Patricia Ryan
Question:441. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will establish a nursing home regulator to ensure there is proper oversight of the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7396/22]
View answerNursing Homes
Questions (441)
Written answers
The Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, was established under the Health Act 2007. HIQA is the independent Authority established to drive continuous improvement in Ireland’s health and social care services. The Authority comes under the aegis of the Minister for Health.
The Health Act 2007 also established the office of the Chief Inspector of Social Services in HIQA. The functions of the Chief Inspector are to:
1. establish and maintain registers of designated centres (including nursing homes);
2. register and inspect designated centres to assess whether the provider is in compliance with the regulations and standards.
Under the Act any person carrying on the business of a residential service within a designated centre (i.e. a nursing home) can only do so if the centre is registered under the Act and the person is its registered provider. As part of the registration and onward process of regulation, the provider must satisfy the Chief Inspector that she or he is fit to provide the service and that the service is in compliance with the Act, the regulations and specified standards.
The purpose of regulation in relation to designated centres is to safeguard people who are receiving residential services. Regulation provides assurance to the public that people living in designated centres are receiving services and supports that meet the requirements of National Standards, which are underpinned by regulations.
The Chief Inspector has significant and wide-ranging powers up to and including withdrawing the registration of a nursing home facility, which means that it can no longer operate as a service provider. This responsibility is underpinned by a comprehensive quality framework comprising of Registration Regulations, Care and Welfare Regulations and National Quality Standards.
The Chief Inspector, in discharging their duties, determines through examination of all information available to them, including site inspections, whether a nursing home meets the regulations in order to achieve and maintain its registration status. Should a nursing home be deemed to be non-compliant with the Regulations and the National Quality Standards, it may either fail to achieve or lose its registration status. In addition, the Chief Inspector has wide discretion in deciding whether to impose conditions of Registration on nursing homes.
Having regard to the “COVID-19 Nursing Home Expert Panel: Examination of Measures to 2021”, HIQA’s paper on “The Need for Regulatory Reform” and learning from the pandemic, Minster Donnelly and I approved a two-phased approach to examining the legislation with a view to proposing enhancements to the primary and secondary legislation governing nursing homes.
Phase 1 will bring forward interim enhancements to the primary legislative framework to enhance governance and oversight of nursing homes. The proposals will, amongst other things, provide new and enhanced enforcement powers for the Chief Inspector; reduce timelines and processes for regulatory actions and introduce a new reporting system for the reporting and publication of key operational data to support national planning in an integrated way and improve the information available.
The Government is committed to the reform of the regulatory framework governing nursing homes and approved the inclusion of a Health (Amendment) Bill on its legislative agenda. It is expected that, subject to Government approval, a draft General Scheme will be published in early 2022, with a Bill being developed and published thereafter.
In addition, secondary legislation will be drafted to enhance the current regulations. A bilateral project group comprising representatives from the Department and HIQA, is supporting the legislative process.
A wider review of the regulatory framework, phase 2, will commence later in 2022. It will take into account a programme of longer-term strategic reform considerations arising from, inter alia, pandemic learnings.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (442)
Patricia Ryan
Question:442. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure the pandemic bonus payment will be paid to persons in receipt of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7401/22]
View answerWritten answers
Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
In recognition of the efforts of the general public, volunteers and all workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday 19 January, the Government announced a once-off public holiday will take place on Friday 18 March 2022.
The Government also announced COVID-19 recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The payment of €1,000 will not be subject to income tax, USC, or PRSI. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021.
Those public sector frontline healthcare workers eligible for the payment will be directly employed public health sector staff working in clinical settings. A pro-rata arrangement will apply for eligible part time staff / equivalents and supernumerary students who were required to perform training in clinical sites.
The Department of Health will also introduce a measure for making a similar payment to staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices that were affected by Covid-19.
I would like to assure the Deputy that work is underway to ensure fairness in the application of this measure as the Government intended.
The Department and the HSE are currently engaging in finalising arrangements to give effect to the Government announcement concerning the Recognition Payment. Full particulars, eligibility and terms and conditions that apply to this payment shall be made available shortly. It is important that this measure is applied fairly as intended and I welcome the work that is ongoing to ensure this is so.
