Written Answers Nos. 202-219
202. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed on whole-time equivalent terms in each of his Department’s twelve divisions on 1 June 2020 and 1 June 2021, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30662/21]
View answerMy Department has 670 staff or 650.4 whole-time equivalents as of 31 May 2021.
Since May 2020 the Department has undergone a significant reorganisation in order to manage the State’s response to COVID – 19. The organisational structure, and staff increases, in the Department in 2021 is in the context of our Workforce Plan and additional needs relating to the pandemic. The increased staffing numbers in specific Divisions is also reflective of the changing nature, reorganisation of functions and prioritisation of work in the various Divisions across the Department.
A breakdown of the staff employed as whole-time equivalents (WTE) in the Department of Health by Division as of 31 May 2020 and 31 May 2021 is set out in tabular form below.
|
- |
List of Divisions 2020 |
WTE May 2020 |
List of Divisions |
WTE May 2021 |
|
1 |
Acute Hospitals Policy |
52.4 |
Acute Hospitals Policy |
65.1 |
|
2 |
Corporate |
134.2 |
Corporate |
140.6 |
|
3 |
Corporate Legislation, Mental Health, Drugs Policy & Food Safety |
24.7 |
Corporate Legislation, Mental Health, Drugs Policy & Food Safety |
24.1 |
|
4 |
Governance and Performance |
33.2 |
Governance and Performance |
43.4 |
|
5 |
Health Protection |
41.95 |
Health Protection |
89.9 |
|
6 |
National Patient Safety Office |
27.8 |
National Patient Safety Office |
24.6 |
|
7 |
Nursing/Midwifery Policy, Professional Regulation, Workforce Planning, & Allied Health Professionals |
45.2 |
Nursing/Midwifery Policy, Professional Regulation, Workforce Planning, & Allied Health Professionals |
29.6 |
|
8 |
Office of the Chief Medical Officer |
11.0 |
Office of the Chief Medical Officer |
17.2 |
|
9 |
Research & Development & Health Analytics |
61.0 |
Research & Development & Health Analytics |
66.7 |
|
10 |
Resources |
31.0 |
Resources |
56.1 |
|
11 |
Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office |
33.0 |
Sláintecare Programme Implementation Office |
28.8 |
|
12 |
Social Care |
42.3 |
Social Care |
60.5 |
|
13 |
HepC Tribunal and the Farrelly Commission |
3.8 |
HepC Tribunal and the Farrelly Commission |
3.8 |
|
Total |
541.5 |
650.4 |
203. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of any meetings or engagements he or officials from his Department have had with representatives of the National Women’s Council of Ireland from 1 January 2020 to date; the purpose of each meeting and engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30663/21]
View answerThe details of meetings that I or my officials have had with representatives of the National Women’s Council of Ireland are noted below.
Meetings with Minister Donnelly
I have met with the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) on three occasions since January 2020. The details of these meeting are listed below:
- 20 November 2020: I met with the NWCI and other external (non-Department of Health) members of the Women’s Health Taskforce to discuss women's health and the work of the Taskforce.
- 14 December 2020: I met with the NWCI to discuss the work of the Women’s Health Taskforce.
- 1 June 2021: I met with the NWCI to discuss the review of the operation of Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.
Meetings with Minister Butler
Minister Butler met with members of the NWCI on 13 August 2020 to discuss women’s mental health.
Meetings with the Women’s Health Taskforce
The NWCI is key partner in ensuring women’s voices are represented throughout the work of the Women’s Health Taskforce and representatives from NWCI participate as members of the Taskforce. Details of meetings between the Taskforce and the National Women’s Council of Ireland are outlined below:
- 23 January 2020: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 4th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 6 February 2020: The NWCI co-hosted Women’s Health Taskforce Stakeholder Engagement Forum with the Department of Health.
- 3 March 2020: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 5th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 22 September 2020: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 6th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 3 November 2020: The NWCI met with the Women’s Health Taskforce secretariat to discuss the upcoming 7th Meeting and other work.
- 10 November 2020: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 7th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 8 December 2020: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 8th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 10 December 2020: The NWCI met with the Women’s Health Taskforce secretariat to discuss the Women’s Health Taskforce operation and NWCI role in coming year.
- 20 January 2021: The NWCI met with the Women’s Health Taskforce secretariat to discuss the upcoming 9th Meeting and other work.
- 26 January 2021: The NWCI met with the Women’s Health Taskforce secretariat and MCCP to discuss the radical listening exercise, a large-scale consultation process intended to maximise the participation of women across all life stages.
- 19 February 2021: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 9th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 26 February 2021: The NWCI met with the Women’s Health Taskforce secretariat to discuss the mental health workstream.
