Written Answers Nos. 879-896
879. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health his plans to reinstate antenatal and gynaecology services at Dungloe Community Hospital in County Donegal; if he will provide a timeframe as to when he expects these services to resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22461/15]
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.
880. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health his plans to recruit a full-time consultant psychologist for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in County Waterford; if he is satisfied with arrangements at present, given that the post has been vacant since April, and concerns are being expressed by the PNA; his views that the service is fit for purpose; if he will give a breakdown of waiting lists and waiting times at present, along with details of the waiting lists for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22462/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
881. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding the Irish Medical Organisation and IMO-related companies have received under the Health Service Executive funded drugs target saving scheme from its inception to date; the companies concerned; the way the money was distributed and its purpose; the accountability measures within the HSE that were in place to ensure such funding was appropriately and efficiently spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22476/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs these are service issues, they have been referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) 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.
882. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, by county, the numbers and lists of general practitioners who have signed up to the proposed free GP care plan for children under six; the reason the list was not published by the Health Service Executive on 25 May 2015, as promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22477/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe contract for the provision of GP services without fees at the point of access to children under six years was posted to doctors by the HSE on 30 April 2015. In the letter, the HSE requested GPs to complete and return the signed Form of Agreement as soon as possible, but not later than Monday 25 May 2015 in order to ensure their patients are able to register on their panel from early June and that the GPs receive payments for registered patients from 1 July 2015. The HSE did not indicate that it would publish the list of contracted GPs on 25 May.
As the publication of the list of GPs who have signed up to provide services to children under six years is a service issue, it has been referred to the HSE 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.
883. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding provision of services for children with ASD at a school in County Cork; if the matter will be addressed by the Health Service Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22480/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way both early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities, including autism, are delivered.
The Executive is currently engaged in a major reconfiguration of its existing therapy resources for children with disabilities into multidisciplinary geographically based teams, as part of its National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years). The key objective of this Programme is to bring about equity of access to disability services and consistency of service delivery, with a clear pathway for children with disabilities and their families to services, regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of the individual child's difficulties.
The Programme is a key priority for the HSE's Social Care Directorate. An additional €4 million was allocated in 2014 to assist in implementing the Programme, equating to approximately 80 additional therapy posts. Further investment of €4 million will also be made to support the development of therapy services in 2015 (equating to €6 million in a full year). The transition to this new service model is taking place on a phased basis and includes consultation and engagement with stakeholders, including service users and their families.
My Department has asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in respect of the detailed operational issues that he has raised. 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.
884. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health when the increases in staffing levels and the number of beds agreed by the current staff and the HSE at the mental health unit in University Hospital Galway will be introduced, arising from the positive impact the extra resources will have on patients, family and staff of both the inpatient and outpatient sections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22511/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
885. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress of the new mental health facility planned for the campus at University Hospital Galway. [22512/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
886. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of commissions of investigation established under the aegis of his Department, in tabular form, since the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 came into effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22755/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra887. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of commissions of investigation under the aegis of his Department which have yet to complete and publish their reports; if he will provide a timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22766/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra888. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Health the number of commissions of investigation established under the aegis of his Department during the term of the current Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22777/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 886 to 888, inclusive, together.
Since the Act came into effect, there has been one Commission of Investigation established under the aegis of the Department. Statutory Instrument No. 304/2007 established the Commission of Investigation (Leas Cross Nursing Home) Order 2007. The Commission reported in 2009. Its report is available at www.health.gov.ie/blog/publications/the-leas-cross-commission-the-commission-of-investigation-leas-cross-nursing-home-final-report-june-2009. I hope this clarifies the Deputy's question.
889. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding Ireland's participation in international negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21390/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra2015 is a crucial year for international development. We are preparing for three interlinked international conferences: in Addis Ababa in July on financing for development, in New York in September on a new set of Sustainable Development Goals, and in Paris in December on a new climate treaty.
