Written Answers Nos. 169-178
169. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the Health Service Executive will engage in negotiations with Camphill Communities of Ireland as its financial situation is very serious and requires urgent action (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39929/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to protecting front-line health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015.
In 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist disability services:
- residential services to around 9,000 people with a disability;
- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated in the HSE National Service Plan in 2015 to provide day places for an estimated 1,400 young people finishing school and rehabilitative (life-skills) training. €4m in additional funding has also been allocated in the Plan to deliver an increase in the services for children with disabilities and reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
I have been informed that the HSE is acutely aware of the resource shortfall presented by Camphill and is currently engaging with them to develop an agreed set of proposals to resolve the challenges over an agreed period of time. This includes a commitment to supporting the organisation to reconfigure the current model of service and funding arrangements to a more sustainable model while still maintaining the particular ethos of the service.
I understand that as part of this process of engagement, the HSE requested Camphill to consider how its model of service provision may change over the coming years as Disability Services are reformed. The HSE will work closely with Camphill to shape a five year plan to secure the additional resources required to ensure the future of the organisation in a sustainable way.
I have been assured by the HSE that it will continue to work with Camphill and be as supportive as possible within current financial constraints.
170. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress on a primary care centre (details supplied) in County Galway. [39933/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has responsibility for the provision, maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, this matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and 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.
171. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health if Saint Patrick's Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon in County Leitrim is on the capital programme with an indicative date for construction of a unit; his plans for the day care services and the day hospital services on the existing and new campuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39989/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra173. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health further to Question No. 318 of 14 October 2015, if the Sacred Heart Hospital in County Roscommon is on the capital programme with an indicative date for construction of the new 50-bed unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39991/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 173 together.
Residential services for older people are an essential part of our national infrastructure of nursing homes. The recently announced €300m capital allocation for refurbishment or replacement of social care facilities for older persons’ units and disability units will build upon investments already scheduled. This will allow facilities to comply with National Standards relating to the physical environment by the end of the Capital Plan period 2021. In the coming weeks the HSE will submit to HIQA its plans for the application of this funding.
172. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the catchment areas of each of the WestDoc bases; the implications of any such review on the catchment areas in east Galway and County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39990/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, 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 the Executive.
175. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) who is imprisoned in the Philippines; and the assistance his Department is providing in this case. [39882/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been providing consular assistance to the Irish citizen and his family through the Embassy of Ireland in Singapore, the Honorary Consul in Manila and the Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin and we are in ongoing direct contact with the family.
In October, during a visit to the Philippines, an Embassy official raised the case with the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and requested that a date for the appeal be expedited on humanitarian grounds. I also personally raised the case with a senior official of the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the margins of the recent ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Luxembourg.
Let me assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to offer all possible consular assistance to the family.
176. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if secondary schools can compel Muslim girl students to remove their hijab before entering the premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39806/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of a school policy in relation to the wearing of school uniforms. My Department recommends that the formulation of such a school policy should allow for prior consultation with teachers, parents and pupils where appropriate and enable any concerns to be raised and considered. Decisions regarding school uniforms are, however, a matter for each individual school.
177. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take to improve the situation at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin where students have not been able to choose an appropriately balanced arrangement of second level subjects. [39839/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSubject choices are a matter for the individual schools depending on resources available. The programme that each school plans and delivers should be based on the Department's approved syllabuses, and the teaching hours should be registered on the school timetable.
The Department of Education and Skills does not have the authority to dictate to schools regarding what subjects are offered. Schools are generally privately managed institutions which, although largely funded by the State, are relatively autonomous. Any issue with the subject choice being offered would have to be addressed to the principal of the school in question, and/or the Board of Management.
178. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind the requirement for participants in vocational training opportunities schemes to be on a payment from the Department of Social Protection for six months before taking up a course; her views on whether this effectively incentivises persons to stay on social protection for some months longer than they would otherwise do in order to access the course; her views on whether persons who require re-skilling after becoming unemployed would benefit from starting retraining as soon as possible in order that they could re-enter the workforce; her plans to remove the requirement that participants be on social protection for six months or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39865/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), introduced in 1989, was designed specifically for long-term unemployed people who have minimal or no qualifications to facilitate their return to education and training. There are a range of other options available to unemployed people for upskilling in the Further Education and Training sector. Eligibility criteria for these programmes vary and time related conditions do not apply to all programmes. While many programmes follow the academic year, there are some training programmes that commence at other times of the year. Information on the options currently provided and any eligibility criteria to be satisfied is available from local Education and Training Boards (ETBs) throughout the country. It should also be noted that unemployed people are primarily referred to Further Education and Training programmes by Intreo, the Department of Social Protection employment service. Intreo profile all unemployed people to assess their likelihood of gaining employment and this informs their engagement with case officers in terms of their options. For people with a higher likelihood of gaining employment, a period of job search is usually undertaken before any referral to employment programmes or programmes of education and training. I have no plans to amend the eligibility criteria for the VTOS programme. However, the VTOS programme will be reviewed as part of the implementation of the Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-2019.
