Written Answers Nos. 2102-2126
2102. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to children’s disability network teams in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively, by capital and resource funding and CHO in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36541/21]
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.
2103. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to progress the transfer of persons with disabilities from congregated settings into community settings in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively, by capital and resource funding and CHO in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36542/21]
View answerAlmost ten years ago, the Time to Move on from Congregated Settings Report identified approximately 4,000 people with disabilities living in congregated type settings. The 2011 Report expected that decongregation could happen at a much faster pace than was actually possible.
Since 2014, the Transforming Lives Programme provides the framework for implementation and for putting policy into practice across key reports, including Time to Move on from Congregated Settings in respect of residential centres,
Today less than 2,000 people live in congregated settings.
The Programme for Government – ‘Our Shared Future’ includes a commitment to continue with moving people out of old style congregated settings, into new homes within the community, with the necessary supports.
Today, people are being supported to live lives of their choice out in the community. Several congregated settings have closed fully and many more have closed specific units within the centres.
Thoughtful planning, capacity building work with stakeholders and sharing the learning across services is enabling meaningful person-centred planning and transitions that are sustainable.
While the pace of change has been slow in some services, there is momentum and progress is being made.
Budget 2021 provides for an unprecedented level of investment in disability services, with the investment of €100m for new initiatives in 2021. The increased level of funding in 2021 will enable us to build on initiatives currently underway, including the decongregation programme, with a renewed focus on assisting people to move out of congregated settings to homes in the community. The HSE has prioritised the transition of a further 144 people from congregated settings in 2021 under its Service Plan.
As the numbers in the large settings continues to fall, the people still remaining in these services have access to better living conditions and share with fewer people.
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.
2105. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated for dementia care in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 respectively, by capital and resource funding and CHO in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36544/21]
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.
Grateful if you could cc john_mooney@health.gov.ie and aisling_mcgrath@health.gov.ie on the reply please.
2106. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated the HSE-led summer July provision programme in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 respectively, by capital and resource funding and CHO in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36545/21]
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.
2108. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of pay restoration for all section 39 organisations that have reached an agreement with the State through the Workplace Relations Commission; the amount of pay that has been restored to date; the amount of pay that is still outstanding; the timeframe for all payments to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36547/21]
View answer2109. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health if all section 39 organisations have reached an agreement with the State through the Workplace Relations Commission with regard to pay restoration; if not, the number that have not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36548/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2108 and 2109 together.
Section 39 agencies are agencies under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004 where the HSE provides a grant to allow the agency to provide services similar or ancillary to the HSE. They were not and are not party to the Public Service Agreements and are therefore not covered by the pay restoration provided for in these Agreements.
In October 2018, an agreement was reached by the parties at the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to a process of pay restoration for staff employed in a pilot group of 50 section 39 organisations who are funded by way of a Service Level Agreement (SLA). A further WRC engagement followed in December 2020 in relation to a final phase of 250 SLA funded organisations who were identified as part of the earlier agreement.
Pay restoration was applicable to Section 39 organisations who met certain criteria, rather than types of individual workers that are employed in them. The list of section 39 organisations that was compiled, included only agencies that had service arrangements in place back in 2013 and that were still under service arrangements in 2019. Only organisations who received in excess of an agreed, specified amount from the HSE by way of the Service Level Agreement process were included.
It must be acknowledged that Section 39 organisations are privately owned and run and that their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between the employer and the employee. Consequently, it would not be appropriate for the Department of Health to provide a list of which section 39 agencies applied for pay restoration, received funding under the pay restoration agreement or the amount that they have received.
Pay restoration is absolutely limited and only applicable to those included in the initial WRC agreement. I can also confirm that there is no scope to revisit the eligibility criteria for the process and that the process has reached a final resolution.
2110. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the current status from a legislative perspective of a published 2020 report by a person (details supplied) in relation to surrogacy in Ireland [36549/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, drafting of a bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research is ongoing by officials in my Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. This comprehensive piece of legislation will encompass the regulation, for the first time in Ireland, of a very wide range of practices, including domestic altruistic surrogacy. Publication of this legislation is a priority for my Department and the Government, and a commitment to enact this legislation is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”.
The published report of the Special Rapporteur on Child Protection comprises issues relating to parentage and the right to identity in donor-assisted human reproduction and surrogacy in this jurisdiction and abroad.
As issues relating to international surrogacy raised in the report of the Special Rapporteur concern areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments, my Department is engaging with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in regard to this issue.
2111. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce a support scheme to provide a 100% grant for charging points in homes of disabled driver of electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36559/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that grants for charging points is a matter for the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
2112. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce a support scheme to provide a 100% grant for solar panels to be fitted in homes of persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36560/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that grants for solar panels are a matter for Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
2113. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that arrived here in each week from 26 April 2021 to date that had been in a designated state in the previous 14 days; the number from each designated state in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36561/21]
View answer2114. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that travelled into Ireland in each week from 26 April 2021 to date who declared an essential reason for travel; the percentage of these of the overall number of persons who travelled into the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36562/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2113 and 2114 together.
