Written Answers Nos. 195-202
195. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which physiotherapy sessions will be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13834/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. 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.
196. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the reason an updated medical card in the case of a student (details supplied) in County Kildare is only valid to July 2015 given the previous medical card was valid until June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13837/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
197. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will be renewed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13839/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
198. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive proposes to provide permanent status for employees on short term contracts, such as multi-task attendants and health care attendants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13849/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this issue. 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.
199. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Health if a medical appointment will be expedited in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13853/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraYou will appreciate that it is contrary to the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013 for me to make a direction to the HSE or a hospital to benefit or prioritise any individual person or patient.
The 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 should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, 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.
200. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he notifies the Department of Defence when a foreign military aircraft seeks permission to overfly our airspace, with particular reference to aircraft such as the EC-130H which made an emergency landing at Shannon on 28 February 2015, in view of the fact that these aircraft normally operate in secret. [13648/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra201. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade how it knows when aircraft such as the EC-130H, one of which made an emergency landing at Shannon on the 28 February 2015, is overflying our airspace, in view of the fact that they normally operate in secret and the knowledge we have of their overflight is that their transponders are turned off. [13649/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together.
The Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, made under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1946, gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland. Permission is required for such aircraft to overfly Ireland or to land at Irish airports. Requests for permission submitted to my Department by the Embassy of the country in question are circulated to relevant Departments and agencies, including the Department of Defence.
All flights are expected to comply with navigational requirements in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation procedures. Compliance with these requirements is a matter for the aviation authorities which operate under the aegis of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
202. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he proposes to raise the ongoing crisis in the Ukraine at the next European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13743/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe next Foreign Affairs Council will take place in Luxembourg on 20 April. The agenda for the meeting will be finalised in due course by EU High Representative Mogherini, in consultation with Member States. The question of whether Ministers will discuss the situation in Ukraine, and the nature of any such discussion, will largely depend on developments there in the meantime.The crisis in Ukraine was considered by EU leaders at the European Council on 19-20 March. Heads of State and Government called on all parties to swiftly and fully implement the Minsk agreements and honour their commitments. They agreed that current EU sanctions should be clearly linked to the complete implementation of these agreements and that the European Council stood ready to take further measures if necessary. The Council also reiterated that the EU does not recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastapol.
There was broad agreement on strengthening EU support for the OSCE Mission to enhance its capacity to effectively monitor and verify the Minsk agreements. Leaders also underlined the EU’s continued support for Ukraine’s reform process.
I will continue to closely monitor developments in Ukraine. It is vital that all sides hold to the commitments they made on 12 February in Minsk to help create the conditions that might lead to a peaceful end to this crisis.
