Written Answers Nos. 651-670
651. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons arriving in the State in each week to date in 2022 seeking international protection; the capacity of the system currently to accommodate these; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9898/22]
View answerThe International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all international protection applications received in the State.
The table below sets out the number of applications for international protection made at the IPO each week to date this year.
|
January |
Number |
|
Week ending Sunday 9 January |
113 |
|
Week ending Sunday 16 January |
112 |
|
Week ending Sunday 23 January |
82 |
|
Week ending Sunday 30 January |
71 |
|
February |
|
|
Week ending 6 February |
93 |
|
Week ending 13 February |
205 |
|
Week ending 20 February |
211 |
|
Total |
887 |
Responsibility for the accommodation system for international protection applicants is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
652. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Justice if a crime can be reported to An Garda Síochána through its disability access officer; if not, the reason therefor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9909/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including operational matters. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters.
The appointment of Access Officers is covered under Section 26 of the Disability Act 2005. This section places a requirement on the head of a public body to “authorise at least one of his or her officers to provide or arrange for and co-ordinate the provision of assistance and guidance to persons with disabilities in accessing its services” .
I am informed by the Garda authorities that since the introduction of the Disability Act 2005, an Inspector, based in Garda Employee Relations, Garda HRM, Phoenix Park in Dublin, has been the nominated Access Officer for An Garda Síochána. I am advised that this is not a full time position and the nominated Inspector is the only Access Officer for An Garda Síochána under the Act.
Any person wishing to report a crime should contact their local Garda Station, or if it is an emergency, by dialling 999 or 112. For the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or speech-impaired, a crime can be reported by SMS text message on 112. However, the phone number must first be registered on the 112 SMS service and it must only be contacted in the event of an emergency.
I am advised that the Garda Access Officer is contactable by phone and by email, however both of these services are only available during business hours Monday to Friday.
I am further advised that where a member of the public contacts the Garda Access Officer to report a crime, they are put in contact with their local Garda Station who will have the resources available to follow up on the investigation of the crime. This will include arranging for any special provisions to allow the person engage with local investigating officers.
653. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9914/22]
View answerThe application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
During this time, it is important that the person maintains their immigration permission and takes all appropriate steps to renew their permission to be in the State.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
However, my Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, the highest level achieved since 2015. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
654. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice if she uses an application on her official Government telephone; if so, if she has the disappearing messages setting activated on the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9964/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that I have the application referenced on my official phone. I do not use the disappearing messages setting.
655. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice the reason an applicant (details supplied) for a stamp 5 was charged €300 when the application was signed at the immigration section at Ballyshannon Garda station; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9984/22]
View answerThe stamp 4 immigration permission of the person referred to by Deputy was previously based upon a Spouse of Irish National (SOIN) application. As a result, this person was exempt from paying the registration fee. However, the person concerned has now been granted a stamp 5 Without Condition as to Time (WCAT) permission and would, therefore, not be exempt from paying the fee.
As the Deputy will be aware, registrations for people living outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) through the Garda Station network.
If the person concerned wishes to query the basis for the payment of the registration fee, they can do so at their local immigration office.
656. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who have been suspended from duty; and the length of time in years that they have been suspended, in tabular form. [10051/22]
View answerI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.
