Alan Kelly
Question:450. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of persons aged over 70 that have received their booster vaccine. [5651/22]
View answerVaccination Programme
Questions (450)
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.
Legislative Reviews
Questions (451)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:451. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if his acknowledgement that he advised specific individuals to apply for the role of chair of the review of the 2018 abortion legislation is in keeping with the rules and guidelines governing the public procurement process; if he received legal advice or otherwise on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5666/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was signed into law on 20 December 2018 and commenced on 1 January 2019. Under section 7 of the Act, a review of the operation of the Act must be initiated within three years of the commencement of the Act, i.e., before January 2022.
As I have stated previously, the review will comprise a three-part approach to appraise the operation of the Act, with strands focusing on service users, service providers and a public consultation. Independent research commissioned to inform the service user and service provider strands will form key elements of the review.
As I stated during my appearance before the Joint Committee on Health on 8 December, it was my intention to appoint an independent Chair to lead the second phase of the review of the operation of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.
As the costs involved in contracting an independent Chair to conduct the review were estimated as exceeding €25,000, the advice I received was that the Department was obliged under procurement rules to tender for the appointment.
Given the expertise required for the position, a small number of candidates, identified as having suitable experience, were contacted and invited to tender for the role of independent Chair.
Following the tender process, I have now appointed Ms Marie O'Shea B.L. as the independent Chair for the second phase of the review. Ms O’Shea has legal expertise, as well as experience in project management and in healthcare sector research. I look forward to receiving the Chair's final report, incorporating her conclusions and any recommendations, in due course.
Health Services
Questions (452)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:452. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if the HSE is currently assessing the viability of a minor injury unit for the settlement area of east County Meath to cater for the substantial population in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5667/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Nursing Homes
Questions (453)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:453. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1036 of 2 November 2021, the amount of the €7.1 million allocated for decongregation and transferring under persons under 65 years from nursing homes that was spent or released in 2021; the amount that was unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5673/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Questions (454)
Seán Canney
Question:454. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if support will be provided for a person (details supplied). [5692/22]
View answerWritten answers
Officials from my Department have followed up with the Deputy to request further information on this individual. As this is a service matter, as soon as this additional information is received, I will ask the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Questions (455)
Seán Canney
Question:455. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the status of a matter (details supplied) regarding residential placements for adults with a disability. [5700/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Nursing Homes
Questions (456)
Seán Canney
Question:456. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health the status of a matter (details supplied) regarding residential placements. [5701/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy's question relates to a service matter, I am referring the question for response to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
National Treatment Purchase Fund
Questions (457)
Robert Troy
Question:457. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite an appointment for a person (details supplied). [5702/22]
View answerWritten answers
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) works with public hospitals, as opposed to with patients directly, to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic.
The key criteria of the NTPF is the prioritisation of the longest waiting patients first. While the NTPF identifies patients eligible for NTPF treatment, it is solely on the basis of their time spent on the Inpatient/Daycase Waiting List. The clinical suitability of the patient to avail of NTPF funded treatment is determined by the public hospital.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In 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.
Hospital Equipment
Questions (458)
Denis Naughten
Question:458. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the number and location of hospitals with hyperpolarised xenon magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5707/22]
View answerWritten 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. 459 answered with Question No. 415.
Question No. 460 answered with Question No. 415.
Question No. 461 answered with Question No. 415.
Question No. 462 answered with Question No. 415.