Written Answers Nos. 256-270
256. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a child (details supplied) will receive an appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28884/23]
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.
257. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports and services available to adults with special needs to continue to live independently in the community following the death of a parent who had previously cared for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28888/23]
View answerAs the TD's query relates to service matters, I am referring it to the HSE for direct response to the Deputy.
258. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an organisation (details supplied) will be facilitated with its request for a meeting with Department officials. [28921/23]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has received correspondence from the organisation specified in the details supplied requesting a meeting. I am also aware that this correspondence has been acknowledged and that arrangements are being made by Officials in my Department to meet with the aforementioned organisation.
259. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of refugees being housed by the State in Roscrea, Nenagh, Thurles, Borrisokane, Clonmel, Cashel, Tipperary Town, Cahir and Carrick-on-Suir, either under the temporary protection system for Ukrainian refugees or under the international protection system, in tabular form per town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28975/23]
View answerPlease find in tabular format, the number of international protection applicants (IPAs) and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BoTPs) currently being accommodated in the aforementioned towns in County Tipperary.
|
Location |
Number of BoTPs |
Number of IPAs |
|
Roscrea |
0 |
251 |
|
Nenagh |
102 |
0 |
|
Thurles |
173 |
0 |
|
Borrisokane |
0 |
95 |
|
Clonmel |
214 |
0 |
|
Cashel |
22 |
0 |
|
Tipperary Town |
12 |
0 |
|
Cahir |
12 |
0 |
|
Carrick-on-Suir |
7 |
157 |
|
Total |
542 |
503 |
260. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the financial challenges that new parents are experiencing due to the rising cost of baby formula; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28992/23]
View answerMatters related to social welfare payments are a matter for the Department of Social Protection.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation, and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
261. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of the funding challenges for an initiative (details supplied) which had funding from Tusla in the past; if his Department can offer alternative funding for the initiative; and if Tusla is changing its policy approach. [29013/23]
View answerStatutory and operational responsibility for the delivery of child protection and welfare services is a matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy is seeking information in relation to an operational matter for Tusla. Consequently, I have referred the matter to Tusla, and requested that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.
262. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the review into the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force; when this review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28890/23]
View answerThe Department of Health provides €2.249m per annum to community-based drug and alcohol services under the remit of the North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force.
In November 2021, the task force has informed local services that it is no longer in a position to function. This follows an impasse in the selection of an independent chairperson.
The Department has engaged with stakeholders in the north inner city to establish effective, inclusive, and transparent governance of the task force and of the funding that it allocates.
The Department has concluded a consultation process with members of the task force and other stakeholders on the next steps to re-establish the task force. This involved a series of meetings with public representatives, statutory and non-statutory members of the task force, front-line community and alcohol projects funded under the ambit of the task force, community and service user representatives, staff employed by the task force company and other stakeholders in the north inner city.
I am committed to establishing effective, inclusive and transparent governance of the task force, informed by a review of developments to-date and the consultation process.
263. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will seek an update on the refurb, refit and extension of the Castlebellingham health centre to a new primary care centre; the total expected cost of the project; if he will provide a list of services that will be provided in the new premises; the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28893/23]
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.
264. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the expected timelines on the establishment of a new statutory home support scheme; how he plans to scope and plan for such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28894/23]
View answerSince the Government gave its approval in April 2021 to start drafting legislation to establish a licensing framework for providers who operate in the home care sector. Primary Legislation is currently entering into final stages of the drafting process. It is intended to bring this legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity. This will ensure that all service users are provided with high quality home care which is currently unregulated in Ireland.
In order to help in drafting the legislation and regulations the Department completed a public consultation and a stakeholder consultation in 2022 to understand the core concerns of groups and people across the sector. A 6-week public consultation was completed in August 2022 and the analysis of the results by the IPH was published on 20th January 2023:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/56ab1-draft-regulations-for-providers-of-home-support-services-an-overview-of-the-findings-of-the-department-of-healths-public-consultation/
The department has also been in consultation with HIQA, the HSE, legal consul, and representative groups to help improve the regulations further.
