Parliamentary questions

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Billy Kelleher

407. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a list of social activities that are expected to be covered in nursing homes under the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5642/15]

Health Insurance

Billy Kelleher

411. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of persons availing of private health insurance in 2014 in each of the following age groups: 17 years and under, 18 to 29 years, 30 to 39 years, 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, 60 to 69 years, 70 to 79 years, and 80 years and over. [5650/15]

HSE Investigations

Billy Kelleher

413. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the position regarding investigations into Áras Attracta in Swinford, County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5655/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Billy Kelleher

414. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding the provision of swimsuit and swimming prosthesis for breast cancer patients, if the Health Service Executive has stopped approving them in certain areas throughout the country, including Dublin; if so, if he will provide details of the locations; his plans to reinstate this service; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5660/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Billy Kelleher

415. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding the provision of mastectomy prosthesis and surgical bras, the difference in the funding provided to Health Service Executive areas throughout the country including Dublin; if he will provide, in tabular form, the funding made available for each item in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5661/15]

Medical Aids and Appliances Provision

Billy Kelleher

416. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the waiting time for approval for mastectomy prosthesis and surgical bras in every Health Service Executive area throughout the country, including the Dublin areas, those waiting two to three weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, 12 weeks and longer since September 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5662/15]

Medical Card Eligibility

Billy Kelleher

417. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the reason applications for medical cards from persons, who are in receipt of assistance under the farm support scheme, are not being processed by the Health Service Executive unless the applicant can provide a notice of self-assessment (details supplied); the reason the Health Service Executive will not accept the fact they have little or no tax liability; the reason the Health Service Executive is determined to make these persons undergo this process and oblige them to employ a tax advisor or an accountant at a cost of €500 to prove that they owe no tax; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in view of this, many of these persons are not taking their necessary prescribed medication, such as for blood pressure, cholesterol, arthritis and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5665/15]

Home Care Packages

Billy Kelleher

419. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding the home care package, if a care provider is unable to fill the hours allocated to a client, if the Health Service Executive is entitled to withdraw the hours allocated to that client; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5671/15]

Home Care Packages

Billy Kelleher

420. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding the home care package, if, where the hours allocated have been divided between spouses and the care provider is not in a position to fill one of the client's hours, that client can have their hours reallocated to another care provider who would be able to fill the hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5672/15]

Child Abuse

Billy Kelleher

534. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the State's legal reasoning (details supplied) behind the decision to only allow those who were abused after the date a complaint was made regarding a teacher to be entitled to compensation, leaving those abuse victims, who for whatever reason did not come forward or did so too late, without any acknowledgement by the State of what was done to them, and thereby leaving them without any entitlement to compensation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5951/15]

Child Abuse

Billy Kelleher

535. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills , in view of the Government's decision before Christmas 2014 to offer a settlement to those who were abused in school (details supplied), if she will provide information on the exact number of the 135 claims that were formally discontinued, as she referred to them, through the State Claims Agency; the number of the 135 cases, following examination by the State Claims Agency, that will be eligible for settlement; if the information is not available, the length of time it will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5953/15]

Departmental Records

Billy Kelleher

537. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on concerns (details supplied) regarding information being sought by her Department. [5973/15]

Bituminous Fuel Ban

Billy Kelleher

575. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on extending the Cork smokeless-coal-zone to include Midleton; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5613/15]

Medicinal Products Prices

Billy Kelleher

226. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if recent newspaper reports that he is to use the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to reduce the price of patented drugs are accurate; if so, the section of the legislation he will use to achieve the reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5300/15]

Medicinal Products Expenditure

Billy Kelleher

227. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if full year savings of €330 million and 2013 savings of €160 million from reductions in the cost of drugs and other prescribed items as projected in the 2013 expenditure report have been realised; if not, the savings realised in 2013 and the full year savings realised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5301/15]

Health Insurance

Billy Kelleher

228. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the Voluntary Health Insurance Board must acquire the necessary capital reserves to make an application for authorisation by the Central Bank of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5302/15]

Medicinal Products Availability

Billy Kelleher

136. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that Sativex has been sanctioned for use on the Irish market; the date it will become available on the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5178/15]

Hospital Procedures

Billy Kelleher

137. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Waterford will receive treatment for Dupuytren's contracture, having waited four and a half year for assessment; the format this treatment will entail, that is, injection or surgery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5181/15]

Health Services Provision

Billy Kelleher

411. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans in making funding available for the construction of a much-needed day centre in Youghal, County Cork, which currently has full valid planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4412/15]

HSE Funding

Billy Kelleher

417. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he or his Department is currently examining alternatives models of health care funding to that proposed in the White Paper on Universal Health Insurance published in April 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4428/15]