Written Answers Nos. 721-740
721. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will establish a date by which the review of medication practices across all CAMHS teams must be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13079/22]
View answerI am in ongoing discussions on the independently-led prescribing audit for each of the CAMHS teams, which I sought as an additional action, beyond the recommendations set out in the Maskey report. It is important to me that this audit is comprehensive and robust. It will cover community and inpatient teams and it will be independently led. I will continue to liaise closely with the HSE to commence, and to complete, this audit as soon as possible.
722. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the timeline by which the framework governing the audit of compliance with operational guidelines for CAMHS teams will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13080/22]
View answerI have written to the HSE to direct them to commence the audit of compliance with existing CAMHS operational guidelines immediately and I have sought fortnightly updates on progress, including on timelines. I will be better positioned to update the Deputy on specific timelines very shortly.
723. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will establish a date by which the audit of compliance with operational guidelines for CAMHS teams must be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13081/22]
View answerNo date has yet been set for the completion of the audit of compliance with existing CAMHS operational guidelines. I have written to the HSE to direct them to commence this immediately and I have sought fortnightly updates on progress, including on timelines.
724. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an itemised breakdown of all Covid-19 expenditure by the National Ambulance Service in 2020 and 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13100/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
725. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment with an occupational therapist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13118/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
726. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of women awaiting gynaecology appointments by hospital, in tabular form. [13123/22]
View answer727. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a gynaecology appointment by hospital in 2021 and to date in 2022. [13124/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 726 and 727 together.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals have been impacted by operational challenges arising from surges in cases related to the Delta and Omicron variants.
The HSE has confirmed to the Department that patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.
The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan, which was launched on the 26th of February, allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce waiting lists. Under this plan the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.
The plan builds on the successes of the short-term 2021 plan that ran from September to December last year. The 2021 plan was developed by the Department of Health, the HSE and the NTPF and was driven and overseen by a senior governance group co-chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Health and the CEO of the HSE and met fortnightly.
This rigorous level of governance and scrutiny of waiting lists has continued into this year with the oversight group evolving into the Waiting List Task Force. The Task Force will meet regularly to drive progress of the 2022 plan.
This is the first stage of an ambitious multi-annual waiting list plan, which is currently under development in the Department of Health. Between them, these plans will work to support short, medium, and long term initiatives to reduce waiting times and provide the activity needed in years to come.
The data requested by the Deputy regarding the number of women awaiting gynaecology appointments by hospital in tabular form and the average waiting time for a gynaecology appointment by hospital in 2021 and to date in 2022 is outlined in the attached document. The NTPF has advised my Department that the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list and the average time that these patients have been waiting is provided here.
Total Females Waiting for an Outpatient Gynaecology Appointment by Hospital as at 27/01/2022
|
Hospital |
Total |
|
Beaumont Hospital |
499 |
|
Cavan General Hospital |
950 |
|
Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown |
429 |
|
Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital |
2,741 |
|
Cork University Maternity Hospital |
2,356 |
|
Ennis Hospital |
599 |
|
Galway University Hospitals |
2,035 |
|
Letterkenny University Hospital |
485 |
|
Louth County Hospital |
352 |
|
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital |
328 |
|
Mayo University Hospital |
659 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar |
1,298 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise |
1,386 |
|
Nenagh Hospital |
272 |
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda |
1,383 |
|
Our Lady's Hospital Navan |
306 |
|
Portiuncula University Hospital |
853 |
|
Rotunda Hospital |
2,811 |
|
Sligo University Hospital |
960 |
|
St. Columcille's Hospital |
33 |
|
St. James's Hospital |
82 |
|
St. John's Hospital Limerick |
435 |
|
St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny |
490 |
|
St. Michael's Hospital |
466 |
