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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

543 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of advisory groups, study groups and inquiry groups he has set up since coming into office; the terms of reference of each of these groups; and the membership of each. [19500/00]

I have established 11 such groups, the details of which are as follows:

1. The Working Group on Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Terms of Reference:–

To examine the current state of child and adolescent services in the country, to carry out a needs analysis of the population aged 0-18 years for such services; to identify shortcomings in meeting needs and to make recommendations on how child and adolescent psychiatric services should be developed in the short, medium and long-term.

Membership:

Dr. Paul McCarthy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Adviser at the Department of Health and Children, (Chairman),

Professor Michael Fitzgerald, Ballyfermot Child and Family Centre,

Ms Catherine Heslin, Speech and Language Therapist, North Eastern Health Board.

Mr. Colman Duggan, Care Manager, Northern Area Health Board (Eastern Regional Health Authority)

Ms Chris Montague, Matron, St. Anne's, Western Health Board

Dr. Yvonne Begley, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, Mid Western Health Board

Dr. Collette Halpin, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, General Hospital, Portlaoise.

Mr. Paddy O'Dwyer, National Educational Psychological Services.
Dr. Deirdre McIntyre, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, Kill Child Guidance Clinic.
Mr. David Smith, Assistant Principal, Child Care Policy Unit, Department of Health and Children.
Ms Bairbre NicAongusa, Principal Officer, Mental Health Services, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Paul Howard, Assistant Principal, Mental Health Services, Department of Health and Children.
Mr. Aidan O'Reilly and Ms. Anne Tighe, Department of Health and Children (Secretariat).
2. Inter-Departmetnal Committee on the National Children's Strategy and Integrated Service Delivery.
Terms of Reference:
(1) to prepare the National Children's Strategy
(2) to prepare proposals for Government in advance of the finalisation of the strategy for the establishment of an Office of Ombudsman for Children in 2000.
Membership:
Mr. Michael Kelly, Secretary General, Department of Health and Children
Ms Sylda Langford, Assistant Secretary General Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Ms Deirdre Carroll, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs
Mr. Peter Baldwin, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Education and Science
Mr. John Cullen, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Environment and Local Government
Mr. Con Haugh, Assistant Secretary General, Department of Tourism, Sports and Recreation
Ms Frances Spillane, Director, Department of Health and Children
Ms Mary Butler, Principal Officer, Department of the Taoiseach
Mr. John Thompson, Principal Officer, Department of Finance
Ms Mary Cooke, Principal Officer, Office of the Attorney General
3. National Co-ordinating Committee (NCC) on Training, Work and Employment.
Terms of Reference:
To examine, agree and address the issues arising from the establishment group's recommendations on the future delivery of training, work and employment services, as they impinge on health boards/FÁS links.
Membership
Mr. Brendan Ingoldsby (Chairperson), Principal Officer, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Kieran Cronin, Assistant Principal, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Tommy Wilson (Secretary), Higher Executive Officer, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Frank Tracy, Advisory Unit, Head of Unit, Department of Health and Children, Disability
Mr. Michael McGinley, Programme Manager, Community Care, North Western Health Board
Mr. Leo Kinsella, Director, Disability Services, North Eastern Health Board
Mr. Joe Sweeney, Special Projects, Mid-Western Health Board
Mr. William Parnell, Assistant Principal, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Ms Patricia Curtin, Director FÁS
Mr. Con Shanahan, Regional Director – FÁS NE Region
Mr. John Phelan, Head of EU Section FÁS
Ms. Fiona Kilcullen, Accountant FÁS
4. Working Group tasked with the preparation of a Code of Practice for Sheltered Workshops.
Terms of Reference:
To prepare a code of practice for sheltered workshops. This code of practice will address relevant issues, including organisational policy and administrative standards, workplace conditions and relations, and contractual status and remuneration. The working group will take into account the current position, including examples of best practice, in regard to the provision of sheltered work for people with disabilities; the appropriate recommendations of the NACTE Report "Employment Challenges for the Millennium"; and the draft document "Principles and Standards for Sheltered Work Centres" (S2/98) produced by NRB".
