Written Answers Nos. 1094-1109
1095. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of WTE allocations for the north Tipperary and Clonmel children's disability network teams; the number of WTE posts vacant on 6 June 2023, broken down by discipline, in tabular form; and the current caseload for these teams. [28448/23]
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.
1096. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what stage the ECCE programme review is at; when he expects the review to be completed; if the recommendations of this review will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28506/23]
View answer1097. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the review of the ECCE scheme is considering increasing the number of entry points into the ECCE scheme from one to two, or one to three; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28509/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1096 and 1097 together.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is a free universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. It provides children with their first formal experience of early learning prior to commencing primary school. The programme is provided for three hours per day, five days per week over 38 weeks per year and the programme year runs from September to June each year.
Any change to the design features of the ECCE programme such as the entry points to the scheme or age requirements require a thorough review of the evidence available and consultation with the children, parents and preschool providers affected by this proposed change. To this end, I have appointed Stranmillis University College, Belfast to undertake an independent review of the ECCE programme. The review will assess whether the ECCE Programme is meeting its core objectives and will identify any changes or improvements that can be made to the Programme, based on international evidence and experience to date. The ECCE Review is considering in detail the age requirements and number of entry points to the scheme.
The stakeholder consultation phase of the ECCE Review is currently underway, after this point will come the report writing phase. The final report is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. I will then consider the review fully and consider any policy changes that may need to be made to the programme. I would expect publication of the full report to follow.
1098. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to review the case of a young person unable to access disability services (details supplied). [28585/23]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1099. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to ensure that a child with additional needs (details supplied) will be provided with the necessary supports to attend school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28586/23]
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.
1100. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will engage with the Minister for Transport concerning the assignment of bus stops and the timetable on the 232 bus service in County Cork to enable this new service accommodate the needs of users with disabilities, especially those attending local day services and training centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28587/23]
View answerThe National Transport Authority (NTA), under the aegis of the Department of Transport, has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. I do not have any role or function in relation to the provision of this service.
1101. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the extent of the use of lean management systems in the health service to make it more efficient and effective for staff and patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27051/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1102. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on the development of the Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill 2017 which is currently being led by his Department; and the reason this is not being developed by the Department, given that adult safeguarding is much broader than health and requires a cross-departmental and inter-agency approach, as well as a whole of society approach. [27053/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for clarifying through her office that the question relates to the anticipated Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill and the reason this Bill is being developed by my Department.
I refer the Deputy to a previous reply in relation to this matter, in response to Parliamentary Question 27019 answered on 1 June 2023. The position is unchanged.
1103. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if the Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill 2017 will provide for the establishment of an independent national adult safeguarding authority with an interagency structure, overarching responsibility for safeguarding and clearly defined statutory powers. [27054/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for clarifying through her office that the question relates to the anticipated Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill.
I and my Department take the risk of abuse of vulnerable adults in healthcare and social care contexts very seriously. In the health and social care sector, various structures and processes, including legislative and policy measures, are available to protect against abuse and ensure prompt action.
To further strengthen the existing framework for the sector under my Department's remit, my Department is developing an overarching national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector. To facilitate the development of appropriate legislation to underpin this policy, subject to its approval by the Government, the Government has included a Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill in its current Legislation Programme. The Bill’s provisions will be focused on adult safeguarding where health and social care services are provided.
Adult safeguarding is much broader than the health and social care sector. It is an important matter for all sectors, society as a whole, all agencies and all Government Departments. While every sector has specific safeguarding responsibilities for adults at risk within their remit, currently no one Department has an assigned lead or coordinating cross-sectoral role. Consideration of any proposals for national structures, such as a national adult safeguarding authority, would be a matter for consideration across all sectors and Departments and for decision by the Government.
Separately from my Department's policy development work specifically in relation to the health and social care sector, the Law Reform Commission is preparing a major report on A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding, that is expected to inform future policy and legislation on adult safeguarding across all sectors. Upon completion of the Commission’s report, I expect that relevant Departments will consider any recommendations the Commission may make regarding legislation relevant to their Departments’ functions and any recommendations it may make in relation to cross-departmental, cross-sectoral, inter-agency or whole of society approaches.