I recognise that individual family carers played a critical role in helping alleviate the impacts of the restrictions during the pandemic for their loved ones. There is, however, a distinct difference between those workers who went to the workplace at a higher risk through close proximity to potentially dozens of patients on a daily basis and those individuals who may be caring for an individual during the pandemic.
I am extremely grateful for family carers assistance during the pandemic, but I am mindful that their risk was extremely limited in comparison to those frontline workers who worked in hospitals, wards, clinics day in day out in handling multiple patients. I would sincerely like to re-iterate my appreciation for carers who took care of individuals during the pandemic but the Government’s focus remains to give additional recognition to those frontline public sector and nursing home healthcare workers at greatest risk.
Electric Vehicles
Questions (443)
Patricia Ryan
Question:443. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health the number of electric vehicle chargers installed at hospitals; the number installed at each hospital that has electric vehicle chargers installed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7410/22]
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.
Hospital Facilities
Questions (444)
Holly Cairns
Question:444. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the planned developments for Bantry Hospital; the timescale for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7413/22]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
Mental Health Services
Questions (445)
Holly Cairns
Question:445. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of children and young persons on waiting lists for CAMHS services in CHO4; and the length of time in months each has been waiting. [7414/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Questions (446)
Holly Cairns
Question:446. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of children and young persons aged zero to 18 in each CHO by individual area, awaiting first-time intervention in all areas of early intervention; the number on the public list; the number on the children’s disability network teams list in each CHO, in tabular form; and the length of time they are awaiting intervention by age. [7415/22]
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.
Mental Health Services
Questions (447)
Holly Cairns
Question:447. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of children and young persons aged zero to 18 in each CHO by individual area awaiting first-time intervention for CAMHS; the number on the public list; the number on the CAMHS list in each CHO, in tabular form; and the length of time they are awaiting intervention by age. [7416/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Questions (448)
Holly Cairns
Question:448. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if section 39 workers who worked during the pandemic in a frontline capacity will be entitled to the €1,000 tax-free payment. [7417/22]
View answerWritten answers
Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
In recognition of the efforts of the general public, volunteers and all workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Wednesday 19 January, the Government announced a once-off public holiday will take place on Friday 18 March 2022.
The Government also announced COVID-19 recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The payment of €1,000 will not be subject to income tax, USC, or PRSI. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021.
Those public sector frontline healthcare workers eligible for the payment will be directly employed public health sector staff working in clinical settings. A pro-rata arrangement will apply for eligible part time staff / equivalents and supernumerary students who were required to perform training in clinical sites.
The Department of Health will also introduce a measure for making a similar payment to staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices (and this covers whether those facilities are private, voluntary or section 39 etc.) that were affected by Covid-19.
I would like to assure the Deputy that work is underway to ensure fairness in the application of this measure as the Government intended.
The Department and the HSE are currently engaging in finalising arrangements to give effect to the Government announcement concerning the Recognition Payment. Full particulars, eligibility and terms and conditions that apply to this payment shall be made available shortly. It is important that this measure is applied fairly as intended and I welcome the work that is ongoing to ensure this is so.
Health Services Staff
Questions (449)
Holly Cairns
Question:449. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1934 of 19 January 2022, the exact CHO4 mental health service locations, that is, the adult mental health team or CAMHS team transferred out of and into in the case of each appointment to a psychology post by an unadvertised transfer since January 2014; the nature of the contract, temporary or permanent, in each instance; the exact dates those appointments by transfer took place; if he will provide the same details for any appointment by local interview since January 2014 in which that post was not first advertised to the national recruitment panel; and the reason for a transfer or local interview being used as a method of recruitment over the national recruitment panel in each instance. [7418/22]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (450, 451)
Holly Cairns
Question:450. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the human resources policy that was followed in sanctioning appointments to psychology posts by transfer or local interview that took place in the CHO4 mental health services from January 2014 onwards; the way the policy allows for recruitment by transfer or local interview in circumstances in which the post has not first been advertised to the national recruitment panel candidates for each appointment; and the eligibility criteria for being transferred into a post that has not first been advertised to other candidates. [7419/22]
View answerHolly Cairns
Question:451. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the way that opportunities to transfer into CHO4 mental health service psychology posts outside of the national recruitment panel process were communicated to staff over the past five years; the way that expressions of interest were recorded; the process by which posts were allocated to candidates; and the managers, in addition to the psychology manager, that approved these appointments by transfer in each instance. [7420/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 451 together.
