Written Answers Nos. 330-338
330. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm the non-capital (current) Government expenditure on Bantry General Hospital in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7202/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
331. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of patients treated in Bantry General Hospital in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7203/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
332. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his Department will offer an option for early adoption where safe, of the MMR vaccine considering the possibility of a future larger outbreak in the country, and the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends infants from six months to 11 months get a single dose of the MMR with two additional doses where international travel is planned; the reason the HSE is not following the CDC recommendation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7204/24]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. Therefore, the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.
The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the primary childhood immunisation schedule are chosen by NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against disease.
Measles vaccine in Ireland is given as part of the combined Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are included in the childhood immunisation schedule in Ireland:
• Dose 1, given at 12 month of age in general practice;
• Dose 2, given at 4-5 years of age in junior infants in Primary Schools, by HSE school immunisation teams.
The HSE launched an MMR catch-up programme in November 2023 which is being offered through GPs. Those eligible for MMR vaccination under the programme are children aged between 14 months and 10 years old inclusive who did not receive the MMR vaccine when they were 12 months old, and/or age 4-5 years old in junior infants.
In some specific situations, e.g. if a child has been exposed to a case of measles, or is travelling to an area where there is an active outbreak of measles, NIAC advise that MMR vaccination may be recommended for babies between 6-11 months of age. However, maternal antibodies may compromise the response to the vaccine. Therefore, infants vaccinated before their first birthday should have a repeat vaccination at 12 months of age, at least four weeks after the first vaccine, with a further dose at 4-5 years of age
It is important that in Ireland, the recommendations of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee are followed, and not the recommendations for other countries where the epidemiology of disease and other factors may be different to that of Ireland.
333. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health which vaccination centres are being used in CHO9 for the MMR vaccine programme; if alternative centres will be provided for those who are unable to travel to the offered centre; the uptake of the MMR vaccine in CHO9 over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7206/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
334. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the lack of genetic services throughout the country, that due to the lack of services people living with rare diseases are on waiting lists for the incorrect treatments; if additional funding will be provided for this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7213/24]
View answerThe Government and I are fully committed to improving genetics services in Ireland. One of the key ambitions of the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland is to build a strong patient and family-centred national genetics service that can be accessed equitably across the country and lifespan of patients. In 2023, the Government allocated €2.7 million to the implementation of this Strategy which included the establishment of a National Office of Genetics and Genomics and the allocation of front-line staff across the HSE Health Regions in areas of immediate need.
Last year, the following genetics/genomics posts were allocated:
• 1 genetic counsellor to each of the following locations:
• CHI Crumlin
• HSE Dublin and North-East - Beaumont Hospital
• HSE West and North-West - Galway University Hospital
• HSE Dublin and Midlands and HSE Dublin and South-East - St. James Hospital / St. Vincent’s University Hospital
• HSE South-West – via post allocated to CHI to deliver clinical services in Cork
• HSE Mid-West – via post allocated to CHI to deliver clinical services in Limerick
• 1 Consultant Clinical Geneticist to each of the following locations:
• HSE West and North-West - Galway University Hospital
• HSE Mid-West – via post allocated to CHI
• 2 Genomic Resource Associates to CHI Crumlin.
Recruitment through the strategy will be ongoing during its implementation phase, and beyond. Some of the posts approved in 2023 were affected by the extension of the temporary pause on the application process for new and replacement posts at all grades of Management and Administration, effective from 4 October 2023 as directed by the HSE Chief Executive Officer.
A priority for 2024 is the development of a robust National Genetics and Genomics Workforce Plan to support the recruitment, retention, education and career development of specialised roles. As part of this, a workforce planning analysis will take place. This will include genetic counsellors and the development of the Genomic Resource Associate (GRA) roles to support patients to navigate the genetic and genomic care pathway and improve coordination of care.
The development of a National Genomic Test Directory for Rare and Inherited Diseases is another priority deliverable for 2024. This Directory will support the delivery of equitable national genetics and genomics services, including clinical genetics services, genomics laboratory capabilities and associated bioinformatics. The Directory will map the current genetic tests conducted across Ireland and provide a more transparent process for referrals. This will be a key development in improving national genetic testing and ultimately helping to reduce wait time.
335. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the ratification on the pay restoration proposals for section 39 workers agreed in the WRC last November; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7220/24]
View answerThe CEO of the HSE has Instructed a process be put in place a process to make an interim payment in respect of the S39 pay agreement to all Voluntary/Not for Profit S39 agencies funded via both DCEDIY and DOH.
Provision had been made in the Revised Estimates in DoH for 2024 to include the retrospection due for 2023 and for the increased funding for 2024.
The interim payment will be of 70% of the estimated amount due for 2023 based on best available data in respect of each of the organisations (mostly 2022 data) and will be targeted at organisations with a funding level in excess of €250,000 per annum. The broader process to determine the full amounts due to each organisation will commence without delay and organisations with funding up to €250,000 pa will be welcome to apply as part of that process.
336. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health whether there are plans within his Department for an expansion of the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme; and if so, to provide details of when this service will be available. [7223/24]
View answerHuman papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines work by preventing infections prior to exposure to the HPV virus. Thus, the vaccines are more effective at a younger age prior to exposure to the HPV virus. The HSE offers a single dose of HPV vaccine to all first-year boys and girls in secondary school as part of the routine HPV vaccination programme.
A vaccine uptake of 90% in girls by the age of 15 is one of the targets required to achieve the goal of cervical cancer elimination by 2040. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked every country to put measures in place to reach this target, and the HSE is working to increase the vaccine uptake in the routine HPV programme from the current uptake of just under 80%.
In line with NIAC advice, in 2022, I asked the HSE to facilitate and operationalise the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme which was open until the end of 2023. The Department is considering the possibility of an extension to this programme.
337. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if all of the outstanding queries submitted to the Department and KOSI relating to the categories of persons entitled to the Covid 19 recognition payment have been resolved; if all nurses in community intervention teams in CareDoc have been paid; if nurses and front-line staff employed by companies such as resilience care were included in the scheme; if not, why not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7233/24]
View answerFirstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their continuous efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic.
In January 2022 the Government announced a once-off, ex-gratia COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic.
Eligibility criteria for the payment were set following significant consideration and consultation. 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 on-site 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:
Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary,Section 39 etc.);
Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities, working on-site;
Agency roles working in the HSE;
Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;
Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in front-line Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;
Paramedic staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.
Only those staff who met all the above eligibility criteria were covered for this payment. I appreciate that many other workers, volunteers, and other citizens who provided very important services during the pandemic. Undoubtedly immense efforts were made by all healthcare staff since the onset of the pandemic which has not gone unrecognised.
338. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the action being taken by his Department and the HSE relative to a complaint made by the family of the late person (details supplied) while in the care of the health service in Carlow and Kilkenny, and as outlined to him and others in correspondence dated 22 December 2021; if a comprehensive response to each of the issues raised will be provided to the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7234/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question. I must advise that my Department has been unable to identify the correspondence referred to in the question. If the Deputy wishes to provide further information to my Department I will endeavour to respond.