How home support will be funded in the future will be an essential factor of the new Statutory Scheme. With this in mind the Department is researching different funding models both internationally and here in Ireland. An internal consultation within the Department has been underway on a range of potential funding options. A targeted external consultation will also follow in 2023. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) also undertook a programme of work on behalf of the Department on the potential demand and cost of home support which culminated in two reports published in 2021 and 2022:
www.esri.ie/publications/demand-for-the-statutory-home-care-scheme
www.esri.ie/publications/home-support-services-in-ireland-exchequer-and-distributional-impacts-of-funding
A rapid response from the European Observatory on Health Systems was commissioned and published in March of this year. It is titled: “Improving Home Care Sustainability in Ireland. Are user charges a promising option?”
eurohealthobservatory.who.int/publications/i/improving-home-care-sustainability-in-ireland-are-user-charges-a-promising-option
This research will form an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home care services.
In 2022 a Pilot for testing of a reformed model of service for the delivery for home care became fully operational in 4 Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs). Evaluation of the Pilot has been completed and a final report is expected in the coming months.
The national roll-out of interRAI as the new standard assessment tool for care-needs in the community is underway and the recruitment process for 128 interRAI Care Needs Facilitators commenced in late 2022.
The HSE is in the process of recruiting key posts to enable the establishment of a National Home Support Office. Funding is provided for 15 full time jobs, including 9 home support manager/coordinator posts. The Head of Service of the new National Home support Office has been appointed in November 2022, with the remaining posts to be filled as soon as possible this year.
To examine and address the significant workforce challenges in the home care and nursing home sectors in Ireland, Minister Butler established a cross-departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group (SWAG) in March 2022. The group was charged with identifying strategic workforce challenges in publicly and privately provided front-line carer roles in home support and nursing homes and with developing recommendations. Their report was published in October 2022 with 16 recommendations. Minister Butler has strongly endorsed the Advisory Group’s recommendations. They are being progressed through a dedicated implementation group. A detailed implementation plan will be published containing timelines and steps involved in delivering each of the recommendations in the coming months. The implementation group will meet quarterly, and the Department of Health will publish progress reports against this plan after these meetings take place. Recommendation number 9 has been implemented. The statutory instrument authorising the issuance of 1,000 employment permits for home care workers was signed on 16 December 2022.
A link to the report is below.
www.gov.ie/en/publication/492bc-report-of-the-strategic-workforce-advisory-group-on-home-carers-and-nursing-home-health-care-assistants/
265. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update of the North East Doctor-on-Call service to address the major pressures on the current service which is leaving many persons unable to access out-of-hours GPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28898/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
266. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health further to the publication of the Mental Health Commission's annual report 2022, if he will consider front-loading investment in mental health services, rather than the current funding model; if he would like to see changes in the funding model going forward; how he intends to address the major issues highlighted in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28909/23]
View answerI am a strong advocate of a patient-centred mental health service and welcome the Mental Health Commission’s Annual Report for 2022 which provides an important independent insight into where we are performing well and where improvement is required.
I am pleased to note that there has been an overall improvement in compliance in recent years, and acknowledge that further continued improvement is needed.
2022 saw increased overall compliance across 31 Regulations (88.37% compared with 80.04% in 2019). The decline in seclusion, physical restraint, instances of overcapacity and child admissions to adult units are welcomed as a human rights-based approach continues to be embedded in services across the State.
The Mental Health Commission Annual Report for 2022 raises a range of important issues around the delivery of mental health services. I and the Department of Health will continue to work closely with both the Mental Health Commission and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to improve mental health services. The Irish mental health services have a number of strengths, including a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, a focus on quality improvement and the increased provision of person-centred care.
Drafting of the new Mental Health Bill continues, for introduction to the Oireachtas later this year. The new Bill will overhaul our mental health legislation making it more person-centred and human rights focused and help to put in place a more robust framework in which mental health services can be delivered.
