Written Answers Nos. 230-241
230. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide funding for a club (details supplied) as part of their application to attain funding to repair a protected historical structure on its property; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12032/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a Structures at Risk Fund to enable conservation works to heritage structures, in both private and public ownership, that are protected under the Planning and Development Acts and are deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration. An application has been received from the club in question under the Structures at Risk Fund and this is currently under consideration along with all other applications received for the 2016 scheme. Once concluded, I would expect to announce successful applications under the scheme in due course.
231. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for the further development of Killarney House; if she will visit the house to see progress to date and consider further potential; if she is committed to the completion of the project; if she will provide the capital and current finance required for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12135/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the 3 of April of this year, the Gardens of the Killarney House and Gardens have been open to the public at weekends. The final phase of the landscaping and planting, which includes, for example, the bulbs of smaller plants, in the Gardens will commence next month. It is not possible, for healthy and safety reasons, to facilitate seven day access to the Gardens until this work is completed. The Office of Public Works (OPW) are acting as project managers for my Department, and expect the necessary works to be completed later in the summer. It is intended that the Gardens will be open for the height of the summer tourist season in Killarney. The House itself is being developed as the main visitor and interpretative centre for Killarney National Park, highlighting the beauty and interpreting the richness and significance of the Park’s landscapes, habitats, flora and fauna as well as telling the story of man’s interaction with the Park over the centuries. It is also intended that some of the formal rooms will be restored to their formal glory.
To date, over €6.1 million has been spent on the capital works necessary to restore and refurbish the House and Gardens. Of this figure, my Department has contributed €1.9 million and Fáilte Ireland has contributed €4.2 million. My Department expects that the total sum expended on this project shall be in the region of €8 million.
The final phase of works to the House, also overseen by the OPW, is now substantially complete. Work on the restoration of some of the best examples of the furniture found in Killarney House will shortly commence, and once complete, they will be placed in the restored formal rooms in the House. Work on the interpretation element, which involves exhibits in 17 rooms within the restored House, is also on-going. I expect that the various elements of works will be completed in the coming months and it is intended that these amenities will be open to the public towards the end of the year or start of 2017.
With regard to current expenditure, as works on the Gardens are nearing completion, my Department is currently in the process of recruiting 3 dedicated horticultural staff for the Gardens, to complement the existing resources within Killarney National Park. Once the interpretation/exhibition phase has been moved forward sufficiently, the remaining staffing requirements of the project will be addressed.
Staffing requirements at this location, as with all other areas of my Department, remain the subject of on-going consideration in light of the overall business needs and within the pay framework approved for 2016. In this regard, the nature of the posts required (Education officers, guides, support staff etc.), as well as the numbers involved and the budgetary implications, will be determined in due course.
232. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will permit a proposal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12216/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No 616 of 17 May 2016. My Department would require further details of the proposal before it could make any recommendation in this matter. The Deputy will appreciate that a request of this nature is normally handled, in the first instance, by locally based staff of my Department, who should be furnished with the necessary details at an early date, so as to facilitate a timely decision on the matter.
233. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the current lack of adequate emergency ambulance services in County Donegal, particularly in the Inishowen area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11927/16]
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.
234. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the reason the establishment of the national donor-conceived person register has taken over a year to set up, leaving many parents and children currently in limbo as to their legal entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11928/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhen the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 was enacted in April last year, the Minister for Justice and Equality indicated that Parts 2 and 3 of the Act, which deal with donor-assisted human reproduction, would not be commenced for at least a year following enactment. This period was agreed between the then Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, and the Minister for Justice and Equality for a number of reasons, namely; to provide an appropriate transition period and ensure that people currently undergoing donor-assisted human reproduction treatment could continue that treatment and to give fertility clinics time to prepare for the new regulatory framework. Minister Fitzgerald has indicated that this transition period is a practical and pragmatic administrative solution to facilitate the seamless transition to a new regulatory framework. This transition period will also allow time for officials in the Department of Health to conduct the significant amount of preparatory work required to enable these provisions (including provisions relating to the National Donor-Conceived Person Register) to enter into force. This preparatory work is in progress involving officials from my Department.
235. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the legal position with regard to the provision of ongoing essential services by the State to an adult 18 years of age with recognised special needs, should their parents or guardians pre-decease them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11929/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra237. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Health the legal position with the provision of ongoing essential services by the State to a child under 18 years of age with recognised special needs, should their parents or guardians pre-decease them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11931/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe care and protection of children, including children whose parents have died, is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). Tusla’s responsibilities include implementing the provisions of the Child Care Act 1991, which provides for the admission into care of children whose parents have died, and the provision of alternative forms of care, including foster care and residential care. Policy issues that affect children across a range of essential State services, including early childhood care and education, youth justice and child welfare and protection also come under the remit of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, while other Departments, including the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills, have responsibilities for the provision of relevant services to all children, including those with special needs and those whose parents have died.
An adult’s access and entitlement to essential State services, including health-funded services, does not depend on whether their parents or guardians have pre-deceased them. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which is under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, recognises the decision-making capacity of all adults, including those who require or may require assistance in exercising their decision-making capacity, whether immediately or in the future. Under the Act, a person who requires such assistance can appoint a person to assist, co-decide or represent them for the purpose of making a decision.
The Act, when commenced, will also see the establishment of a Decision Support Service which will support decision-making by, and for, adults with capacity difficulties. The current wards of court system will be replaced under the new legislation and people will be able to avail of the decision support option most appropriate to his or her needs. The Act will apply to all adults, including those with high support needs, in all health and social care settings.
236. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a primary health centre in Swords, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11930/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive has responsibility for the provision and operation of Primary Care Centres. Therefore, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy 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.
238. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of concerns raised by some members of the public on the reliability of prostate-specific antigen testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11932/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is an initial test in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. While raised PSA levels can indicate prostate cancer, they can also arise in cases of certain benign prostate conditions, e.g. prostatitis. On average, two out of every three men who have a raised PSA level will not, on further examination, turn out to have prostate cancer. Also, there are cases of prostate cancer where raised PSA levels do not occur.
It is important to note that PSA testing is a first step to diagnosis. The National Prostate Cancer GP referral guidelines state that "Patients with an abnormal PSA result should have a repeat PSA at six weeks". A clinical prostate assessment to include a digital rectal examination and the second PSA test is therefore undertaken prior to biopsy in order to confirm the diagnosis and initiate treatment if required.
The HSE-National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) has established rapid access prostate cancer clinics in the eight designated cancer centres to ensure that the men who have urological symptoms and/or abnormal PSA blood tests can be seen by urologists in a timely way and that the appropriate diagnostic tests and multi-disciplinary treatment planning can be provided. Men referred to these prostate clinics undergo comprehensive assessment with appropriate imaging and biopsies.
239. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if portable nebulisers are available for cystic fibrosis patients in the Cork region; if so, where and when application for portable nebulisers can be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11937/16]
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 up the matter with them.
240. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in receipt of the intensive care package under the home care system in community care area nine in the years 2013 to 2015 and in 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11941/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it 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 and they will follow up the matter with them.
241. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he has visited Beaumont Hospital since he became Minister; if not, when he expects to visit the Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11942/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMinister McGrath officially opened St. Damien's Ward, Beaumont Hospital on Monday 16 May. I have no commitments to visit at this time.