|
No |
Year |
Date Member Suspended |
No of Years Suspended * |
|
1 |
2014 |
31/01/2014 |
8.07 |
|
2 |
2016 |
01/07/2016 |
5.65 |
|
3 |
2016 |
31/08/2016 |
5.48 |
|
4 |
2018 |
05/02/2018 |
4.05 |
|
5 |
2018 |
04/10/2018 |
3.39 |
|
6 |
2018 |
17/10/2018 |
3.35 |
|
7 |
2018 |
28/10/2018 |
3.32 |
|
8 |
2019 |
23/01/2019 |
3.08 |
|
9 |
2019 |
29/01/2019 |
3.07 |
|
10 |
2019 |
29/01/2019 |
3.07 |
|
11 |
2019 |
16/05/2019 |
2.78 |
|
12 |
2019 |
13/09/2019 |
2.45 |
|
13 |
2019 |
25/09/2019 |
2.41 |
|
14 |
2019 |
05/12/2019 |
2.22 |
|
15 |
2019 |
05/12/2019 |
2.22 |
|
16 |
2019 |
05/12/2019 |
2.22 |
|
17 |
2019 |
17/12/2019 |
2.19 |
|
18 |
2019 |
23/12/2019 |
2.17 |
|
19 |
2020 |
14/01/2020 |
2.11 |
|
20 |
2020 |
24/01/2020 |
2.08 |
|
21 |
2020 |
31/01/2020 |
2.06 |
|
22 |
2020 |
06/02/2020 |
2.05 |
|
23 |
2020 |
13/02/2020 |
2.03 |
|
24 |
2020 |
16/02/2020 |
2.02 |
|
25 |
2020 |
19/03/2020 |
1.93 |
|
26 |
2020 |
17/04/2020 |
1.85 |
|
27 |
2020 |
11/05/2020 |
1.79 |
|
28 |
2020 |
21/05/2020 |
1.76 |
|
29 |
2020 |
22/05/2020 |
1.76 |
|
30 |
2020 |
26/05/2020 |
1.75 |
|
31 |
2020 |
04/06/2020 |
1.72 |
|
32 |
2020 |
06/06/2020 |
1.72 |
|
33 |
2020 |
17/06/2020 |
1.68 |
|
34 |
2020 |
24/08/2020 |
1.50 |
|
35 |
2020 |
27/08/2020 |
1.49 |
|
36 |
2020 |
11/09/2020 |
1.45 |
|
37 |
2020 |
22/09/2020 |
1.42 |
|
38 |
2020 |
06/11/2020 |
1.30 |
|
39 |
2020 |
06/11/2020 |
1.30 |
|
40 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
41 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
42 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
43 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
44 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
45 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
46 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
47 |
2020 |
07/11/2020 |
1.29 |
|
48 |
2020 |
19/11/2020 |
1.26 |
|
49 |
2020 |
04/12/2020 |
1.22 |
|
50 |
2021 |
19/01/2021 |
1.09 |
|
51 |
2021 |
26/01/2021 |
1.07 |
|
52 |
2021 |
02/03/2021 |
0.98 |
|
53 |
2021 |
03/03/2021 |
0.98 |
|
54 |
2021 |
29/03/2021 |
0.90 |
|
55 |
2021 |
29/03/2021 |
0.90 |
|
56 |
2021 |
16/04/2021 |
0.85 |
|
57 |
2021 |
29/04/2021 |
0.82 |
|
58 |
2021 |
11/05/2021 |
0.79 |
|
59 |
2021 |
11/05/2021 |
0.79 |
|
60 |
2021 |
13/05/2021 |
0.78 |
|
61 |
2021 |
18/05/2021 |
0.77 |
|
62 |
2021 |
25/05/2021 |
0.75 |
|
63 |
2021 |
17/06/2021 |
0.68 |
|
64 |
2021 |
17/06/2021 |
0.68 |
|
65 |
2021 |
14/07/2021 |
0.61 |
|
66 |
2021 |
16/07/2021 |
0.61 |
|
67 |
2021 |
17/12/2019 |
2.19 |
|
68 |
2021 |
30/09/2021 |
0.40 |
|
69 |
2021 |
30/09/2021 |
0.40 |
|
70 |
2021 |
01/10/2021 |
0.39 |
|
71 |
2021 |
06/10/2021 |
0.38 |
|
72 |
2021 |
06/10/2021 |
0.38 |
|
73 |
2021 |
08/10/2021 |
0.38 |
|
74 |
2021 |
14/10/2021 |
0.36 |
|
75 |
2021 |
19/10/2021 |
0.35 |
|
76 |
2021 |
22/10/2021 |
0.34 |
|
77 |
2021 |
09/11/2021 |
0.29 |
|
78 |
2021 |
09/11/2021 |
0.29 |
|
79 |
2021 |
16/11/2021 |
0.27 |
|
80 |
2021 |
18/11/2021 |
0.26 |
|
81 |
2021 |
22/11/2021 |
0.25 |
|
82 |
2021 |
23/11/2021 |
0.25 |
|
83 |
2021 |
06/12/2021 |
0.21 |
|
84 |
2021 |
10/12/2021 |
0.20 |
|
85 |
2021 |
22/12/2021 |
0.17 |
|
86 |
2021 |
22/12/2021 |
0.17 |
|
87 |
2021 |
22/12/2021 |
0.17 |
|
88 |
2021 |
22/12/2021 |
0.17 |
|
89 |
2021 |
20/12/2021 |
0.18 |
|
90 |
2022 |
04/01/2022 |
0.13 |
|
91 |
2022 |
25/01/2022 |
0.08 |
|
92 |
2022 |
08/02/2022 |
0.04 |
|
93 |
2022 |
10/02/2022 |
0.03 |
|
94 |
2022 |
16/02/2022 |
0.02 |
|
*The above table refers to the number of years and / or portion of a year suspended |
657. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of cases the Garda computer crime unit have dealt with in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [10066/22]
View answerI have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, but I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.
658. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the number of horsebox vehicles purchased for the Garda mounted unit in 2020 and 2021; the number of horsebox vehicles withdrawn from the fleet in 2020 and 2021; and if funding has been provided for the purchase of horsebox vehicles in 2022. [10067/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of An Garda Síochána as well as for decisions in relation to the allocation and management of Garda equipment and resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in these matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Mounted Unit is based at Áras an Uachtaráin, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8. The unit has a national remit under the direction and control of Assistant Commissioner, Organised and Serious Crime and the operational control of Chief Superintendent, Operational Support Services.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that there are currently 6 horsebox trailers attached to the Garda Mounted Unit. I am further advised that no horsebox trailers were purchased in 2020 and one double horsebox trailer was purchased in 2021.
I am informed that no horsebox trailers have been withdrawn from service in 2020 or 2021 and that there are no plans to replace another horsebox unless a need arises.
659. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the monetary value of crack cocaine seized by gardaí in the Roscommon-Longford and Westmeath Garda divisions in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [10068/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, tackling drug dealing and organised criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and for An Garda Síochána. Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including operational decisions and the deployment of resources to address drug crime. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters.
I am advised by the Garda authorities that confirmed information on types of drugs, and associated weights/volume and purity is only available following analysis by Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). I am further advised that FSI do not classify crack cocaine separately to other cocaine cases.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is also possible that seizures of substances suspected to be crack cocaine may be recorded on PULSE under the more generic term of “cocaine”.
As a result of these factors, I am advised by An Garda Síochána that it is not possible to give a response to this question.
Separately, the Deputy may be interested to know that drugs figures included in An Garda Síochána’s Annual Reports refer to the quantities of drugs analysed by FSI in each calendar year, rather than data recorded on PULSE for that year, and can be located at the link below:
www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/annual%20reports/an-garda-siochana-annual-reports/
660. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the reason An Garda Síochána has not provided all the requested files to Operation Kenova; and the reason for the delay in supplying all the relevant information to the inquiry in order that the victims and survivors can achieve justice. [10102/22]
View answerThe Deputy refers to Operation Kenova, which is one of a series of ongoing independent UK police investigations or reviews into Northern Ireland legacy cases that are collectively described as the Kenova cases and are headed up by former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher.
The Deputy will appreciate that cooperation by An Garda Síochána with Operation Kenova is, of course, an operational matter and the Commissioner must take a number of factors into account. I can however inform the Deputy that there are arrangements in place which support the mutual co-operation, assistance and exchange of information between An Garda Síochána and the Operation Kenova Investigation Team and that engagement is ongoing at this time. The Historical Investigation Coordination Unit in An Garda Síochána continues to support this partnership. I am informed that Information has already been provided to the Investigation Team and the remaining requests on hand are under consideration at present.
I can further advise the Deputy of my continuing commitment to supporting An Garda Síochána in pursuing this work and in providing assistance to the greatest extent possible.
More generally, the Deputy will appreciate that dealing with the legacy of the troubles on this island is a difficult and complex task. The Stormont House Agreement sets out a framework to establish effective ways to address the legacy of the troubles and the Government remains committed to the implementation of those measures. The Government is engaged with the UK Government and the parties in Northern Ireland to seek a collective way forward. It is only through a collective approach that we can hope to deal with legacy issues comprehensively and fairly and in a way that is acceptable to victims and their families.
661. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the actions being undertaken by his Department to tackle crystal methamphetamine. [9407/22]
View answer760. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to an increase in the prevalence of crystal methamphetamine in the Dublin area; and the actions he is taking to tackle the issue. [9406/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 760 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, tackling drug dealing and organised criminal activity is a key priority for the Government and for An Garda Síochána. Under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including operational decisions and the deployment of resources to address drug crime. As Minister, I have no responsibility for these matters.