All passengers arriving into the state are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form (PLF) in accordance with SI 45/2021. There are limited exemptions from this requirement, as set out in the regulations, such as for international transport workers or for diplomats.
Since 6th February 2021 the reference to Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/1475 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was removed from the Passenger Locator Form and the declaration on essential travel is no longer recorded.
2115. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons vaccinated in each cohort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36563/21]
View answerOver 3.1 million people have now received their first vaccine dose and over 2.4 million have received their second dose (as of 26th July).
A detailed breakdown of the number of doses administered to each cohort is available below:
|
Cohort |
Dose 1 |
Dose 2 |
Total |
|
Cohort 1 - Residents aged 65+ years in LTCF |
114,780 |
108,934 |
223,714 |
|
Cohort 2 - Frontline healthcare workers |
289,802 |
281,995 |
571,797 |
|
Cohort 3 - People aged 70 years and older |
475,598 |
458,152 |
933,750 |
|
Cohort 4 - People aged 16-69 years and at very high risk of severe COVID-19 disease |
282,616 |
269,808 |
552,424 |
|
Cohort 5 - All people aged 60-69 years |
340,587 |
330,004 |
670,591 |
|
Cohort 7 - People aged 16-59 years with medical conditions at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease |
257,625 |
223,006 |
480,631 |
|
Cohort 9 - All other people eligible under 60 years |
1,412,791 |
750,398 |
2,163,189 |
|
Not Coded |
1,391 |
1,064 |
2,455 |
2116. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the 14-day incidence rate and five-day average cases for the Ballymun-Finglas and the Artane-Whitehall local electoral areas. [36564/21]
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.
2117. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if an implementation group has been established to oversee the design and roll-out of a State-funded contraception scheme; if relevant stakeholders have been invited to participate in such a group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36573/21]
View answerFollowing the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, a Working Group was established in April 2019 to consider the range of policy, regulatory and legislative issues arising in relation to improving access to contraception in Ireland.
The Group’s high-level report, published in October 2019, identified the barriers that exist to accessing contraception and the mechanisms available to overcome those barriers, noting that any policy proposal must focus on accessibility, education, and workforce capacity as well as cost.
A sizable body of work remains to be addressed in order to develop and finalise the policy approach, bring forward the necessary legislative proposals and ensure the implementation of service delivery arrangements.
It is however important to stress that my Department and this Government remain committed to providing free contraception over a phased basis, starting with women aged 17 – 25, as set out in the Programme for Government.
Progress on these issues has unfortunately been delayed until recently, given the need to focus on and prioritise the response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Department is currently assembling a Contraception Implementation Group, which will commence work imminently.
Some access to free contraception is already enabled, through the National Condom Distribution Service (NCDS), which was established by the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) in October 2015.The NCDS functions as a central point for distributing free condoms and lubricant sachets to HSE services and other organisations working with individuals and groups at increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes.
These include migrants; young people; gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM); sex workers; people living with addiction issues and people living with HIV. From 2017 to the end of 2019, the number of organisations ordering from the NCDS has doubled.
The service was extended to 3rd level institutions in late 2019. Third-level institutions can now order condom dispensers from the HSE, which enable the provision of free condoms and sexual health information to students on campuses nationwide. The SHCPP advises that 3rd level institutions will be contacted, prior to the commencement of on-campus attendance in September, with regard to their engagement with the NCDS.
Information leaflets are provided with the condom dispensers, which outline to students how to use condoms correctly, and emphasise the importance of using condoms consistently and every time sex happens. The information leaflets direct students to HSE - led and HSE-funded websites for further information about sexual health and wellbeing; www.sexualwellbeing.ie and www.man2man.ie.
It should be noted that, while oral contraception and various forms of long-acting reversible contraception can be more effective at preventing pregnancy, condoms provide protection against STIs that is not provided by non-barrier forms of contraception.
It is envisaged that continued expansion of the NCDS will be facilitated in line with demand, in order to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and meet the sexual health promotion needs of people living in Ireland.
2118. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when a paediatric haematologist will be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36574/21]
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.
2119. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance personnel that have been tasked with Covid-19 testing in the past six months; the current number of ambulance personnel who are working as Covid-19 testers; the number of personnel out of the total are currently working on purely ambulance duties; the average length of time it is taking for ambulances to reach persons who have called them out in each county; the longest length of time it is taking for ambulances to reach persons who have called them out in each county; if he will detail these figures for each level of injury, ill-health severity; if he will provide the details for the past five years up to 30 June 2020; and if the relationship between the National Ambulance Service and any fire services changed in the past five years. [36575/21]
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.
2120. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the status of the transfer of the disability portfolio from his Department to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; and if it will be clearly allocated for the Budget 2022 process. [29838/21]
View answerFollowing the Government's announcement regarding the establishment of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability and Integration, arrangements are underway for the transfer of disability services to the new Department.
There are a number of factors to be taken into consideration in planning for this transfer of functions. Given the scale of the functions being transferred and the significant budget involved (c. €2.2bn in 2021), there are multiple financial, HR, policy, legal and governance workstreams underway within the Department of Health to sequence the range of tasks necessary to effectively complete the transfer of responsibility between both Departments.
