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Thursday, 16 Dec 2021

Written Answers Nos. 593-614

Hospital Staff

Questions (593)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

593. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical staff vacancies by staff grade currently for each hospital in the Saolta University Health Care Group; the length of time of each vacancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62840/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Facilities

Questions (594)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

594. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of additional beds that will be made operational in hospitals in County Mayo under the winter plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62841/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (595)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

595. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to recent data provided by a body (details supplied); the measures he proposes to take to ensure sufficient general practitioner capacity in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62842/21]

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Written answers

The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas. We are working to ensure patients across the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.

GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the selection process to find a replacement GP.

Several efforts to increase the number of practicing GPs have been undertaken in recent years. The number of entrants to GP training has increased from 120 in 2009 to 233 this year, with large increases made in recent years. Further increases are expected as responsibility for training has transferred from the HSE to the Irish College of General Practitioners. Changes have been made to the entry provisions to the GMS scheme to facilitate more flexible/shared GMS contracts, and to the retirement provisions for GPs under the GMS scheme. An enhanced supports package for rural GP practices was also introduced.

Recent developments in relation to general practice, in particular the 2019 Agreement on Contractual Reform and Service Development, have helped to re-establish general practice in Ireland as an attractive career choice. The additional investment, which will amount to €210 million annually once the Agreement is fully implemented, provides for an increase in capitation fees, improved maternity and paternity arrangements as well as enhanced supports for rural practices. In addition, targeted on-going funding of €2 million will also be set aside to provide additional support to practices in deprived urban areas. The wider reforms in the health service will also help to provide an atmosphere in which the practice of medicine in Ireland will remain attractive. The additional investment in general practice provides a sound basis for ensuring that GPs have access to a credible and rewarding career path in Ireland.

Hospital Admissions

Questions (596)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

596. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of planned surgeries that have been cancelled in each hospital in the Saolta University Health Care Group over each of the past six months as a result of bed capacity issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62843/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Home Care Packages

Questions (597)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

597. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of home care hours applied for, by CHO; the number granted in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62844/21]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Primary Care Services

Questions (598)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

598. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the primary care plans for each CHO; the progress to date on each project; the timeframe for delivery of each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62845/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Home Care Packages

Questions (599)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

599. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the average wait time for approval of a home care application; the level of delayed discharges from each hospital in the Saolta University Health Care Group while waiting on a home care package or community bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62846/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Transfers

Questions (600)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

600. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of community hospital beds in County Mayo available to patients on discharge from acute hospitals; if he plans to increase community bed capacity in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62847/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (601)

Brendan Smith

Question:

601. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be introduced to improve the provision of services (details supplied) in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62849/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Covid-19 Tests

Questions (602)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

602. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if video-supervised antigen tests are permitted for the purposes of entry into the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62861/21]

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Written answers

Pre-departure test requirements have been introduced on a temporary basis as part of our response to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Requirements are kept under regular review based on the evolving international epidemiological situation and as understanding of the Omicron variant develops.

A definition of accepted antigen tests is set out in S.I. 135/2021. The definition centres on the test being administered by a medical professional or similarly qualified person and being of a type included in the EU common list of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests. It is not intended that video-supervised tests would be accepted. Full information on the requirements for travel to Ireland are published at www.gov.ie/travel.

Question No. 603 answered with Question No. 529.

Dental Services

Questions (604)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

604. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of dentists participating in the dental treatment services scheme in Ballymun and Finglas; the steps he is taking to address the withdrawal of dentists from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62864/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Dental Services

Questions (605)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

605. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists participating in the dental treatment services scheme, by CHO, in tabular form. [62865/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 606 answered with Question No. 546.

Vaccination Programme

Questions (607)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

607. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to ensure cancelled booster appointments are recorded in the HSE system to avoid duplication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62872/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Investigations

Questions (608)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

608. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE has refused to publish the external service review into missed radiology scans at University Hospital Kerry; if the HSE will publish the review; if he has read the review or is aware of its findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62927/21]

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Written answers

My Department was notified by the HSE in September 2017 of this patient safety issue, where cases of misdiagnosis / failure to diagnose occurred at University Hospital Kerry Radiology Department and the commencement of the look-back review. My Department received regular updates on the progress of the review, including the publication of the report in December 2018. The Review covers 46,234 scans and identified 11 patients who had a delayed diagnosis due to misreading of their scans.

The HSE and South/Southwest Hospital Group have provided assurance to my Department regarding implementation of the hospital and hospital group recommendations. The national recommendations have also been progressed by the Faculty of Radiologists, RCSI.

Recommendation 6.4 from the Look-back Review Report, recommended the commissioning of an external review of the management of the radiology department in University Hospital Kerry. My Department was informed that the intention of this review was to focus on the working of the department, to identify and make recommendations so that the work environment is improved and that recruitment efforts are effective.

The external service review is an operational matter for the HSE. In that regard, I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct reply.

Hospital Overcrowding

Questions (609)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

609. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the measures being adopted to address overcrowding and lengthy waiting times at the emergency department in University Hospital Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62928/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Ambulance Service

Questions (610)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

610. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently review the number of ambulances available at any given time in County Kerry in the Christmas period in the context of the increased population of the county due to visitor numbers; if the provision of ambulances for County Kerry will be reflective of the inflated population for this period as distinct from CSO census population figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62929/21]

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Written answers

As the resourcing of ambulances is an operational matter for the National Ambulance Service in the first instance I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services

Questions (611)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

611. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position in respect of the review of the south Kerry CAMHS prescription issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62930/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Health Strategies

Questions (612)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

612. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when the plan arising from the recent visit by the national director of acute hospitals to University Hospital Kerry will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62931/21]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Animal Carcase Disposal

Questions (613)

Brian Stanley

Question:

613. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the collection of dead dogs from private property, public spaces or roadways; and if there is role for the knackeries to collect same. [62430/21]

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Written answers

The owners/keepers of kept animals, including dogs are responsible for their health and welfare and for the disposal of such animals when they die.

The relevant local authority has responsibility for the removal of unidentified dead dogs from roads and public places. The removal of dead animals from private properties is matter for the owner of the property.

The role of knackeries in the collection of the animals is a matter for these bodies.

Food Industry

Questions (614)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

614. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which Irish food markets have been affected by Brexit in the past year, with particular reference to beef, lamb, poultry or dairy products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62453/21]

View answer

Written answers

The latest CSO trade statistics data for the end of the third quarter, show that 2021 has been a period of value growth for Irish food exports.

In the first three quarters of 2021 the value of agri-food exports were up €711 million or 6.8% on the same period in 2020 and up €446m or 4.2% on the same period in 2019.

Dairy produce, beef and beverages constitute the most valuable commodity categories accounting for €6.6 billion, or 59% of the total value of agri-food exports in the period January to September 2021.

At €1.7 billion, the total value of beef exports is virtually unchanged for the January to September period in the years 2019 to 2021. The total value of dairy exports exhibited more variation but has, nevertheless, averaged €3.8 billion during the same timeframe.

Irish sheep meat, which is traditionally less reliant than other meat species on the UK market, is having another consecutive year of significant growth. According to the CSO, the value of Irish sheep meat exports for the first three quarters of 2021 were up almost €15 million, or 6%, on the same period in 2020 and nearly €50 million, or 20%, on 2019.

Focusing on specific product category developments in the UK market, the overall trend over the last three years is a gradual shift away from reliance on that market for the four main meat species and dairy produce.

Nevertheless, overall exports of Irish agri-food products to the UK have recovered compared to earlier in the year and are up for the first three quarters of the year by €421m, or 11.3%, compared to 2020. They are up €171m, or 4.3 %, compared to 2019.

In conclusion, it is too soon to make definite judgements on how Irish agri-food exports have been affected by Brexit as distinct from the pandemic and other factors influencing international trade patterns.

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