Parliamentary questions

Hospital Beds Data

Mick Barry

115. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health to set out the level of spare capacity in terms of acute beds in the private hospital system; if he has considered taking private hospitals into public ownership to address the crisis in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4510/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Barry Cowen

116. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health his plans to speed up the provision of outpatient appointments to the 3,264 persons waiting more than a year for a consultation at the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4668/17]

Mobility Allowance Review

Thomas Pringle

117. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the status of the review being carried out to replace the motorised transport grant; when policy proposals will be presented to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4257/17]

Rare Diseases Strategy

Ruth Coppinger

118. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 505 of 24 January 2017 to outline the assistance his Department provides to those with rare diseases in terms of research funding and other assistance to patients and their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4626/17]

Hospital Consultant Remuneration

Billy Kelleher

119. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to set down his Department’s estimate of the cost of compensating hospital consultants in the wake of the HSE decision not to appeal the 2015 ruling of the Employment Appeals Tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4650/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists

John Lahart

120. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the improvement that can be expected in 2017 in the long waiting times for an outpatient appointment in Tallaght hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4680/17]

Health Services Provision

Anne Rabbitte

121. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health to outline the reason there has been a reconfiguration of physiotherapy services in east Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4678/17]

Nursing Staff Recruitment

Seán Crowe

122. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health to set down the total cost of recruitment for nurses and midwives recruited between December 2007 and December 2016; if he will provide this information in respect of recruitment from EU and non-EU countries, including the costs of any recruitment agency; the cost of HSE staff or voluntary hospital staff who travelled to conduct interviews and adaptation costs for those recruited upon arrival here; the cost of accommodation and subsistence during that period; the cost of HSE and voluntary staff engaged to precept the non-Irish-trained nurses and midwives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4569/17]

Mental Health Services Provision

Marc MacSharry

123. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Health to outline his plans to enable children and young persons in counties Sligo and Leitrim to have access to an out-of-hours child and adolescent mental health service team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4674/17]

Health Services

John Brady

124. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the details of the steering group of the 2017 capacity review including membership, number of members and so on; the details of the international expert advisory group of the 2017 capacity review, including membership, number of members and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4552/17]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Louise O'Reilly

125. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health further to the budget announcement of additional funding being made to the National Treatment Purchase Fund to outline the evaluation mechanisms in place to ensure value for money; the evaluation mechanisms in place to ensure satisfactory outcomes and number of treatments in accordance with the funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4550/17]

Emergency Departments

Alan Kelly

126. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the progress he has made in his analysis of the way private accident and emergency departments will be used during peaks in public accident and emergency department usage. [4410/17]

Hospital Services

Eamon Scanlon

127. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a catheterisation laboratory at Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4253/17]

Health Insurance Community Rating

Lisa Chambers

128. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Health if he will amend the lifetime community rating regulations in order that serving members of the Defence Forces do not feel obliged to buy health insurance which they do not need in order to avoid premium loadings in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4666/17]

Accident and Emergency Departments

Mary Butler

129. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the reason for the 57% increase in the numbers on trolleys in Waterford hospital in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4659/17]

Maternity Services Provision

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

130. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the reason detailed 20-week routine scans for pregnant women are not provided routinely or offered to all patients; his plans to extend this facility from the current six maternity units to all 19 maternity units here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4558/17]

General Practitioner Services

Michael Healy-Rae

131. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the general practitioner service in Waterville and Rathmore, County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4523/17]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

Fiona O'Loughlin

132. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health when his Department is likely to update the list of conditions on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4697/17]

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Alan Kelly

133. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if the new emergency department in University Hospital Limerick will be funded and opened on schedule in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4521/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Smith

134. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the action that will be taken in 2017 to reduce waiting times for outpatient consultations in Cavan hospital, which increased significantly during 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4682/17]

Hospital Services

Martin Heydon

135. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health his views on the need for increased provision of endoscopy services at Naas General Hospital to allow for reduction in waiting lists in this area following his recent visit; the status of progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4623/17]

Hospital Services

Brendan Griffin

136. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the provision of a dedicated obstetrics theatre at University Hospital Kerry, UHK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4255/17]

Accident and Emergency Departments

Timmy Dooley

137. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health his views on safety concerns expressed regarding the conditions in University Hospital Limerick's emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4679/17]

EU Bodies

Brendan Howlin

138. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Health if he has raised Ireland's bid to secure the European Medicines Agency with his EU counterparts in bilateral meetings. [2781/17]

Primary Care Strategy Roll-out

John Brassil

139. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for the decisive shift to primary care promised in the programme for Government; the way in which this will be benchmarked in terms of health expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4671/17]