Methylamphetamine is a controlled drug as per the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to 2015. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the usage of Methylamphetamine in Ireland at this time is quite low, resulting in a low volume of seizures. In line with the National Drug and Alcohol Strategy 2017 - 2025, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, An Garda Síochána, along with its partner agency, the Revenue Commissioners Customs Service, continues to target Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) involved in the illegal import, export, and sale and supply of controlled drugs, including Methylamphetamine, in this jurisdiction.
Under Action 3.2.36 of the National Drug and Alcohol Strategy 2017 - 2025, An Garda Síochána and Revenue Commissioners Customs Service are the lead agencies on an action relevant to monitoring drug markets, new drug markets, and both the surface and dark web. I am advised that An Garda Síochána are represented on the Early Warning and Emerging Trends Sub Committee, which advises government on new psychoactive substances, emerging trends and practices and the consequences of such drug use. This group is led by the Department of Health in association with the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drugs Addiction (EMCDDA).
I am assured by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána will continue to monitor drug trends in line with the EU Early Warning System and will consider the implications of any new or existing trend in the Irish drug market, including Methylamphetamine.
662. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the reason that it took an ambulance more than 70 minutes to respond to an accident (details supplied) in County Clare; his plans to limit any other similar delay occurring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9043/22]
View answerRegarding the specific incident enclosed with the Deputy's question, as this is an operational matter for the National Ambulance Service (NAS), I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to him directly, as soon as possible.
More generally, I can confirm to the Deputy that the Government is committed to investing and building capacity resilience into the NAS. Last year €10 million of funding for new service developments provided for 125 additional whole time equivalents to provide for both increased frontline ambulance staffing and equipment capacity and for enhanced NAS community initiatives designed to reduce acute hospital attendances and improve patient experiences. This year out of an unprecedented total allocation of €200 million, a further €8.2 million is being invested in new developments which will help to build more capacity into the service.
Finally, the Deputy may wish to be aware that a new five-year NAS Strategic Plan is currently being finalised by the HSE. This plan, elements of which have been funded in Budget 2022, will be supported by the findings and recommendations of a National Demand and Capacity Analysis, which has been commissioned by the NAS to inform future capacity requirements and workforce planning to 2027. Work on the Analysis is currently ongoing.
663. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if urgent assistance and treatment can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9047/22]
View answerAny voluntary patient has the right to leave hospital at any time and/or consent to or refuse treatment. Detention of any person without consent is a serious matter that it can only happen in accordance with the law – in this case, the Mental Health Act 2001.
Where a person is in the community, the process of involuntary detention under the 2001 Act is a three-step process. The first step requires an application, (which can be made by a spouse or relative, an authorised officer, a member of An Garda Síochána or any other person, subject to conditions set out in section 9(2) of the Act), followed by a recommendation by a GP that the person is suffering from a mental disorder and would benefit from a period of treatment in hospital. The third step is the requirement that the consultant psychiatrist, following an assessment, diagnoses the person as suffering from a mental disorder within the meaning of section 3 of the Act, and authorises the involuntary admission of the person. Upon admission of a patient on an involuntary basis, a second examination by an independent consultant psychiatrist takes place to affirm or refuse the order.
It is also important to mention that in addition to the requirement to follow clear admission statutory procedures, the Act also gives every detained person the right to automatically have their involuntary admission reviewed. This means that such admissions must be reviewed by a Mental Health Tribunal made up of three independently appointed persons. If the Mental Health Tribunal believes that the procedures for involuntary admission followed the law and that the person is suffering from a mental disorder, their decision will be to affirm the admission or renewal order. If, however, the Mental Health Tribunal decides that the criteria for detention are not fulfilled, the Tribunal will direct that the person be discharged. A lawyer is also appointed by the Mental Health Commission to represent the detained person, free of charge, at the Mental Health Tribunal hearing. The person may continue to stay in hospital as a voluntary patient, if that is their choice and further treatment is indicated. However, if they do not wish to remain, they must be discharged.
Under Section 28 of the Act, the consultant psychiatrist responsible for the care and treatment of an involuntary person must ensure that they are not inappropriately discharged and that they are detained only for so long as is reasonably necessary for their proper care and treatment.
I should also add that it is important to point out that it is only people who have been diagnosed as having a mental disorder that can be detained under the 2001 Act.
