Written Answers Nos. 1357-1371
1357. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will release correspondence he has received for 2023 relating to the operation of all facilities of an out-of-hours service (details supplied). [16388/23]
View answerPlease find enclosed correspondence received from the HSE in 2023 relating to the operation of SouthDoc out-of-hours facilities.
1358. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the cost of the phone service for a facility (details supplied) in 2022 and to date in 2023; and the costs paid out by the HSE for each facility in 2022 and to date in 2023. [16389/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1360. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the position of his Department regarding pay for those healthcare workers who contracted long-Covid and who have been and are still certified as medically unfit for work. [16395/23]
View answerFor certain employees who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a temporary scheme, specific to the public health service was introduced to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection.
The full details of the Scheme and associated criteria for eligibility is available to view online here www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-022-2022-temporary-scheme-of-paid-leave-for-public-health-service-employees-unfit-for-work-post-c-19-infection-updated.html
Employees who met the eligibility criteria for the Scheme transferred to the Scheme retrospectively from 1st July 2022.
For those who do not meet the criteria for the temporary Scheme but remain unwell, the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme may be utilised.
I understand that Minister Humphreys has committed to undertake a review in respect of the EU Health and Safety at Work Committee recommendation in respect of the possible recognition of Covid as occupational in nature, however the clinical understanding of long-Covid is still emerging.
I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to long-Covid and am committed to providing support.
1361. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to provide adequate resources for genetic services in CHI Crumlin; the steps he will take to reduce waiting lists for genetic testing in CHI Crumlin; when the National Testing Directory for genetics and genomics will begin its development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16397/23]
View answerThe Government and I are fully committed to improving genetics services in Ireland, including at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin. One of the key ambitions of the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetics and Genomics Medicine in Ireland, launched in December 2022, is to build a strong national genetics service. This will be a patient and family-centred service that can be accessed equitably across the country and across the lifespan of patients. In line with the principles of Sláintecare, we will continue to support the enhancement of genetic services across the Regional Health Areas (RHAs). This service will be supported by a National Office for Genetics and Genomics, who will work with RHAs to ensure the effective delivery of a national service at a local level.
The Strategy also outlines a plan to achieve this ambition by improving the evidence-base and infrastructure supporting genetic testing in Ireland. By the year end, the HSE will begin developing a National Testing Directory for genetics and genomics, which will map the current genetic tests conducted across Ireland and provide a more transparent process to referrals. This development, therefore, will be a key steppingstone to improving national genetic testing and ultimately help reduce wait time, including at key testing hospitals such as CHI Crumlin. The Strategy also outlines a plan to build a strong genetic workforce for the future. This will be achieved by not only recruiting new staff, but training and development for a future workforce, and professional development for current staff within the health service. To start implementing the Strategy in 2023, I approved €2.7 million including the appointment of key staff. These appointments included a National Director for Genetics and Genomics, a Bioinformatics Lab Director, two clinical genetic consultants and six genetic counsellors.
1362. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the number of Parkinson's disease nurse specialists working in neurology centres in Tipperary University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16402/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1363. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to ensure that appropriate funding is to be provided towards the employment of additional Parkinson's disease nurse specialists in neurology centres, and specifically in Tipperary University Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16403/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1364. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to transition the current Covid-19 vaccine roll-out programme from being administered at vaccine centres to being solely administered through pharmacies and GPs in order to best utilise the healthcare budget and staffing resources being used to run current vaccination centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16405/23]
View answerThe Covid Vaccination Programme is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The Committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation. The NIAC reviews all data relating to COVID-19 vaccination on a rolling basis and makes recommendations to my Department on vaccination policy.
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has written to the HSE to request that it operationalises the latest NIAC recommendations as soon as practicable. As we enter the fourth year of the pandemic it is necessary that the Vaccination Programme continues to transition towards a more sustainable model of vaccine delivery. The CMO has therefore also requested that the HSE take appropriate steps to ensure that the programme's capacity corresponds to the scale of vaccination recommended by the NIAC.
1365. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined and appropriate treatment expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16406/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1366. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive their pension increments; the reason former HSE staff are awaiting over a year for these increments to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16409/23]
View answerAs this is an administrative matter for the Health Service Executive, the HSE have been requested to respond directly to the Deputy.
1367. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health to outline where the two new roles, the national clinical lead for mental health and the assistant director for youth mental health, will fill into the structures of the HSE; if this can be provided in diagram form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16416/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1368. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health to outline the access criteria for someone to enter one of the three pilot projects for dual diagnosis; the capacity of each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16417/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1369. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of carcinogenic substances present in oranges (details supplied); the steps his Department intends to take to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16418/23]
View answerAs previously advised to the correspondent, in October 2022, my Department advised that the three substances mentioned in the correspondence, i.e., Imazalil, Pyrimethanil and Thiabendazole are all approved at EU level, having been assessed to ensure the use of these pesticides would not give rise to any unacceptable risks to humans, animals or to the environment.
Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 sets out maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticide residues in food to ensure that food products containing residues below these limits are safe for consumers. In Ireland, oranges and orange juice, amongst other commodities are sampled for pesticide residues as part of Ireland’s National Control Plan for Pesticides (NCPP). The NCPP is undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM’s) Pesticide Registration and Control Division (PRCD), with laboratory support provided by DAFM’s Pesticide Residues Laboratory. The reports from this programme are published annually.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), under the remit of my Department, is responsible for enforcing ‘food legislation’ across food businesses in Ireland, and it is dedicated to protecting public health and consumer interests in the area of food safety and hygiene.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has advised my Department that it has requested the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Pesticides Registration and Control Division to take targeted samples of oranges/juices from the juicing machines referred to in the correspondence, for analysis as part of the 2023 National Control Plan for Pesticides (NCPP).
1370. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Health what progress is being made with regards to reinstating public health nurse check-ups for infants and children in Newcastle, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16431/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
