Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
552
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established pursuant to statutory instrument; if he will give details of the statutory instrument in each case; if there are any proposals to have the body in question given a basis in statute as opposed to statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19667/00]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
553
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established otherwise than pursuant to statute or statutory instrument; if there are any proposals to have the body in question given a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19682/00]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
554
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which it is proposed to establish; if it is intended that each such body will have a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19697/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 552 to 554, inclusive, together.
The bodies under the auspices of my Department which were established pursuant to statutory instrument are:
Comhairle na nOspidéal: S.I. 164 of 1972, Health Act, 1970;
The Health Service Employers Agency, S.I. No. 213 of 1996;
National Social Qualifications Board: National Social Qualifications Board (establishment) Order 1997, S.I. No. 97 of 1997;
The National Council on Ageing and Older People: S.I. No. 120 of 1997;
The Health Research Board: S.I.s No. 279 and 452 of 1986;
The National Cancer Registry Board: S.Is No. 19 of 1991 and No. 293 of 1996;
Blood Transfusion Service Board: S.I. No. 78 of 1965, as amended by S.I. No. 209 of 1988, S.I. No 318 of 1994 and S.I. No. 2 2 of 2000;
Consultative Council on Hepatitis C: S.I. No. 339 of 1996;
James Connolly Memorial Hospital Board established by S.I. No. 97 of 1971 as amended by S./I. No. 238 of 1987;
St. James Hospital Board established by S.I. No. 187 of 1971 as amended by S.I. No 135 of 1977, S.I. No. 211 of 1984, S.I. No. 327 of 1989, S.I. No. 136 of 1996 and S.I. No. 538 0f 1988;
Beaumont Hospital Board established by S.I. No. 255 of 1977, as amended by S.I. No 337 of 1983, S.I. No. 13 of 1988, S.I. No. 59 of 1988 and S.I. No. 234 of 1989;
Tallaght Hospital Board established by S.I. No. 38 of 1980 as amended by S.I. No. 313 of 1982 and S.I. No. 162 of 1984;
Adelaide Hospital established by S.I. No. 374 of 1980 Adelaide Hospital (Charter Amendment) Order;
Adelaide and Meath Hospital established by S.I. No. 228 of 1996 Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children's Hospital.
St. Luke's and St. Anne's Hospital Board established by S.I. No. 252 of 1999 St. Luke's and St. Anne's Hospital Board (Revocation) Order, 1999;
National Breast Screening Board established by S.I. No. 319 of 1998 as amended by S.I, No. 84 of 1989 and S.I. No. 139 of 2000;
The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council was established under Statutory Instrument No. 9 of 2000; and the Drug Treatment Centre Board was established by order under the Health Corporate Bodies Act, 1961.
There are no proposals to change the statutory basis of any of the above bodies.
The National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery was established by Statutory Instrument No. 376 of 1999. The council will be given a basis in statute upon the enactment of new legislation to amend the Nurses Act, 1985.
The Women's Health Council was established pursuant to Statutory Instrument No. 278 of 1997. The council has a basis in statute viz the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961, as amended.
Bodies established other than by statute or statutory instrument are as follows:
A joint waste management body was set up under a memorandum of understanding, dated 31 May 1996, with the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland for the purpose of seeking tenders for the treatment and disposal of clinical waste throughout the island of Ireland. The body is still in existence monitoring the contract; the Medical Manpower Forum. A group under the auspices of the Department has been established to examine the filling of locum consultants posts; the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care Services was established in September 1999. The committee is preparing a report recommending a comprehensive national policy for the strategic planning and development of palliative care services nationally; a broad-based working group to advise on the formulation of procedures and guidelines on elder abuse under the auspices of the National Council on Ageing and Older People was established in October 1999.
The Commission on Nursing proposed that the role of nursing and non-nursing personnel be examined by two groups. The 7.63 group, so named after the relevant paragraph in the commission's report, was established in order to specify a list of duties appropriate to non-nursing personnel and to deal with other issues.
The Monitoring Committee (Implementation of the Commission on Nursing), Skill Mix Working Group, Paediatric Nursing Education Review Group, High Level Empowerment Group, Nursing Education Forum.
Implementation group on the report Towards a Standardised Framework for Intercountry Adoption Assessment Procedures.
Heart Health Task Force: Advisory Forum on Cardiovascular Health.
Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction.
Expert Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening.
Committee for the certification of the eradication of Polio.
Influenza Pandemic Planning committee.
National TB Committee.
Bacterial Meningitis Working Group
Vaccine User Group
Advisory group – Campaign to combat unplanned pregnancies.
Forum on Fluoridation.
In July 1998 the National Blood Users Group was established as a multi-disciplinary group which comprises a number of medical and scientific specialists with a particular interest in blood transfusion. The function of this group is to support the development of best transfusion practice in hospitals, and specifically, to develop blood utilisation guidelines, indicators of quality in clinical practice and protocols for the administration of blood and blood products.
In September 1997 the expert group on hepatitis C was established to make recommendations on the clinical and non-clinical management of that group of women who were administered infected or potentially infected anti-D, but have tested negative for the virus. The work of the expert group is continuing.
Traveller Health Advisory Committee.
Physical and Sensory Disability Database Development Committee.
Working Party on the Funding of Voluntary Organisations Providing Health and Personal Social Services to People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities.
Training, work and allowances committees/ working groups/steering groups.
National Co-ordinating Committee – NCC – on Training, Work and Employment.
Working group tasked with the preparation of a code of practice for sheltered workshops.
Health care Materials Management Board.
Working Group tasked with the examination of the feasibility of introducing a cost of disability payment. Committee to advise on development of national strategy for rehabilitation services.
It is not intended to place any of the above bodies on a statutory footing.
The National Disease Surveillance Centre was established in October 1998, on a non-statutory basis initially, under the auspices of the Eastern Health Board, now succeeded by the Eastern Regional Health Authority. It is intended in due course to establish the centre on a statutory basis.
The Office of Tobacco Control is now operational. It is proposed to formally establish the office on a statutory basis.
Bodies not yet in existence but which it is proposed to establish are as follows: "a working party comprised of representatives of the Department of Health and Children, Health Services Employer's Agency, nursing and other appropriate organisations to establish standard criteria in relation to the entry requirements, educational qualifications and training for care assistants across the health service.
The Mental Health Bill, 1999 provides for the establishment on a statutory basis of a Mental Health Commission. The principal functions of the commission will be to promote, encourage and foster the establishment and maintenance of high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to take all reasonable steps to protect the interests of persons detained in approved centres.
A blood service consumers' council, as recommended in the Finlay report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Blood Transfusion Service Board. The main purpose of the council will be to represent consumers' interests in relation to blood transfusion and blood product safety. The Finlay report did not recommend that the council should be established on a statutory basis.
The health insurance authority, in accordance with the provisions of the Health Insurance Act, 1994.
Health Promotion Forum – on a non-statutory basis.
A broad-based working group to advise on the formulation of procedures and guidelines on elder abuse under the auspices of the National Council on Ageing and Older People was established in October 1999.
Committee to advise on development of national strategy for rehabilitation services.
