Written Answers Nos. 271-290
271. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the OECD review of Ireland’s skills planning and development will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10663/23]
View answerIn line with commitments in the National Economic Recovery Plan, my Department has undertaken the OECD’s Ireland Skills Strategy Review that is on track to be completed in 2023.
The review focuses on an examination of National Skills Strategy and Ireland’s skills approaches in order to ensure that we have a solid foundation on which to build our competitiveness and support economic and social sustainability into the future.
There are four stages:
1. Scoping – Mapping and Engagement (Q4 2021 – Q1 2022 - complete)
2. Assessment - (Q2 2022 – complete);
3. Recommendations – (Q3-Q1 2023 – nearing completion);
4. Publication of Final Report – (Q2 2023).
We are currently in the final stages of the review and on track to conclude with the Final Report expected to be published in May 2023.
Consultations with the OECD and key stakeholders developed four priority areas for the OECD’s Ireland Skills Strategy Review. The priority areas act as an overarching guiding framework for the project:
1. Securing balance in skills through a responsive and diversified supply of skills - assessing how responsiveness of the tertiary education system to current and future labour market needs could be improved and how to effectively respond to the increased demand for higher-level skills, including by analysing talent pipelines, and reviewing policies to attract and retain foreign talent.
2. Fostering greater participation in lifelong learning in and outside of the workplace – assessing improved access to lifelong learning opportunities for all adults, raising awareness of the benefits of learning and embedding lifelong learning as a core part of business activities.
3. Leveraging skills to drive innovation and strengthen the performance of firms – examining how Ireland’s skills strategies, policies and architecture are being leveraged for innovation and firms’ performance, including through innovation, research and development, and via linkages between education and training providers, research institutes, and business.
4. Strengthening the governance across a joined up skills ecosystem – ensuring that Ireland’s skills entities have effective governance structures and are joined up, responsive and agile.
272. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he will publish the Research and Development Budget 2021-2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10686/23]
View answerThe Research and Development Budget Survey 2021–2022 is currently being finalised by members of my staff and will be published on the departmental website shortly.
273. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline a timeframe for the publication of the OECD Review of Ireland's skill strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10724/23]
View answerIn line with commitments in the National Economic Recovery Plan, my Department has undertaken the OECD’s Ireland Skills Strategy Review that is on track to be completed in 2023.
The review focuses on an examination of National Skills Strategy and Ireland’s skills approaches in order to ensure that we have a solid foundation on which to build our competitiveness and support economic and social sustainability into the future.
There are four stages:
1. Scoping – Mapping and Engagement (Q4 2021 – Q1 2022 - complete)
2. Assessment - (Q2 2022 – complete);
3. Recommendations – (Q3-Q1 2023 – nearing completion);
4. Publication of Final Report – (Q2 2023).
We are currently in the final stages of the review and on track to conclude with the Final Report expected to be published in May 2023.
Consultations with the OECD and key stakeholders developed four priority areas for the OECD’s Ireland Skills Strategy Review. The priority areas act as an overarching guiding framework for the project:
1. Securing balance in skills through a responsive and diversified supply of skills - assessing how responsiveness of the tertiary education system to current and future labour market needs could be improved and how to effectively respond to the increased demand for higher-level skills, including by analysing talent pipelines, and reviewing policies to attract and retain foreign talent.
2. Fostering greater participation in lifelong learning in and outside of the workplace – assessing improved access to lifelong learning opportunities for all adults, raising awareness of the benefits of learning and embedding lifelong learning as a core part of business activities.
3. Leveraging skills to drive innovation and strengthen the performance of firms – examining how Ireland’s skills strategies, policies and architecture are being leveraged for innovation and firms’ performance, including through innovation, research and development, and via linkages between education and training providers, research institutes, and business.
4. Strengthening the governance across a joined up skills ecosystem – ensuring that Ireland’s skills entities have effective governance structures and are joined up, responsive and agile.
274. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice if he will advise and assist with an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10627/23]
View answerAn application for the person referred to by the Deputy was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 05 May 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue.
The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether it is a single or family application, the supporting documentation and the vetting process with An Garda Síochána (AGS). Applications where there is an existing deportation order will require additional processing.
Each application received is assessed individually in accordance with the published criteria, available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Undocumented-Policy-Scheme-January-2022.pdf
Where an application under the scheme is approved the applicant will receive a decision letter from the Immigration Services of my Department , granting them a Stamp 4 Immigration permission for two years which is renewable subject to conditions.
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 INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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.
275. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice the status of an application for citizenship for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10662/23]
View answerThe naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It will be submitted to me for decision in due course.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
The median processing time for applications now currently stands at 19 months. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
However, 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.
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: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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.
276. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice if applications are being accepted from prisoners serving sentences in the UK for transfer to serve the remainder of their sentences in Ireland; if this includes those serving sentences in Northern Ireland; the steps being put in place to speed up these transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10741/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons provides the current mechanism through which a person may seek a transfer of their prison sentence between Ireland and the UK. The legislative basis for these transfers is the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act 1995 (as amended).
I am advised by officials in the Irish Prison Service, who are the competent body for the administration of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts, that applications from prisoners incarcerated in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland are being accepted. My officials are currently considering 13 such applications, (7 from Britain and 6 from NI) in accordance with the provisions of the Acts.
The Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Act 2023 was signed into law on 1 March. Alongside transposing EU Framework Decision 2008/909 in respect of intra-EU prisoner transfers, it also significantly amends the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts in respect of transfers under the Convention. When commenced, these amendments will address legal issues arising with inward transfers in particular and will further facilitate the completion of such transfers.
The Deputy will appreciate that applications of this nature are complex and require legal assessment on a case-by-case basis. All such requests are decided upon following preparation of reports from several agencies, and require the consent of all three parties (the person, the sentencing state and the administering state) to proceed. The Convention does not confer an automatic right to transfer, nor does it impose an obligation on either state to agree to a transfer request.
I am assured that the applications are receiving the necessary attention and are being progressed as quickly as possible.
277. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice if he will consider an independent review of the role and powers of the Data Protection Commission, and of how best to strengthen and reform the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10750/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to ‘recognise the domestic and international importance of data protection in Ireland’ and states that the Government ‘will ensure that Ireland delivers on its responsibilities under the General Data Protection Regulation’.
The Government is very conscious of the commitment to deliver effective data protection regulation and protection of the data privacy rights of EU citizens, which is critical to the development and growth of our digital economy. My Department’s role is to ensure that the Data Protection Commission continues to have the resources required to fulfil its important, statutory obligations.
In line with this commitment, on 27 July 2022, Minister McEntee announced that the Government had approved commencement of the process to appoint two additional Commissioners to support the evolving organisational structure, governance and business needs of the Data Protection Commission.
At the time, Minister McEntee also asked the DPC to undertake a review of governance structures, staffing arrangements and processes. This review is being carried out to support the work to be performed by the new three person Commission model. The review is ongoing.
278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if an application for citizenship is current in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10785/23]
View answerThere is no citizenship application awaiting processing by my Department for the person referred to by the Deputy.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, and all applications are processed in line with the eligibility criteria as set out under the Act. 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.
Applicants are required to have 5 years reckonable residence in the State prior to making an application, except for spouses of Irish nationals where the requirement is 3 years. In both cases, the final 12 months must be continuous residence in the State with up to 6 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 Irish Immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/
279. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current position in regard to the determination of eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10786/23]
View answerThe Citizenship Division of my Department wrote to the applicant referred to by the Deputy on the 30 January 2023 setting out the current status of the application and requested documentary evidence in relation to matters outstanding.
Upon receipt of this documentation processing of the application will recommence, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
The median processing time for applications now currently stands at 19 months. I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
However, 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.
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: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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.
280. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when a response might be expected in respect of an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10790/23]
View answerAn application by the person concerned for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants scheme was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 04 March 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue.
The processing times of applications will vary depending on the complexity of the application, whether it is a single or family application, the supporting documentation and the vetting process with An Garda Síochána (AGS). Applications where there is an existing deportation order will require additional processing.
Each application received is assessed individually in accordance with the published criteria, available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Undocumented-Policy-Scheme-January-2022.pdf
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 INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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.
281. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current and expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10791/23]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy is registered on a Stamp 3 immigration permission until 13 November 2023.
It is open to the person concerned to apply for a change of immigration status if they meet the criteria for doing so. Further information on the criteria for changing immigration permission, including instructions on how to change permission are available on the Immigration Service website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/my-situation-has-changed-since-i-arrived-in-ireland/
It is also open to the person concerned to seek an employment permit from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), should they wish to take up employment in the State. Further information on employment permits is available on the DETE website at: www.enterprise.gov.ie.
If the person is successful in obtaining an employment permit, they may then apply to the Immigration Service of my Department for a change of status from a Stamp 3 immigration permission to a Stamp 1 employment permission.
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 INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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.
282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10793/23]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy has no valid immigration permission to remain in the State, as their previous immigration permission expired over 6 years ago.
It is important that persons keep their immigration permission up to date if they wish to continue to reside in the State. Where a person remains resident in the State without an immigration permission, I encourage them to contact the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or their local immigration office and to take all the appropriate steps to regularise their status.
Any application submitted should explain their current circumstances and future intentions in the State and provide any documentation they feel will support their application.
In all cases, people must engage with the authorities if they wish to be permitted to remain here legally.
The Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) examines each application to remain in the State on a case-by-case basis and has consistently urged anyone in this position to come forward if they wish to apply to regularise their immigration position in the State.
283. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the reason proof of payment for procedures through the cross-border directive has to be provided to the cross-border office to secure reimbursement (details supplied). [10600/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
284. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the implementation of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10602/23]
View answerThe Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill is being drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and is prioritised for publication in the current session.
285. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the current staff vacancies and the length of time those vacancies have existed in each of the different CDNTs in CHO 7; the steps that are being taken to retain staff and to recruit staff for existing or expected vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10607/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
286. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if a child on a waiting list for services at one CDNT can move on the list to another adjacent CDNT; if they can, if their time on the waiting list will be taken into account or whether they will be put at the end of the waiting list. [10608/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
287. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive their cataract surgery. [10612/23]
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.
288. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will outline plans for a facility (details supplied). [10618/23]
View answerA HSE review of the possible future use of the former St Brigid’s Nursing Home, Crooksling was undertaken which determined that the site was no longer required for healthcare provision.
Options regarding the future use of the former St Brigid’s, Nursing Home, Crooksling continue to be evaluated by relevant Government Departments, including possible use as accommodation in response to the Ukraine humanitarian crisis.
My Department and the HSE have engaged with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) over the course of 2022 and this year in relation to the sourcing of properties which may be suitable for use in providing accommodation for refugees. As part of this engagement, the Department of Health has provided to DCEDIY a comprehensive overview of those properties currently owned by the HSE, and surplus to health service requirements, which may be suitable for the provision of accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. Some 300 properties, including Crooksling, were identified in the overview and details of these properties were provided to DCEDIY in 2022.
Engagement on this work is ongoing in 2023 and I, my Department and the HSE will continue to contribute to the to the all of Government approach to the Ukrainian response.
289. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the reason for the excess mortality rates reported recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10622/23]
View answerThe Department of Health does not produce estimates of excess mortality. However, the Department works closely with the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and other stakeholders to monitor estimates of excess mortality.
Excess mortality refers to the number of deaths from all causes during a period of time above and beyond what we would have normally expected to see.
The Department closely monitors estimates of excess mortality which are published by a range of different sources. A number of different methodologies have been developed by organisations and academics nationally and internationally to try to estimate levels of excess mortality and it should be noted that estimation methods vary widely, for example in the years used to estimate a baseline, how they estimate what are ‘expected’ deaths, the data source used for ‘actual deaths’ and whether statistical significance tests are applied. There is therefore no single source of data on estimated excess mortality.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has monitored excess mortality in Ireland since 2009, using registered deaths data reported to HPSC on a daily basis from the General Register Office (GRO). HPSC continues to participate in EuroMOMO for Ireland, a European mortality monitoring activity, aiming to detect and measure excess deaths related to seasonal influenza, pandemics and other public health threats. The HPSC provide an update on estimated excess mortality in their Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report.
The latest analysis of all registered deaths in Ireland up to 19 February 2023, using the standardised EuroMOMO algorithm has shown the following statistically significant excess mortality in December 2022 and January 2023:
- Excess Pneumonia and Influenza mortality over four consecutive weeks (weeks 51 2022-2 2023), reaching moderate levels during week 52 2022 and week 1 2023.
- Low level excess all-cause mortality in all ages over three consecutive weeks (weeks 51 2022–week 1 2023).
- Excess all-cause mortality in the 65-year age group over five consecutive weeks (weeks 50 2022-2 2023), reaching moderate levels during week 52 2022.
- Excess all-cause mortality in the 75-84-year age group over six consecutive weeks (weeks 49 2022-2 2023), reaching moderate levels during weeks 51 and 52 2022.
- Low level excess all-cause mortality in the 85-year age group over three consecutive weeks (weeks 51 2022-week 1 2023)
These data are provisional due to the time lag with death registrations in Ireland. This means data on excess mortality in recent months will continue to be updated as additional information becomes available. A country-specific adjustment function was applied to correct for the typical lag in registrations of deaths in Ireland (the legal period for death registration in Ireland is three months). Nonetheless, estimates of excess mortality for the most recent weeks are reported with some uncertainty and should be interpreted with caution.
HPSC anticipates that when further deaths are registered over the coming weeks, additional excess mortality for the 2022/2023 winter period will be observed. It is likely that this excess mortality will be observed for at least a 6-week period in December 2022 and January 2023.
It is important to note that excess mortality has been observed during previous periods when influenza viruses circulated at high levels in Ireland, for example in winter 2017/2018 which has previously been characterised as a severe flu season, and during certain periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As we have experienced a winter of high levels of influenza cases and hospitalisations, it would not be unexpected to see excess mortality. Influenza activity was at very high levels in Ireland during December 2022 and early/mid-January 2023, with a high number of influenza hospitalisations reported. Other important factors that may impact excess mortality include the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, circulation of other respiratory viruses, impacts of cold weather, and an ageing population.