|
St. Vincent's University Hospital |
301 |
|
Tallaght University Hospital |
3,051 |
|
Tipperary University Hospital |
500 |
|
University Hospital Kerry |
1,019 |
|
University Hospital Limerick |
1,455 |
|
University Hospital Waterford |
747 |
|
Wexford General Hospital |
1,231 |
|
Children's Health Ireland |
293 |
|
Grand Total |
30,805 |
Average (and Median) Wait Time (Female Only) for an Outpatient Gynaecology Appointment by Hospital Dec ' 21 vs Jan' 22
|
- |
23/12/2021 |
27/01/2022 |
||
|
Row Labels |
Average Wait Time - Days |
Median Wait Time - Days |
Average Wait Time - Days |
Median Wait Time - Days |
|
Beaumont Hospital |
103 |
99 |
125 |
120 |
|
Cavan General Hospital |
174 |
146 |
182 |
156.5 |
|
Children's Health Ireland |
226 |
168 |
243 |
190 |
|
Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown |
142 |
125 |
150 |
129 |
|
Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital |
237 |
160 |
237 |
160 |
|
Cork University Maternity Hospital |
130 |
89 |
141 |
100 |
|
Ennis Hospital |
507 |
428 |
506 |
421 |
|
Galway University Hospitals |
222 |
111 |
241 |
120 |
|
Letterkenny University Hospital |
83 |
55 |
98 |
70 |
|
Louth County Hospital |
172 |
160 |
178 |
177 |
|
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital |
80 |
44.5 |
89 |
55 |
|
Mayo University Hospital |
191 |
174 |
180 |
169 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar |
170 |
128 |
179 |
140 |
|
Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise |
347 |
248.5 |
366 |
272 |
|
Nenagh Hospital |
456 |
406 |
455 |
411 |
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda |
153 |
120 |
159 |
134 |
|
Our Lady's Hospital Navan |
373 |
300.5 |
390 |
305 |
|
Portiuncula University Hospital |
164 |
140.5 |
172 |
147 |
|
Rotunda Hospital |
118 |
104 |
124 |
110 |
|
Sligo University Hospital |
344 |
273.5 |
366 |
294 |
|
St. Columcille's Hospital |
131 |
112 |
152 |
144 |
|
St. James's Hospital |
26 |
13 |
24 |
14.5 |
|
St. John's Hospital Limerick |
203 |
176.5 |
215 |
182 |
|
St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny |
71 |
61 |
85 |
78 |
|
St. Michael's Hospital |
375 |
267.5 |
379 |
278 |
|
St. Vincent's University Hospital |
181 |
119 |
188 |
124 |
|
Tallaght University Hospital |
651 |
376 |
652 |
361 |
|
Tipperary University Hospital |
120 |
99 |
136 |
125 |
|
University Hospital Kerry |
258 |
196 |
280 |
222 |
|
University Hospital Limerick |
276 |
133 |
291 |
141 |
|
University Hospital Waterford |
150 |
127 |
163 |
146 |
|
Wexford General Hospital |
163 |
148.5 |
172 |
156 |
728. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of women who were diagnosed with cervical cancer following gynaecology consultation in 2021 and to date in 2022. [13125/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
729. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if catering staff in hospitals and healthcare settings qualify for the pandemic bonus payment. [13126/22]
View answerFirstly 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 (eg: nursing homes and hospices that are private, public, section 39, voluntary etc.) that were affected by Covid-19.
The Department and the HSE continue to engage 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.
In addition, the Department and the HSE are currently consulting with health sector trade unions. This consultation is part of the Department and HSE’s objective to finalise the application of this measure fairly. Upon conclusion of consultations with the trade unions, full details of the application process, FAQs and other particulars shall be published by the HSE.
730. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a cataract operation. [13128/22]
View answerUnder 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.
731. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the discussions he or his Department have had with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure that enough optometrists are educated in Ireland to provide for the demand for same in view of the severe shortage of qualified optometrists in the State and the fact that only circa 25 optometrists qualify each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13136/22]
View answerI value the important role community optometrists play in our Health Service in the delivery of holistic patient care. In particular, I fully acknowledge that community optometrists have played a key role in responding to the health needs of the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During COVID-19 optometrists have been responsive to the challenges presented and have developed guidelines and procedures to safely deliver patient care. I also recognise that optometrists have also played an important role in the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
At present optometry operates largely in the private sector in practices throughout Ireland. However, the Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme (COSS) is an agreement entered into between the HSE and Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians. It provides Community Eye Care Services to eligible patients.
I am fully committed to the development of community services which can facilitate expanded and more integrated provision of eye care in local communities. In 2022, the HSE will advance the transfer of care for children aged 8+ years to local optometrists, thereby reducing waiting lists and enhancing access to primary eye care services. It is anticipated that it will be possible to bring the project to conclusion over a 6-to-9-month time frame in 2022.
Ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals is a key priority. It is critical that we continue to attract, train, and retain sufficient appropriately qualified healthcare workers to ensure the health service can meet the projected future demand for healthcare.
Officials in my Department engage on an ongoing basis with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science on determining the longer-term skills needs of the healthcare sector, and the role which the Further and Higher Education sector can play in meeting those skills needs.
It is recognised by both Departments that there is a need to ensure the availability of graduates with the skills necessary to support the healthcare system and to support a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.
732. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has undertaken a study to determine the reasons for the rising price of fertiliser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13110/22]
View answerI am particularly concerned about the current situation in relation to the cost and availability of fertilisers and the impact this will have on farmer’s margins.
The fertiliser market is largely driven by global supply and demand and, while there are a number of factors influencing fertiliser price, the major driving factors for the increase in prices are increased global demand due to strong growth in agricultural commodity prices, rising production costs due to increased raw material and energy costs and issues with supply for certain fertiliser products.
In addition, increased transport costs and EU-imposed tariffs and duties on certain Third Country imports are also adding to prices. Finally, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to further significant hikes in energy prices and significant concerns around supply chain disruption.
I outlined my concerns in relation to the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on agri-food supply chains, and especially on inputs such as fertiliser and feed at the extraordinary informal meeting of European Union Agriculture Ministers held on 2nd March. I also called for ongoing close monitoring of the situation and underlined the need for supports. Commissioner Wojciechowski is aware of concerns and is considering the issue of necessary supports under the CMO Regulation.
I launched the 2022 Soils, Nutrients and Fertiliser Campaign at Teagasc’s Ballyhaise College on the 26th January in response to the unprecedented fertiliser price levels. This is a credible roadmap that will help alleviate the short term price pressure while helping farmers reduce their dependency on chemical fertiliser in the longer-term.
My Department will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation.
733. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount spent by his Department on rented accommodation in Portlaoise in 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12341/22]
View answerIn general, all issues in relation to leases for Government Departments and Offices, including my Department, are a matter for the Office of Public Works. The table below outlines the amounts spent by my Department on rented accommodation in Portlaoise in 2019, 2020 and 2021. These amounts were paid by the Office of Public Works and recouped from my Department.
|
Year |
Amount Spent on Rented Accommodation |
|
2019 |
€114,381.72 |
|
2020 |
€114,381.72 |
|
2021 |
€408,561.90 |
734. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications for the reconstitution and underplanting scheme that have been received to date by county; the approvals issued to date by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12377/22]
View answerSince the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department has provided support to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme (introduced in 2013) and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme introduced in July 2020.
The objectives of RUS are as follows:
- To encourage the active management of ash plantations in the context of the control and spread of ash dieback disease.
- To promote the vigorous growth of ash through thinning to realise as much of the potential value of the crop as possible.
- Where appropriate in young plantations and in cases of high disease infection, to support the removal of the affected ash crop and replacement with alternative species.
- To build resilience and diversity into plantations and possibly identify tolerant or resistant individuals.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine recently published forestry licensing targets for 2022. The plan may be found here gov.ie - Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 (www.gov.ie). A key target of that plan is to refocus on the delivery on approvals from the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback).
To date my Department has received 543 applications for 2,234ha and issued 178 decisions for 575ha. The table below reflects these figures by county.
|
County |
Received |
Decided |
|
Carlow |
7 |
2 |
|
Cavan |
17 |
9 |
|
Clare |
42 |
4 |
|
Cork |
53 |
18 |
|
Donegal |
1 |
0 |
|
Dublin |
1 |
0 |
|
Galway |
30 |
16 |
|
Kerry |
20 |
3 |
|
Kildare |
14 |
1 |
|
Kilkenny |
30 |
8 |
|
Laois |
24 |
6 |
|
Leitrim |
5 |
1 |
|
Limerick |
39 |
1 |
|
Longford |
15 |
7 |
|
Lough |
2 |
0 |
|
Mayo |
31 |
16 |
|
Meath |
20 |
3 |
|
Monaghan |
9 |
8 |
|
Offaly |
25 |
14 |
|
Roscommon |
6 |
4 |
|
Sligo |
4 |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
64 |
14 |
|
Waterford |
13 |
6 |
|
Westmeath |
31 |
11 |
|
Wexforrd |
29 |
17 |
|
Wicklow |
11 |
8 |
735. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an oral hearing in relation to an appeal will be arranged for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12398/22]
View answerI the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department.
