Written Answers Nos. 1794-1808
1794. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he can report on the amount of revenue the HSE spent on the cross-Border directive for the CHO4 region for the year ending 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18314/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1795. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently expedite a surgical appointment for a person (details supplied). [18332/23]
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.
1796. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when the vaccination compensation scheme will be set up for those who have suffered adverse effects from the Covid vaccine and other vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18333/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, any patient concerned with any possible side-effects following their COVID-19 vaccination should, in the first instance, consult with their medical practitioner who can refer them as necessary to appropriate services following clinical assessment.
Additionally, it should be noted that COVID-19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. Any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
The HPRA is responsible for monitoring the safety and quality of all medicines including vaccines that are licensed in Ireland. The HPRA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) continually monitor adverse reactions to vaccination. The HPRA operates a national adverse reaction reporting system, to which members of the public and healthcare professionals are encouraged to submit any suspected adverse reactions to. All reports received by the HPRA are routinely transmitted to the EMA's adverse reaction database for inclusion in global signal detection and monitoring activities. The latest safety updates from the HPRA regarding COVID-19 vaccinations are available here: www.hpra.ie/homepage/medicines/covid-19-updates/covid-19-vaccine-communications
Regarding a vaccine damage compensation scheme, during the pandemic, all available Department of Health resources were devoted to the Public Health response, this has meant that work in this area could not be progressed. Further scoping work is required to inform decision-making in this area. This remains under consideration by my Department.
1797. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 844 of 31 March 2021, the progress of the vaccine injury compensation scheme for the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18337/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, any patient concerned with any possible side-effects following their COVID-19 vaccination should, in the first instance, consult with their medical practitioner who can refer them as necessary to appropriate services following clinical assessment.
Additionally, it should be noted that COVID-19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. Any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
The HPRA is responsible for monitoring the safety and quality of all medicines including vaccines that are licensed in Ireland. The HPRA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) continually monitor adverse reactions to vaccination. The HPRA operates a national adverse reaction reporting system, to which members of the public and healthcare professionals are encouraged to submit any suspected adverse reactions to. All reports received by the HPRA are routinely transmitted to the EMA's adverse reaction database for inclusion in global signal detection and monitoring activities. The latest safety updates from the HPRA regarding COVID-19 vaccinations are available here: www.hpra.ie/homepage/medicines/covid-19-updates/covid-19-vaccine-communications
Regarding a vaccine damage compensation scheme, during the pandemic, all available Department of Health resources were devoted to the Public Health response, this has meant that work in this area could not be progressed. Further scoping work is required to inform decision-making in this area. This remains under consideration by my Department.
1798. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will directly intervene in a case of a patient (details supplied) who has faced an extreme waiting time for routine surgery. [18341/23]
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.
1799. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a wheelchair will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18342/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1800. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health when HPV and cytology sample processing for CervicalCheck will be resumed in the Coombe Hospital. [18351/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1801. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on capital works on the Charlestown ETB building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16517/23]
View answerThe Charlestown Apprenticeship project is currently under review as part of the Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim Education and Training Board’s (MSLETB) wider estate strategy and apprenticeship regional provision in the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim areas. SOLAS continues to work closely with the senior management team in MSLETB to finalise the required provision as part of this strategy.
1802. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of staff within his Department who are based and working with the European Union in Brussels; their present roles and responsibilities; the posts and responsibilities presently vacant; the corresponding figures on 23 June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16561/23]
View answerMy Department has one member of staff working as Research and Innovation Attaché in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels. The officer represents Ireland at the Working Party on Research, which handles matters in the research and innovation area, including legislation prior to discussion at the Competitiveness Council meetings.
The working party mainly focuses on:
• European research framework programmes and other European research and innovation-related instruments
• European Research Area (ERA) and general framework conditions for European research
• International agreements in the area of research, science and technology
Additionally, the officer works closely with all teams within the Permanent Representation of Ireland in ensuring that they contribute to overall collective Ireland interests.
While the Education Attaché is a member of Department of Education, the officer also undertakes work on behalf of my Department. This post is a key position, particularly in light of the significantly increased profile of education and training issues in the EU’s European Education Area Initiative, EU Education and Training Strategy and European Semester process. The Attaché has involvement in education issues at all levels in which European policy co-operation is being developed and in Ireland’s participation in European Programmes, including Erasmus+, the European Social Fund, the European Globalisation Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative. In addition, the Attaché represents my Department on the Education committee, OECD Education Policy Committee in Paris and participates in related OECD activities, as necessary.
There are no corresponding figures for 2016, as my Department was recently established in 2020.
