Thursday, 12 May 2022

Written Answers Nos. 300-314

Visa Applications

Questions (300)

Paul McAuliffe

Question:

300. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Justice if the visa application by persons (details supplied) will be expedited. [24000/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The applications referred to by the Deputy have now been processed by my Department. The decisions were conveyed in writing to the persons concerned by registered post, dated 10 May 2022.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department using the Oireachtas Mail facility 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 Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Residency Permits

Questions (301)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

301. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current position in regard to the residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24083/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can confirm that the person referred to by the Deputy was granted an immigration permission, which is renewable at their local immigration office. That permission has been extended until 31 May 2022, under the automatic extension of immigration permissions I announced on 17 December 2021. All permissions are extended on the same terms and conditions to the permission already held.

The person concerned should take steps to renew their permission at their local immigration office.

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 [e-mail], 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.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (302)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

302. 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. [24086/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

Applications for naturalisation received by my Department are processed in chronological order. The application for the person referred to by the Deputy will be registered in the coming weeks. Following initial assessment of the application, my Department will issue an application reference number.

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. From the beginning of this year, applicants are also no longer required to submit their original passport with their initial application.

In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (303)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

303. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current position in relation eligibility for citizenship and naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24088/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received. When submitting an application the onus is on the applicant to determine if they satisfy all of the eligibility criteria.

Section 15 of the Act sets out the statutory conditions that must be fulfilled for a certificate of naturalisation to be granted. Section 6A also provides details on the criteria for naturalisation that applies to a child born to parents who were legally resident in the State at the time of their birth.

Detailed information on Irish citizenship and the naturalisation process, along with the relevant application forms and guidance notes, is available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/.

Residency Permits

Questions (304)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

304. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if a new application for residency in respect of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24091/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The person referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a Deportation Order made on 20 June 2002. Representations were received on their behalf pursuant to Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), to revoke the Deportation Order. Following the consideration of those representations, a decision was taken that the Deportation Order should be affirmed and this decision was communicated to the person concerned by registered post, dated 9 November 2017.

It is open to the person concerned to submit further representations requesting that the Deportation Order be revoked, pursuant to Section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended). However, any application would require substantial grounds to be successful. To date, no such further representations have been received on this case, and consequently the Deportation Order remains valid and in place.

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 ([e-mail]) 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 Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Naturalisation Applications

Questions (305)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

305. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when a person (details supplied) will be considered for naturalisation given the precarious nature of their position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24096/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The persons referred to by the Deputy currently have a permission to remain in the State until August 2022. It is open to them to make an application to have that permission renewed. This should be applied for two weeks in advance of the permission expiring to their local Immigration Registration Office.

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed in line with the eligibility criteria as set out under the Irish Naturalisation and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

Each application is assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received. There is no record of any naturalisation applications being submitted by the persons concerned.

Applicants are required to have five years reckonable residence in the State prior to making an application, except for spouses of Irish nationals where the requirement is three years. In both cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State with up to six weeks allowed to facilitate foreign travel for business, family or holiday purposes.

Detailed information on Irish citizenship and the naturalisation process, along with the relevant application forms and guidance notes, is available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/.

Disability Services

Questions (306)

Brendan Smith

Question:

306. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, to amend the Disability Act 2005 to enable children who need additional supports to have a right in law to appropriate services and not just an entitlement to an assessment of needs as provided for at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24046/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

There are no plans to progress a review of the Disability Act, although the Department does keep its legislative programme under ongoing review.

In the context of improving services, the Department of Health is currently working with the HSE in order to bolster the capacity of the respective Children's Disability Network Teams throughout the country, in order to provide both Assessments of Need and quicker access to therapy supports than are currently available.

In this regard, HSE recruitment for therapy posts continues and there is ongoing engagement with the Heads of Disability Services across the nine CHOs to review service provision.In parallel, detailed discussions are ongoing with relevant stakeholders and representative groups in relation to a revised approach to the Assessment of Need, one which seeks to be both legally compliant and ensure a timely pathway to therapeutic interventions.

Hospital Facilities

Questions (307)

Richard O'Donoghue

Question:

307. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of public and private beds available throughout the University Hospital Limerick hospital group; the locations of these beds; and the details of same. [23883/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Medical Cards

Questions (308)

Richard O'Donoghue

Question:

308. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if discussions are expected to allow medical card patients waiting on cataract surgery who chose to go private with a local surgeon to be able to avail of reimbursement from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23884/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides for two categories of eligibility for persons ordinarily resident in the country, i.e. full eligibility (medical card holders) and limited eligibility (all others). Adults with full eligibility can access a range of services including GP services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards, including consultants’ services, all out-patient public hospital services including consultants’ services, dental, ophthalmic and aural services and appliances, and maternity and infant care service.

Persons with limited eligibility are eligible for in-patient and outpatient public hospital services including Consultant services, Emergency Department or minor injury care, are subject to certain charges. Other services such as allied healthcare professional services may also be made available to persons with limited eligibility. Where a person accesses private healthcare in Ireland there is no facility for the cost of that care to be reimbursed by the public health system.

Regarding cataract waiting lists, the 2022 Waiting List Action Plan was launched on 25 February this year. The Plan allocates €350 million to the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to reduce waiting lists by 18 percent this year which will bring the number of people waiting to their lowest point in five years. Public hospitals will be supported by the NTPF in a number of different ways, including funding the operation of cataract clinics in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and in Nenagh General Hospital. While the NTPF will seek to arrange over 150 different types of procedures in public and private hospitals, covering the full range of complexity on the waiting lists, there will be a particular focus on 15 procedures which, prior to NTPF engagement, accounted for more than 50% of the inpatient/day case waiting list. For the 15 high volume procedures, including cataracts, the NTPF will offer treatment for all clinically suitable patients waiting more than 6 months.

Medical Aids and Appliances

Questions (309)

Richard O'Donoghue

Question:

309. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if he will remove the current age restriction for Freestyle Libre device with immediate effect following the recent survey that was carried out by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23885/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical items, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Services

Questions (310)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

310. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) had their much-needed medical procedure cancelled twice in the past few weeks. [23889/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Services

Questions (311)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

311. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive surgery. [23896/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Services

Questions (312)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

312. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason that a person (details supplied) has had their surgery cancelled twice. [23897/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I fully acknowledge the distress and inconvenience for patients and their families when elective procedures are cancelled, particularly for clinically urgent procedures. While every effort is made to avoid cancellation or postponement of planned procedures, the HSE has advised that planned procedures and operations can be postponed or cancelled for a variety of reasons including capacity issues due to increased scheduled and unscheduled care demand.

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.

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Medical Cards

Questions (313)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

313. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter in relation to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23899/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (314)

Bríd Smith

Question:

314. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if, he will request the HSE to lift the current ban on water birth in Ireland immediately and to restore this choice of labour and delivery to women given the evidence of the safety of water birth internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23901/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As the National Women and Infants Health Programme leads on the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.