Membership
Ms Jacqui Browne (Chairperson), People with Disabilities in Ireland
Ms Christine Whyte, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, National Disability Authority
Ms Martina Kelly, Development Officer The Equality Authority
Ms Paula Carey, Research Officer Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
Mr. Pat O'Shea, Executive Committee Member Northern Area Health Board
Mr. Christy Lynch, Chief Executive Officer KARE Federation of Voluntary Bodies
Ms Liz Scully, Deputy General Manager, APT Disability Federation of Ireland
Mr. Michael McGinley, Assistant chief executive officer North Western Health Board
Mr. Pat Madden, Programme Manager Southern Health Board
Mr. Frank Tracy, Head of Unit Disability Advisory Unit, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Tommy Wilson, Higher Executive Officer Disability Section, Department of (Secretary) Health and Children
5. Working Group tasked with the examination of the feasibility of introducing a Cost of Disability Payment.
Terms of Reference:
To examine the feasibility of introducing a cost of disability payment.
Membership
Ms Frances Spillane (Chairperson), Director Department of Health and Children
Mr. Brendan Ingoldsby, Principal, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Kieran Cronin (Secretary), Assistant Principal Department of Health and Children
Mr. Fred Foster, Assistant Principal Department of Finance
Mr. Tom Murphy, Assistant Principal Department of Finance
Mr. Enda Flynn, Assistant Principal Dept. of Social Community and Family Affairs
Mr. William Parnell, Assistant Principal Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
6. Voluntary Sector Funding Committee
Terms of Reference:
To examine and advise on the funding of voluntary organisations providing services to people with physical and sensory disabilities.
Membership
Mr. Brendan Ingoldsby, Department of Health and Children
Ms Marcella Luz, Department of Health and Children
Ms Frances Fletcher, Department of Health and Children
Mr. Jim Breslin, Department of Health and Children
Mr. James O'Grady, Health Boards
Mr. Leo Kinsella, Health Boards
Mr. Kevin McCarthy, Health Boards
Mr. John Dolan, Disability Federation of Ireland
Mr. David Manley, Not for Profit Business Association Ltd.
Mr. Mark Blake – Knox, Cheshire Foundation
Ms Eithne Frost, Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association
Mr. Des Kenny, National Council for the Blind of Ireland
7. Interim Body on Special Residential Services – which is set up for children convicted of committing offences, and children who have behavioural problems and are in need of special care and protection.
Terms of Reference:
The Interim Body will advise the Ministers for Health and Children and Education and Science on policy on the remand and detention schools and special care units. Under the terms of the Bill, a children detention order may be imposed by a court on a juvenile offender if it is the only suitable way of dealing with the child. Under such an order, a child would be placed in a detention school under the auspices of the Department of Education and Science. A special care order may be imposed on a child in need of special care or protection and the child would be placed in a unit operated by a health board.
Membership
Ms Maureen Lynott, Working Group to Review the Child Abuse Guidelines
Mr. Tony Bates, Head of Education Service, St. Joseph's, Ferry House, Clonmel
Ms Brid Clarke, Assistant Chief Executive South Western Area Health Board, ERHA
Mr. Ger Crowley, Programme Manager, Mid-Western Health Board
Mr. Cathal Flynn, Chief School Attendance Officer, Dublin
Ms Patricia Flynn, Director, Oberstown Girls Centre
Mr. Sean Hayes, Senior Probation and Welfare Officer
Ms Siobhan Keogh, Child Care Manager, Midland Health Board
Mr. Roger Killeen, Divisional Inspector, Department of Education and Science
Mr. Michael O'Connor, Director, Oberstown Boys Centre
Mr. Dan O'Shea, Senior School Attendance Officer, Cork.
8. Steering Group on Cork Hospital Services
Terms of Reference:
To identify and advise the Minister of Health and Children on measures to improve the integration of hospital services in Cork, in particular: a new model for the funding, planning and management of hospital services in Cork City, involving the transfer of responsibility for funding of voluntary hospitals to the Southern Health Board; the process to be followed in transferring responsibility for funding with effect from the beginning of 2002; the implications of these changes for the Mercy Hospital, the South Infirmary – Victoria Hospital and the Southern Health Board.
