Parliamentary questions

Social Workers Recruitment

Michael McGrath

659. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive intends to reopen the social workers panel to new applicants during 2015 for potential vacancies that may arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1312/15]

Health Services

Pat Deering

660. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow with dyspraxia will be seen by a speech therapist and a physiotherapist. [1332/15]

Medicinal Products Availability

Fergus O'Dowd

661. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will make the drug Soliris (eculizumab) available in respect of a person (details supplied) who is suffering from the ultra rare and life threatening blood disorder paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1343/15]

Hospital Charges

Michael Healy-Rae

662. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a proposal (details supplied) regarding fixed fees for acute hospitals here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1344/15]

Medicinal Products Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

663. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the number of persons for whom the Health Service Executive has refused to fund Soliris during 2012, 2013 and 2014. [1345/15]

Medical Card Administration

Pat Deering

664. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the new medical card system; and the way these changes will impact on patients. [1360/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme

Pat Deering

665. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health the position regarding nursing home support, fair deal; the current waiting time; and his plans to reduce this [1361/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Finian McGrath

666. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding support required in respect of a person in County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1376/15]

Inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge sa Státseirbhís

Éamon Ó Cuív

667. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Sláinte bunaithe ar an treoir a thug an Roinn Caiteachas Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe do gach Roinn, cad é líon agus cad iad gráid na bpost dá mbeidh státseirbhísigh atá inniúil sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla ag teastáil; cad é líon na bpost sin a bhfuil duine leis an gcumas cuí Gaeilge agus Béarla iontu cheana féin, arna bhriseadh síos de réir gráid; cén cháilíocht Ghaeilge atá riachtanach do na poist sin; i gcás nach bhfuil an treoir ón Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe comhlíonta, cad é údar na moille agus cén uair a dhéanfar an scrúdú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [1433/15]

Departmental Expenditure

Barry Cowen

668. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the total photography costs for his Department per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; the costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; a list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; a breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1439/15]

Public Relations Contracts Data

Barry Cowen

669. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the use of external public relations firms employed by his Department per annum in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; a list of uses of the external public relations firm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1447/15]

Information and Communications Technology

Barry Cowen

670. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form per annum the total cost of external IT contractors incurred by his Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. [1455/15]

Hospital Appointments Status

John McGuinness

671. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Carlow will be assessed for a hip operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1458/15]

Hospital Services

Fergus O'Dowd

672. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence regarding hospital treatment of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1459/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Michael McCarthy

673. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the recommended case load that the Health Service Executive operates for therapists, included occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists in respect of children under the age of 18 years; the current adherence levels to these recommended case loads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1460/15]

Dental Services Provision

Brendan Griffin

674. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if funding is available for dental treatments for medical card holders who require additional treatment which is not covered under the general medical services scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1479/15]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

675. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the situation at Naas General Hospital, County Kildare, where continuing overcrowding exists at the accident and emergency department and where in recent times record numbers of patients have been treated on trolleys; if he, his Department and the Health Service Executive have identified the cause of this problem; if he will provide the details of those causes; the measures he will take to address the situation; his views that the position of the accident and emergency department of the hospital is unacceptable for patients and represents a totally unsatisfactory environment for HSE staff to work in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1506/15]

Proposed Legislation

Jerry Buttimer

676. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Health the range of measures being considered for inclusion in the public health (alcohol) Bill; when the general scheme of the Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1509/15]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Bernard Durkan

677. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the throughput of patients and procedures has been maintained at all public hospital accident and emergency departments, all fully operational primary care centres throughout the country on a daily basis for the months of December 2014 and to date in January 2015; if any particular issues relating to overcrowding have been noted; if arising therefrom his proposals to address any such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1564/15]

Nursing Staff Provision

Michael Healy-Rae

678. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the shortage of nurses here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1574/15]

National Dementia Strategy

Billy Kelleher

679. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the recently published national dementia strategy indicating that up to 29% of all patients in a typical general hospital may have dementia while the Irish national audit of dementia found that 94% of hospitals have no dementia pathway in place, the actions that have been put in place to ensure that dementia patients are provided appropriate care and that hospital beds are therefore available for those patients currently in accident and emergency on trolleys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1575/15]

National Dementia Strategy

Billy Kelleher

680. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health in view of the acknowledgement in the national dementia strategy that the average cost to the State per person with dementia here is €40,500 per annum as the bulk of the care for persons with dementia is provided free of charge by their family care-giver and that the informal cost of dementia to family caregivers is estimated to be €807 million per annum, if he will provide a breakdown of the €27.5 million allocated to fund the strategy; and the financial support that will be provided to family care-givers who are burdened with the most significant proportion of the cost of dementia. [1576/15]

National Dementia Strategy

Billy Kelleher

681. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if the national dementia strategy monitoring group has been established to monitor progress towards implementation of the strategy; the details of membership if already established; and details of the members' remit in terms of ensuring that all actions are successfully implemented. [1577/15]

National Dementia Strategy

Billy Kelleher

682. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding the assignation of the overall responsibility for the implementation of the national dementia strategy within the Health Service Executive to the office of services for older people and the 4,000 persons currently affected by early onset dementia, if he will indicate the specific programme of care for these persons under the management of that office; if his attention has been drawn to the specific challenges for persons with early onset dementia are compounded by the lack of a specific care programme in terms of attaining funding for carers, nursing homes and the additional financial struggles affecting these particular groups of persons [1578/15]

