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Wednesday, 21 Apr 2021

Written Answers Nos. 1516-1534

Hospital Equipment

Questions (1516)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

1516. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason the X-ray unit at Killybegs Community Hospital is currently not operating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18129/21]

View answer

Written answers

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

Hospital Equipment

Questions (1517)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

1517. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health when the X-ray unit at Killybegs Community Hospital will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18130/21]

View answer

Written answers

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

Medical Aids and Appliances

Questions (1518)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

1518. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the grant schemes available to those with medically certified mobility issues to assist in the purchase of mobility scooters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18139/21]

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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1519)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1519. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if NPHET officials draw a salary for their work as part of NPHET. [18140/21]

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Written answers

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is the mechanism for overseeing the health sector response to significant health-based emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies and provides a forum for agreement as to strategic approaches to such emergencies. It is currently under the Chairmanship of Chief Medical Officer.

The NPHET’s membership is multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral in line with best international practice. Membership comprises representatives from across the health and social care service including the Department of Health (DOH), Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and others with relevant expertise in health and/or other related matters.

I can confirm that members of the NPHET do not receive a specific fee from the Department of Health for their participation on the NPHET. The NPHET is supported by a secretariat team from the Department of Health.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1520)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1520. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of NPHET officials who draw a salary for their work as part of NPHET. [18141/21]

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Written answers

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is the mechanism for overseeing the health sector response to significant health-based emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies and provides a forum for agreement as to strategic approaches to such emergencies. It is currently under the Chairmanship of Chief Medical Officer.

The NPHET’s membership is multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral in line with best international practice. Membership comprises representatives from across the health and social care service including the Department of Health (DOH), Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and others with relevant expertise in health and/or other related matters.

I can confirm that members of the NPHET do not receive a specific fee from the Department of Health for their participation on the NPHET. The NPHET is supported by a secretariat team from the Department of Health.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1521)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1521. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if NPHET officials receive a separate salary for other employment, either in the public or private sector; if so, the breakdown of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18142/21]

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Written answers

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is the mechanism for overseeing the health sector response to significant health-based emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies and provides a forum for agreement as to strategic approaches to such emergencies. It is currently under the Chairmanship of Chief Medical Officer.

The NPHET’s membership is multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral in line with best international practice. Membership comprises representatives from across the health and social care service including the Department of Health (DOH), Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and others with relevant expertise in health and/or other related matters.

I can confirm that members of the NPHET do not receive a specific fee from the Department of Health for their participation on the NPHET. The NPHET is supported by a secretariat team from the Department of Health.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1522)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1522. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if any NPHET officials receive a separate Civil Service salary independent of their NPHET work or salary. [18143/21]

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Written answers

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is the mechanism for overseeing the health sector response to significant health-based emergencies. It facilitates the sharing of information between the Department of Health and its agencies and provides a forum for agreement as to strategic approaches to such emergencies.

Members of NPHET who are employees of the Department of Health, another Department or agency do not receive any additional salary or allowance for being members of NPHET other than their existing terms and conditions of employment. NPHET as an entity does not employ any staff itself.

Mental Health Services

Questions (1523)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1523. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of acute mental health beds available from 2010 to 2020, by county in tabular form. [18144/21]

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.

Mental Health Services

Questions (1524)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1524. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of acute mental health beds; and if so, the number. [18145/21]

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.

Vaccination Programme

Questions (1525)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1525. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if all citizens in the over 85s category have been vaccinated against Covid-19; and if so, the date the vaccinations for the over 85s category were completed. [18146/21]

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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1526)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1526. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the public health advice and opinion underpinning the continued ban on religious services, the restrictions on funeral services to only ten persons and indefinite closure of retail and hospitality businesses. [18147/21]

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Written answers

COVID-19 spreads when individuals and groups come into close contact with one another, enabling the virus to move from one person to another. The public health measures recognise the need to reduce congregation and interactions between people to reduce opportunities for the transmission of Covid-19.

Significant progress has been made on suppressing the virus due to the huge effort of our citizens. By working together, we have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease on society in Ireland. The most recent advice from the NPHET however is that Level 5 measures, subject to a slight easing, remain necessary given disease incidence remains high, the dominance of the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant and the fact that the R value is close to one. A detailed outline of the public health advice can be found in the letter from NPHET to the Minister for Health dated 29 March. The letter is available here: (https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/ba4aa0-letters-from-the-cmo-to-the-minister-for-health/#2021 )

The Government announced an initial easing of restrictions within Level 5 from 12 April in recognition of the significant impact that the extended period of Level 5 restrictions is having on people. The focus of this easing of measures is on enabling more outdoor activities in order to improve the health and well-being of society. Furthermore, from 26 April, maximum attendance at funerals will increase to 25.

