Written Answers Nos. 560-571
560. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the current number of residents residing in Garnish House; the projected closure time of that mental health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51000/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
561. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the projected opening date of Glenwood House in Carrigaline as a community mental health residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51001/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
562. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for a procedure in Cappagh Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51005/23]
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.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, there may be a delay in the Deputy receiving a response from the HSE.
563. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if funding is available for a specific technical aid for the blind and visually impaired for personal use, not for use in the workplace (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51015/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
564. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if funding is available for technical aids for the blind and visually iimpaired for personal use, in each CHO area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51016/23]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
565. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if re-consideration will be given to PSRP eligibility to include day service Section 39 staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51021/23]
View answerFirstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their diligent efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic.
Last year the Government announced a once-off, ex-gratia COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic.
Eligibility criteria for the payment were set following a significant consideration and consultation process. I can confirm that in order to receive the recognition payment, staff must have:
• Been in COVID vaccination cohorts 1 or 2, and
• Worked ordinarily onsite in a COVID-19 exposed healthcare environment, and
• Worked for at least 4 weeks in the 1/3/2020 – 30/6/2021 period, and
• Worked in a HSE/Section 38 organisation, or one of the following:
1. Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary,Section 39 etc.);
2. Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities, working on-site;
3. Agency roles working in the HSE;
4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;
5. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;
6. Paramedic staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.
Only those staff who meet all the above eligibility criteria are covered for this payment. The Government appreciates that those organisations and staff who are not eligible for this particular payment may feel disappointed. It was a hard task to set out the eligibility criteria for this payment but the Government based its decision on the risks that eligible frontline workers faced. Undoubtedly Immense efforts have been made by all healthcare staff since the onset of the pandemic which has not gone unrecognised.
566. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health when the Care of the Aged Centre in Naas will be reopened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51028/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
567. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51029/23]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.
568. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51032/23]
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.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
569. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if home help hours will be increased for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51033/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Ddeputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
570. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department has any current contracts with any Israeli state agency, any Israeli-based company or any company based elsewhere in the world which is owned or part-owned by any Israeli state agency or by any Israeli-based company; and if so, the value of those contracts. [51047/23]
View answerMy Department does not have any contracts with any Israeli state agency. Regarding the other companies and agencies outlined in the question, there is no information held by the Department that could identify any such affiliations as there is no obligation on tenderers to disclose this information in a competitive tendering process.
My Department operates under the principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts for the acquisition of any goods or services. Central to these procedures is the requirement to allow fair competition between suppliers through the submission of tenders following advertising of the tender competition on the e-tenders site and on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), where appropriate. Such tender competitions are open to any company or country, subject to the terms of all UN, OSCE and EU arms embargos or restrictions.
571. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department or any of its agencies are involved in any exercise, operation, training or research which includes involvement by any Israeli state agency, any Israeli-based company or any company based elsewhere in the world which is owned or part-owned by any Israeli state agency or by any Israeli-based company. [51065/23]
View answerMy Department participates in and attends a number of European and international meetings hosted and organised by the European Commission, and international bodies, such as the World Health Organisation, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development among others, at which Israel, as a member or as a grantee of observer status, attends.
My Department has also had a number of engagements with officials representing the government of Israel, in 2021, 2022 and to-date in 2023.
• As part of the Chief Dental Officers Group in the WHO European Region the Chief Dental Officer of Ireland engaged with the Chief Dental Officer of Israel as part of the CDO meetings at European level of which Ireland is currently the President.
• In response to a Ministerial request on information in comparator countries which explicitly included Israel, colleagues working in my Department had a scheduled call with two officials from the Israeli Ministry of Health to discuss the aforementioned.
• Minister Rabbitte and departmental colleagues, including the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Deputy Chief Nursing Officer (DCNO), attended the 72nd Session of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Europe on 12-14 September 2022 in Tel Aviv. Minister Rabbitte met with the Ambassador to Israel, in the lead up to this meeting. The CNO and DCNO also met with the Israeli Chief Government Nurse, Dr. Shoshy Goldberg, on the 15 September 2022.
• A virtual meeting was held between the Chief Nursing Officer of Ireland and her team and the Chief Government Nurse and Head of the Nursing Division of the Israeli Ministry of Health and her colleagues on 6 December 2022.
• In relation to the Policy Dialogue event on Dual Practice, organised by the OECD and my Department, on 3 May 2023, Dr. Alexey Belinsky from the Israeli Ministry of Health presented on Israel's experience in regulating dual practice.
• A representative from the Nursing Division of the Israeli Ministry of Health visited my Department on 3 October 2023 and met with officials from my Department and from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
• Correspondence was received from the Israeli Chief Government Nurse in relation to the situation in Gaza and Israel on 13 October 2023.
My Department also receives copies of licenses from the Israeli Ministry of Health in respect of the import/export of controlled drugs between Ireland and Israel.
Details for other bodies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE
