Marian Harkin
Question:270. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on the application for PGI status for boxty. [17128/24]
View answerFood Promotion
Questions (270)
Written answers
Geographical Indications identify a product whose quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to its geographical origin. My Department, as the Competent Authority for Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), checks PGI applications to ensure that the application and product specification are compliant with the relevant European Commission Regulations governing the scheme.
PGI applications require scrutiny at a number of levels: by my own Department, by stakeholders through the national opposition procedure, by the European Commission and by other Member States and third countries. The Boxty PGI applicant has engaged with my Department and has undertaken important work to finalise their product specification and single document in line with the European Commission requirements.
My Department is currently examining the latest submission from the applicant for the boxty PGI. Once my Department is satisfied that the application is ready, the application can move to the next stage which is the national opposition procedure. I am very supportive of PGI applications such as this as they add value to our agri-food products as well as highlighting their heritage.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (271)
Marc Ó Cathasaigh
Question:271. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, with regard to the TAMS scheme, he will consider allowing farmhouse and farm bills to be linked in one bill, allow unused electricity sold to the grid to be offset at full price to electricity purchased from the grid or any other measure which would make the scheme more viable for farmers of all types regardless of the amount of electricity they use as part of their farming activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17157/24]
View answerWritten answers
The objective of the Solar Capital Investment Scheme, which is a measure in TAMS 3, is to encourage on-farm renewable technology uptake and to lower the energy costs at farm level. The electricity consumption of the dwelling house can be included on the solar survey as part of the holding for sizing the Solar PV when submitting the TAMS application.
Issues relating to the linking of farm and farmhouse bills would come under the responsibility of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication (DECC), and are not under the remit of my Department.
In order to encourage farmers to consume solar PV generated electricity onsite to meet their farm electricity demand, including the dwelling house, it is permissible for excess electricity generated to spill over onto the grid and for the farmer to receive remuneration for that spillover quantity.
This spillover of generated electricity is paid for under the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), which is available to all renewable energy generators, including farmers. The price for the spillover electricity is set by the energy provider under the Clean Export Guarantee.
TAMS 3 support is limited to the size of the Solar PV system recommended/established on foot of the solar survey. If a farmer wishes to install a larger area of panels, he/she can do so, but the additional capacity beyond that specified in the survey will not be grant aided under TAMS. If a farmer wishes to receive support for the additional area, he/she can do so, for example through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, by installing a separate energy generation system in respect of that additional capacity.
Departmental Data
Questions (272)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:272. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recorded or confirmed dates of fireblight erwinia amylovora infections detections by his Department to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17170/24]
View answerWritten answers
There have been no confirmed detections of Fireblight Erwinia amylovora to date in 2024.
Agriculture Schemes
Questions (273)
Michael Ring
Question:273. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the low-emissions slurry spreading scheme will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17240/24]
View answerWritten answers
The person named submitted a payment claim for grant aid under the Lower Emissions Slurry Spreading Scheme on 25th March 2024.
My Department is currently focusing on the issuing of approvals. It is expected that the processing of payments will commence once the issuing of approvals in respect of applications on hand has been completed.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (274)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:274. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the amount spent on IPAS accommodation for each of the past ten years; the amount spent on direct provision for each of the past ten years; the amount spent on the provision of accommodation for Ukrainian citizens for each of the past three years; and the average cost of accommodation per night per person for each of these three accommodation sections. [17160/24]
View answerWritten answers
At present nearly 29,000 people are accommodated in the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) system as a whole, of whom nearly 7,000 are children. This compares approximately 8,700 people at the end of February 2022. Together with Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection displaced by the war in Ukraine, this means that Ireland is now accommodating over 100,000 people in state-supported accommodation
The costs outlined below include all accommodation and related costs, including transport, facilities management and other related expenditure. The average cost of accommodating an IP applicant in IPAS accommodation in 2023 was €76.80 per night.
Please see, in tabular format, the total spend of IPAS accommodation, for the last 10 years respectively.
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2014 |
€53,217,000 |
|
2015 |
€57,025,000 |
|
2016 |
€64,137,000 |
|
2017 |
€67,359,000 |
|
2018 |
€77,993,000 |
|
2019 |
€129.408,000 |
|
2020 |
€183,215,000 |
|
2021 |
€190,856,000 |
|
2022 |
€356,554,000 |
|
2023 |
€651,756,000 |
Accommodation for people fleeing Ukraine
The amount that has been spent on the provision of accommodation for Ukrainian citizens for each of the past three years:
The below table shows the totals spent on the provision of accommodation for Ukraine between 2022 and 2024 (16.04.24) and the total amount spent which is €2,367,199,580.62.
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2022 |
€515,781,870.02 |
|
2023 |
€1,489,656,569.38 |
|
2024 as of 16/04/2024 |
€361,761,141.22 |
|
Total Expenditure to Date: |
€2,367,199,580.62 |
The average cost of accommodation per night per person for each of these three accommodation sections:
The average cost of accommodation for BOTPs varies over time due to a variety of factors.
At end 2022, the average cost per person per night was estimated at approximately €60.
At end 2023, the cost was estimated at in the region of €48 per person per night. The reduction in cost reflected the Department’s focus on obtaining greater value for money, and by moving more providers to providing self-catering accommodation rather than full board.
As at April 16th 2024, the average cost per person per night was estimated at approximately €45.
Disability Services
Questions (275)
Niamh Smyth
Question:275. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason a person (details supplied) has not received respite care in over nine years; the reason the HSE cannot give any confirmation of future care for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17230/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (276)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:276. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of properties and corresponding beds offered to his Department that met the requirements under both the IPAS and BOTP schemes, by county, since 1 January 2023 to date, in tabular form; the total number of contracts entered into by his Department; the opposing number of contracts that were not progressed, by county, in tabular form for the corresponding period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17083/24]
View answerWritten answers
Since the outset of the war in Ukraine in early 2022, Ireland has provided accommodation to over 112,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants.
IPAS
The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) is working tirelessly to bring more bed spaces into use, and since January 2023 have brought 125 properties into use to accommodate those who arrive in Ireland seeking international protection (IP). This brings the total number of IPAS centres to 280 with a capacity of 32,523 as of 7th April 2024. My Department does not publicly detail the locations of such accommodation centres in the interest of the privacy and security of residents and providers and therefore the breakdown of these figure by county is not available.
In relation to the opposing number of contracts that were not progressed by IPAS, by county, in tabular form, my Department does not collate information in the manner requested.
BOTP
The information in relation to the number of properties and beds for Ukrainian BOTPs per county which met offer criteria and were put into contract by my Department since 1st January 2023 to date is provided in tabular format below.
|
County |
Properties |
Beds |
|
Carlow |
4 |
131 |
|
Cavan |
6 |
116 |
|
Clare |
8 |
299 |
|
Cork |
14 |
725 |
|
Donegal |
18 |
756 |
|
Dublin |
12 |
828 |
|
Galway |
22 |
2031 |
|
Kerry |
21 |
1117 |
|
Kildare |
5 |
1336 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
80 |
|
Laois |
4 |
1324 |
|
Leitrim |
3 |
112 |
|
Limerick |
13 |
2356 |
|
Longford |
4 |
153 |
|
Louth |
7 |
228 |
|
Mayo |
9 |
400 |
|
Meath |
7 |
432 |
|
Monaghan |
3 |
72 |
|
Offaly |
8 |
349 |
|
Roscommon |
5 |
238 |
|
Sligo |
9 |
949 |
|
Tipperary |
14 |
512 |
|
Waterford |
5 |
462 |
|
Westmeath |
10 |
592 |
|
Wexford |
8 |
400 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
249 |
Since 1 January 2023 to date, my Department entered into 228 contracts for new Ukrainian BOTP emergency accommodation.