Hospitals Building Programme

Brian Stanley

140. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if Abbeyleix Hospital will be included in the capital programme; and the plans there are to refurbish, upgrade and extend the facility. [4267/17]

Mental Health Act Review

Mick Wallace

141. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his Department has an official position on whether serious mental conditions are physical malfunctions in the brain or otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4502/17]

Home Help Service Provision

Eugene Murphy

142. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if there will be any increase in the number of home help hours provided in 2017 in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4693/17]

Speech and Language Therapy Provision

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

143. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health his views on whether the HSE's one-year target for children's speech and language therapy assessments is sufficiently ambitious; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4664/17]

Mental Health Policy

James Browne

144. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health if he will reinstate a monitoring group for the implementation of A Vision for Change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4654/17]

Hospital Services

Bernard Durkan

145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he has sought or received confirmation from the HSE in regard to the optimum in terms of resources and facilities required to prevent overcrowding at accident and emergency departments at various general hospitals and waiting lists for various procedures; if comparisons continue to be made with best practice in other jurisdictions, with a view to identifying the most appropriate structures for Ireland; if he has had discussions with the various hospital and community care authorities, including private hospitals, to achieve the necessary results; the role he envisages for primary care centres in the delivery of acute services in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4637/17]

Maternity Services Provision

Alan Kelly

146. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the way in which he proposes to fully fund the national maternity strategy; and the funding spent to date in 2017. [4408/17]

Home Help Service Provision

Brendan Smith

147. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if there will be any increase in the number of home help hours provided in 2017 in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4683/17]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Anne Rabbitte

148. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health his plans to speed up the provision of outpatient appointments in the three children’s hospitals in Dublin, in view of the fact that more than 7,000 children were waiting more than a year for an outpatient appointment at the end of 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4677/17]

Disability Services Provision

Richard Boyd Barrett

149. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will assure parents of children with disabilities that their assessments of needs will be completed on time, as per the Disability Act 2005; if the statements of need will be completed on time and implemented by the HSE promptly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4618/17]

Accident and Emergency Departments

Alan Kelly

150. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve the country's accident and emergency departments; and if he will consider opening new minor injury units and guarantee all current accident and emergency departments are maintained. [4522/17]

Census of Population Data

Jackie Cahill

151. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Taoiseach the number of households within the boundary marker of an area (details supplied). [4895/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Brendan Howlin

152. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the islands has met since October 2016; and when it is planned to meet next. [4273/17]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Micheál Martin

153. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the islands last met. [4541/17]

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings

Micheál Martin

154. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Taoiseach if he spoke to Prime Minister May regarding the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. [4542/17]

European Fund for Strategic Infrastructure

Barry Cowen

155. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Taoiseach the potential investment projects his Department put forward to the Department of Finance task force report for the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [4872/17]

Commissions of Investigation

Robert Troy

156. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Taoiseach the final costs to the Exchequer of each commission of investigation that has been completed to date in his Department, in addition to the estimated costs to date of ongoing commissions of investigations. [5311/17]

Proposed Legislation

John Brady

157. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to implement any further amendments and-or legislation in relation to the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4767/17]

Direct Provision Data

Jonathan O'Brien

158. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of adults and children who remain in direct provision after receiving their stamp 4 leave to remain; the number of these persons living in direct provision on 26 January 2017; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties these persons are having in accessing private rented accommodation; the supports she plans to put in place to assist these persons in making the transition from direct provision; and if she has discussed this matter with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in order to co-ordinate the efforts of both Departments to prevent these persons from becoming homeless. [4781/17]

Immigrant Investor Programme Eligibility

Jim O'Callaghan

159. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the basis for the increase in the amount required by applicants to avail of the immigrant investor programme and which increase was announced on 20 December 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4817/17]

European Fund for Strategic Investments

Barry Cowen

160. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the potential investment projects her Department put forward to the Department of Finance task force report for the European Fund for Strategic Investments. [4869/17]

Military Aircraft Landings

Clare Daly

161. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of formal requests for the search of military planes by An Garda Síochána at Shannon Airport which have been acceded to in the each of the years 2014 to 2016. [4886/17]

Naturalisation Applications

Michael Healy-Rae

162. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for naturalisation in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4887/17]

European Fund for Strategic Investments

Barry Cowen

163. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Finance the progress being made in securing funding for potential investment projects under the European Fund for Strategic Investments; the projects that have been approved for funding; the projects put forward to his Department for inclusion in its task force report to the EFSI; and his views on whether they are still in contention for funding. [4717/17]

Pension Levy

John Lahart

164. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Finance the measures he is taking to replenish the private pensions funds which the Government has repeatedly accessed over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4760/17]