Written Answers Nos. 417-438
417. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a procedure in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43952/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
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.
418. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health the status of the experience (details supplied) of an individual seeking access to mental health services in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43974/15]
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 the next 15 days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
419. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if he will provide funding in his forthcoming Supplementary Estimate to clear the historic deficit of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43978/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
420. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of an application for additional respite hours by a person (details supplied) in County Offaly, when the person will receive payment, and transport for the existing services with the Health Service Executive. [44003/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
421. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the fitting of a device for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44008/15]
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.
422. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the status of medical costs for haemochromatosis patients (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44025/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) provides a haemochromatosis service in its Stillorgan and D’Olier Street centres in Dublin, as well as in Cork. There is no charge for this service, irrespective of medical entitlement or health insurance cover. Where patients meet the normal blood donation criteria, they can also become blood donors.
People who wish to use the service should get a prescription from their GP or hospital clinic on the relevant IBTS form. This is available at www.giveblood.ie. The prescription will be valid for one year and will facilitate up to four venesections per person per year.
423. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 805 of 3 November 2015, where the Health Service Executive stated that there was no evidence to suggest that a patient would be waiting two months for a result of a dexa scan at the Midland Regional Hospital, if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who has been waiting for four months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44032/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
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.
424. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently intervene regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44058/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, I am precluded under section 6 of the Health Service Executive Governance Act 2013 from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. The particular issues raised by the Deputy in respect of the individual in question are service matters for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be 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.
425. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health to report on the waiting times for occupational therapy in Dublin 5, 13 and 17; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44060/15]
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.
426. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who did not attend outpatient appointments at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin 9 and the steps being taken to reduce this number, in the years 2013 to date, in tabular form. [44061/15]
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.
427. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if and what changes have been made to the Health Service Executive medical training and intern programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44064/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Acts, the Health Service Executive has statutory responsibility for medical training including the Intern Programme. I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly on this 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. I am aware that the process for allocating intern places has been amended given that there is a limit to the number of places of sufficient quality that can be provided.
428. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an appointment for surgery in Sligo University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44067/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
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.
429. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the outcome of the clinical trial surrounding shared care in the area of cataract surgery in County Sligo involving Sligo Regional Hospital and community optometrists, if the trial was a success, its impact on waiting lists, if he will roll this out to other areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44072/15]
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.
430. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the cost of implementing a living wage of €11.45 for all employees directly employed or in agencies funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44082/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere would be only very minimal if any additional cost in respect of staff of my Department as the lowest gross annual salary would be at or about the equivalent of the €11.45 per hour referred to in your question.
Information in respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department is being collated and will be forwarded to you as soon as possible. I have asked the HSE to respond to you 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.
431. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views regarding proposals to remove the eighth amendment of the Constitution, specifically the grounds on which he believes an abortion may be obtained such as the health of the mother; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44087/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, Article 40.3.3° of the Irish Constitution states that: "The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right."
Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Attorney General v. X, provides that it is lawful to terminate a pregnancy in Ireland if it is established as a matter of probability that there is a real and substantial risk to the life, as distinct from the health, of the mother, which can only avoided by a termination of the pregnancy.
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 was enacted on 30 July 2013 and commenced on 01 January 2014. It regulates access to lawful termination of pregnancy in accordance with the X case and the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the A, B and C v Ireland case.
The Government does not intend to propose any amendments to Article 40.3.3° of the Constitution at present.
432. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if accommodation in hospitals has been increased to cater for an increasing population (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44107/15]
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.
433. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 4 November 2015, if he will answer the question asked, that is, if the Health Service Executive had a treatment plan in place in 2001 for dealing with the side effects of Lariam and if these arrangements were changed given the warnings issued by the manufacturer (details supplied), particularly as neuropsychiatric effects were recognised before licensing and that no mention was made of specialist treatment or tests for neurotoxicity or neurotoxicity of the central nervous system and against the backdrop of the supplier recognising that its use can cause permanent damage. [44109/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the Health Service Executive (HSE) recently responded to the original question asked by the Deputy on 4 November 2015. I will forward this question to the HSE for a further response. 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.
434. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the budgets allocated to each hospital for each of the years 2007 to date in tabular form. [44143/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraYour question has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up on the matter.
435. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of staff at each hospital for each of the years 2007 to date in tabular form. [44144/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this 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.
436. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of doctors at each hospital for each of the years 2007 to date in tabular form. [44145/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this 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.
437. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of nurses at each hospital for each of the years 2007 to date in tabular form. [44146/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this 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.
438. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of in patients at each hospital for the years 2007 to date in tabular form. [44147/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service matters, 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.