I will lead the Irish delegation to the conference in Addis Ababa, the outcome of which will be essential for success in the subsequent conferences. Ireland is playing a strong international role in the overall process to agree a new framework for global development to follow on from the Millennium Development Goals, post-2015. The contours of agreement at Addis Ababa will need to be broad if they are to support the new set of Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted at the major Summit at the UN in New York. Official Development Assistance (ODA) will be a vitally important element of the package, but agreement will also be needed on a much wider range of resources for development. It will be important, then, that all parties contribute on an equitable basis and that we also look at measures to unlock all available sources of financing. These measures must include domestic resource mobilisation, the most rapidly growing component of development finance over the last decade, as well as exploring ways of involving the private sector as inclusive partners in development and recognising the importance of science and technology.
While ODA will not be sole focus of negotiations at Addis Ababa, it remains particularly important for the fight to end poverty in the Least Developed Countries, including many African countries and fragile states, countries which are the focus of Ireland’s aid programme. The Government remains firmly committed to reaching the 0.7% target and to making further progress towards it as our economic recovery consolidates. Ireland therefore welcomed the reconfirmation of the EU’s collective commitment to reaching the 0.7% target within the timeframe of the post-2015 agenda when Development Ministers met at the Council meeting which I attended in Brussels on 26 May. We also agreed on the need to direct more aid to the Least Developed Countries, and especially to the poorest African countries. Ireland is a world leader in the proportion of our aid which we provide to the poorest countries. Ireland is committed to working with our EU and UN partners to secure an inclusive agreement at Addis Ababa that will support the new, transformative Sustainable Development Goals.
890. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps that have been taken to strengthen common efforts by the Irish and British Governments to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and to end the scourge of global hunger and poor nutrition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22304/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraGlobal hunger and malnutrition are acknowledged as some of the most severe global development challenges today. Over 800 million people are estimated to be hungry in the world and under-nutrition is the biggest underlying cause of death in children under the age of five, causing 8,000 child deaths each day. The eradication of hunger and malnutrition is a cornerstone of Ireland’s development aid programme and central to Ireland’s foreign policy values. Ireland’s continued commitment is set out in our Policy for International Development, "One World, One Future" and in our Foreign Policy document "The Global Island". Overall, 20% of the development budget managed by Irish Aid is directed to the fight against hunger and under-nutrition, including through promotion of smallholder agricultural production and support for women’s empowerment. We focus particularly on the challenge of improving maternal and child nutrition in the world’s poorest countries. Ireland is committed to increasing political will and investment to address under-nutrition in developing countries, and we have developed a strong and active partnership on this challenge with the United Kingdom.
Ireland and the UK work closely in our support for the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement which seeks to improve maternal, infant and child nutrition.
During Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union in 2013, the UK supported Ireland’s initiative to highlight the linked challenges of hunger, malnutrition and climate change. In turn, Ireland was a core partner on the UK’s G8 Presidency "Nutrition for Growth" event in London in June 2013. My officials worked closely with their British counterparts to help secure ambitious policy and financing commitments from high level participants to tackle under-nutrition. During this London meeting, the Taoiseach pledged that Ireland will double its expenditure on nutrition by 2020, and we are on track to fulfil this commitment.
In this important year for international development, my Department is collaborating closely with the UK, in our role in co-facilitating, with the Government of Kenya, the process at the UN for the development of Sustainable Development Goals. These negotiations will deliver a new global framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals, with the goal of ending extreme poverty and hunger by 2030. We will continue our close partnership with the UK on advancing this shared and critical objective.
891. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, on 24 May 2015. [21263/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, visited Ireland from 24 to 26 May last. This was the first official visit by the UN Secretary General since 2009 and it coincided with the launch of a programme of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the UN. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase our unique contribution to the UN over the past 60 years. After receiving the Tipperary International Peace Award on Sunday, the Secretary-General visited the Curragh for events to mark Ireland’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping. He then participated in a private lunch hosted by President Higgins before meeting resettled refugees and Syrians living in Ireland. He delivered a keynote Iveagh House Commemorative Lecture on Monday, 25 May in Dublin Castle before attending a dinner hosted by the Tánaiste on behalf of the Government in Farmleigh. On Tuesday, 26 May, the Secretary-General met the Taoiseach, and his visit concluded with a youth event in Iveagh House.
