Tuesday, 27 Jul 2021

Written Answers Nos. 1624-1647

Health Strategies

Questions (1624, 1625)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

1624. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the progress made on the pilot drug testing service as part of the HSE harm-reduction programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34516/21]

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

1625. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if on-site testing of drugs at festivals will be available in 2021 as part of a harm-reduction strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34517/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1624 and 1625 together.

Government policy in relation to drug and alcohol addiction services is set out in the National Drugs Strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery-a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025. Action 11 of the strategy aims to strengthen early harm reduction responses to current and emerging trends and patterns of drug use. To this end, the Emerging Drug Trends and Drug Checking Working Group was established in 2019.

The Working Group was chaired by the HSE and comprised of representatives from the Department of Health, laboratory biochemists and toxicologists, NGO sector and Drug and Alcohol Task Forces, a festival safety coordinator, academic expertise, student representation and representation from the nightlife scene.

The group looked at evidence in relation to early harm reduction responses, such as drug testing, amnesty bins and media campaigns on current and emerging trends including the use of new psychoactive substances. It reviewed literature on nightlife drug use, health and social responses and drug checking methodologies. It also engaged with experts at European level.

This report of the working group is being finalised and will be published in September. The report will include a series of recommendations which will inform policy on harm reduction.

I am committed to increase and support drug-quality testing services, particularly at festivals. I look forward to receiving the report of the working group and to considering its recommendations.

Question No. 1625 answered with Question No. 1624.

Capital Expenditure Programme

Questions (1626)

Dara Calleary

Question:

1626. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the status of capital developments at health facilities (details supplied) in County Mayo; the budget for each project and the amount of spend in 2020 and to date in 2021; the most up-to-date position in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34518/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this Parliamentary Question relates to operational issues, 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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1627)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

1627. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is still waiting on their vaccine. [34519/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Question No. 1628 answered with Question No. 1597.

Legislative Measures

Questions (1629, 1749)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1629. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the status of the review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34521/21]

Brendan Griffin

Question:

1749. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 will be progressed; the timeline regarding a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35457/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1629 and 1749 together.

The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was signed into law on 20 December 2018 and commenced on 1 January 2019. Section 7 of the Act states that “The Minister shall, not later than 3 years after the commencement of this section, carry out a review of the operation of this Act”.

The review is being progressed this year. At this stage I anticipate that the review will take a three-part approach to reviewing the operation of the Act, with strands focusing on service users, service providers and a public consultation.

Research to inform the service user and service provider strands will be commissioned and carried out independently, and a public consultation will be held.

Upon completion, a full report with any necessary recommendations, will be submitted to me, as Minister, for consideration.

Medicinal Products

Questions (1630, 1897)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1630. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the status of the medical cannabis access programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34522/21]

Thomas Gould

Question:

1897. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the status of the medical cannabis access programme. [35776/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1630 and 1897 together.

The provision of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme is as a result of recommendations by the Health Products Regulatory Authority in their “Cannabis for Medical User – A Scientific Review”.

The review stated that if the policy decision is to make cannabis available for medical purposes, the HPRA advised that it should recognise patient need, but be evidence based. It was advised, that treatment with cannabis be only permitted under a controlled access programme for the treatment of patients with the following medical conditions which have failed to respond to standard treatments;

- spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis;

- intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy;

- severe, refractory (treatment-resistant) epilepsy.

Subsequently the Minister for Health established an Expert Reference Group to advise on the development of a Medical Cannabis Access Programme. This Group developed detailed Clinical Guidelines for the MCAP to be followed by clinicians, which contained inter alia guidance on ingredient combinations that are recommended for each of the three indications included in the MCAP.

The Medicinal Cannabis Access programme (MCAP) is a 5-year pilot programme. The purpose of the programme is to facilitate access to acceptable cannabis-based products for medical use that are of a standardised quality and which meet the requirements outlined in the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019 (as amended).

This is an important and positive step forward for those individuals who are suffering serious ill health but for whom conventional treatments are not working.

There are currently 4 products assessed by the HPRA for inclusion in Schedule 1 of the Regulations, more products are currently being assessed by the HPRA.

Reimbursement of the products, prescribed by approved medical consultants and supplied through community pharmacies for a specified therapeutic indication in line with Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019 (as amended) will be on an individual named patient basis aligned to the patient’s eligibility under the community drug schemes (Medical Card, Long Term Illness Scheme and Drugs Payment Scheme). It cannot be assumed that reimbursement approval will be forthcoming on submission of applications. A reimbursement decision will be communicated with the prescribing consultant in writing.

On 15th July, I announced that the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) was now open for medical consultants to make an application for themselves and their patients to be registered for the programme.

Registration by consultants and their patients on the Cannabis for Medical Use Register, to be operated by the HSE, is required for the prescribing of cannabis-based products under the MCAP.

It is hoped that over time as more acceptable products are made available on the MCAP.

Question No. 1631 answered with Question No. 1439.

