Written Answers Nos. 305-313
305. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the future entitlements of a disabled person currently entitled to State disability services when they inherit half the family home upon their parents' death, which would continue to be their primary residence; the position in a case in which the family home was to be sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25263/22]
View answerAs this question relates to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
306. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a query raised by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25306/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
307. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of vasectomies and tubal ligations that were performed in St. Vincent University public hospital relative to its catchment area; the way that this compares to other similar sized hospitals, for example St. James’s Hospital and Beaumont Hospital in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25310/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
308. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 842 of 5 April 2022, the percentage of appointments to permanent senior psychologist posts in the adult mental health services in CHO4 between August 2017 and January 2021 that took place via unadvertised transfers, irrespective of whether the transferring psychologists already had permanent contracts in other HSE services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25323/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
309. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 666 of 1 March 2022 and 840 of 5 April 2022, his views on the contention by a number of psychologists in the Cork mental health service that they were not informed at their personal development plan meetings or otherwise, of opportunities to transfer into posts outside of the nationally-agreed recruitment process over a period of years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25324/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
310. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 825 and 826 of 1 February 2022 and 1091 of 22 March 2022, the precise specialisms in adult mental health psychology and the exact criteria referred to in the response which warrant a bypassing of the national recruitment panel system for HSE psychologists; if these specialisms and criteria have been agreed to by the HSE's national human resources department and trade unions as constituting exceptions to the national recruitment panel system for HSE psychologists; and if so, the location in which these details are recorded and collectively signed-off in policy form. [25325/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
311. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1091 of 22 March 2022, the way that a public appointment to a HSE psychology post can be both in line with the legislation governing recruitment and not covered by HR policy; the exact reference from the legislation in question which allows for appointments to HSE psychology posts that have not been advertised to eligible candidates on the relevant national recruitment panel in the first instance; the exact reference in employment law or HR policy that grants the right for alternative recruitment routes to be decided by each CHO area on the basis of service need for some posts; if this practice has been agreed with unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25326/22]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
312. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of a CLÁR application by a person (details supplied); if she will ensure that the service level agreements are considered in full as part of this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24984/22]
View answerThe CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period.
The 2022 programme was launched in February last with a total budget of €7 million, an increase of €1.5 million on the previous year. The measures being funded under CLÁR 2022 are:
Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities & Amenities
Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport
Measure 3: Our Islands
Measure 1 closed on 6th May and is administered directly by the local authorities. It supports a variety of capital interventions that contribute to the enhancement of existing and/or the development of new accessible community recreation facilities.
Measure 2 closed on 8th April and Measure 3 closed on 6th May. All applications are now being assessed and successful applicants will be announced later in the year.
I can confirm that no application has been received from the group referred to by the Deputy.
313. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the areas in which funding that was allocated to a scheme (details supplied) was spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25102/22]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities and represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural communities. As part of 'Our Rural Future', the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme is funded into the future.
The determination of eligibility and subsequent prioritisation and selection of LIS roads is a matter for the relevant local authority. Selected roads are included in a priority list of roads provided to my Department. In some instances, a road included on a priority list may not be delivered and may be substituted by one or more roads on a “secondary list” provided by the Local Authority.
In 2018, 144 LIS roads were completed in Mayo. I understand that the road referred to by the Deputy was one of a total of 11 approved roads on the priority list in County Mayo which did not proceed. The funding available for these roads was reallocated to 13 roads on the secondary list provided by Mayo County Council. The road referred to by the Deputy was originally selected for works totaling €34,890.
A short section of this road referred to by the Deputy was again included on the priority list from Mayo County Council in 2020. The Local Authority has indicated that the works on this shorter section of the road involved a higher standard of finish than was envisaged in 2018 and was funded in the amount of €29,602.
My officials requested a written report from the relevant local authority in respect of the road in question. The material received referenced a number of engineering constraints linked to the proposed works. Following the commitment I gave to have this matter reviewed, my Department identified that the local contributors requested to raise the road level to protect against tidal flooding.
As the road was located in a Special Protection Area (SPA), works would require an environmental screening assessment. An ecologist report would be required in advance of works and a foreshore licence would also be required. The proposed works would necessitate the construction of a safety barrier. The local authority has confirmed that the considerable additional resources required could not be met from within the Local Improvement Scheme. It was, however, agreed with the applicants that a regular overlay would be applied to the road as these works would not required screening.