- 9 March 2021: The NWCI met with the Women’s Health Taskforce secretariat and DCEDIY to discuss gender budgeting.
- 14 April 2021: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 10th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 4 June 2021: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 11th Meeting as Taskforce members (link to output pack).
- 2 July 2021: The NWCI attended the Women’s Health Taskforce 12th Meeting as Taskforce members.
Meetings of the Period Poverty Sub-Committee
NWCI were represented on the Period Poverty Sub-Committee of the National Strategy for Women and Girls Strategy Committee. This group was chaired by the Department of Health and met once since 1 January 2020 (23 January 2020). The report is available on the DCEDIY website and the group’s work was completed with its publication.
204. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the status of his Department’s 2021 output target to establish a nursing home expert panel and report with a view to developing a Bill to enhance the regulation and oversight of nursing homes, including increased enforcement powers and the establishment of a licensing framework for the professional home support providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30664/21]
View answerIn August 2020, the Nursing Home Expert Panel (NHEP) report was published which contained 86 recommendations, across 15 thematic areas, many of which will require legislative measures to implement. HIQA also submitted a paper outlining a number of suggested amendments to the legislation governing the operation of designated centres for older people.
Having regard to the NHEP recommendations, learning from the pandemic and HIQA's suggested regulatory enhancements, the Minister for Health and I approved a two-phased approach to examining the legislation with a view to proposing enhancements to the primary and secondary legislation governing nursing homes.
It is envisaged that phase 1 will bring forward interim enhancements to the primary legislative framework to, amongst other things, enhance the governance and oversight of nursing homes and improve the reporting of key operational data to support national planning in an integrated way and improve the information available. In January 2021 the Government approved the inclusion of a Health (Amendment) Bill 2021 on its legislative agenda. It is expected that, subject to Government approval draft Heads of Bill will be published by the end of the year.
In addition, secondary legislation will be drafted to enhance the current regulations in relation to a number of areas including infection prevention and control, governance and management and staffing.
A bilateral project group, established in October 2020 and comprising representatives from the Department and HIQA, is supporting the legislative process.
A wider review of the regulatory framework, phase 2, will commence in the second half of 2022, taking into account a programme of longer-term strategic reform considerations arising from inter alia pandemic learning with a view to exploring moving towards a service licensing system. HIQA has been requested to undertake an up-to-date international evidence review of nursing home regulatory models to support and inform the wider review. Engagement between the Department and HIQA on the research proposal and methodology is ongoing.
In relation to the home support sector, the Department is currently developing a regulatory framework for home support providers with the aim of ensuring that all service users are provided with a standard, high quality level of care. This framework will comprise (i) primary legislation for the licensing of public and private home support providers; (ii) minimum requirements (regulations); and HIQA National Standards for Home Support Services
On 27 April 2021, Government gave approval to draft a General Scheme and Heads of a Bill to establish a licensing framework for home support providers. This will be progressed as a priority by the Department with a view to bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity.
It is expected that the primary legislation will give the Minister for Health the power to make regulations in respect of minimum requirements which will form the criteria against which a provider’s eligibility to hold a licence will be determined.
205. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if the recently announced reforms to the nursing home support scheme include a distinction between land which is farmed versus land which is leased; if so, the different treatments that would apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30665/21]
View answer206. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if children of farmers who inherit land from a parent who has land and entitlements leased to a non-relative under the tax incentive scheme are to be afforded the same proposed three-year capping at 7.5% as other inheritors whose parents did not lease out land under the recently announced reforms to the nursing home support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30666/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, commonly referred to as the Fair Deal Scheme, has been in operation for over 10 years and there is broad agreement that the Scheme operates well and continues to provide appropriate financial assistance where it is required.
However, it is recognised that the Act, in its current form, does not place caps on the financial assessment of family owned and operated farms or businesses when calculating the means to pay for nursing home care. This places a potentially onerous burden on family successors and could challenge the future viability of these productive assets.
Therefore, the Department of Health has proposed a policy change to the Scheme, to cap contributions based on farm and business assets at three years where an appointed family successor commits to working the productive asset for a period of 6 years. To be considered for the 3-year cap, the proposed legislation requires that an asset owned by an applicant for the Scheme, or recently transferred to a family member, is a productive family asset that has been actively worked by a family member for a significant period of time in advance of the person entering care.
Where an applicant retired and ceased working the farm or business themselves prior to entering long-term care, it is expected that their partner or a family successor will have taken over from them. In order to acknowledge the fact that many older people will have reduced their engagement in the family farm or business, but that a successor may not have taken over immediately, it is only required that the farm or business was worked by the applicant, their partner, or a family successor, for three of the five years preceding admission to long-term care, and this time need not be continuous.