Motorised Transport Grant Applications

Michael Lowry

683. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a replacement scheme for the motorised transport grant and mobility allowance which were abolished by the Government in February 2013, to the detriment of over 5,000 recipients across the country; if he will provide a concrete timeframe for the introduction of the replacement scheme; the reason for the prolonged delay in creating a replacement scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the distress being caused to those with a physical disability who, almost two years on, are still in the dark as to a replacement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1579/15]

Hospital Equipment

Billy Kelleher

684. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health regarding a Topical issue raised by this Deputy on 20 June 2012, the current location of the unused X-ray machine which was located in the Ballymun Health Centre and which was announced would be moved to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1581/15]

Orthodontic Services Waiting Lists

Tom Fleming

685. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide figures in respect of waiting list for orthodontic treatment in County Kerry; his strategy to substantially reduce this list of applicants in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1637/15]

Ambulance Service Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

686. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the fire brigades that have signed up to and are operating the Health Service Executive recommended policy of fire service first-responder scheme which documents the way local fire brigades can be utilised efficiently for cardiac emergencies in their local areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1640/15]

Ambulance Service Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

687. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the number of delta and echo emergency calls that were made in County Meath in 2014; the response times to these calls; the number of calls answered by the fire service and the number of calls answered by the ambulance service; and in each case, the location from which the ambulances were mobilised. [1641/15]

Ambulance Service Provision

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

688. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the procedure for mobilising the fire service to incidents of road traffic collision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/15]

Ambulance Service Provision

Mary Mitchell O'Connor

689. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the reason ambulances can only go to public hospitals when a person (details supplied) has private health insurance; if a person may have a choice of hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1655/15]

Consultancy Contracts Data

Tom Fleming

690. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all consultancy firms engaged by his Department during 2014; if he will also provide details of all the relevant fees paid to those firms during the period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1669/15]

Medical Card Applications

John McGuinness

691. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a full medical card will be awarded in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1679/15]

Audiology Services Provision

Denis Naughten

692. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a medical appointment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1690/15]

Medicinal Products Prices

John Browne

693. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Health in view of the policy of reference pricing for prescription medication, if a person with cardiac disease who has been proven to be medically unable to take the generic form of a particular medication is required to pay over the €144 monthly prescription costs as they are using the branded prescription and the branded medication is on the prescription; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1692/15]

Long-Term Illness Scheme

Charlie McConalogue

694. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health his plans for a change in legislation to the long-term illness scheme which would include persons with spinal injuries such as syringomyelia to avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1695/15]

Water Fluoridation

Terence Flanagan

695. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the Health Research Board's review of the international evidence on fluoridation of water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1696/15]

Hospital Appointments Status

Brendan Griffin

696. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a medical appointment will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1697/15]

Hospital Services

Michael Healy-Rae

697. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the position regarding paediatrics facilities here, particularly in the Munster area where there is not ability to do MRI under anaesthetic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1706/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Data

Jack Wall

698. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the number of fair deal grants issued by the Health Service Executive in each health area for each of the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1716/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Jack Wall

699. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health the time taken to resolve an application for a fair deal grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1718/15]

Organ Donation

Tom Fleming

700. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health his plans to initiate an awareness campaign for organ donation due to the alarming reduction in organ donors; his legislative plans whereby all citizens would have the choice to opt out of organ donation where consent is assumed if no preference for opting out has been expressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1723/15]

Speech and Language Therapy Provision

Tom Fleming

701. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of children who have been assessed and approved for speech and language therapy in each county; the average waiting time for treatment in each county due to the importance of early intervention; his plans to appoint additional therapists to ensure that all children are treated in a timely fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1726/15]

Hospital Accommodation Provision

Joe Carey

702. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health his plans to reintroduce the winter bed initiative scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1727/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Joe Carey

703. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the progress with respect to the waiting time for fair deal assessment; his plans to provide an interim subsidy for nursing home beds to alleviate the current pressure in acute hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1728/15]

Child and Family Agency Remit

Michael McGrath

704. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the total impact on expenditure in his Department in 2014 of the transfer of the child and family services function to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1741/15]

Nursing Homes Support Scheme Applications

Tom Fleming

705. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if an application for the fair deal scheme will be examined in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1744/15]

Health Services Access

Jack Wall

706. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding medical issues in respect of a person in County Kildare; if the request may be addressed; if it cannot be addressed in the present hospital, if the medication is available in any other Health Service Executive hospital; if it cannot be addressed in the present hospital if the person may be referred to that hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1749/15]

Organ Donation

Seán Kyne

707. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the organ donation process with reference to the proposals for a new system based on presumed consent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1751/15]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Seán Kyne

708. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health regarding the difficulty in predicting the level of demand for emergency departments, owing to the nature of accidents and emergencies, if consideration has been given to creating special teams of medical staff who would work on a flexible and temporary basis in the accident and emergency department of each hospital within hospital groups as and when demand arises as such flexibility could alleviate current problems facing accident and emergency departments. [1759/15]