In addition to the present safeguards in the 2001 Act, I am pleased to say that a General Scheme of a Bill to amend the 2001 Act, based on the recommendations of an Expert Group Review of the Act, is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny in the Oireachtas. The General Scheme was drafted following extensive consultation with key stakeholders, including the Mental Health Commission, the HSE, the College of Psychiatrists, and the Ombudsman for Children, and in light of the findings of a 2021 public consultation which received 100 submissions. The Scheme considers relevant legislation such as the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and the Mental Health (Amendment) Act 2018, as well as Ireland’s commitments under international human rights instruments, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The intention of the changes proposed will be to strengthen the safeguards of persons liable to detention under the Act and ensure that the Act fully respects the autonomy of individuals who have capacity to make their own decisions regarding treatment. These changes and others, when included in revised mental health legislation, will further improve the protections available to mental health service users.
As the specific question the Deputy has raised is a service matter in relation to an individual case, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible on this matter.
664. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health when free general practitioner care will be extended to six- and seven-year-olds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9052/22]
View answer726. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of free general practitioner care for six- and seven-year-olds; when he expects the service to be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9302/22]
View answer727. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if has he met with an organisation (details supplied) since budget 2022 to specifically discuss the roll-out of free general practitioner care for six- and seven-year-olds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9303/22]
View answer790. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when free general practitioner care for seven- and eight-year-olds will come into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9595/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 664, 726, 727 and 790 together.
The Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop. At present all children up to and including the age of 5 are eligible for a GP visit card and therefore GP care without charges. The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020 provides, amongst other things, for the phased expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged 12 years and under in three phases: to children aged 6 and 7; to children aged 8 and 9; and to children aged 10,11 and 12. Budget 2022 provides for the initial stage of this phased expansion, the provision of GP care without fees to all children aged 6 and 7. My officials and the HSE are already engaged in preparatory work, and I expect to be in a position to bring forward proposals to the IMO, representing GPs, later this quarter, after which engagement can commence with the IMO. It is important to ensure that any additional pressures placed on general practice will not limit its capacity to meet the needs of all patients in the community.
665. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the provision of a primary health care centre in Collinstown, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9085/22]
View answerAs 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.
666. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans for rolling out antivirals and monoclonal antibody treatments; if any further deliveries have been received since 20 January 2022 when approximately 1,000 treatment courses arrived; the number of the first delivery that has been used to treat patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9087/22]
View answerA National Therapeutics Advisory Group has been established by the HSE to evaluate, advise, and provide recommendations on all therapeutics with potential for use in the treatment of COVID-19 in Ireland. This encompasses a range of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies currently awaiting, or having recently received, EMA approval.
In parallel, a Therapeutics Operational Group, to be informed by the recommendations of the Therapeutics Advisory Group, has been established to develop the arrangements for provision of these treatments and work is ongoing to establish and develop the most efficient pathways to identify those patients who may benefit from their use. It is important to note that these treatments are not for widespread use, and the benefit will be limited to particular cohorts of high-risk vulnerable patients.
667. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with a representative group (details supplied) to discuss his plans for antivirals and monoclonal antibody treatments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9088/22]
View answerA National Therapeutics Advisory Group has been established by the HSE to evaluate, advise, and provide recommendations on all therapeutics with potential for use in the treatment of COVID-19 in Ireland. This encompasses a range of antivirals and monoclonal antibodies currently awaiting, or having recently received, EMA approval.
In parallel, a Therapeutics Operational Group, to be informed by the recommendations of the Therapeutics Advisory Group, has been established to develop the arrangements for provision of these treatments and work is ongoing to establish and develop the most efficient pathways to identify those patients who may benefit from their use. It is important to note that these treatments are not for widespread use, and the benefit will be limited to particular cohorts of high-risk vulnerable patients.
668. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if tooth extraction in the local primary care centre can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9094/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
669. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of social work investigations, reviews, NIRP reports, independent reviews or other investigative processes that have been completed and or underway and or scheduled within the HSE Older Persons Services Department since 2015 by type of concern and process of review or investigation used; the details relating to HSE funded services in which the processes were initiated following reports and or concerns related to physical, sexual, emotional, financial or institutional abuse or neglect of adult residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9102/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
670. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if any complaints or concerns which were received by line management of the HSE from staff working in the private nursing home sector since the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic in relation to neglect, institutional, emotional, physical, sexual or financial abuse of residents in those homes, defining abuse as set out in the HSE's 2014 adult safeguarding policy; the number of said concerns that were subsequently referred to HIQA and-or An Garda Síochána by the HSE, broken down according to whom the concerns and complaints were reported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9104/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
