Written Answers Nos. 105-120
105. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what compensation is being paid to an entity (details supplied) for the provision of accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17616/23]
View answerIreland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge from the invasion of Ukraine, including 80,000 people, of which over 59,000 have sought State-funded accommodation.
Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, my Department has contracted in excess of 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. Local Authorities are key partners in several elements of our work, and I take this opportunity to express my appreciation and thanks to them.
My Department has paid a total of €870,087.95 to Mayo County Council to date, for provision of emergency accommodation and related expenses in respect of Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection for the period August to October 2022.
106. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to make the case for the waiving of passport application fees for children in foster care under the aegis of Tusla, given the fact that such fees are not routinely automatically reimbursed to foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18443/23]
View answerThe issue of passport application fees falls within the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs. In relation to children in foster care requiring passports, Section 18(4) of the Child Care Act 1991 states that “Any consent given by Tusla in accordance with this section shall be sufficient authority for the carrying out of a medical or psychiatric examination or assessment. The provision of medical or psychiatric treatment, the issue of a passport or the provision of passport facilities, as the case may be.”
I have been informed that when a child in care requires a passport, Tusla follows a clear process to ensure that the correct consent is in place and that the passport application is made in a timely manner. The legal status of the child in care determines the approach taken by the social worker.
The Deputy may be aware that Tusla’s Strategic Plan for Foster Care Services for Children and Young People 2022-2025 contains a commitment for Tusla to complete a review and alignment of standard business processes and procedures within Tusla to ensure that all children and young people in care and foster carers have the same experience in relation to access, allowances information, communication and decision-making. This Tusla commitment, due for completion in Q3 of 2023, includes the processes in respect of applications for passports for children and young people in care.
I have previously assured the House that I will continue to work with Tusla, with my Government colleagues, and any other relevant stakeholders going forward, seeking to review and improve the suite of supports available to foster carers. It is in this context that I will, in conjunction with Tusla, review the situation relating to passport fees for children in care, and if necessary, I will consider engaging with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs in this regard.
107. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of assessment of need complaints received to disability services in 2022; the number of those complaints dealt with within a 30-day timeframe; the average number of days taken to close out a complaint in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18469/23]
View answerAs this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
108. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current vacancies within the children’s disability network teams in New Ross, County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18521/23]
View answer109. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current number of children awaiting an assessment of needs with the children’s disability network teams in New Ross, County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18522/23]
View answer110. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of children on a wait list for services with the children’s disability network teams in New Ross, County Wexford; the average wait times for children to access services with the CDNT in New Ross; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18523/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 108 to 110, inclusive, together.
As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
111. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will actively engage with the relevant educational bodies to examine the training and scope of all work carried out by auxiliary dental workers, that is dental technicians and clinical dental technicians, with a view to expanding the range of direct services to the public, without the necessity of having to see a dentist first as is currently the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18361/23]
View answer112. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will actively engage with the relevant educational bodies to conduct a review of how undergraduate education programmes can best support the Smile Agus Sláinte policy, in particular in regards to the provision of care to vulnerable groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18362/23]
View answer113. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the reintroduction of a foundation training scheme (details supplied) to facilitate new dental school graduates in gaining experience in a mentored environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18367/23]
View answer114. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what action his Department is taking to broaden the range of dental specialities in Ireland through appropriate educational pathways to include a broader range of dental specialities particularly in areas such as disability and paediatrics, wherein any new scope of practice or expanded roles would be properly regulated by the Dental Council with mandatory registration for these professionals, in view that there are currently just two recognised dental specialities in Ireland, orthodontics and oral surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18368/23]
View answer129. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will actively engage with the relevant authorities to evaluate the scope of primary care practice in supporting the implementation of Smile Agus Sláinte Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18378/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 111 to 114, inclusive, and 129 together.
The National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte, sets out a new model of oral healthcare delivery. This policy focuses on a primary oral healthcare approach that will enable greater access to care by examining the training, roles and regulation of dental health professionals. There will be a particular focus on improved oral healthcare services for all vulnerable groups, including people in nursing and residential homes
Undergraduate dental education will need to be realigned with the Policy by placing primary oral healthcare at its centre. The primary oral healthcare approach represents a significant change which requires an education system, both at undergraduate and graduate level, to ensure that the profession can respond to the oral healthcare needs of the whole population. In addition, ensuring that a sufficient breadth of skills is maintained in the profession will enable it to be flexible and responsive as the population’s oral health needs change
In line with the Sláintecare implementation plan and the primary oral healthcare approach, a focused programme, led by the Dental Council, will be required in order to reassess auxiliary dental workers’ scope of practice. This programme will consider enabling the public to have direct access to additional auxiliary dental workers, where possible. Currently, once provision of oral healthcare services directly to a patient is involved, oral healthcare professionals generally fall into the compulsory registration category. Any potential risks to the public of implementing a triage system have to be considered and regulated accordingly. Nonetheless, such a system would ensure improved access for the public overall.
115. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if financial support for current trainee counselling psychologists in first and second year will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18409/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, €750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training.
I am focussed on supporting counselling psychology students in an equitable way and that delivers value for money. The structure of this funding is currently being finalised by officials in the Department. The approach will be based on best practice and knowledge gained from other health and social care funded training models.
Further detailed discussions are now taking place between the Department and HSE to progress this. I hope to be in a position to announce the details shortly for academic year 2023-2024.
116. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the action he will take to tackle the waiting lists in the primary care service for children's disability services for example, psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy in the north Dublin area CHO9; the length of the waiting lists for these services in the primary care service; his advice for parents who may be waiting upwards of three years for an initial appointment; his plans to shorten these wait times to ensure children are assessed in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18449/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
117. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1374 of 18 January 2023, if there is a timeline for completion for the development of a Helipad in CUH or any further update; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18357/23]
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.
118. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if resources are in place to provide a primary healthcare centre in Collinstown, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; if he will provide an update on the provision of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18358/23]
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.
119. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the status of the disposal of land to provide a primary healthcare centre in Collinstown, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18359/23]
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.
120. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to updating the Dental Council’s ‘Register of Dentists’ as recommended by a report (details supplied), to include information such as location, services provided, and hours worked, wherein this would provide a reliable overview of the number and availability of practising dentists in the country and allow an informed assessment to feed into workforce planning for the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18369/23]
View answerThe Dental Council, under the Dentists Act 1985, establishes and maintains registers relating to dentistry, namely:
• Register of Dentists
• Register of Dental Specialists
• Register of Hygienists
• Register of Dental Nurses
• Register of Clinical Dental Technicians
The Department’s National Oral Health Policy acknowledged that a key challenge when assessing the future workforce requirements for oral healthcare service provision was the lack of relevant information available including a lack of insight into the characteristics and volume of the services to be provided.
It is useful that the population has access to information about services provided by oral healthcare professionals. This will initially require the creation of a database of workforce and practice services. In future, aligned with policy, the register maintained by the Dental Council would seem to be the best place to capture some of this information. As the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy progresses this process will commence, and the Department will be working with stakeholders including the Dental Council to support this process.
