at very high risk of severe illness and death. Vaccination of this group began in March.
It is important to emphasise that vaccination is only one part of our response to the prevention of COVID-19 infection. People who are vaccinated need to continue with all the public health measures that have been proven to reduce the risk of infection, i.e., limiting our social contacts, physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and avoiding non-essential travel until a sufficiently large proportion of the population are immune.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1776. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health his plans to renew the policy of offering all eligible Irish-trained graduates an intern post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15420/21]
View answerOver the past number of weeks, my Department and the HSE have been reviewing the option to increase the number of medical intern places for July 2021.
I have announced an increase of 120 medical intern posts for July 2021. The increase in the number of intern places will be supported with accompanying increases in postgraduate training places, to ensure these doctors can avail of the next step in the training pathway following completion of an internship.
Over the next number of months, the HSE will be undertaking a formal review of the number of intern posts and postgraduate training positions to ensure the number of intern places are in line with future medical workforce planning requirements of the health service. As part of this review the clinical sites where additional intern posts are most needed will be considered to ensure that the current configuration provides the most efficient and educationally appropriate model.
1777. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the status of efforts to approve dupilumab, commonly known as Dupixent, used to treat eczema and asthma among other conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15426/21]
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; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for reply to the Deputy.