Both departments have worked together to provide effective oversight and co-ordination of the various tasks involved in the transfer of policy and budgetary responsibility. While significant progress has already been made in advancing the transfer, work to-date has emphasised the complexity and interconnected nature of the service and financial arrangements currently in place. While it was hoped to complete the transfer by midyear, the size and complexity of the work means that the required legislation and revised governance arrangements will be not be in place until later this year.
Preparations for Budget 2022 are being carefully considered and both departments are working closely together, with the Department of Health leading on the process.
2121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will address a number of issues in relation to baptisms (details supplied). [36580/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, on 29 June, Government announced the next phase of reopening the economy and society in line with Recovery and Resilience: The Path Ahead.
While significant progress is being made in relation to the roll-out of our vaccination programme, the rapidly increasing prevalence of the more transmissible Delta variant, and the significant risk this poses, in particular to those who are not yet fully vaccinated, meant that a number of higher risk indoor activities did not recommence as planned on 5 July, pending the implementation of a system to verify vaccination or immunity status.
Disease incidence has increased rapidly in recent weeks, especially among those who are not yet fully protected through vaccination and the outlook for the coming weeks is very uncertain.
In line with the delay to other July measures, the current advice is that religious ceremonies (outside of weddings and funerals) should not go ahead at present. This is in recognition of the multi household, multi-generational nature of these events and linked social activities and is a response to concerns from public health across the regions in relation to gatherings of this nature. Unfortunately, due to current uncertainties there is not yet an indication of when religious ceremonies will recommence. The epidemiological situation will be monitored on an ongoing basis and the level of restrictions will be kept under review by Government.
Church leaders have been very supportive of the overall national public health response to date and the Government will continue to work with them to ensure that all ceremonies can return when it is safe to do so.
Significant and sustained progress has been made on suppressing the virus over recent months due to the huge effort of people across the country. By working together, we have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease on society in Ireland. To protect the gains of recent months we must continue to practice basic preventative behaviours and to follow public health guidelines.
2122. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if there are supports available for business who provide sensory experience for persons with disabilities and mental health issues. [36581/21]
View answerIf the Deputy's question refers to providers of specialist sensory therapy services, this is an operational issue, and 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.
If the Deputy's question is referring to businesses in a more broad sense, this is a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
2123. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health when the guidelines issued to crèches in relation to recognising Covid-19 symptoms in children under three years of age will be revised, in particular regard to teething coughs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36588/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that guidelines for creches are a matter for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
2124. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health the reason Ireland does not recognise a vaccine (details supplied) in view of the fact this is causing a lot of Irish citizens who live abroad having to hotel quarantine when returning home to Ireland despite being fully vaccinated with the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36593/21]
View answerIreland procures COVID-19 vaccines through its participation in an EU procurement process and their approval is by the Commission following recommendation by the EMA.
At present, the Sinopharm vaccine has not received EMA approval.
COVID-19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. No vaccine will be used until Market authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is obtained and any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Product Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Passengers who are fully vaccinated in accordance with the table below 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.
What 'fully vaccinated' means:
|
A full course of any one of the following vaccines |
Regarded as fully vaccinated after: |
|
2 doses of Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine: BNT162b2 (Comirnaty®) |
7 days |
|
2 doses of Moderna Vaccine: CX-024414 (Moderna®) |
14 days |
|
2 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine: ChAdOx1-SARS-COV-2 (Vaxzevria® or Covishield) |
15 days |
|
1 dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Vaccine: Ad26.COV2-S [recombinant] (Janssen®) |
14 days |
2125. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the public health rationale behind delaying the holding of Confirmations and First Holy Communions while allowing weddings; and if this decision was based on public health advice from NPHET or some other advice. [36594/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, on 29 June, Government announced the next phase of reopening the economy and society in line with Recovery and Resilience: The Path Ahead.
While significant progress is being made in relation to the roll-out of our vaccination programme, the rapidly increasing prevalence of the more transmissible Delta variant, and the significant risk this poses, in particular to those who are not yet fully vaccinated, meant that a number of higher risk indoor activities did not recommence as planned on 5 July, pending the implementation of a system to verify vaccination or immunity status.
Disease incidence has increased rapidly in recent weeks, especially among those who are not yet fully protected through vaccination and the outlook for the coming weeks is very uncertain.
In line with the delay to other July measures, the current advice is that religious ceremonies (outside of weddings and funerals) should not go ahead at present. This is in recognition of the multi household, multi-generational nature of these events and linked social activities and is a response to concerns from public health across the regions in relation to gatherings of this nature. Unfortunately, due to current uncertainties there is not yet an indication of when religious ceremonies will recommence. The epidemiological situation will be monitored on an ongoing basis and the level of restrictions will be kept under review by Government.
Church leaders have been very supportive of the overall national public health response to date and the Government will continue to work with them to ensure that all ceremonies can return when it is safe to do so.
Significant and sustained progress has been made on suppressing the virus over recent months due to the huge effort of people across the country. By working together, we have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease on society in Ireland. To protect the gains of recent months we must continue to practice basic preventative behaviours and to follow public health guidelines.
2126. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of a procedure for a person (details supplied). [36595/21]
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.