Since 1 January 2023 to date, the total number of Ukrainian BOTP offers of emergency accommodation received by my Department via the DCEDIY online portal that did not progress to a contract is 2,891. My Department does not collate this information by county and a breakdown by county is therefore not available.
The Deputy may wish to note that my Department has recently undertaken a priority review of capacity within the BOTP portfolio to identify any vacancies that can be used for IPs in the short term and has begun engaging with providers in this regard. Up to 500 spaces have been identified and actions are now underway to move IPs into properties where BOTPs are and where vacancies exist with the agreement of the providers concerned.
Following the Government decision to implement a time limited accommodation offering for those seeking accommodation in the State, my Department has paused the procurement of commercial accommodation to accommodate BOTPs; providers visiting the offers portal are instead encouraged to consider accommodating IPs. Work has also begun to consolidate the wider BOTP portfolio so that it better aligns with future needs. Where contracts are being ended as part of this process, my Department will work to identify accommodation which could be suitable for use for IP. This is however a commercial decision to be made by the providers concerned and their agreement will be needed to make this happen.
International Protection
Questions (277)
Patricia Ryan
Question:277. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to state clearly if it his intention to use any other single residential properties, similar to the premises at a location (details supplied), to house people seeking temporary international protection; and, if so, where are the locations; and the number of people to be placed in each location. [17089/24]
View answerWritten answers
I thank the Deputy for this question. A response will be provided directly to the Deputy in the coming days.
Children in Care
Questions (278)
Mattie McGrath
Question:278. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the system Tusla has in place for children in State care to make a complaint; the number of complaints Tusla has received from children themselves in State care from 2015 to 2024; the number of those complaints that are about their foster placement; the number of complaints that are about their residential placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17113/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this relates to Tusla operational matters, the question has been forwarded to Tusla for direct reply to the Deputy.
Disability Diagnoses
Questions (279)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:279. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that Clare Early Intervention Services often deem children with additional needs as not meeting the criteria threshold, a decision often arrived at without any meeting; if he is concerned that children with additional needs are not meeting criteria in respect of disability in CAMHS and CEIS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17217/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. The Deputy will likely be aware that the industrial action by certain Forsa grades in the HSE has been suspended. The HSE has indicated that they have recommenced issuing replies to questions but there is a significant backlog of PQs and Reps to be responded to and has advised that they are working to get through these as soon as possible while at the same time managing the volume of current PQs and Reps.
Primary Care Services
Questions (280)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:280. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health when the parent of a child (details supplied) will receive a call back; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17218/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Funding
Questions (281, 305)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:281. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he will consider increasing the funding given to an organisation (details supplied); if he accepts that the current 9% it receives is not enough; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17222/24]
View answerViolet-Anne Wynne
Question:305. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the funding difficulties that affect an organisation (details supplied) and its delivery of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17221/24]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 305 together.
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Regulatory Bodies
Questions (282)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:282. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the progress made in respect of regulating psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists in light of the number of issues in the media with the lack of regulation of such professionals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17229/24]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, CORU is Ireland’s multi-profession health and social care regulator. CORU’s role is to protect the public by regulating the health and social care professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended), including setting the standards that health and social care professionals must meet to be eligible for registration and maintaining registers of persons who meet those standards.
Seventeen health and social care professions are designated for regulation by CORU. There are currently registers open for twelve professions and CORU is continuing the substantial work required to open the registers for the remaining designated professions of Psychologists; Counsellors and Psychotherapists; Clinical Biochemists; and Orthoptists.
The Psychologists Registration Board (PSRB) was established in 2017. The work of the PSRB includes consideration of the titles to be protected, the minimum qualifications to be required of existing practitioners, the qualifications that will be required for future graduates, and drafting the Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes.
