Written Answers Nos. 1502-1521
1502. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies that currently exist in CHO5 across psychiatry, psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, counselling and psychotherapy and mental health nursing by job title in tabular form; the number of positions across these disciplines that are currently fulfilled by locum or agency staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43144/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1503. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the way consultancy firms utilised by the HSE strategy and planning will be managed in the future; the steps that are currently being undertaken by his Department to ensure that HSE staff are utilised in place of consultancy firms moving forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43145/21]
View answerAs the matters raised relate to the HSE's strategy and planning, I have forwarded your correspondence to the HSE for direct reply as they would be best placed to respond.
As you may be aware, the HSE infrastructure was recently subject to a serious cyber attack which has impacted email and other communication systems. Please note that, until such time as the HSE systems have been fully restored, and backlogs addressed there may be delays in responding to your query.
1504. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost to restore pay equality for consultants on type C contracts; the additional cost of any back pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43146/21]
View answerAs this is a service related matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1505. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of completing the repatriation of CervicalCheck screening services and diagnostics into a single public laboratory; the number of staff which need to be hired; the cost for same; the capital cost, if any; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43147/21]
View answerConstruction of the National Cervical Screening Laboratory (NCSL) commenced on-site at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital (CWIUH) in early January 2021 and significant progress is being made.
Capital costs for the design, build, and fit-out of the NCSL:
- There are estimated capital costs of approximately €15 million for the design, construction and general fit-out of the new laboratory.
- The equipment fit-out is estimated to be approximately €5 million.
- A comprehensive workforce plan has been developed, which allows for 23.2 FTE (full-time equivalent staff). The full year workforce costs are estimated to be approximately €2 million.
Allowances have been made for this within the HSE capital and estimate plan for 2021/2022.
The opening of the new NCSL at the CWIUH will build capacity and resilience into the public element of the laboratory services required for the national cervical screening programme in Ireland. The NCSL, acting as the principal provider of laboratory screening services, will enable the National Screening Service to reduce its dependency on third party providers to meet the needs of CervicalCheck - the national cervical screening programme. The NCSL will also serve as the national base for training, education and research purposes as relevant to the national cervical screening programme.
1506. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of providing four whole-time-equivalent heart failure clinical nurse specialists per 150,000 persons; the estimated number of additional heart failure clinical nurse specialists this would require; the number of vacancies in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43148/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1507. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of 50 new midwife posts. [43149/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1508. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of training NCHD posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43150/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1509. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing an additional 180 expand medical intern training places in 2022; the requirements for such an expansion in terms of supervising posts and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43151/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1510. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of providing BNP blood testing and echocardiography at primary care level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43152/21]
View answerSome €25m was allocated to the GP Access to Diagnostics Initiative in 2021. This initiative allows GPs to refer patients directly to private providers in order to access diagnostic radiology services of various modalities, in a community-based setting. The potential to further enhance this initiative to provide additional access for GPs to further diagnostics including NTproBNP blood testing and Echocardiogram has been identified, with work ongoing.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1511. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of providing a dedicated cardiac physiologist in each heart failure unit. [43153/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1512. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of an additional chronic disease management team; the staffing composition of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43154/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1513. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing community paramedicine resources by 5%; the staffing composition of current community paramedicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43155/21]
View answerIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1514. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of making heart failure community integration teams available nationally and standardising their roles across all CHO areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43156/21]
View answerBudget 2019 provided €20 million for the establishment of a new ring-fenced Sláintecare Integration Fund to test and scale how services can best be delivered. The Integration Fund looked for initiatives that support the delivery of integrated care and the shift to community care in new and innovative ways, helping to reduce and prevent hospital visits. This will support us in meeting our ultimate goal of reducing waiting lists and reducing waiting times.
The Fund supported a number of projects testing integrated care pathways for heart failure patients. Details of these projects are set out below.
|
Number |
Project Name |
|
129 A |
Donegal Heart Failure Integrated Care Service |
|
129 B |
Sligo/Leitrim/W. Cavan/Sth. Donegal /Roscommon Heart Failure Integrated Care Service |
|
165 |
Integrated Ambulatory Care Heart Failure Project - Improving quality of life for patients with Heart Failure |
|
237 |
Heart Failure Virtual Consultation Service with Clinical Nurse Specialist Support in the Community |
|
248 |
Community based Integrated Diagnostic and Care Initiative - Reduction in referral and follow-up waiting times for Heart Failure Patients |
|
377 |
Heart Failure Service Integrated Care Project - Reduced Hospital Length of Stay through Integrated Heart Failure Service |
|
416 |
Integrated Heart Failure Management Programme-Improving patient outcomes and health service efficiency by comprehensive and innovative integration of care across the continuum of healthcare settings - Improving patient outcomes through integrated care for heart failure |
|
430 |
Cardiology Advance Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Heart Failure - Half day reduction in length of hospital stay thanks to Advance Nursing Practitioner in Cardiology |
|
469 |
Galway University Hospitals Community Cardiac Diagnostics - Reduced Waiting Times for Cardiac Diagnostic
|
These projects were evaluated and were found to have successfully met their targets and objectives. They have been mainstreamed and are now being funded under the Enhanced Community Care programme under NSP 2021 at a cost of €2.5 million.