Although land mobility has been a policy objective of various agricultural reliefs since the 1990s, the policy intent of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme is to protect family farms and businesses that will remain within the family as a source of employment and income into the future, and to ensure the future viability of these productive assets. This policy would not be advanced if income from leasing arrangements was included in the cap .
There is no prohibition of leasing arrangements in the Bill. However, assets that are leased will not be covered by the Bill and both the value of these assets and the income derived from the leasing arrangements will be assessed as part of the financial assessment for the scheme on an ongoing basis.
The Bill passed Committee Stage on 30th June, and is due for Report and Final Stage in the coming weeks. It is expected that the Bill will be enacted prior to the summer recess and will commence shortly thereafter.
207. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 840 and 847 of 3 February 2021, the status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30667/21]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently unable to access the information to answer Parliamentary Questions due to the recent cyber-attack, which has required a temporary shut-down of HSE IT systems. The disruption to service is on-going, and the HSE is working hard to restore its IT capacity and resume normal services.
Members of the Oireachtas will be advised as soon as the HSE is again in a position to provide responses to PQs and are encouraged to resubmit their Parliamentary Questions at that point.
209. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the reason for the disparity in the rates of payment to private nursing homes nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30784/21]
View answer210. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he plans to change the assessment of the fair deal rate paid to private nursing homes from a by county basis to a care need basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30785/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 210 together.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal, has been in place since 2009 as a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. In this way, for a decade, the scheme has ensured that long-term residential care is accessible and affordable for everyone who needs it.
Approximately 80% of nursing home places funded under the NHSS are in private or voluntary nursing homes that are funded by the State based on prices negotiated with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). The maximum prices chargeable by private nursing homes for residents funded under the NHSS are agreed between each nursing home and the NTPF, which has a legally designated function to negotiate with nursing homes under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. The NTPF has statutory independence in this regard, agreeing rates with each nursing home according to a consistent set of criteria.
The current NTPF criteria for price negotiations are:
1. the costs reasonably and prudently incurred by the home and evidence of value for money;
2. the price(s) previously charged;
3. the local market price; and
4. budgetary constraints and the obligation of the State to use available resources in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner.
Over 460 private nursing homes are registered with HIQA to operate as nursing home providers. It should be noted that public (HSE) nursing homes are not subject to the negotiation process; the HSE determines the cost of care for public nursing units.
The Review of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, A Fair Deal highlighted the need to re-examine the pricing mechanism used by the NTPF in relation to the NHSS. The Minister for Health subsequently requested that the NTPF carry out a review of the pricing system. A steering group was established with representation from various departments and agencies and expert advice and stakeholder submissions were sought.
The review, published in June 2021, makes four recommendations:
1. That the NTPF carry out a formal assessment of using a ‘formulaic approach’ in the pricing system.
2. That the NTPF carry out a formal assessment of amending the approach to the assessment of “Local Market Price” to reflect prices within other nursing homes within a certain distance of the nursing home rather than within the same county
3. That the NTPF engage with Nursing Homes Ireland to seek improvements to its appeals process
4. That the pricing system should be amended to better allow for the costs of high-dependency residents
Minister Donnelly and I have agreed to these recommendations and have requested that the NTPF commence implementation of the first two recommendations and engage with Nursing Homes Ireland on the third recommendation. The formal assessments are based on an approach whereby the NPTF will, in parallel with its normal negotiations, calculate a national price (for internal purposes) based on the 'formulaic approach' and the amended approach to 'Local Market Price'. These assessments will give an understanding of the cost impacts of any future change to the pricing system. The Department is also putting in place a longer-term programme of work to implement the fourth recommendation, which has multiple dependencies across the healthcare system. Given the size and scope of the NHSS (which had a budget of €1.04bn in 2021), implementation of all four recommendations must proceed with care as it is important that the Department has sufficient evidence and is assured of the likely impact of any changes.
211. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the GLAS scheme for existing participants for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36586/21]
View answerThe 10th amendment to the Rural Development Programme, which was recently approved by the EU Commission, provides for the possibility for the extension of the GLAS scheme in 2022. As with all relevant Rural Development schemes, consideration of an extension will be subject to the availability of national funding through the annual budget process in the autumn.
212. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the projected capital spend for marine projects for 2021; the projects that will be completed in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36665/21]
View answerThe Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, the Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear, as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons throughout Ireland, in accordance with the Marine Works (Ireland) Act 1902, and piers, lights and beacons constructed under the auspices of the Congested Districts Board.
In May of this year, I announced a capital investment package of €38.3m for the 2021 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. As part of the programme, funding of €4.2m has been approved to assist coastal Local Authorities undertake and complete 79 development and repair projects on harbours and slipways owned by them. The package provides funding for maintenance and repair works in addition to supporting the ongoing development and enhancement of harbour facilities, including some marine leisure developments.
