Written Answers Nos. 1450-1465
1450. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Dublin that have been assessed for delivery of home support hours and are waiting for a carer to become available in excess of one, three and six months and one year in tabular form. [63293/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1451. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the deaths recorded from Covid-19 since 20 November 2021 to date by the number who were vaccinated, partially vaccinated and unvaccinated, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63296/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1452. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the person or body responsible in cases in which there are complications or a person has a reaction to a vaccination administered by a person without a registered PIN; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63297/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1453. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the details of the contracts his Department and the HSE have entered into with private suppliers and companies relating to Covid-19 since March 2020; the purpose of each contract; the cost of each contract; if the contract went to tender; if contract has been fulfilled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63299/21]
View answerThe exercise to collate this data in relation to the contracts entered into by the Department is still ongoing and is not yet complete. I am advised that we should be in a position to provide this information from the Department’s side next week (week commencing 24th Jan 2022). We have also referred the PQ to the HSE to provide this information directly to you in relation to HSE contracts.
1454. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason home help hours were cut in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63304/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1455. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason for the retraction of initial Covid-19 vaccination advice to pharmacists to vaccinate persons over the age of 16 years; his views on whether pharmacists who have worked tirelessly to play a vital role in expediting the administration of boosters are now faced with having to spend time explaining the u-turn to patients instead of vaccinating them; if his attention has been further drawn to the mixed messages this presents during a critical period of the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63305/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1456. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the process engaged by his Department when entering into contracts which have not been subject to tender issued related to Covid-19 since March 2020 and January 2021 to date; the parties involved; if legal contracts have been drawn up and signed in all cases; if hard copies of all contracts have been retained; the data retention policy in relation to such contracts; if details of all contracts are retained and available to Dáil Éireann for transparency and accountability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63306/21]
View answerAll procurement within my Department is carried out in compliance with relevant National and EU policy and legislation, and is operated on a devolved basis whereby individual units carry out their own procurement exercises. My Department advertises, where possible, all contracts valued in excess of €25,000 (excl. VAT) on the eTenders website.
As the lead Department in the response to global pandemic, Covid-19 necessitated rapid responses for the provision of critical services. In these exceptional circumstances and in compliance with EU legislation, derogations applied from the requirement to undertake full procurement exercises. This was the case for some contracts in response to the unprecedented global pandemic and the public health crisis that it caused in Ireland.
In these situations, procurements were made on the basis of immediacy of requirement and ability to provide services within an urgent timeframe. Prior notification was required to be provided to the Procurement Officer, with approval for the procurement at Management Board level.
In relation to these services, as they were required as a matter of urgency in response to the national public health emergency and for limited periods, formal contracts were not always signed. In these cases, communications between my Department and the suppliers sets out the agreed requirements.
Due to the unprecedented duration of the pandemic, it was necessary to continue a number of these contracts for longer than had been originally anticipated. My Department has since undertaken tender exercises in respect of these services, while other short term services have been fulfilled and ceased.
All documentation in respect of procurement processes and contracts are recorded by my Department as a matter of course and are retained in line with relevant legislation.
1457. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health if he will address the arduous procedures for accessing home support services, nursing home support scheme and community services for older people (details supplied). [63307/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible
1458. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE national office is insisting that a service (details supplied) operates in the same way as the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63338/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1460. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will prioritise persons in the 20 years of age cohort for the booster vaccination given this group has only received one shot of a vaccine (details supplied) and are vulnerable; if pharmacists will be allowed to carry out boosters for persons in this cohort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63341/21]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The NIAC makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation.
On the 13th December, the NIAC recommended that the interval between the primary vaccine series and booster dose should be reduced to three months. In making its latest recommendations, NIAC has reiterated the need for booster vaccines to be offered to those in previously recommended groups before progression to the younger age cohorts.
The NIAC has recommended that a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (irrespective of whether the primary vaccination course was of an mRNA or adenoviral vector) be offered to those aged 16 years and older with the rollout now underway. The NIAC will continue to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccines and will make further recommendations if required.
1461. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the solutions available to a family of a child (details supplied) with dental issues. [63342/21]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1462. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of vaccines exported by Ireland to other countries to date by country in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63343/21]
View answer1463. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of vaccines exported by the European Union to other countries to date by country in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63344/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1462 and 1463 together.
I understand that the Deputy is referring to vaccine sharing. Universal and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is a priority for Ireland and the EU. The COVAX donation mechanism represents our best chance to distribute vaccines quickly and fairly to those who need them most.
In December the Government approved the donation of up to three million vaccine doses. This builds on and is additional to Government’s previous commitment to donate two million vaccines.
Ireland has to-date made specific commitments for the donation of 2.9m vaccine doses, comprised of 335,500 doses donated bilaterally to Uganda and 2.6m to the COVAX global vaccine initiative as part of a ‘Team Europe’ contribution.
The COVAX donation process follows several complex steps and coordination across multiple stakeholders. Our donated vaccines have already been delivered to a number of countries including Uganda, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Ghana. Over 1.3m COVID-19 vaccines donated by Ireland have been delivered to-date to recipient countries (comprised of over 1m via COVAX and over 300,000 bilaterally.