1104. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the progress that has been made to date in developing the project of a new paediatric department in Cork University Hospital; the work that will be undertaken in relation to this project in the remainder of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27062/23]
View answerThe Paediatric Department in Cork University Hospital (CUH) provides a comprehensive service for children from general paediatric care up to and including High Dependency Unit requirements. A multi-phase programme of capital investment is underway in CUH to modernise paediatric facilities there.
Phase 1 of the new Paediatric Department at CUH has been delivered and operational since 2017, providing dedicated paediatric outpatient accommodation, including dedicated facilities for paediatric cystic fibrosis outpatients.
Phase 2 will focus on Paediatric in-patient accommodation ensuring children are provided with much needed appropriate, compliant accommodation. It is anticipated that this phase of the project will deliver 58 beds and 24 cots, (including 6 Paediatric High Dependency beds/cots), specialist Haematology/Oncology beds, palliative care suites, CAMHS beds and rooms for children with disabilities, and all associated accommodation.
Phase 3 will focus on dedicated paediatric theatres and all associated accommodation.
In line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code (PSC), Strategic Assessment Reports (SAR) for Phases 2 and 3 of CUH paediatric developments have been undertaken and are now complete.
In parallel to the development of the SAR, planning permission was sought and this was granted by Cork County Council in August 2022.
Owing to site constraints such as adjacent buildings and necessary helicopter flight paths to support CUH Group Major Trauma, and the ongoing work to identify and develop adult facilities, the phasing and design of the paediatric proposals are continuing to be re-appraised so that an optimum campus wide solution can be found.
Under the March 2023 Public Spending Code (PSC) update, the SARs will be subsumed into the Preliminary Business Case (PBC) and will form a single SAR/PBC document. The work undertaken to date on the SARs will be leveraged to progress the proposal in the form of a SAR/ PBC for Stage 1 of the shortened PSC process.
The update to the PSC also increased the thresholds for the classification of major projects at which full PSC scrutiny is required and reduced the number of steps for proposals to travel through before approval to proceed. These PSC updates have the potential to speed up the delivery of capital projects including the proposal for CUH.
The total project cost to deliver the completed new Paediatric Department in Cork, as currently envisaged, is currently estimated as being in excess of €100m. In line with the updated PSC, this process for the CUH paediatric department proposal will now be managed through the HSE capital development process rather than requiring direct submission to the Department or Government for consent.
Capital funding continues to be made available to support CUH paediatric projects as they progress through the various design and approval stages.
As with any projects of this scale, the final decision to proceed and therefore to estimate the timeline and cost cannot be made until the completion of the Final Business Case, completion of the tender process, and determination that the proposal remains affordable and continues to represent value for money.
1105. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken regarding the recognition of Covid/long-Covid as having an occupational connection in social or health care and certain other settings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27064/23]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has provided Special Leave with Pay in line with the public health guidance in place (currently 5 days stay at home) for civil and public servants nationally, to facilitate employees to remain at home following a positive test result to avoid the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace.For 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. I am keenly aware that this temporary Scheme is due to conclude at the end of June and I have written to the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform seeking sanction to extend the Scheme.
Those who did not meet the criteria for the temporary Scheme, and those who remain unwell beyond the current 5 days of SLWP may utilise the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme if they remain absent.
The EU Advisory Committee on Health & Safety have recommended the recognition of Covid as an occupational illness in health and social care, however Member States vary in respect of their treatment of Covid in this regard.
I understand that Minister Humphreys has committed to reviewing the EU Committee recommendation regarding the occupational recognition of Covid in respect of the Department of Social Protection national Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, and the list of prescribed diseases/illnesses set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. The outcome of this review is awaited, however the Deputy may wish to seek more detail in respect of this directly from Minister Humphreys.
1106. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) could be given an earlier appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27075/23]
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.
1107. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health when the HSE capital plan for 2023 will be published. [27083/23]
View answerI am delighted to inform you that the Capital Plan 2023 for Building & Equipment was published on Monday May 29th.
A copy of the 2023 Capital Plan is available at www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/capital-plan-2023.
1108. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will endeavour to ensure that a person (details supplied) receives an urgent orthopaedic appointment at Navan Hospital, considering the significant pain and discomfort that they are currently experiencing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27086/23]
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.
1109. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health when the report on the home support pilot study undertaken in four CHO areas will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27090/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