Excess mortality has also been observed in other European countries over the course of winter 2022/2023. In Europe, the overall pooled EuroMOMO estimates of all-cause excess mortality in all age groups for the participating European countries have shown elevated mortality in all age groups for late 2022/early 2023 with excess mortality declining recent weeks.
Separately, Eurostat publishes monthly estimates of excess mortality for EU (and some non-EU) countries. This data only incudes excess mortality estimates from January 2020 onwards. Eurostat use the following methodology, ‘The excess mortality indicator simply takes the number of people who died from any cause, in a given period, and compares it with a historical baseline from previous years in a period which was not affected by the pandemic. In this case, the baseline consists of the average number of deaths that occurred in each month during the period 2016-2019’. The methodology does not require a statistically significant difference to report excess deaths.
In relation to data for Ireland, it is important to note that data from 2020 onwards is provided by the CSO based on a web-scraped series from rip.ie. The comparison baseline (2016-2019) is built using official data on registered deaths. Caution is required in interpreting this indicator.
The latest data published by Eurostat (published 17 February 2023), refers to deaths in December 2022. Eurostat estimates that the EU (25) experienced additional deaths of 19% above baseline. It is estimated that Ireland experienced 25.4% additional deaths. Across Europe, the countries with the highest estimated additional deaths in December were Iceland (43.1%), Germany (37.3%) and Austria (27.4%).
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) publishes official statistics on mortality in Ireland and publishes quarterly and yearly statistics on registered deaths through their Vital Statistics publications. The latest published data is for Quarter 2 2022 and data is provisional. Provisional data for deaths registered in Quarter 3 2022 will be published in March and for deaths registered in Quarter 4 2022 in June. This will include data on cause of death and allow more detailed analysis of mortality trends in this period.
The Department of Health is actively monitoring and reviewing all available data on mortality as it becomes available.
290. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with Kerry addresses waiting for consultation for cataracts; the number of persons with Kerry addresses waiting to have a cataract removed following on from having met a consultant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10625/23]
View answerIt is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures were too long before and have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals are still impacted by operational challenges arising from the pandemic and the current pressures on Emergency Departments.
The Health Service Executive (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 set targets to reduce both the number of people waiting for care and the length of time they are waiting. Positive progress was made in 2022 in relation to both targets, despite negative impacts throughout the year on scheduled care from continued COVID-19 surges, emergency department pressures and other operational factors, including staff hiring. In 2022, there were c.1.56m patients removed from the Waiting list and c.1.53m patients added to the waiting list – a net reduction of c.30k (4%). Long waiters were significantly reduced in 2022: the number of patients exceeding the 18-month maximum wait time target for new outpatient (OPD) appointments target decreased by c.59.0k (38.5%) and the number of patients exceeding the 12-month maximum wait time target for in-patient day case (IPDC) procedures and GI Scopes has decreased by c3.8k (22.6%) and c.3.5k (86.5%) respectively.
Through the 2022 Plan, €350m funding was allocated to the HSE and the NTPF to provide additional public and private activity to reduce the waiting list backlogs that were exacerbated during the Pandemic, but also as the first stage of an ambitious multi annual approach, to lay the foundations for important reforms that will deliver sustained reductions in waiting lists.
For 2023, funding of €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists, some €360m of which is targeted at acute hospital waiting lists. The plan to utilise this part of the funding is being developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE and NTPF. This will include details of new capacity planned for 2023 as well as important reforms that will improve capacity in the public hospital system.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, the NTPF have provided the attached information to my Department which outlines the number of Kerry residents on the Outpatient (OPD) waiting list for Ophthalmology and on the Inpatient-Daycase (IPDC) waiting list for cataract surgery. The NTPF have advised that the outpatient waiting list only goes to specialty level, so patients waiting for an outpatient consultation for cataracts would be included in the OPD waiting list for Ophthalmology.
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Please Note: OP only goes to specialty level, so Ophthalmology in this instance. |
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Number of patients waiting for Ophthalmology, Outpatient (OPD) by Area of Residence, Kerry as at 26/01/2023 |
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|
Time Band (Months) |
0-6 Mths |
6-12 Mths |
12-18 Mths |
18+ Mths |
Grand Total |
|
OP Ophthalmology - Kerry Residents |
287 |
185 |
98 |
267 |
837 |
|
Total |
287 |
185 |
98 |
267 |
837 |
|
Number of patients waiting for Cataract surgery, Inpatient-Daycase (IPDC by Area of Residence, Kerry as at 26/01/2023 |
|||
|
Time Band (Months) |
0-6 Mths |
6-12 Mths |
Grand Total |
|
IPDC Cataracts - Kerry Residents |
70 |
53 |
123 |
|
Total |
70 |
53 |
123 |