1803. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he intends to bring a proposal to Cabinet to reduce third-level fees as part of a sustainable funding model for higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16572/23]
View answerIn May 2022, I launched Funding the Future, a landmark funding and reform framework for higher education. I also set out my intention to advance a progressive range of measures to address cost as a barrier to education, in the context of overall budgetary decision-making.
The Government has now made important decisions about a sustainable model of funding for higher education into the future. Critically, we have definitively taken income contingent student loans off the table. We have instead chosen a mixed model of investment, which includes funding from the Exchequer, employers and from students.
I have been clear that I want to see the student's contribution toward tuition fees in higher education reduce in a meaningful way over the course of future budgets. . As part of Budget 2023, in addition to the once-off cost of living measures introduced, I was pleased to secure Government agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from September 2023. For students whose families have incomes between €62,000 and €100,000, there will be a new grant of €500 towards the undergraduate student contribution payable by free fees eligible undergraduate students. I am also increasing the income limit for students to avail of the 50% student contribution grant. These measures mean that 42,500 to 50,000 extra students may be eligible for additional help towards paying the undergraduate student contribution once these measures come into effect.
In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options in respect of reducing tuition fee or tuition fee contribution costs, when making proposals regarding student supports in the context of budget discussions later in the year.
1804. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans being developed to increase student accommodation units for the 2023/2024 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16573/23]
View answerI am actively working to address the supply of student accommodation. Increasing costs of construction and financing are impacting on viability, and as a result a number of Universities had to pause their projects. In responding to these challenges, on 29 November 2022, Government approved development of both short and medium term policy responses to activate supply.
These landmark policy responses being implemented under Government's Housing for All Strategy will see the State providing financial support for the construction of student accommodation, and underpin the policy commitments set out in Housing for All and the National Access Plan.
In the short term, Government has approved funding to support development of 1,065 beds for students of the University of Limerick, Dublin City University, Maynooth University and the University of Galway which have planning permission granted or at an imminent stage, but are stalled.
My Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) are actively working through the financial and governance due diligence process for these projects and have contracted Mazars to undertake a feasibility study on these projects, in line with the Public Spending Code.
In addition, the Department is working continuously with the Office of the Attorney General to address EU State Aid requirements.
My officials are also examining potential developments at UCD and TCD, and UCC also has proposals in development.
These proposals are in addition to the 1,806 student accommodation beds delivered in the last year, with a further 929 beds due to open in Cork and Galway before the start of the 2023/24 academic year. There are also 2,057 additional beds currently under construction through private purpose built developments which will be delivered in the short term.
In parallel, longer term policy development is being advanced to examine a broader range of methods to increase supply of student accommodation. Support of €1m is also being provided to our Technological Universities (TUs) to conduct a needs assessment and my Department is examining the development of a TU Borrowing Framework in conjunction with other Government Departments, as part of the range of student accommodation initiatives under way.
In addition to stimulating purpose built student accommodation by higher education institutions my Department is encouraging the bringing on stream of additional units through minor capital grants, promotion of digs accommodation and utilisation of the rent a room scheme.
The recent extension to the rent a room scheme means that income generated is disregarded for social welfare and student grant assessment purposes. Approval was also given to disregard this income for medical card assessment purposes and also to allow Local Authority tenants to access the scheme.
My officials and I are continuing to work alongside our Government colleagues to examine these range of measures to assist students with accommodation.
1805. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the proposal to establish a NFQ level 5 healthcare assistant apprenticeship, as outlined in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025; the engagements he has had with the HSE, Education and Training Boards and other stakeholders regarding this proposal; the timeline he is working towards; if he intends to pilot this apprenticeship first; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16591/23]
View answerA key commitment of the ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ is to grow the number of apprenticeship registrations across the public service, including local authorities, to reach 750 annual registrations by 2025. This represents a more than seven-fold increase on 2020 registrations and will support a long-term goal of 7% of the apprentice population being employed by public service employers.
At the end of 2022, of the total apprentice population of 26,109, there were approximately 320 apprentices registered with public service employers such as the Civil Service, the Defence Forces, and Local Authorities. These apprentices were registered across over 16 different apprenticeship programmes in areas as diverse as cyber-security, accounting technician, recruitment, heavy vehicle mechanics, and stone-cutting and stone-masonry. When commercial and non-commercial semi-state organisations are included, this number becomes 938 apprentices.
It is recognised that the diversity of the public service provides a wide basis for involvement with the range of existing apprenticeships and those programmes in development. Apprenticeship provides an opportunity to target and widen the recruitment pool for both generalist and specialist roles within the public service.