Taking into account the circumstances of the acute hospital sector, this model should be based on the approach set out in the report Enhancing the Partnership, 1997 and have particular regard to the following principles: respect for the operational autonomy and ethos of voluntary agencies; recognition of the statutory role of the health board; a standing regional planning structure representative of all agencies concerned; a requirement to operate within the constraints of the accountability legislation with regard to conformity with service plans and determinations of expenditure; agreement on the terms under which service agreements might be reviewed and revised; and arrangements for monitoring, review and resolution of difficulties, with third party involvement where necessary.
Membership
Professor Michael B. Murphy, University College, Cork
John A Murphy, Mercy Hospital
Tony McNamara Cork University Hospital
Sean Hurley, chief executive officer, Southern Health Board
Ger O'Callaghan, South Infirmary – Victoria Hospital
Paul O'Sullivan, Department of Health and Children.
9. Inquiry into Practices and Procedures following post mortem procedures
Terms of Reference
To review all post mortem examination policy, practice and procedure in the State since 1970, and in particular as it relates to organ removal, retention, storage and disposal by reference to prevailing standards both in and outside of the State. To examine the application of these policies, practices and procedures in hospitals generally and in particular their application in the hospitals listed in the appendix.
The inquiry will address the hospitals' policies, practices and procedures in this area of organ removal, retention, storage and disposal, the necessity for such practices and the manner in which they were carried out. The inquiry will take account of best practice regarding post-mortem examinations in and outside of the State together with the reasonable expectations of parents of deceased children and next of kin in such circumstances.
Chairman: Ms Ann Dunne S.C.
Membership: None
10. Health Service Accreditation
Terms of Reference
To develop an Irish accreditation scheme to incorporate the major academic teaching hospitals initially, with planned expansion to other academic hospitals and finally all other health agencies in the country in the medium to long-term.
To make recommendations regarding establishment of a body with responsibility for overseeing and implementing the scheme and which will act as the accrediting agency for the country. In this context, to also make provision for selection and training of accreditation assessors.
Membership
Mr. Brian Sweeney (Chairperson), Siemens Ltd.
Mr. John O'Brien, Chief Executive, St. James's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8.
Mr. Michael Lyons, Chief Executive, Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin inc. the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Prof. John Feely, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College, Dublin 2.
Prof. Austin Leahy, Professorial Unit, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont Road, Dublin 9.
Prof. Colm O'Herlihy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin 2.
Prof. John Fitzpatric, 41 Eccles Street, Dublin 7.
Prof. Brian Keogh, President, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Ms Yvonne O'Shea, Chief Education officer, An Bord Altranais, 31/32 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2.
Prof. Eamonn Quigley, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork.
Mr. Vincent Barton, Principal Officer, Secondary Care Division, Department of Health and Children, Hawkins House, Dublin 2.
Dr. Sheelah Ryan, Chief Executive, Western Health Board, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway.
Mr. Tony McNamara, General Manager, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Co. Cork.
Dr. Michael Boland, Director, Postgraduate Resource Centre, Irish College of General Practitioners, 4 – 5 Lincoln Place, Dublin 2.
Dr. P. A. (Tony) Carney, Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NUI Galway, Clinical Sciences Institute, Costello Road, Galway.
Mr. John Melvin, Irish Society for Quality in Healthcare, P.O. Box 6448, Dublin 9.
Nomination Outstanding, Non-health representative.
11. A committee has been established to examine the nature and extent of benzodiazepine prescribing in Ireland. The committee, which met for the first time in July this year is to examine the current prescribing and use of benzodiazepines, to consider recommendations on good prescribing and dispensing practice, paying particular attention to the management of drug misusers and to make recommendations as appropriate.
The committee has representation from relevant professional groups such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Irish College of General Practitioners, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and An Bord Altranais. Representation from health boards, the Department of Health and Children and voluntary and community groups are also on the committee.
Barr
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