Issues of an operational nature under the remit of the HSE also arise in this PQ and I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
1515. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of staff brought on in the first half of 2021 and to be brought on in the second half of 2021 and in 2022 for community healthcare networks; the number of staff who will be reassigned from within the HSE in each of those periods; the staffing composition across grade and occupation in wholetime equivalent terms by community health network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43157/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1518. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if orthodontic appointments will be expedited for persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43180/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1519. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the interim solutions being considered to support farmers impacted by EU Directive 2019/904 prohibiting products in Ireland used to cover maize grown; the interactions he has had with organisations, farmers and the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41446/21]
View answerAs outlined to the Deputy in my reply of 15th July, the provisions of Council Directive 2019/904 were signed by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Communications in SI 326 of 2021 on 2nd July. The provisions of these Regulations prohibit the marketing of single use plastics including films of the type used to cover sown maize.
The legislation in question relates specifically to the marketing of single use plastics from 3rd July 2021. Maize growers may use existing stocks of maize plastic present on their farms that were purchased prior to the commencement of this legislation.
I understand that the sector continues in its efforts to develop alternative products for use in the sowing of maize that will be compliant with these new Regulations.
I have recently engaged with the industry and both I, and the Department, are available to continue to engage with the sector along with our counterparts in the Department of the Environment, Climate Change and Communications.
In parallel, in terms of support for the sector, my Department re-commenced Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials for uncovered maize, in 2020 as a means to identify varieties better suited to Irish growing conditions and which do not require plastic covering. This work will build on the 2015 Uncovered Recommended List in which a high performing variety was identified and is currently available on the Irish market for growers.
1520. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the budget allocation for Sea Fisheries Protection Authority for each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form. [41457/21]
View answerSea Fisheries Protection Authority annual exchequer budgetary details is as follows;
|
Year |
€ Estimated |
€ Outturn/ Spend |
|
2019 |
13,795,000 |
13,005,000 |
|
2020 |
17,361,000 |
13,197,000 |
|
2021 |
24,810,000 |
The budget allocation provided to the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) enables the SFPA to continue to meet its National and EU obligations as Ireland's competent Authority for enforcement of Sea Fisheries and seafood safety law and to address challenges arising from Brexit.
The SFPA budget has increased significantly in the 2019-2021 period due to the allocation of additional staff, staffing levels have increased from 104 in 2017 to 158 in August 2021. The expenditure in 2020 was impacted by delays in recruitment of additional staff arising mainly from COVID restrictions.
The 2021 budget also includes a provision of €5.808 under EU funded programmes for IT and other developments which were previously provided for in the general Department’s budget.
1521. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the fishery harbours under the remit of his Department he has visited to date in 2021; and the purpose of each visit. [41458/21]
View answerThe Department 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.
I have had ongoing engagement with stakeholders in the Seafood Sector since I took office last year. Unfortunately, due COVID-19 restrictions I haven’t been able to engage with people on the pierside. In order to interact directly with members of coastal communities, during the month of May 2021, I held a series of virtual Townhall meetings with coastal communities around Ireland. These virtual meetings allowed me to hear directly from those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit and to hear their ideas about the future of their communities.
At these meetings, I gave an overview of the key issues that have faced the Fishing Industry since I took office, namely Brexit and COVID-19. I noted that the industry had worked with their counterparts in other Member States to assist in the development of a strong Irish position for EU negotiations. I also noted the additional burden on Ireland in respect of the transfer of quotas under the TCA which I am working to address.
I also took the opportunity to acknowledge the work of the seafood sector throughout the disruptions caused by COVID-19. I made reference to the Seafood Sector Taskforce which will advise on how best to support the sector. The establishment of this Task Force reflects the recognition by Government of the challenges facing the sector and the commitment to support the sector.
The contributions of the various participants at these virtual meetings were many and varied and I have taken note of, and been advised by them.
Subsequently in July, I personally visited Howth, Killybegs, Castletownbere and Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centres to meet directly with fishers, processors, fishing organisations and other stakeholders and listen first hand to the issues impacting on them. I also took the opportunity of my visits to the Fishery Harbour Centres, to visit key Local Authority owned piers with a large fishing tradition, such as Kilmore Quay and Union Hall, for the same purposes.
I have plans to visit two other Fishery Harbour Centres, namely, Dingle and Ros An Mhíl Fishery Harbour Centres, however, this will hopefully be in the Autumn but no date has been set at this time for these visits.
