Written Answers Nos. 240-260
240. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners providing vasectomy services through GMS contracts across all CHOs for each year for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22514/22]
View answer241. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has concerns regarding the provision of vasectomy services through GMS contracts in terms of capacity and following recent retirements of general practitioners providing the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22515/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together.
As the issues raised are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
242. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health his views on the position regarding the shortage of retail pharmacists in Ireland; if he has heard reports that some pharmacies face closure and reduced services as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22520/22]
View answerPharmacists wishing to practise in Ireland must be registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI – the Pharmacy Regulator). The number of registered pharmacists on the Register of Pharmacists held and maintained by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), the pharmacy regulator has continued to grow steadily, with an average increase of 187 registrants each year over the past five years. 6846 pharmacists are currently registered with the PSI, under established processes based in Irish and EU law, with 4371 of these registrants declaring their principal area of practice as community and a further 1250 not providing this information. ( www.thepsi.ie/Libraries/Monthly_Statistics/Pharmacists_-_Website_Statistics.sflb.ashx) .
The PSI is also the registering authority for pharmacies in Ireland in order that they may open and operate, and the number of Registered Retail Pharmacy Businesses currently stands at 1980.
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has drawn to my attention concerns it holds around shortage of pharmacists citing that Pharmacy employers are reporting that vacant permanent pharmacist positions are going unfilled for long periods and that short term locum relief pharmacists are increasingly difficult to source. The Department understands that the PSI, although not having a direct role in the recruitment of pharmacist are also aware of reports from stakeholders, of an increasing risk to the continued availability of a pharmacist workforce, with the concern being that the issue may be exacerbated into the future.
It is understood that the reports to the PSI of a current acute workforce issue, particularly in relation to community pharmacy, indicate that this is being driven in part by an increasing number of pharmacists choosing to work in a locum capacity. This has a knock-on impact on pharmacist vacancies, and potentially on continuity and consistency of service. The PSI has been liaising with stakeholders, including the IPU on efforts being taken within the sector to understand and address the issue. ?In February 2022, PSI met with a number of superintendent pharmacists and the IPU. The PSI also circulated a survey on behalf of the IPU to all registrants to support in efforts in understanding and addressing the issue in the short term, the results of which are pending. ?PSI has indicated its willingness to participate in a stakeholder group being established by the IPU, and the Department understands PSI and IPU are due to meet about this in early May.?
The PSI is also undertaking a project, due to run across 2022-’23, ‘Emerging Risks to the Future Pharmacy Workforce’. In 2022, this project is set to “assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland”.
This is a complex problem with many contributing factors and multiple stakeholders. Workforce challenges are being experienced in other sectors nationally, and in the pharmacy sector in a range of other countries. However, robust data for Ireland is needed to be able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future. It will be on the basis of gathering and analysing this up-to-date, robust and relevant data, that recommendations can be proposed to address Ireland’s needs for a pharmacist workforce in the future, as Ireland’s healthcare system evolves, and in the context of Sláintecare implementation. The European commission is currently supporting a health and social care workforce planning strategy and action plan, a health and social care workforce planning model, health and social care workforce projections and gap analysis project. Support includes recommendations for health and social care workforce reforms.
243. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of designated cancer centres that have an established, designated service to address the psycho-social needs of patients with cancer and their families to date in tabular form; the number of positions across the designed centres that have been funded to date versus the target number; and the number of the funded positions that have been filled to date. [22524/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
244. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if an update will be provided on the progress of the National Lymphoedema Clinical Guidelines. [22525/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
245. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the extent of an indemnity further to certain circumstances (details supplied); the areas of activity which it will cover; the implications for the new maternity hospital in addition to the other assets of St. Vincent’s University Hospital; if he has taken legal advice on this specific aspect of the transaction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22532/22]
View answerAs announced by St Vincent's Healthcare Group on 28 April, the Religious Sisters of Charity have transferred their shares in St Vincent’s Healthcare Group (SVHG) to St Vincent’s Holdings CLG, which is a not-for-profit company with charitable status. As such, this matter of the share transfer has been resolved and the Sisters no longer have any involvement with SVHG. In the announcement, Sister Patricia Lenihan, Superior General, Religious Sisters of Charity, confirmed that the Sisters “…will have no role in the future of the new independent charity, the St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group, St. Vincent’s Holding CLG or the new National Maternity Hospital.”
The State has not provided any indemnity.
246. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of a review of a product (details supplied); the stocks that have been purchased; the expected delivery date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22533/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
247. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE has carried out a new review of neurosurgical services, given that a recommendation from the 2005 review of neurosurgical services was not acted on (details supplied); the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22534/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
248. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if a response will issue to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he has investigated this matter; if so, the findings of this investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22535/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
249. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to communications between an organisation (details supplied) and a neurosurgeon in relation to the decision to designate the Mater Hospital as the major trauma centre; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22536/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
250. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made by the National Clinical Programme for Neurology and the HSE Scheduled Care Transformation Programme throughout 2021 and 2022 to develop an integrated cross discipline pathway for Huntington’s disease, considering the need for an integrated cross discipline service, which will take responsibility for the coordination of care following a Huntington’s disease diagnosis; the supports that will be made available to families of persons who receive a positive predictive test result; his plans to include the experience and voice of families affected by Huntington’s disease in the development of the integrated pathway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22537/22]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
251. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of patients seen each month at the Huntington’s disease clinic in Beaumont Hospital; if he will outline the multi-disciplinary services available; the frequently with which patients receive an MDT review; the way in which this Huntington’s disease service compares with the motor neurone disease service it aims to mirror; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22538/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
252. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons living with Huntington’s disease supported by dementia advisers and memory technology resource room staff. [22539/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
253. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a date for surgery will be expedited for a person (detail supplied). [22547/22]
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.
254. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an application under the fair deal scheme by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22548/22]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible
255. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is the case that where tree felling is exempt from a licence, under s.19 of the Forestry Act 2014, whether or not this tree felling requires planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22379/22]
View answerThere are certain instances where the felling of a tree is exempted from the need to obtain a tree felling licence. Section 19 of the Forestry Act 2014 details the instances where the felling of a tree is exempted. It is important to note that, while some trees are exempted from the need to obtain a tree felling licence, the Forest Service must be notified that felling is to take place and it will decide if the trees in question are exempted. These scenarios in the Forestry Act 2014 are identified by the use of the text “in the opinion of the Minister”. Some scenarios where the felling of trees is exempted and the Minister does not need to be notified are detailed on the Department's website gov.ie - Tree Felling Licences (www.gov.ie)
Note that under the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2011 the Local Authorities have a mandatory responsibility to include objectives in the Development Plan relating to the preserving of amenities. This empowers the planning authority to make provision for tree preservation by establishing a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). No tree covered by a TPO may be felled, topped, lopped or destroyed without the consent of the planning authority.
None of the exemptions granted under Section 19 of the Forestry Act 2014 serve to remove any restriction on the felling or removal of trees under the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2013 or any other enactment.
My Department's Forestry related Circular 5 of 2021 (re Clarification regarding Ash dieback scheme and planning permission), which I attach, outlines the advice my Department received from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in relation to the “replacement of Broadleaf High Forest with conifer species”. The Circular outlined the situations where planning permission from the Local Authority is required when replacing Broadleaf High Forest with Conifer species and when planning permission is not required. My Department is continuing to engage with the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), with the objective of removing the planning permission requirement for these cases.
My Department's Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 was published earlier this year and deals with projected licensing output and approvals for support schemes. A key target of the plan is to refocus on the delivery on approvals from the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback). My Department is continuing to engage with the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), with the objective of removing the planning permission requirement for these cases.
256. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the €25 million that was announced in March 2022 (details supplied) is not used for all fishery groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22393/22]
View answerI established a Seafood Sector Task Force in March 2021 to examine the impacts on our fishing sector and coastal communities of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom and to make recommendations to me on initiatives that could be taken to provide supports for development and restructuring so as to ensure a profitable and sustainable fishing fleet and to identify opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities dependent on fishing.