DFHERIS officials have undertaken a number of actions in order to make progress towards achieving this commitment: Several general and sector-focused information sessions on apprenticeship have been held. A Working Group has been established, representing Government Departments and agencies and local authorities, to develop a Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan by summer 2023. The Group’s work is based on surveying over 100 organisations in relation to their skills needs. More specifically, there has been extensive bilateral engagement with the HSE and Department of Health in relation to a commitment in the Action Plan to explore a healthcare assistant apprenticeship programme for the HSE and the options for how this might be piloted.
My officials have reached out to their counterparts in the Department of Health for the current position on development of this apprenticeship and they have advised as follows:
The HSE conducted a feasibility study on the creation of QQI level 5 Apprenticeship Model for Health Care Assistants (HCAs). A wide range of both internal and external stakeholders were interviewed. In total, 16 recommendations were proposed widely categorised under headings such as perception of role, attraction and retention, development of HCA, and the Apprenticeship programme.
Many stakeholders highlighted the benefits of introducing an apprenticeship programme mainly from the perspective of recruitment and retention, re-framing the role in public’s perception to position it as a career with a path to develop, and finally as a trial to start a trend for creating a range of apprenticeships within HSE. The study also acknowledged the operational challenges and difficulties linked with the creation of a new Apprenticeship Programme.
To date, the HSE has engaged with DFHERIS, DoH, NAO, QQI and SOLAS to have preliminary meetings to find out about the application and validation process for the apprenticeship programme. HSE is now preparing a business plan identifying resources required to implement a two-year pilot apprenticeship programme. This business plan will be submitted through Estimates process for 2024. Preparatory work of 12 to 14 months duration is required prior to implementing the two-year programme. This preparatory work can be completed only if the dedicated resources are prioritised within the estimates process for 2024.
1806. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what progress has been made on the access to public service pensions in some higher education institutions for researchers since March 2022, to give them equal status with their colleagues who can avail of this access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16610/23]
View answer1807. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the potential difficulties in the recruitment and maintaining of staff in the research area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16611/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1806 and 1807 together.
I am firmly of the view that there should be access to public service pensions for research staff in all higher education institutions across the sector.
In order to unify our approach to the treatment of Researcher grades, my Department has been engaging positively with management bodies, the Department for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Department of Education on a business case to support access to the single public service pension scheme for those researchers who are not currently able to join the scheme.
This is a complex matter and is admittedly taking some time to resolve, but I wish to assure the Deputy that officials are working to achieve a resolution as soon as possible.
1808. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what engagements he has had with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine education and training schemes for fishermen to allow for transferability of skipper licenses for use between the fishing and wind energy industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16705/23]
View answer1809. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what examinations education bodies in the State have carried out to introduce training and upskilling courses that would allow transferability of fishing skipper licences for use in the offshore wind energy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16706/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1808 and 1809 together.
The growth of offshore renewable energy is critical to meeting our climate action targets. The Government is committed to ensuring that the education and training system, including both higher and further education providers, is appropriately positioned to support the development of the skills required by this sector.
It is assumed that the reference to skippers is to the masters of fishing vessels. The education, training and certification schemes for fishers are conducted in accordance with the Certification of Seamen Act 1979 and the Fishing Vessels (Certification of Deck Officers and Engineer Officers) Regulations made under that Act. While the education, training and certification schemes for mercantile seafarers are conducted in accordance with the International Convention on the Standards of training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers which is implemented in Ireland by EU and national legislation. A separate certification scheme does not exist either nationally or internationally for vessels that are used in the offshore renewable energy (ORE) sector. Such vessels are considered to be mercantile vessels and are subject to compliance with the STCW Convention. The Department of Transport is the competent authority in relation to the licensing of ships to engage in commercial non fishing activities, related to renewable energy infrastructure or other commercial activities.
My Department is engaging with key interdepartmental stakeholders including colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Transport, around the transferability of skills in this sector. This includes examining potential training avenues which would allow fishers qualified to act as a skipper aboard a fishing vessel to upscale their qualification in order to allow them to transfer their skills to other maritime roles.
In addition, my Department is participating on the cross-Departmental Offshore Wind Energy Taskforce, with a focus on the workforce and skills required for offshore wind in Ireland. My Department, in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Greentech Skillnet, is leading an analysis of the skills and workforce requirements for offshore wind, through the preparation of a detailed skills assessment, and the establishment of an Expert Advisory Group. These actions will ensure that future output from the tertiary sector is aligned with projected workforce requirements, is regionally appropriate, and is informed by sectoral, Departmental and industry experts.