The situation will be subject to ongoing review taking account of the evolving epidemiological situation, the impact of the reopening of priority services, and available evidence in relation to vaccine deployment, uptake and effectiveness. The NPHET and the Government will consider the position again at the end of this month and it is anticipated that a roadmap for the further easing of measures over the coming months will be agreed.

Data Collection

Questions (1527, 1528, 1529, 1530)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1527. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the practice of amassing dossiers on children with autism involved in legal proceedings has been repeated or replicated across the health service. [18148/21]

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Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1528. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the families and children will be able to access copies of the dossiers built up by his Department on children with autism involved in legal proceedings. [18149/21]

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Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1529. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will seek to destroy the files amassed on children with autism by his Department. [18150/21]

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Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1530. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the children and their families upon whom dossiers have been compiled by his Department will be able to request that the files amassed by his Department on children with autism involved in legal proceedings be deleted or destroyed. [18151/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1527 to 1530, inclusive, together.

I take the allegations made in recent media reports including the RTÉ Investigates broadcast of 25 March extremely seriously. I know that the headlines generated will have caused distress for some families.

The Report of the Department of Health team set up to establish the facts in respect of specific allegations by RTÉ Primetime Investigates Programme was published this morning. This report deals with each of the allegations made in the programme and related articles on the website.

This Report is clear that the Department of Health has never gathered sensitive medical and educational information on children involved in court cases in the manner portrayed in recent media reports.

There is no evidence that the Department of Health was secretly compiling dossiers on children with autism involved in Special Educational Needs litigation as alleged.

I welcome an inquiry by the Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is currently investigating data collection practices regarding the cases. My Department looks forward to the findings of this review and, where necessary, will make improvements based on their recommendations?.

The Department of Health has appointed an Independent Support Liaison Officer to engage directly with the 29 families involved in open Special Educational Needs litigation related to these allegations. These families are being contacted through the solicitor on file offering the opportunity to engage directly with the Independent Support Liaison Officer.

State bodies including the Minister/Department of Health are named from time to time as defendants in cases taken against the State. Depending on the subject matter of the case, the Minister’s interests are represented by the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, at the direction of the Office of the Attorney General, or by the State Claims Agency. The legal strategy adopted by the Department is determined on a case-by-case basis by the Department’s legal representatives in accordance with instructions received from the Department. On occasion, in order to efficiently and effectively manage litigation, cases raising similar issues may be grouped together and managed collectively.

Protected Disclosures

Questions (1531)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1531. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the prosecution of a person (details supplied) for information disclosed under a protected disclosure is being considered and prepared by his Department. [18152/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Minister for Health has no role in relation to decisions on prosecutions, which is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

National Cervical Screening Programme

Questions (1532, 1533)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1532. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his Department compiles or keeps details on women or families who take or have taken legal cases against CervicalCheck and the HSE in relation to the CervicalCheck scandal. [18153/21]

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Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1533. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if it is normal practice for the State Claims Agency to disclose to his Department the names of women who have issued letters of claim against CervicalCheck or the HSE; and if an exchange of the name or names of persons and letters of claim has taken place in the past five years. [18154/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1532 and 1533 together.

The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of Delegated State Authorities including the Health Service Executive. The SCA is an independent body that manages claims in a confidential and sensitive manner and the Agency does not share details of individuals who have issued letters of claim in relation to CervicalCheck or any other health service with my Department. Accordingly, my Department does not keep or compile details of these claims.

On occasion, it may be necessary for the Agency to provide me or my Department with an update on a case, where, for example, that case has been the subject of publicity or media comment or where the claimant has made direct contact with me or my Department.

Hospital Staff

Questions (1534)

James O'Connor

Question:

1534. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the reduction in the number of doctors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18158/21]

View answer

Written answers

Over a number of weeks, my Department and the HSE reviewed the option to increase the number of medical intern places for July 2021.

Following that review, I announced an increase of 120 medical intern posts for July 2021. This 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.

The six Intern Training Networks, that organise and oversee intern training in Ireland, are responsible for the allocation of intern posts within their particular networks. The networks have now been informed of the additional intern posts for July 2021 and will allocate the additional posts appropriately.

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