Ambulance Service

Questions (1632)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

1632. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances available to County Clare from the National Ambulance Service; and the distribution of ambulances to municipal districts in each of the years 2018 to 2021, in tabular form. [34524/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Question No. 1633 answered with Question No. 1562.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1634)

Cormac Devlin

Question:

1634. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if guidance has been issued or if the use of hand dryers during the pandemic in toilets has been examined in relation to the possible spread of bacteria and potentially a coronavirus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34535/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Health Strategies

Questions (1635)

Cormac Devlin

Question:

1635. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the locations in which the school immunisation programme is being administered across the CHO 6 area; if there are plans to improve or change the venues for this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34536/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Health Services

Questions (1636)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

1636. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the level of funding assigned to residential care provision for children with complex needs in each of the past five years to date; the extent to which each allocation has been fully utilised; the area in which expenditure was the most prevalent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34537/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1637)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

1637. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the criteria used to decide the number of vaccine centres to be located in each county; the reason County Limerick still has only one vaccination centre; the steps being taken to add a second one in the city or county as has happened in other counties; the criteria used when selecting the racecourse as a replacement centre given that it would only be open on selected days at a time when Limerick has had far higher incidence level than the rest of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34538/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Disability Services

Questions (1638)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

1638. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health the financial supports available to parents who wish to renovate a room in their home for the purposes of creating a sensory room for a child with a disability, other than housing adaptation grants available through local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34549/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I wish to inform the Deputy that Housing Adaptation Grants are a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. There is no other funding avenue for an adaptation of the kind mentioned in the Deputy's question.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1639)

Bríd Smith

Question:

1639. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will consider regulations to safeguard the largely unvaccinated cohort of young workers employed in the retail and hospitality sector by ensuring CO2 monitors are placed in all such venues to monitor air quality and possible dangers of the Covid-19 virus spreading in view of the planned reopening of retail and hospitality; if consideration has been given to making such monitors compulsory in all indoor dining areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34550/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I wish to advise the Deputy that the retail and hospitality sectors are a matter for the Department of Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media respectively.

It is the responsibility of individual Government departments to provide sector-specific COVID-19 advice on ventilation as per their respective remits.

Also, it is important to note that ventilation has remained one element of the broader infection prevention and control (IPC) response over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ventilation, however, is just one aspect of a suite of control measures that work in tandem to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The importance of vaccination, physical distancing, avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces, face coverings, and maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene as a collective suite of measures applied in tandem remains paramount.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1640)

David Cullinane

Question:

1640. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on a matter raised in correspondence in relation to the EU digital Covid certificate (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34552/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Digital COVID Certificate Regulation is intended to facilitate people’s fundamental right to move and reside freely and help to support the lifting of restrictions currently in place in a coordinated manner within the EU.

As the Minister for Health, I am supporting the work of my Department in collaborating with relevant Departments under the leadership of the Department of Taoiseach to assist in the on-going implementation of the EU Digital COVID Certificates.

Individuals should receive their EU Digital COVID Certificate when they are fully vaccinated by email or post. Recovery certificates can be requested through the online portal. Certificates based on negative tests for travel within the EU can be obtained from private testing services signed up to the Digital Covid Test Certificate Service.

There is comprehensive information on both the Digital COVID Certificate and international travel in general on gov.ie/travel and www.dfa/travel and passengers are encouraged to check the public health advice and restrictions in place in the destinations they are travelling to before embarking.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1641)

David Cullinane

Question:

1641. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with the Minister for Education, the HSE and higher education institutes to ensure that students on clinical placements in hospitals who opt not to be vaccinated can complete their placements without failing or repeating the previous academic year; if allowing students to have regular Covid-19 testing privately will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34553/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Medicinal Products

Questions (1642)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

1642. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the HSE recommended medications including cariban, xonvea and navalem should be available on the drugs payment scheme for the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum in women. [34572/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.

Direct Provision System

Questions (1643)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

1643. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when HIQA plans to inspect the direct provision centres; if it has, the number that have been condemned; the results of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34574/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I wish to advise the Deputy that inspection of direct provision centres is a matter for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1644, 1645)

Carol Nolan

Question:

1644. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if Irish citizens returning from green list countries must quarantine upon arrival in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34577/21]

Carol Nolan

Question:

1645. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if Irish citizens returning from green list countries via red list countries must quarantine upon arrival in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34578/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1644 and 1645 together.

Mandatory hotel quarantine is a legal obligation for any person, except an exempt traveller, who has been in a designated state within 14 days of their arrival in Ireland.

This applies to all passengers who have been in a designated state and includes persons travelling from, or transiting through, designated states within 14 days of their arrival in Ireland, regardless of nationality or residence.

Mandatory hotel quarantine is also required for any person, except an exempt traveller, who arrives in Ireland from a non-designated state but who does not have a relevant test result. A 'relevant test result' is either:

- a negative RT PCR test result taken no more than 72 hours before you arrive in the State or

- a positive RT PCR test result from a test taken no less than 11 days and no more than 180 days before your arrival

The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 provides for exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine. If you are not an exempt traveller, you must complete mandatory hotel quarantine at a designated facility.

Passengers who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 and have the documents to confirm this are not required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland. Dependents, including children, will also be exempted from the requirement to complete mandatory hotel quarantine.

Question No. 1645 answered with Question No. 1644.

Health Services

Questions (1646)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

1646. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the concerns of a person (details supplied) on the impact of the recent collapse of an airline on some cancer patients who must travel to Dublin for their treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34583/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I wish to advise the Deputy that the recent collapse of an airline is a matter for the Department of Transport.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (1647)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

1647. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who died from Covid-19 in the State in May 2021. [34584/21]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As 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.