Written Answers Nos. 228-238
228. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when the Voluntary Health Insurance Board must acquire the necessary capital reserves to make an application for authorisation by the Central Bank of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5302/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraVHI's application for authorisation was submitted to the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) on 16 May 2014. VHI continues to engage closely with the CBI in respect of its application, and my Department has also provided a number of clarifications to the Bank to assist it in its understanding of the interaction between the private health insurance market and the health system.
Any capital requirement will be determined by the CBI, as the independent regulator, following its assessment of VHI's application. I expect that VHI will be authorised at the earliest opportunity, if approved by the Central Bank.
229. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the operational hours of the dialysis unit in Kerry General Hospital to cater for all the 50 plus patients attending the unit to facilitate the three patients from Kerry who are currently attending Cork University Hospital for dialysis treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5308/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
230. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the safety and current design of mammogram machines; the number of mammogram machines available; and the age and lifespan of these machines [5313/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSafety is of paramount importance to the BreastCheck programme, which has high quality control standards in place for the management of its 30 screening mammography machines. These are set out in the Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Mammography Screening and are consistent with those of the European Reference Organisation for Quality Assured Breast Screening and Diagnostic Services (EUREF), the EU standard.
BreastCheck is voluntarily accredited and the entire BreastCheck programme is subject to external review by EUREF.
Routine quality monitoring and audits are performed including rigorous technical quality assurance by medical physicists, twice annually, to ensure conformance with EUREF quality standards. The machines are covered by comprehensive maintenance contracts, which ensure optimal operation according to specification.
BreastCheck have set out an optimal life span of eight years for screening mammography machines. The current age of mammography machines in place range from November 2007 to December 2014. BreastCheck commenced a rolling replacement programme in 2014 which will see all mammography machines refreshed by 2017.
231. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve dental service provision throughout County Cavan; if his attention has been drawn to the concern of parents of primary school-going children of the inadequate service at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5324/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
232. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of whole-time-equivalent nurses and midwives employed in the Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar, County Westmeath, every year since 2011; the number of agency nurses and midwives employed for the same period; the cost difference in employed whole-time-equivalent staff as opposed to agency staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5331/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
233. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an immediate appointment at Kilcreene Hospital, County Kilkenny, will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if physiotherapy will also be arranged at the hospital in view of their general practitioner deeming the request to be urgent. [5342/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she would be in the best position to take the matter up with the consultant and hospital involved. In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up with them.
234. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if transport to and from hospitals in Dublin will be provided or paid for by his Department or the Health Service Executive in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5356/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
235. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the total amount raised from prescription charges in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5384/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe total amount raised from prescription charges in 2014 is projected to be €120 million.
236. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the nature of the treatment received by the child of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; if the matter will be investigated with a view to resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5396/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith regard to specific complaints in relation to experiences of individuals in our hospitals, there is a formal complaints policy, entitled “Your Service Your Say”,details of which are on the HSE website, at: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/yourhealthservice/feedback/complaints/.
In accordance with this procedure, a complaint must be made in the first instance to the hospital in which the incident causing the complaint occurred.
If an individual is not satisfied with the response from the hospital, a review can be sought from the HSE Director of Advocacy and the Ombudsman, whose details are set out below.
HSE Director of Advocacy
Oak House
Millennium Park
Naas
Co Kildare
Tel 1890 424 555
Office of the Ombudsman
18, Lower Leeson Street
Dublin 2
Tel 1890 223 030
Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up with them.
237. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of staff from his Department or agency under his remit working out of a Government building at a location (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5591/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no staff from my Department or agencies under the aegis of my Department working out of Government Buildings at Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
238. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the arrangements his Department has in place to identify Irish citizens living in Taiwan, should the circumstances arise; the arrangements in place for the same citizens to renew their Irish passports or to obtain Irish passports for their children within Taiwan; the contact details for officials within Taiwan dealing with these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5353/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland adheres to the One China policy and does not recognise Taiwan as a State. As a result, Ireland does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and does not have an Embassy in Taipei. Irish citizens travelling to, or resident in, Taiwan can register their details on the Citizens’ Registration facility on the Department’s website at www.dfa.ie. The Citizen’s Registration service is a voluntary service which encourages Irish citizens travelling or living overseas to register their contact details with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This means that in the event of an unforeseen crisis such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, the Department can proactively contact the citizen, ensure they are safe, keep them informed of any evacuation plans and provide assistance where necessary.
Citizens resident in Taiwan are advised to submit their passport applications through the Irish Embassy in Beijing. The turnaround time averages about 4-6 weeks which is the equivalent turnaround time for citizens resident in the UK. Additionally, citizens requiring passport information may also contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin on +353 (0) 1 408 2000.
If Irish citizens are in difficulty in Taiwan and require Consular Assistance, they can call our Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin on +353 (0) 1 408 2000. They can also email the Department using the ‘Travel Advice’, ‘Consular Assistance’ or ‘Passport Office’ options in the dropdown menu of the contact details page of the Department’s website.