Regulating a new profession is a complex and lengthy process, requiring careful consideration and preparatory work to ensure that it is effective in protecting the public. Psychology has been a uniquely challenging profession to regulate due to the diversity of its specialisms (for example clinical psychology, counselling psychology, occupational and work psychology, sports and performance psychology) and the fact that there is no common education pathway or standards for entry to the profession.
In 2020 a public consultation on the draft Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes developed for the profession revealed significant issues and a lack of consensus on how to proceed with regulation. Key areas of disagreement among the profession are around the minimum level of qualification required for entry to the profession, the number of placement hours, and the appropriateness of practice placement settings.
Having considered the matter on the request of CORU and the PSRB, I wrote to the PSRB in 2022 requesting the PSRB consider a dual-stream and phased approach to regulating the psychology profession.
In April 2023 I accepted the PSRB’s recommendation to prioritise regulation of three psychology specialisms – clinical, counselling, and educational psychology. Work is proceeding to establish education and training standards for these specialisms and identify the technical legislative amendments to the 2005 Act that will enable registers to open. The PSRB has now commenced its work to establish the education and training standards for entry to each of these three divisions, and to identify technical legislative amendments required to enable the opening of these divisions of the register.
In parallel, an Expert Advisory Group has been convened by CORU to examine and make recommendations on a regulatory model that will facilitate regulation of the psychology profession. This includes international regulatory and professional experts. The Expert Advisory Group is working towards making recommendations to me by the summer recess.
The Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board (CPRB) was established in February 2019. The work of the CPRB includes consideration of the titles to be protected and the minimum qualifications to be required of existing practitioners and the qualifications that will be required for future graduates. The work of the CPRB is significantly more challenging than it is for registration boards for some of the more established professions owing to the different and complex pathways into these professions, the variety of titles used, and the variety and number of courses and course providers.
The introduction of regulation to the counselling profession is a top priority for CORU. Extensive work has already been carried out by the CPRB to achieve this. Most recently a public consultation was held on the Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for the counselling profession.
The CPRB is now reviewing the many responses received during this consultation. Following this extensive review activity, the CPRB will communicate the next steps in the process towards introducing statutory regulation for counsellors.
Owing to the significant body of preparatory work that the PSRB and CPRB are required to undertake, it is not possible to say with any degree of accuracy when the professions of psychology, counselling, and psychotherapy will be fully regulated. I would anticipate that these registration boards will require a number of years to complete their work.
Cancer Services
Questions (283)
Holly Cairns
Question:283. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the current lack of a mammogram service in west Cork; to provide a reasoning for the suspension of the availability of the mobile BreastCheck mammogram service in Bantry; and whether he would ensure the provision of a mammogram service in west Cork to ensure access to care for those unable to drive long distances. [17106/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Assisted Human Reproduction
Questions (284, 285, 286)
Ged Nash
Question:284. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of candidates or patients with addresses in County Louth who are currently on the waiting list for their first formal and direct appointment at the fertility treatment facility for IVF at the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin; the average waiting times for a first appointment at the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17109/24]
View answerGed Nash
Question:285. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if he and the HSE will consider establishing a fertility treatment facility to facilitate patients from the north east who are seeking to avail of publicly funded IVF treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17110/24]
View answerGed Nash
Question:286. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the number of candidates or patients who have applied for treatment to date under the new publicly funded fertility treatment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17111/24]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 to 286, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy's question is an operational matter I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply.
Question No. 285 answered with Question No. 284.
Question No. 286 answered with Question No. 284.
Hospital Overcrowding
Questions (287)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:287. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the longest duration any patient has spent on a hospital trolley in each public hospital nationwide in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17130/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
Medical Cards
Questions (288)
Anne Rabbitte
Question:288. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the status of medical cards for persons (details supplied); the reason the cards were reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17132/24]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Medical Aids and Appliances
Questions (289)
Róisín Shortall
Question:289. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he plans to provide patients with financial support to cover the cost of the strips required to measure warfarin levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17133/24]
View answerWritten answers
As the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.