I have however been advised that the records of the Agriculture Appeals Office indicate that an appeal was received in relation to the above-named person in October 2021.
The Appeals Office requested the file and a statement on the grounds of appeal from my Department and all relevant documentation have been forwarded to the Appeals Office.
I am advised that the Director of Agriculture Appeals has assigned the appeal to an Appeals Officer for examination. I am also advised the above named person contacted the Agriculture Appeals Office on 25 February seeking an oral hearing of their appeal. I have been assured that an oral hearing will be organised in due course.
736. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when documents will issue to the Land Registry on foot of a query for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [12407/22]
View answerMy Department was unable to identify any query received based on the details supplied by the Deputy, and so made enquiries with the Property Registration Authority of Ireland, who confirmed that no such request for Land Commission documentation had issued to my Department.
737. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has allocated additional resources to processing applications on his proposal for afforestation on less than one hectare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12419/22]
View answerThe Government has the stated policy goal of incentivising small-scale tree planting and of re-engaging farmers with afforestation.
Key to the success of increasing afforestation rates is to build confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry as a viable option to complement existing enterprises. Introducing an exemption for the afforestation in certain circumstances facilitates the exclusion of clearly defined activities from requiring an afforestation licence.
This exemption is an enabling proposal that allows forests to be created through initiatives, other than the afforestation scheme, thereby contributing to Ireland’s targets in relation to a wide range of environmental priorities particularly climate change, biodiversity and water quality.
These proposed changes are being introduced as part of the Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, which will allow the Minister to make Regulations to facilitate small scale planting of native tree areas without the need to first obtain an afforestation licence. This Bill has progressed through all stages in the legislative process in the Dáil and is currently before the Seanad, third stage.
Once the legislation is in place, a scheme will be developed to facilitate such planting in a legally compliant and sustainable manner. The development of the scheme will be undertaken following the completion of the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment, subject to the findings of both assessments.
As always, staff resources are kept under constant review to ensure that the system is in a position to meet the needs of those applying to plant trees.
738. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the European Union asked his Department questions on the CAP strategic plan submitted in December 2021; if questions were asked in relation to or in connection with forestry or woodland creation or afforestation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12420/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, Ireland's draft CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023-2027 was submitted to the European Commission on 31st December 2021. A copy of the draft CAP Strategic Plan was made available to stakeholders, and published at the following link: www.gov.ie/cap, on Wednesday 2nd February.
The formal EU approval process is now under way. The Commission will assess the draft Plan through extensive inter-service consultation, and based on the criteria laid down in the relevant regulations. It has three months to make formal observations, and we expect to receive its formal letter in this regard in late March/early April 2022. My officials have not received any questions from the European Commission since its submission.
739. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the results of his engagements to date with maize growers and producers of plastic film arising from SI No. 326 of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12430/22]
View answer740. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail his engagements and the results of same with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Communications regarding maize growers and producers of plastic film arising from SI No. 326 of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12431/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 739 and 740 together.
As the Deputy is aware, my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Communications Eamonn Ryan T.D. is responsible for the provisions contained in Council Directive 2019/904, known as the Single Use Plastic Directive.
These Regulations prohibit the marketing of single use plastics from 3rd July 2021 and included films of the type used to sow covered maize up to that time. However, maize growers may use existing stocks of maize plastic that were purchased prior to the commencement of this legislation.
My Department continually engages with the sector and producers of plastic film and will continue to do so as necessary. The producers of plastic film continue in their efforts to develop alternative products that will be compliant with these new Regulations.
Progress has recently been reported in developing new compliant plastic films. The effectiveness of these new compliant films has not yet been independently verified and my Department has impressed upon the producers of maize plastic the need for independent research to show their effectiveness.
In addition, my Department has had several engagements with officials in the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Communications regarding the regulation and implementation of same.
In parallel, in terms of support for the sector, my Department continued Value for Cultivation & Use (VCU) trials for covered maize in 2021 and produced the 2022 (plastic) Covered Recommended List detailing varieties suitable for maize producers using up existing stocks of the older plastic. In addition, DAFM re-commenced VCU trials for uncovered maize in 2020 to identify varieties better suited to Irish growing conditions and which do not require plastic covering. Following the minimum 3 years of trialing from 2020 until 2022 inclusive, my Department plans to produce a 2023 Uncovered Recommended List.