As no doubt you are aware, COVID-19 restrictions have meant the necessary closure of construction sites and related delays for projects at the Fishery Harbour Centres. A number of our larger projects including those at Dinish Island Castletownbere, Middle Pier Howth and Smooth Point are multi-annual projects and are projected to be completed in 2022.
However, I expect that the remaining projects due for completion in 2021 will be substantially completed by year end. Taking account of the impact of COVID-19 on delivery of projects, and that we are only at mid-year, I currently anticipate that we will maximise our budget for 2021.
213. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual budget for Bord Iascaigh Mhara for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36666/21]
View answerThe annual budget allocation for Bord Iascaigh Mhara for 2021 is €38.750m. The budget enables Bord Iascaigh Mhara to implement its programme of work to develop the Irish Seafood Industry in providing technical expertise, business supports, grant funding, professional training and promoting responsible environmental practice.
214. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual budget dedicated to fisheries in Bord Bia for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36668/21]
View answerBord Bia has responsibility for the promotion and marketing of Irish food, including seafood, in domestic and international markets.
The Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Programme 2014-2020 is the principal source of public funding for the sustainable development of our fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors and is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
EMFF Programme funding for 2021 for Bord Bia seafood promotion initiatives amounts to €2 million, which has been provided to support initiatives in the areas of domestic and export market promotions, business to business and business to consumer campaigns, as well as consumer and international trade research.
This funding is complemented by an additional €1.3 million provided via Bord Bia's seafood sectoral allocation, funded from the Department's vote, which supports a wide range of initiatives including trade & consumer public relations campaigns across key European markets, virtual seafood supplier buyer events and the funding of a dedicated seafood consumer and markets insights specialist.
215. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual budget allocated to the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36669/21]
View answerThe annual budget allocated to the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority for 2021 is €24.810m. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the sea-fisheries and the seafood production sectors. It promotes compliance with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, sea-fisheries law and food safety law relating to fish and fish products, verify compliance and, where necessary, enforce it. The budget allocation to the SFPA enables them to continue to meet its national and EU obligations.
216. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if handline mackerel caught inside an EU country’s baseline is not included in that country’s quota for that species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36671/21]
View answerThe Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union covers the conservation of marine biological resources and the management of fisheries and fleets exploiting such resources. Fisheries are managed by the setting of a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for particular stocks in Union waters. Union waters are those waters under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Member States of the EU. Quotas are those proportions of the TAC allocated to a Member State. Consequently, all fish in Union waters wherever they are, managed under a TAC, are allocated to Member States as quota and are part of the totality of quotas in the EU. This includes Mackerel, regardless of catching method.
217. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the work currently ongoing on the cardinal markers at the Marine Institute’s offshore energy test site off An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe; the details of the foreshore permit and the environmental assessments for this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36867/21]
View answerPolicy issues in relation to energy are a matter for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). I have referred your question to the Marine Institute for direct response in relation to any operational matters arising.
218. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount, source and purpose of all funding received by the Marine Institute since March 2017 to date in 2021 which relates to any part of the 1/4 scale offshore energy test site located on the nearshore of An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36869/21]
View answerPolicy issues in relation to energy are a matter for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).
No Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine voted funds were used by the Marine Institute since March 2017 to date in 2021 relating to the 1/4 scale offshore energy test site located on the nearshore of An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe. The Marine Institute received funding from SEAI in connection with this test site in the period mentioned.
The Marine Institute advise that the cabled observatory, which is separately licensed and used for science programmes, is at the same location (on the nearshore of An Spidéal, Contae na Gaillimhe). It is part funded through this Department's Voted Funds. I have referred this matter, which maybe related to your question, to the Marine Institute for direct response in respect of the voted funding used.
219. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara soiléiriú a thabhairt maidir leis an ról atá ag Foras na Mara i measúnachtaí tionchair timpeallachta i leith forbairtí uisceshaothraithe mara; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [36870/21]
View answerSoláthraíonn iarrthóirí ar cheadúnas uisceshaothraithe Tuarascálacha um Measúnú Tionchair Timpeallachta de réir cheanglais riachtanacha náisiúnta agus AE. Den chuid is mó, teastaíonn Tuarascálacha um Measúnú Tionchair Timpeallachta i gcás iarratas ar cheadúnas uisceshaothraithe. Tá an Tuarascáil um Measúnú Tionchair Timpeallachta ina príomhghné de bhreithniú mo Roinne ar iarratais ábhartha ar cheadúnais uisceshaothraithe.
Soláthraíonn Foras na Mara comhairle agus ionchur eolaíoch do mo Roinn maidir le Tuarascálacha um Measúnú Tionchair Timpeallachta a bhreithniú agus a mheas.