In addition to donated doses, Ireland contributed €8.5m to COVAX last year.
On 6 January, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen stated that Europe is the biggest donor of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and has exceeded its vaccine sharing target. Europe shared 380 million doses with low and middle income countries by the end of 2021, mostly through COVAX. Of these doses more than 255 million were already delivered to recipient countries.
The table below outlines donated Irish vaccine deliveries to-date.
|
Recipient country |
Donated Irish Vaccines Delivered to Recipients |
Manufacturer |
Donation mechanism |
|
Uganda |
335,500 |
AstraZeneca |
Bilateral |
|
Nigeria |
496,800 |
Janssen |
COVAX |
|
Indonesia |
235,200 |
AstraZeneca |
COVAX |
|
Ghana |
276,000 |
AstraZeneca |
COVAX |
1464. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the position of his Department in respect of the Regulation of Homecare paper published by HIQA; if it will be used by his Department to progress the development of the new statutory home support scheme as part of the Sláintecare programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63348/21]
View answerThe HIQA report on the regulation of homecare services makes a valuable contribution to the development of the new statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support. It will further inform progress on the Sláintecare programme, which aims to support people to live in their own homes with dignity and independence, for as long as possible.
The Government is committed to establishing a new, statutory home-support scheme, which the Department of Health is currently developing. The new scheme will provide equitable and transparent access to high-quality services for people based on their assessed care-needs.
This work encompasses the development of the regulatory framework for the new scheme; the examination of the options for the financing model for the scheme; and the development of a reformed model of service-delivery for home-support services. With the aim of ensuring that all service-users are provided with a standard, high-quality level of care which is safe, effective, and person-centred, it is envisaged that the regulatory framework will comprise: (i) primary legislation for the licensing of public and private home-support providers; (ii) minimum requirements (i.e., regulations); and (iii) HIQA National Standards for Home Support Services.
Last year, Government gave approval to draft a General Scheme and Heads of a Bill to establish a licensing framework for home-support providers. This is being progressed by the Department with a view of bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity. It is expected that the primary legislation will give the Minister for Health the power to make regulations in respect of minimum requirements which will form the criteria against which a provider’s eligibility to hold a licence will be determined. A regulatory impact analysis will be undertaken by the Department in 2022 to ensure effectiveness and mitigate risks.
The aim is to ensure that service-users are safeguarded and protected, and a responsive, person-centred, quality-driven home-support service is provided. This is central to the Sláintecare objective of providing ‘right care, in the right place at the right time’. The regulations being drawn up by the Department and the standards being drafted by the HIQA both take cognisance of the diverse and often complex needs of those who require homecare and support.
HIQA has extensive experience in the regulation of social care services and has, in the last 18 months, conducted wide-ranging research into the regulation of home-support services. HIQA ran a public scoping consultation in September to inform the development of National Standards for Home Support Services. HIQA has convened an Advisory Group, with representation from the Department of Health, to assist in the process of developing the Draft National Standards.
In collaboration with HIQA and in consultation with the Health Service Executive and other key informants, the Department has developed draft regulations. A targeted stakeholder consultation on these draft regulations has begun and analysis on feedback will commence in January 2022. This consultation will inform further amendments in advance of a public consultation later in 2022.
The testing of the reformed model of service delivery for home-support commenced in November 2021 in the first of the four pilot sites, which is in CHO 8. It is envisaged that the three other sites, in CHOs 2, 4 and 7, will be fully operational by January 2022. Funding has been approved for 128 InterRAI Care Needs Facilitators to progress the national rollout of interRAI as the standard assessment tool for care-needs. The interRAI outputs and pilot site evaluation will be critical to the development of the new home support scheme.
1465. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the details of the proposed financing model that will be used to fund a statutory scheme for homecare; the way this transition will take place; his views on whether it can be accomplished within budget parameters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63349/21]
View answerWork is ongoing within the Department of Health to progress the development of a statutory scheme for the financing and regulation of home-support services within the broader context of the Sláintecare reforms. This work encompasses the development of the regulatory framework for the new scheme; the examination of the options for the financing model for the scheme; and the development of a reformed model of service-delivery for home-support.
The Department is currently developing the evidence base to determine the optimal approach to a funding model for the scheme. As part of this work, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is undertaking research on behalf of the Department on the potential demand for and cost of home-support. The first report from this research, published in March 2021, focused on the potential demand for such a scheme. The findings contained in the report indicate that there will be a significant increase in the demand for home-support in the coming years and that, relative to a baseline of the provision of 24.7 million hours in 2019, between 3.5 and 8 million additional hours will be required across a range of policy scenarios modelled.
Building on this work, the ESRI is currently undertaking research on the potential cost of introducing such a scheme across a range of funding scenarios. This report is scheduled for publication in Q1 2022. The Department will seek Government approval in due course on any proposed legislation to provide for a funding model for the new home-support scheme, taking into consideration the cost associated with the various options.
