Written Answers Nos. 465-473
465. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health the further qualifications a person (details supplied) needs to enable them to work in the health service, nursing homes and so on; and the cost for same. [23893/23]
View answerAll vacancies in the public health service are advertised online here https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs/
Ms Carnevali can utilise the 'job search' option to search for suitable vacancies.
Qualifications per vacancy differ, however the 'eligibility criteria' are also published at the link above and may be of assistance to Ms Carnevali in respect of role suitability.
466. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 28 March 2023, the rationale for reducing the stillbirth registration criteria from 24 weeks to 23 weeks and 500 grammes to 400 grammes; the standards that guide this practice here and abroad; if consideration was given to the possibility of allowing all stillbirths to be registered should the parents wish to do so; the range of factors to be considered in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23896/23]
View answerI am advised that in response to ongoing clinical advances in neonatal care, both nationally and internationally, the survival of premature infants born at 23-weeks gestation has improved. Increasingly, infants born at 23-weeks gestation are being offered resuscitation and neonatal intensive care. This is the experience both in Ireland and in other developed countries.
In that context, the HSE and the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland have produced a framework document in relation to the management of extreme pre-term birth. The framework document recommends that the threshold of foetal viability should be reduced from 24 weeks gestation to 23-weeks gestation. It replaces the previous consensus document from 2006 which stated that the threshold of fetal viability was 24-weeks gestation. This framework document has been published at the following link: perinatal-management-of-extreme-preterm-birth-at-the-threshold-of-viability.pdf (hse.ie)
Arising from this clinically informed reduction in the threshold of viability, and following engagement between my officials and the HSE, I accepted a recommendation that the definition of stillbirth, as used in the Civil Registration Act 2004, should be updated to reflect this lower threshold. As such, I am proposing to amend the definition of stillbirth to change the gestational age from 24 weeks to 23 weeks, along with a corresponding reduction in the existing weight criteria in the definition of stillbirth from 500 grammes to 400 grammes. The proposed amendment also includes an additional provision to enable the registration of children from multiple pregnancies (e.g. twins, triplets, etc) as stillborn in circumstances where they do not meet all of the clinical criteria of a stillborn child.
My officials are engaging with the Department of Social Protection to progress these legislative changes to ensure that the definition of stillbirth aligns with current clinical practice.
467. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23901/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
468. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 604 of 25 April 2023, the number of people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties under the care of the Cobh/Glenville and Midleton/Youghal adult mental health teams who have been transferred to continuing care or high-support hostels outside those HSE catchments since June 2021; the number of people in this cohort of service-users within those HSE catchments who have been transferred in the same timeframe to nursing homes, either within those HSE catchments or outside them; the reason that this information was not provided in the response to Parliamentary Question No. 604 of 25 April 2023, given that the respondent could obtain the information with ease by requesting it from the consultant psychiatrists on the two mental health teams under whose care the service-users in questions would have been, and given that similar information on the transfer of East Cork service-users was provided in response to previous Parliamentary Questions, and given its relevance to the broader impact of the decision by the HSE to close the Owenacurra Centre, Midleton, without providing interim residential service provision locally beyond a three-bedroom property that is yet to open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23917/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
469. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the primary care centre for Finglas, Dublin 11; the status of stage one preliminary design; if the legal process to transfer the land has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23936/23]
View answerFinglas has long been identified as a priority location for the development of a Primary Care Centre due to the population level, care requirements for the community and the HSE Sláintecare programme which will provide care for patients closer to their home.
The Finglas primary care centre is included in the capital programme 2023
A design team has been engaged for the project, the preliminary design (Stage 1) report is expected to be completed by end Q2 2023.
The Finglas Primary Care Centre will be located on a block of land between Cappagh Road, Cardiffsbridge Road, Wellmount Avenue and Fergal’s Lane. These lands offer an opportunity to provide and enhance facilities for the local community in Finglas.
The vision for the whole site is to provide:
• A new Church and parish centre
• Housing Provision
• New sporting facilities for the City of Dublin Education and Training Board and local school
• The New Primary Care Centre
Stakeholders involved include the Dublin Archdiocese, Dublin City Council, the HSE, the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, the local schools and the public.
Stakeholder engagement has led to agreements between Dublin City Council, the HSE and City of Dublin Education and Training Board on the preferred option for all parties in relation to access and land ownership.
The legal process to transfer the land is in progress and the HSE are engaging with all parties to complete the necessary property transactions. It is anticipated this process will be concluded in the second half of 2023, which will alllow further progress through design and planning stages of the project including the submission of a planning application in due course.
470. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if long-term illness card/full medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23997/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
471. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he intends to implement the 2020 Labour Court recommendations for adult education teachers; and if so, if he will provide a timeframe for its implementation. [23681/23]
View answerFollowing discussions between my Department, the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform a proposal in response to the recommendation of the Labour Court regarding adult education tutors was agreed. The proposal is to establish a grade of Adult Educator with a standardised pay scale aligned with the Youthreach Resource Person Scale. This grade will apply to tutors employed in ETBs to deliver FET programmes, who are currently employed under a variety of terms and conditions. The formal offer has issued to the Unions and there has been subsequent engagement on operational aspects of the offer. The provision of a pay scale will allow for incremental progression and a career path for tutors in the further education and training sector.
472. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a pathway for a student (details supplied) who has completed a University of Ulster Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling and who has been accepted onto the fourth year in IICP College Tallaght (1 year study, part-time) to complete an honours degree in counselling and psychotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23889/23]
View answerThe main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
At present, the student grant scheme is targeted at full-time students. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration, conducted online or as distance courses or which lead to a special purpose or distance award are not currently approved for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme.
Eligible candidates may receive funding under the Student Grant Scheme provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2023. Private colleges operated on a for-profit basis are not listed as approved institutions for student grant purposes.
A student attending a private college which is not listed in the Student Support Regulations 2023 would not be eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme 2023. However, it is open to course providers that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need. I would advise any student to make direct contact with the access office in the institution that they plan to attend to consider what supports may be available.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education, including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie .
473. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the estimated cost of developing the 400 remote working hubs and the requisite support services identified in Our Rural Future and for additional remote working hubs in each of the 31 local authority areas across the country in 2024. [23752/23]
View answerOur Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025.
In furtherance of this commitment, my Department’s focus to date has been on strategically developing the National Hub Network and the shared online booking platform connectedhubs.ie, adding capacity to Ireland's existing remote working infrastructure, and supporting the establishment of new hubs. Connectedhubs.ie was launched in May 2021.
To date, approximately €150m has been invested by my Department towards the establishment and development of remote working facilities through programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Successful projects are developed in collaboration with local authorities and communities, with many projects seeing vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages converted into remote working hubs.
This investment includes €14 million to almost 200 projects via the Connected Hubs fund between 2021 and 2022, enabling successful applicants to add additional capacity to existing remote working infrastructure in digital hubs and Broadband Connection Points throughout the country. For example Galway County Council received approximately €230,000 via the Connected Hubs 2021 call to further develop eight BCP facilities throughout their county. Under the 2022 Connected Hubs fund, Galway City Innovation District / The PorterShed received €75,000 in funding.
The connectedhubs.ie platform offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to members of the Network. There are currently 318 remote and co-working facilities across the country on-boarded to the connectedhubs.ie platform ands almost 12,00 registered customers. This number is growing all the time, meaning we are well on track to meet our target of 400 remote working hubs nationwide by 2025. The attached table provides a breakdown of the 318 hubs by county (including hubs that have been mapped and identified to join the network).
In addition, I have committed to funding the on-boarding and operational costs of the connectedhubs.ie platform for hubs across the country for the next 2 years. This is expected to cost in the region of €2.2m.
Following strong progress on the establishment phase of the project our focus has shifted to the next stage of development. To support the continued expansion of the network, in February 2022 I provided the Western Development Commission with additional funding of €250,000 to develop connnectedhubs.ie as a national brand. This money also funded a national promotional campaign which was launched in February 2022 to raise awareness of the Connected Hubs network to relevant stakeholders, including SMEs/business owners and new hub users.
In June 2022, I launched the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme, designed to encourage those who have never used a hub to do so. The Scheme also supported those that were considering spending more time each week using a hub, rather than working from home. As at Quarter 1 of 2023, the cost of vouchers, claimed directly by participating hubs was approximately €85,000. Since the launch of the Voucher Scheme, the number of customers registered with connectedhubs.ie has risen by some 550%.
Through the work of the Interdepartmental Steering Group for the National Hub Network, officials are now working on a new strategy for the development of the network. This strategy will, inter alia, examine the most appropriate and effective approach to funding for the hub network in the coming years to ensure that value for money continues to be delivered.
TABLE 1 – Connectedhubs.ie - Remote Working Hubs by County
(as of the 15th of May 2023)
|
Live on the connectedhubs.ie platform |
Mapped to be invited to join the connectedhubs.ie platform |
Total |
|
|
Carlow |
5 |
8 |
13 |
|
Cavan |
8 |
7 |
15 |
|
Clare |
13 |
10 |
23 |
|
Cork |
31 |
19 |
50 |
|
Donegal |
18 |
16 |
34 |
|
Dublin |
46 |
37 |
83 |
|
Galway |
26 |
30 |
56 |
|
Kerry |
20 |
8 |
28 |
|
Kildare |
9 |
5 |
14 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
7 |
10 |
|
Laois |
4 |
8 |
12 |
|
Leitrim |
9 |
18 |
27 |
|
Limerick |
13 |
14 |
27 |
|
Longford |
5 |
5 |
10 |
|
Louth |
8 |
9 |
17 |
|
Mayo |
22 |
19 |
41 |
|
Meath |
6 |
19 |
25 |
|
Monaghan |
8 |
12 |
20 |
|
Offaly |
8 |
10 |
18 |
|
Roscommon |
8 |
15 |
23 |
|
Sligo |
6 |
8 |
14 |
|
Tipperary |
12 |
22 |
34 |
|
Waterford |
8 |
10 |
18 |
|
Westmeath |
4 |
9 |
13 |
|
Wexford |
10 |
7 |
17 |
|
Wicklow |
8 |
3 |
11 |
|
Total |
318 |
335 |
653 |
