Written Answers Nos. 585-598
585. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Health in relation to a model of care for transgender children, if children from the State have been or are being referred for treatment to service centres or clinics outside the State, other than to a UK clinic (details supplied); and if so, if he will list the locations. [9722/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct response.
586. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if his Department is incurring any expense in 2023 for the Covid passport application. [9736/23]
View answerThe HSE Live service within the HSE took over responsibility for delivery of the Covid Passport/ Digital Covid Certificates (DCC) service from 24th October 2022. As part of this, the HSE now manages all technical and operational aspects of the EU Digital Covid Certificates (DCC) Service Centre. The Department of Health is therefore not incurring any expense associated with the Covid Passport application service in 2023.
The HSE now have responsibility for data quality for vaccination and recovery test records to produce EU Digital Covid Certificates (DCC) and requests for DCCs are facilitated by the DCC Service Centre.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate is an EU-wide initiative designed to support safe and free movement across the EU. EU regulations require continued support and funding for systems to issue EU Digital Covid Certificates (DCC) until 30 June 2023.
587. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if the remains of aborted babies are currently being used in human medical research; if so, if he will provide details of this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9737/23]
View answerAs the Deputy’s question relates to a service area, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct response.
588. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list, in tabular form, of all informal and formal meetings or engagements held with groups or individuals by him or his Department on the subject of abortion exclusion zones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9738/23]
View answerSince the Minister's appointment the following meetings have taken place, between Department officials and the below listed groups in relation to the development of Safe Access Legislation.
|
Meeting held on the topic of Safe Access Zones for Termination of Pregnancy |
Date of Meeting |
|
Meeting with An Garda Síochána SAZ |
7th November 2022 |
|
Meeting with An Garda Síochána Safe Access Zones |
19th December 2022 |
|
Interdepartmental working group meeting, Safe Access Zones |
11th March 2022 |
|
Meeting with National Health Intelligence Unit (NHIU) HSE, Safe Access Zones |
13th January 2023 |
|
Joint Committee on Health met with DOH to consider the General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
19th October 2022 |
|
Joint Committee on Health met with DOH to consider the General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
18th January 2023 |
|
Interdepartmental Working Group Meeting Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services. |
22nd February 2022 |
|
Interdepartmental Working Group Meeting Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services. |
14th April 2022 |
|
Interdepartmental Working Group Meeting Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services. |
4th March 2022 |
|
Meeting with Department of Health (NI) Safe Access Zones |
12th January 2023 |
|
Meeting with Attorney General Health (Termination of Pregnancy) (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
5th October 2022 |
|
Meeting with Attorney General Health (Termination of Pregnancy) (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
1st November 2022 |
|
Meeting with Attorney General Health (Termination of Pregnancy) (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
2nd December 2022 |
|
Meeting with Attorney General Health (Termination of Pregnancy) (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
16th December 2022 |
|
Meeting with Attorney General Health (Termination of Pregnancy) (Safe Access Zones) Bill |
16th January 2023 |
589. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will arrange for the provision of the movement in the staff numbers employed in the public health service, including voluntary hospitals for grades of staff (details supplied) in each of the years 2018 to 2022, and to date in 2023, in view of the on-going public commentary on staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9739/23]
View answerThe HSE publish monthly workforce reports detailing staff numbers employed in the public health service which include absence, staff turnover and employment levels.
Please see link to these reports below;
www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/our-workforce/workforce-reporting/
With regards to specifics on staffing numbers I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
590. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of the 90 locations where a capital programme to replace, upgrade and refurbish care facilities (details supplied) is to be undertaken; the nature of the works involved; the timeframe involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9741/23]
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.
591. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the status of the appointment of a dialectical behavioural therapy team for the mid-west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9742/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
592. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter in relation to the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9752/23]
View answerAs the payment of pensions is an administrative matter for the Health Service Executive, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
593. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9774/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
594. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the operation of the Children’s Palliative Care Programme, including the number of children who have availed of the programme’s supports; if there are vacancies for the consultant post or clinical nurse co-ordinators at the present time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9775/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
595. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if orthodontic treatment can be offered to the son of a person (details supplied); the options that are available in this case, which cannot be dealt with under the schools programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9789/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
596. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the medicines that are in short supply at present; if he will give a list and breakdown of each product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9792/23]
View answerThe Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) publishes a list of medicines currently in short supply on its website with the reason for the shortage and expected dates for the return of supply. This information is dynamic and changes depending on the current information the HPRA has to hand, including removal from the list when a shortage has been resolved.
The list of shortages in tabular form is publicly available and can be found here: www.hpra.ie/homepage/medicines/medicines-information/medicines-shortages
597. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the measures his Department is taking to ensure our competitiveness in securing medicines that are in short supply at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9793/23]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that many of the recent medicine shortages were caused by an exceptional increase in demand for certain products to treat winter illnesses; in some cases this demand was two to three times greater than the same period in previous years. This demand was seen across Europe and indeed in other countries around the world.
The level of demand for products to treat winter illnesses has since levelled off and that problems with the supply of most of these products has eased somewhat.
To combat the recent supply issues, a number of initiatives were undertaken via the Medicines Shortages Framework, including extensive engagement with manufacturers to increase supply to Ireland, the provision of updated clinical guidance for prescribers, and the creation of a web page with up-to-date information on shortages and alternative products available.
My Department continues to work closely with the Health Products Regulatory Authority to ensure that the Medicines Shortages Framework is fully utilised to ensure that everything possible is done to mitigate against the impact of medicines shortages when they do occur.
It is important to highlight that in the case of medicines used most often in Ireland, there are typically multiple alternatives available from various sources that remain available to ensure continuity of treatment. For example, whilst one strength of ezetimibe (pronounced ezet-i-mibe, there is no phonetic emphasis anywhere in the word and no pauses between syllables) only containing medicines is currently in short supply, there are 49 ezetimibe products authorised by the HPRA that can be generically interchanged, and often without the need for prescriber involvement. Aa an additional example, whilst a nasal spray used to treat hay fever is short, there are multiple other non-prescription treatments for hay fever available.
My officials are looking at all ways in which we can be primed to adapt to medicines shortages when they do occur. This includes development of a framework to develop protocols on therapeutic alternatives for managing serious shortages as required.
The global nature of the medicine supply chain means a coordinated European approach is required to address shortages issues in the longer term. I support the current workstreams ongoing by the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency in this regard and Ireland is actively participating in this work.
In terms of competitiveness, I am satisfied that Ireland’s price offering for medicines is comparable with other European countries. Under the terms of the Framework Agreements which we have in place with manufacturers, list prices in Ireland are aligned with average prices in other EU States and any discounts achieved on these list prices are part and parcel of the Agreements between my Department, the HSE and industry.
598. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will follow up with the HSE to request that a reply is issued in relation to a representation made to it (details supplied). [9801/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