As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Question No. 451 answered with Question No. 450.
Forestry Sector
Questions (452)
Paul Kehoe
Question:452. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there can be an exemption given for the requirement of a felling licence for trees that are under a specific height or a short length from year planted; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7147/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Forestry Act, 2014 provides that a landowner must obtain a tree felling licence prior to felling any tree or trees. To fell trees, save certain exemptions, without a valid licence is an offence. Except for trees that have come about by way of natural regeneration and less than five years old, the Act does not provide an exemption from obtaining a licence where the trees are under a certain age or height.
Brexit Supports
Questions (453)
Alan Dillon
Question:453. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Brexit inshore fisheries business model adjustment scheme cannot be provided for a person (details supplied) if they are in receipt of the Brexit tie-up scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7203/22]
View answerWritten answers
On 12 January, I was delighted to announce a support scheme for the inshore fisheries sector to assist inshore fishers in adjusting to the impacts of Brexit on their businesses. The Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme delivers on a recommendation of the Report of the Seafood Task Force - Navigating Change (October 2021). The scheme is proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR). The new scheme will assist inshore fishers in adjusting their business model to the post Brexit market environment via a suite of four online training modules to be made available by BIM, specifically tailored to the inshore fishing sector. The scheme will provide payments to the participants to adjust their business and marketing plans etc., putting into practice the learnings from the BIM training. Some €4,000 will be paid to owners of vessels over 8 metres in length (and under 18 metres) and some €2,700 to owners of vessels under 8 metres.
The eligibility criteria for the scheme are based on the detailed scheme proposal to the Task Force made by the National Inshore Fisheries Forum and recommended by the Task Force for implementation. The NIFF criteria include an exclusion for owners of vessels which have received a payment under the Brexit Temporary Fleet Tie-up Scheme, with the objective being to avoid aiding individuals twice for the impacts of Brexit.
Public Sector Staff
Questions (454)
James Browne
Question:454. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a breakdown of Departmental civil servants and State agency employees under his remit, respectively working in County Wexford and their respective Departmental section in tabular form. [7228/22]
View answerWritten answers
As requested, the table below provides a breakdown (by section) of the civil servants in my Department working in a number of locations in County Wexford. The table also includes information on the numbers of State agency employees currently working in that county.
|
County Wexford |
|
|
Departmental Section |
Civil Servants |
|
Agricultural Environment and Structures |
20 |
|
Agri-Environment and On-Farm Investment |
81 |
|
Forest Sector Development |
6 |
|
Forest Service |
85 |
|
Forest Service Inspectorate |
12 |
|
Locally Led |
37 |
|
Direct Payments Integrated Controls |
11 |
|
IMT Animal, Customer Financials & Fisheries systems |
1 |
|
IMT Direct Farm Payment System |
10 |
|
IMT Infrastructure |
2 |
|
Human Resources |
1 |
|
Services, Health & Safety, Management Services |
9 |
|
Crop Evaluation & Certification |
3 |
|
Feed, Fertilizer, Grain, Poultry |
1 |
|
Plant Health & Horticulture |
2 |
|
ERAD/Veterinary Medicines |
4 |
|
Import Controls (Ops) |
21 |
|
Milk & Meat Hygiene & Animal By-products |
7 |
|
Veterinary Public Health Operations |
12 |
|
Veterinary (AMT South) |
25 |
|
International Trade |
1 |
|
Dairy Controls |
2 |
|
Nitrates, Biodiversity & Engineering |
23 |
|
State Agency |
Employees |
|
Sea Fisheries Protection Officers |
9 |
|
Teagasc, Research & Advisory Offices |
118 |
|
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) |
4 |