Written Answers Nos. 3033-3055
3033. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the status of the filling of a vacant position for the school dentistry service based in Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40067/21]
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.
3034. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the plans that have been put in place to ensure that the proper staffing complement is in place when the new orthopaedic unit at Merlin Park University Hospital, Galway will be complete and ready for use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40068/21]
View answer3035. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the required staffing levels in relation to surgeons, theatre nurses, cleaners, security staff, administrative staff and so on for the new orthopaedic unit at Merlin Park University Hospital, Galway to ensure that it is used to the maximum capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40069/21]
View answer3036. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if the new orthopaedic unit at Merlin Park University Hospital, Galway will not be downgraded to a day hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40070/21]
View answer3037. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that integrated services are made available at the new orthopaedic unit in Merlin Park University Hospital, Galway including x-ray and other diagnostic services within the newly built orthopaedic unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40071/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 3034 to 3037, inclusive, together.
The Orthopaedic theatres currently under construction at Merlin Park University Hospital are replacing the two existing theatres and are due for completion by year end 2021 and are expected to be equipped and be operational by January 2022.
The two theatres are staffed for 16 sessions which will increase to 20 sessions when the new theatres open, and Galway University Hospital has applied for additional staff. These are replacement theatres, and the existing diagnostic supports already in place at Merlin Park University Hospital will be utilised.
The new Orthopaedic theatres are purpose-built and are not an inpatient/elective/day unit. These theatres will be fully operational when they open and will allow Galway University Hospital to restore elective orthopaedic surgery at Merlin Park University Hospital.
3038. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when the HSE applied for and was granted licences for the importation of medicinal cannabis products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40082/21]
View answerThe HSE has not applied for a licence for the importation of cannabis-based products.
Under the Ministerial licensing system pursuant to Section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act the treating clinician is licensed to import a cannabis-based product.
In the Medical Cannabis Access Programme a prospective supplier can apply to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), on behalf of the Minister, to have a product considered for inclusion in the Schedule of ‘specified controlled drugs’ in the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019. As specified controlled drugs will fall under schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017, a controlled drugs licence, processed by the HPRA, on behalf of the Minister, is also required by the prospective supplier for possession, supply or import of such cannabis products.
3039. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when staff who have been deployed from respite care to cover day service hours in residential houses will return to providing five-day a week respite services at Clann Mór House, Commons Road, Navan, County Meath; if funding will be provided to ensure this happens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40083/21]
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.
3040. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if elderly persons in County Meath are entitled to free chiropodist visits each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40084/21]
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.
3041. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when rehab services for persons with intellectual disabilities will resume to their pre-pandemic levels in County Meath; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons with intellectual disabilities in County Meath have had their hours cut from 30 hours per week to six hours per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40085/21]
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.
3042. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when diabetes clinics will return to pre-pandemic services; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many persons with diabetes have not had in-person consultations with their consultant or diabetic nurse for a number of years as a result of the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40086/21]
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.
3043. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the details of the consideration given to the security of the Covid tracker app in terms of its suitability to process personal medical data outside its original intended purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40088/21]
View answerI presume the Deputy is referring to the new function within the Covid Tracker App which facilitates the storing of EU Digital Covid Certificates (DCC). As part of the development of this additional and separate function for the app, my Department and the HSE consulted with the Data Protection Commission and the Covid Tracker App Advisory Group, who were supportive of its inclusion.
For citizens who wish to store their DCC in digital form, the app provides a feature whereby citizens can choose to scan the QR code in the DCC and store its contents on their phone so they don’t need to carry a paper copy of the certificates when they travel overseas.
This is primarily a convenience feature and users can choose whether they want to use it or not. With regard to privacy and security, the DCC data is held within the app and not shared and users can delete their certificate from the app at any time. An updated Data Protection Impact Assessment and Data Protection Information Notice are available publicly on the HSE website.
3044. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he has considered the use of an antibody test as a qualification for participation in indoor dining; if a certain threshold of antibody prevalence could be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40089/21]
View answerThe Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021 provides the basis for the lawful operation of certain indoor premises, including for indoor dining, and provides for a robust and enforceable system of verification of the health status of certain persons, including vaccination or recovery status, for this purpose.
Please note that the guidance on the reopening of hospitality is a matter for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
3047. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the orthodontic assessment waiting list in County Galway; the writing time for orthodontic assessment; the number of patients on the orthodontic treatment waiting list; the current waiting for treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40097/21]
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.
3048. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if correspondence dated 24 June 2021 (details supplied) regarding the North Inner-City Drug and Alcohol Task Force and its requirement that its chairperson is not directly connected with any of the projects being funded by the task force supersedes the governance code set out in the Task Force’s 2011 handbook; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40102/21]
View answerDrug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in the implementation of the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery 2017-2015. Action 50 in the strategy seeks to improve accountability across the statutory, community and voluntary sectors and strengthen the task force model. This action will be delivered by ensuring that task forces have proper arrangements in place for the selection and renewal of the chairperson and members of the task forces and have proper procedures in place for addressing conflicts of interest.
The task force handbook sets out the chairperson’s role to lead the task force and to facilitate its meetings.. The chairperson’s independence must clearly be established and evident in the manner in which the business of the task force is conducted. It is important therefore, that the chairperson appointed by the task force is not directly connected with any of the projects being funded by the task force. It is also important that there is complete transparency in the arrangements put in place by task forces for the selection process and appointment of the chairperson.
The North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force has an annual allocation of €2.2 million in funds from the Department of Health. The Department has worked very cooperatively with the task force in recent years to enhance its contribution to the North East Inner City Initiative. At the start of 2021, the outgoing chairperson of the task force and the Department agreed arrangements to be put in place for the selection and appointment of the chairperson. Regrettably, the agreed process for selecting and appointing an independent chairperson was not followed. The Department wrote to the task force to highlight its concerns and to invite the task force to engage with the Department on this matter.
I strongly believe that it is the collective membership of the task force alone that should appoint a chairperson, and not the limited company associated with the task force. I ask for the cooperation of all stakeholders to put in place appropriate governance procedures for the North Inner City task force.
3050. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the involvement of a company (details supplied) in the appointment of a new chairperson to the North Inner-City Drug and Alcohol Task Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40104/21]
View answerDrug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in the implementation of the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery 2017-2015. Action 50 in the strategy seeks to improve accountability across the statutory, community and voluntary sectors and strengthen the task force model. This action will be delivered by ensuring that task forces have proper arrangements in place for the selection and renewal of the chairperson and members of the task forces and have proper procedures in place for addressing conflicts of interest.
It is the responsibility of the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force to put in place transparent arrangements for the selection and appointment of an independent chairperson, in line with action 50 in the national drugs strategy and the task force handbook. The selection process can include the assistance of organisations with expertise in the identification of possible candidates for this position.
I strongly believe that it is the collective membership of the task force alone that should appoint a chairperson, not the limited company associated with the task force. I ask for the co-operation of all stakeholders to put in place appropriate governance procedures for the North Inner City task force.
3051. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if there is a funding mechanism for health care assistants currently employed by the HSE for EMT courses run by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40107/21]
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.
3053. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for ophthalmic surgery in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40109/21]
View answer3062. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for ophthalmic surgery in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40118/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 3053 and 3062 together.
As these Parliamentary Questions relate 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.
3054. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40110/21]
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 ongoing, 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.
