Health Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005

Wednesday, 26 January 2005

Ceisteanna (95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104)

John McGuinness

Ceist:

156 Mr. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in County Carlow has been waiting two years from the date of the visit to their general practitioner to be examined to determine the cause of a disorder in their hands, arms, neck and back; the further reason this person has been waiting so long to be examined at Cork University Hospital; if this person’s examination can be fast tracked; if they can be considered under the treatment purchase fund; if a resolution will be expedited in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34121/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children (Ms Harney)

The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services.

As the person referred to by the Deputy resides in County Carlow, my Department has requested the chief officer for the executive's south eastern area to investigate the matter raised and reply directly to the Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

157 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason she denied a request from the violence against women sector for a €7 million increase in funding earmarked for frontline services which would increase the budget allocation to €19 million in order to redress severe under-resourcing of these services in relation to demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34125/04]

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

253 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if urgent assistance will be given to a group (details supplied) in Dublin 3 in its efforts for funding; and if she will work closely with the Department of Social and Family Affairs on this issue. [1310/05]

Pádraic McCormack

Ceist:

258 Mr. McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will make the necessary funds available to the Western Health Board to grant aid the Galway rape crisis centre to meet its running costs (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1331/05]

Martin Ferris

Ceist:

259 Mr. Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will commit funding to the Kerry rape and sexual abuse centre in order that it can sustain its current level of services and also develop its services in the future. [1332/05]

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

269 Mr. O’Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason agencies which are funded by her Department and involved in issues related to violence against women (details supplied) have suffered a reduction in real terms in their funding for 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1609/05]

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

287 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will increase financial aid to the rape crisis services in the south west, particularly Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1629/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

298 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to increase and ring-fence funding for frontline women’s services by €7 million for 2005; and if the Government will establish funding security for the sector through multi-annual planning, as demanded by the non-governmental organisation Coalition on Violence Against Women. [1667/05]

John Perry

Ceist:

300 Mr. Perry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that, due to a lack of coherent national level governmental commitments to services, a centre (details supplied) is experiencing difficulties in providing adequate services to victims of assaults in Sligo and Leitrim; if funding will be ring-fenced for delivery of services to enable it to plan service provision strategically for the future; if her Department is committed to a national funding framework for VAW; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1838/05]

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

307 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the role of her Department in the funding of rape crisis and sexual assault centres around the country; the funding which is provided by her Department to these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter [1893/05]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. S. Power)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 157, 253, 258, 259, 269, 287, 298, 300 and 307 together.

The national steering committee on violence against women was established following the report of the task force on violence against women, 1997. Its purpose is to provide a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and cohesive response to the problem of violence against women and it is chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey.

My Department does not directly fund or co-ordinate health and personal social services to victims of abuse. Moneys are made available each year, formerly through the health boards, and now through the Health Service Executive, for the provision of services to women victims of violence. In recent years there has been a substantial increase in funding so that now over €12 million is provided annually for the provision of such services. It is now a matter for the Health Service Executive to resource the provision of these services.