The Government remains committed to the development of all aspects of mental health services nationally, including those for children and young people. The total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion. This is another record budget for mental health services.
I acknowledge that there are potential benefits of introducing multi-annual funding to improve planning over a multi-annual horizon on a more structured and sustainable timeframe than a single year. However, there currently exist a range of legislative barriers to the introduction of multi-annual funding on the basis that the Oireachtas only votes current expenditure to individual Government departments for a single year at a time. This in turn translates into the legislative provisions under the Health Act 2004 (as amended) where the Department confirms the funding determination to the HSE each year, post Budget, to inform the development of the HSE National Service Plan. This funding allocation and service planning process only occurs on a planning horizon of a single year at a time.
A new mental health 10-year Capital Development Programme is in development to focus on upgrading existing facilities, replacing inappropriate community facilities and the continued expansion of service.
267. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the criteria that the HSE uses to consider whether it will provide funding to charities in the healthcare sector; how the HSE reviews its funding of charities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28922/23]
View answer268. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the HSE's decision to provide funding or withdraw funding from a charity influences the work of the charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28923/23]
View answer270. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if he believes it appropriate that a State body, such as the HSE, has the power to influence charities through granting or withholding funding; the potential negative impact this has on the freedom of charities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28928/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 267, 268 and 270 together.
My Department sets the overall funding level for specific service areas, and then the HSE prioritises funding within that allocation based on operational need. Should the HSE wish to provide financial assistance to a charity or not for profit organisation for the provision of services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide, it is entitled to do so. Section 39 of the Health Act 2004 allows the HSE to provide such financial assistance to organisations by means of a grant.
It is a matter for the HSE as to how they engage with such organisations.
269. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health if his Department is sending a delegation to the WHO-convened Global Congress on Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in Geneva in June 2023; if so, the composition of the delegation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28926/23]
View answerThe Department of Health endorses the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.
A priority for both the Department of Health and the HSE is to encourage more mothers to breastfeed. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland Framework, the National Maternity Strategy, the Obesity Policy and Action Plan, and the National Cancer Strategy, emphasises the importance of supporting mothers who breastfeed, as well as taking action to increase breastfeeding rates in Ireland.
It is important that children get the best possible start in life, and this is something all Government partners have prioritised in the Programme for Government. Ireland has a culture of bottle feeding; to improve child and maternal health, as well as achieve reductions in childhood obesity and chronic diseases, it is necessary to improve breastfeeding rates.
The HSE Breastfeeding in a Healthy Ireland Action Plan is the framework for progressing supports for breastfeeding in Ireland. One key action in the framework is to strengthen compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and subsequent WHA resolutions. A HSE Policy for staff on the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes came into effect in October 2021. It requires that all services comply with the WHO Code.
Article 10 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127 sets out the requirements for promotional and commercial practices for infant formula. This does not make provision for free or low-priced products, samples or any other promotional gifts, to promote the use of infant formula. These measures are designed so that the marketing and distribution of infant formula does not interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding.
The Online Safety and Media Regulation (OMSR) Act came into effect in 2022. Coimisiún na Meán has been set up in 2023 to replace the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). Under the OMSR Act, Broadcasting codes will be superseded by media service codes, which will apply to both video-on-demand and broadcasting services. Furthermore, An Coimisiún is enabled to make online safety codes which apply to designated online services, such as video-sharing platform services (e.g., YouTube). Media service and online safety codes may provide for the regulation of commercial communications relating to foods or beverages which may be the subject of public concern, in respect of the public health interests and of children, including marketing of follow-on infant formula and foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). As the Department responsible for public health policy, the Department of Health expects to contribute to and be consulted on the making of any codes by Coimisiún na Meán relating to the advertisement of food or beverages at children and follow-on infant formula.
The Department of Health, Health and Well-being Programme are unable to send representation to the WHO-convened Global Congress on Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in Geneva in June 2023 because of other diary commitments.