On Monday, 25 May, accompanied by officials from my Department, I had a bilateral meeting with the Secretary-General and members of his delegation at Dublin Castle. We reflected on the happy coincidence that the 60th anniversary of Ireland’s membership coincides with the 70th anniversary of the UN’s existence. I reminded the Secretary-General that in line with Ireland's proud history of UN engagement we would campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2020. We agreed that, significant anniversaries notwithstanding, 2015 is a crucial year for the United Nations. The International Conference on Financing for Development takes place in Addis Ababa in July, key climate change negotiations take place in December in Paris and Ireland is co-facilitating ongoing negotiations in New York on a set of Sustainable Development Goals which will be adopted at a summit in September to replace the Millennium Development Goals.
We also discussed human rights, including Ireland’s membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2013-15 term. I expressed my serious concern at the increasing persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, particularly in the Middle East, and underlined Ireland’s strong commitment to the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief. I also stated my concern at the growing restrictions on civil society space and reprisals against human rights defenders in many countries around the world, which Ireland has been active in highlighting at the UN and EU levels. Finally, I noted our commitment to continue leading our national initiatives on civil society space and preventable under-five mortality at the Human Rights Council after our membership ends in December 2015. We discussed the Middle East Peace Process and I shared with the Secretary-General my deep concern at the continued expansion of settlements and how damaging this is for the peace process. I asked that he continue to do what he can to ensure both sides retain the confidence of the UN.
892. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason there is no dedicated Teachta Dála line available for urgent passport queries; his views that an Irish national applying for a passport through the embassy in Madrid should be eligible to have their passport issued within a reasonable timeframe; his further views that ten weeks is reasonable; and if he will make inquiries regarding a particular case as to the reason an application made by an Irish citizen (details supplied) for the renewal and re-issue of a passport was rejected. [21277/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPassport applications from the Irish Embassy in Madrid were issued within 20 working days up until the end of March 2015. Due to a surge in demand for passports throughout the entire passport service, it is currently taking six to seven weeks to turn around passport applications for Irish missions. In relation to the passport application submitted by the applicant, her application was not rejected at any stage. When her application was initially received, the application required extensive scrutiny, due to a situation in the past, which was out of control of the applicant. Her passport was dispatched on the 29 May 2015, in time for her travel on the 11 June 2015. Currently, the Department has a dedicated channel of communication for Oireachtas representatives and any passport related queries through this channel are dealt with without delay.
893. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the passport rapid renewal service will be made available in the Cork passport office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21365/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Rapid Renewal Service was introduced in 2014 in the Molesworth Street passport office in order to facilitate urgent travel in a limited number of cases. The Rapid Renewal Service is located in the Molesworth Street office because that office has both a public counter and a production machine. Cork passport office has a public office, but does not possess a production machine. Therefore, Cork passport office is not in a position to facilitate a rapid renewal service at this time.
894. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to reopen the Irish consulate general office in Cardiff; the estimated cost of re-opening that office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21481/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present, Ireland’s diplomatic network includes 61 Embassies, seven multilateral missions, 11 Consulates General and one Representative office. The scale and presence of the network is considered by the Government on an ongoing basis. Any decision to adjust the State’s external representation, including the opening of missions, will have regard to national priorities and available financial and staffing resources. Ireland’s relationship with Wales continues to be developed bilaterally through the Embassy of Ireland in London, through the British Irish Council and through co-operation on EU programmes. Visits at official and political level take place on a regular basis, including visits to Wales by both President Higgins and the Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, during the last nine months. Ireland will also host the next summit of the British Irish Council in Dublin later this month, when we will welcome the leadership of the Welsh Government along with other British Irish Council member administrations. There are no plans under immediate consideration for the re-opening of a Consulate General in Cardiff and so the question of the estimated cost of such a proposal does not at present arise.
895. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will intervene to seek to secure the release of a person (details supplied), who is currently on death row in Pakistan for the crime of blasphemy; the actions he will take to encourage other European Union States, and the European Union itself, to seek the release of this person and to end the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21486/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government remains very concerned about this case. The former Irish Ambassador accredited to Pakistan (from Ankara, Turkey) conveyed our concern at this conviction on a number of occasions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, most recently in early November 2014. In the course of his meetings there in November 2014, he met a senior Pakistani Foreign Ministry representative and raised this case, noting that it is a matter of grave concern in Ireland. Officials in my Department have also raised this case, and our concerns regarding the blasphemy laws and persecution of Christians generally, with the Embassy of Pakistan. On 18 October 2014, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service expressed deep concern and sadness at the High Court decision to uphold this conviction. They also called on Pakistan to ensure for all its citizens, full respect of human rights as guaranteed by international conventions to which it is party. The death penalty in Pakistan and this case were also the subject of a statement made on behalf of the then EU High Representative Catherine Ashton at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 22 October 2014. In the course of this, it was noted that the EU, particularly its delegation in Islamabad, would continue to both follow the case closely and to advocate for the verdict to be overturned. While not trying to intervene in an ongoing court case, the statement noted that the EU would use any opportunity to raise this case and the wider issues of the death penalty and blasphemy law, with Pakistan.
The current EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, also visited Pakistan in October 2014 where he held an in depth dialogue with the Pakistan authorities on key human rights issues.
Ireland attaches great importance to combating all forms of discrimination based on religion or belief and incitement to religious hatred. We firmly believe in tolerance, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.
Freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression play a central role in the EU’s dialogue with Pakistan. In recent months, the EU-led resolutions on freedom of religion or belief were successfully adopted without a vote by the Human Rights Council in March 2015 and by the UN General Assembly during its 69th session in December 2014. Ireland was actively involved in the negotiation of these resolutions. I raised concerns in relation to persecution on the basis of religion or belief when I addressed the Human Rights Council in March.
We are aware of the vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious minorities in Pakistan and will continue to raise this case and others bilaterally with the Pakistan Government as well as through the framework and mechanisms of the EU and the UN.
896. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála cé na bearta atá á ndéanamh ag a Roinn chun an pobal a chur ar an eolas faoi na seirbhísí i nGaeilge atá ar fáil ón Roinn agus ó na heagraíochtaí atá faoi choimirce na Roinne; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [21523/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTá mo Roinn tiomanta do sheirbhís chuimsitheach trí Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil agus tá sí ag ullmhú a dara scéim teanga faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 faoi láthair. Déanfaidh an scéim cur síos ar mholtaí chun a chinntiú go bhfuil seirbhís níos leithne, ar chaighdeán níos fearr, trí Ghaeilge ar fáil dár gcliaint. Foilseoidh an Roinn fógra sna meáin náisiúnta i mí an Mheithimh ag cur cuireadh roimh pháirtithe a bhfuil suim acu i dtaca le h-ullmhú scéime nua na Roinne aighneachtaí a chur isteach. Cuirfear gach aighneacht a fhaightear le linn ullmhúcháin na scéime, atá le cur os comhair an Aire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta roimh dheireadh mhí Mheán Fómhair seo chugainn, san áireamh. Cuirfear an scéim ar fáil ar láithreáin gréasáin na Roinne, www.dfa.ie agus www.irishaid.ie.
Tá séirbhísí riachtanacha cosúil le Do Phas a Rianú, Conas Cur Isteach ar Phas agus Clárúchán Saoránach ar fáil trí Ghaeilge ar láithreán gréasáin lárnach na Roinne. Tá foilsiúcháin a bhí eisithe le déanaí ag an Roinn, "An Ráiteas Straitéise 2015-2017" agus "An tOileán Domhanda: Beartas Eachtrach na hÉireann maidir le Domhan atá ag Athrú", chomh maith le comhairle taistil agus preasráitis áirithe, ar fáil i nGaeilge ar an láithreán ghréasáin chomh maith. Is féidir teacht ar leagan Gaeilge de láithreán gréasáin na Roinne trí leathanaigh gréasáin na misean thar lear freisin.
Tá leagan Gaeilge de láithreán gréasáin Cúnamh Éireann, ar a bhfuil mioneolas ar chlár cúnaimh na hÉireann thar lear. Tá réimse fhoilsiúchán de chuid Cúnamh Éireann ar fáil i nGaeilge, cosúil le polasaí na h-Éireann ar fhorbairt idirnáisiúnta, "Domhain Amháin, Todhchaí Amháin", an tuarascáil bliantúil is déanaí agus an straitéis i leith na hAfraice.
Ní fheidhmníonn aon ghníomhaireacht faoi choimirce na Roinne.