I received the Report of the Seafood Task Force – Navigating Change on 11th October 2021 which recommended a suite of 16 support schemes at a total cost of €423 million. On 25th March 2022 I announced the implementation of a Brexit Blue economy Enterprise Development Scheme which aims to assist coastal communities to overcome the impacts of Brexit and grow and diversify their local economies by promoting the growth of the wider Blue Economy. It is being funded by an allocation of €25 million under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve for the years 2022 and 2023. At its launch, I signalled that this funding was intended to help to stimulate entrepreneurial activity in the blue economy and provide a post-Brexit stimulus to the economies of our coastal communities. BIM expect to invite applications in the coming weeks.
The focus of this scheme on community-led local development is just one strand of the Government's overall response to the challenges facing our seafood industry and our coastal communities on foot of Brexit. The Deputy will be aware of other schemes launched in recent months such as the Brexit Inshore Fisheries Business Model Adjustment Scheme launched in January and the Brexit Inshore Marketing Scheme also announced on 25th March last which target other challenges identified by the Task Force.
The remaining recommendations of the Task Force are being urgently examined across Government with regard to available funds, eligibility of the recommended measures for funding under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve and with regard to State Aid rules and the Public Spending Code. I hope to be in a position to make further announcements in the coming weeks.
257. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of inspections carried out on a care centre (details supplied); the person or body that the authorised persons for carrying out inspections of the greyhound care centre; and the person or body that they report their findings. [22500/22]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.
258. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an organic payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22504/22]
View answerThe person named is a participant in the Organic Farming Scheme and was selected for an on farm inspection in 2019. In his application, the farmer decided to avail of the additional scheme payment to grow red clover on certain parcels on the holding. On inspection it was noted that red clover was not established on the area claimed, which resulted in the appropriate penalty as outlined in the terms and conditions of the scheme.
Following the application of the penalty, the processing of the 2019 balancing payment resulted in an over payment of monies received for the 2019 scheme year, which prevented the processing of further payments. This matter has now been resolved and Organic Farming Scheme payments due for subsequent years are now being processed.
259. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of inspections carried out on licensed dog breeding establishments; the number of improvement notices; and the number of closure notices issued between the years 2015 to 2022, by local authority in tabular form. [22484/22]
View answerEach year my Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including those that relate to dog breeding establishments. This information is collated from annual returns received from all local authorities. Information up to and including 2020, by local authority and in tabular form, is available at www.gov.ie/en/collection/879d4c-dog-control-statistics/
For example, information regarding dog breeding establishments can be found on pages 12-14 of the 2020 dog control statistics, with page 12 outlining the number of inspections carried out and improvement notices issued to premises registered for the first time in 2020. One improvement notice was issued to a premises applying for first time registration and two unregistered dog breeding establishments were issued with closure notices in 2020.
Page 13 details the number of inspections carried out, applications refused and improvement notices issued to existing premises in 2020. Three improvement notices and one closure notice were issued to existing premises in 2020.
Page 14, which is a summary page, shows that the number of registered dog breeding establishments in 2020 was 239. This figure includes 83 Commercial Dog Breeding Establishments (CDBEs), 85 Hunts Clubs and 49 Commercial Boarding Kennels (CBKs). The remainder of the 239 total comprises Animal Welfare Shelters (18) and training kennels (4). The 2021 dog control statistics are currently being collated and when checked and verified will be published on gov.ie later this year.
Separately, the enforcement of animal welfare standards for all animals, including dogs in dog breeding establishments, is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) under the Animal Health and Welfare Acts.
Both Departments work closely with each other to ensure a coordinated approach is taken in this area.
260. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider amending the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010 so that authorised authorities such as the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals can carry out unannounced inspections of dog breeding establishments. [22485/22]
View answerMy Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. The Act provides a robust regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments.
The day to day regulation of dog breeding establishments to ensure compliance with the Act is a matter for local authorities. It is the responsibility of each local authority to maintain the register of dog breeding establishments in its functional area. The Act also places an obligation on any person seeking to operate a dog breeding establishment to have the premises included on the register. Welfare standards regarding dog breeding establishments have been provided for through guidelines, which also provide for unannounced inspections by local authorities.
Following a review, my Department is currently developing legislative amendments to the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010, with a view to inclusion in the Government legislative programme. The points raised by the Deputy will be considered as part of that process.
