Written Answers Nos. 302-313
302. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost and make-up of a community neuro-rehabilitation team and all supports required for the team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12150/16]
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 on the matter with them.
303. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost and make-up of a dedicated acquired brain injury transitional unit with intensive post-acute rehabilitation to enable persons to return home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12151/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
With regard to Neuro-rehabilitation services, the Programme for Partnership Government places a particular focus on publishing a plan for advancing Neuro-rehabilitation services in the community. Currently a steering group led by the Health Service Executive (HSE) Social Care Division with representation from the National Clinical Programmes for Rehabilitation Medicine and Neurology, Department of Health, Primary Care, Therapy Professions and the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, has drafted an implementation framework for the National Policy and Strategy for Neuro-rehabilitation services, which has been circulated to members of the steering group and stakeholder agencies.
As 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.
304. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the full-year cost of providing respite care services; the estimated annual cost and implications of increasing respite care services by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12152/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (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.
305. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health to examine the case of a person (details supplied). [12208/16]
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.
306. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health when an operation will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12213/16]
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 HSE, 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.
307. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health his views on the effectiveness of the legislation on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products (details supplied) further to the transposition of the European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12218/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 271 of 2016), which transpose the European Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU came into effect on 20 May 2016. Certain sections of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2015 were also commenced by S.I. No. 270 of 2016 on 20th May in order to transpose Article 13 and Article 14 of the Directive. I am delighted that Ireland is one of 11 Members States that have met the 20 May 2016 transposition deadline.
The Regulations, available on my Department's website, provide for more stringent rules for tobacco and related products and, from a public health perspective, focuses on limiting their appeal, in particular to young people. The Regulations include measures for labelling, ingredients, tracking and tracing, cross border distance sales and the regulation of electronic cigarettes, refill containers, herbal products for smoking and novel tobacco products.
I am confident that these measures will further complement the tobacco control initiatives already in place and will help to drive down consumption of tobacco and protect public health. I also welcome the clarity provided on the regulation of e-cigarettes, which will give confidence to users in the safety and efficacy of these products.
308. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he will assist in arranging for a child to be assessed for a condition (details supplied) as a matter of urgency. [12223/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
The HSE has also recognised that the early intervention services for school aged children with disabilities need to be standardised. To this end a major reconfiguration of therapy resources for children with disabilities aged up to 18 years is currently under way. The HSE's national programme on progressing disability services for children and young people from birth to 18 years aims 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, regardless of where they live, what school the child attends or the nature of the individual child's difficulties.
Within this context, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the specific case referred to. 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.
309. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11916/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS) was received from the person named on 6 May 2014. Under the 2014 DAS Scheme, eligible applicants are required to have met a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months and to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. Following verification checks it was established that the holding of the person named had not met this requirement and therefore the application was rejected. The person named unsuccessfully appealed this finding on grounds of Force Majeure, and was notified in writing of the outcome on 29 January 2015. Subsequently, the person named sought a review from the Independent Agricultural Appeals Office. Following an oral hearing with the person named and my officials, the Independent Agricultural Appeals Office upheld the original decision. The person named was notified of the findings on 6 August 2015.
An application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was received from the person named on 15 April 2015. Payment under the ANC scheme has not issued in this case as the holding concerned has not satisfied the scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements.
310. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment under the basic payment scheme for the year 2015 to a person (details supplied); if the entitlements are correct, following the transfer of the herd number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11962/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe persons named submitted a Private Contract Clause Application to my Department seeking the transfer of land and entitlements by lease to the first named person as transferee. This application was processed and 1.65 entitlements were transferred to the first person named. Payment on foot of these entitlements issued on 18th May 2016.
311. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will be transferred to a payment under the basic payment scheme for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11975/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named submitted a Transfer of Entitlements Allocation Right and Reference Value application to my Department seeking the transfer of allocation rights and values as transferee. As the person named was not registered as the herd owner on the herd number shown it was not possible for my Department to process this application. My Department wrote to the person named in September 2015 and on two subsequent occasions advising him to have this issue addressed. This issue has now been addressed and the transfer application has been processed to facilitate payment under the Basic Payment Scheme shortly.
312. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11976/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under Tranche 1 of GLAS was received in my Department on the 16 May 2015 and the person named was approved into the GLAS 1 with effect from 1 October 2015. There are a number of applications, including that of the person named, remaining which have not passed all of the Department’s pre-payment validation checks for the 2015 part-year payment. The Department is continuing to investigate these issues including the correction of any IT or data issues with a view to all these remaining cases meeting the payment validation checks so that they will be paid the full amount of their 2015 part-year payment at the same time the 2015 GLAS balancing payment is due to issue.
313. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports, entitlements or payment schemes he provides for dairy farmers (details supplied) who have oversupplied milk. [11986/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rules governing the EU milk quota regime, including the superlevy system for production above quota, were set at EU level. At the request of Ireland and some other member states the EU Commission introduced a provision last year permitting payment of the levy in three annual instalments, without interest, on the understanding that the full amount of the levy was paid to the Commission by the Member State in 2015.
The Scheme required applicants to pay at least one third of their levy by October 2015 with the balance to be paid in 2016 and 2017. The scheme design was agreed in advance with the co-ops and farm organisations. The person named by the Deputy is an applicant under this Scheme.
As part of the discussions in the run-up to the March Council of Agriculture Ministers, Ireland proposed a further deferral of the payment to 2017 and 2018, to ease the financial burden on liable farmers in 2016. However, the European Commission advised that the legal basis for the Regulations under-pinning the scheme are no longer in existence and therefore further amendments were not possible. While Ireland suggested a possible alternative legal approach, it was clear that the proposal enjoyed very little support from other Member States and was therefore unlikely to succeed.
On that basis the focus turned to other measures in the package which can be of assistance to Irish dairy farmers to help them through current difficulties, including the doubling of intervention fixed price buying-in thresholds. I did however raise the matter with Commissioner Phil Hogan, in our recent bilateral meeting, as well as at last week’s Council of Ministers meeting and encouraged him to reflect again on whether a legal basis could be found to facilitate a further deferral in superlevy repayments for farmers.
This Scheme was followed by a dairy support package, worth €26.4m in total to the Irish dairy sector, where a flat rate payment of €1,395 was paid to all 2015 milk producers. Eligible applicants under the Young Farmer Scheme received an additional €1,000. The person named by the Deputy was also a beneficiary of the flat rate payment under this Scheme.
I am fully aware of the pressures on dairy farmers right now and I am committed to working with all players in the sector to address the issues facing us as we strive to ensure that we continue to have a sustainable dairy industry. As one of the proposers of the Dairy Forum my goal is to ensure that it continues to provide constructively in terms of relevant issues of concern to farmers and others in the sector. The Forum has already come forward with some good initiatives for farmers, including an initiative on improving cashflow planning at farm level, which will be rolled out shortly.
Dealing with price volatility is a major challenge for the sector. The Single Farm Payment provides some measure of income stability, and EU market support measures will have a role to play. These measures are not enough on their own, however. The sector needs to look at measures to reduce costs on farms, and at the development of new tools, including fixed price contracts, futures markets and more flexible financing arrangements for farmers. I expect all of the stakeholders in the sector, including processors and banks, to play an active role in the development of such instruments.
In terms of input costs at farm level, Ireland has called on the Commission to consider temporarily suspending EU import tariffs on fertilisers and I also welcome the proposal for the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Member States to work together with the Commission on the feasibility of an EU export credit tool.
I am aware that we need to deal urgently and effectively with this temporary problem of low prices. We must ensure that dairy farmers are protected from the worst impacts of low commodity prices in an appropriate way, but remain well placed to avail of emerging opportunities when markets recover. Ireland is strongly positioned as a competitive producer of dairy, and while conditions are extremely difficult at present, Irish dairy farmers will be well placed to avail of the opportunity presented by market recovery in due course.
