Written Answers Nos. 753-770
753. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason the RCSI hospital group has not approved the necessary personnel to introduce the 20-week full detailed anatomy scan at Cavan General Hospital. [27473/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
754. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in introducing the 20-week full detailed anatomy scan at Cavan General Hospital; the work done on this to date; if there is a timeframe for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27474/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
755. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the details of the increase to the health budget needed in 2017 to take into account the changing demographics and the rising costs in health care. [27477/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe gross current estimate for the Department of Health for 2016 is €13.695 billion, an increase of €1.4 billion on the published revised estimate for 2015. This includes an additional sum of €500m which was approved by the Government in July, in recognition of the significant challenges facing the health sector against a backdrop of growing needs. This additional funding will allow for achievable targets to be set, and it is anticipated that the Health Service will achieve budget compliance - without resort to a Supplementary Estimate - for the first time in a number of years. That said, it is essential that we continue to focus on cost containment, productivity and efficiencies as there continues to be major cost pressures on the health service including an increased and ageing population, an increase in chronic conditions, and new and expensive medicines and technologies.
The level of funding available for my Department is being considered as part of the national Estimates and budgetary process for 2017 which is currently underway. Pending completion of this process it is not appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.
756. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost increase required to bring acute hospital bed numbers to EU average levels of 4.8 per 1,000. [27478/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
757. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost implications of increasing hospital staffing levels by 1,000 more nurses and 250 more hospital consultants in 2017. [27479/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
758. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing free primary care for all. [27480/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra759. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of including categories of treatment (details supplied) in free primary care for all. [27481/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 758 and 759 together.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2015, the HSE, Department of Health and Irish Medical Organisation are currently engaged in a comprehensive review of the General Medical Services (GMS) and other publicly funded health sector contracts involving GPs. A priority of these discussions will be the inclusion of chronic disease management for patients. It is not possible in advance of completion of the negotiation process to foresee what the outcome of the review may be and its consequent effect on the average cost of providing those services.
Therefore, depending on the outcome of these negotiations and their implications for the future scope and content of the service, and the relevant fees and payments to GPs, the estimated cost of extending free General Practitioner care to all citizens will vary.
The cost of restoring treatments which had been provided before 2010 to all medical card holders would depend on a number of factors, including the underlying oral health of the population and the likely level of take-up of such services.
760. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing home care packages as a demand-led service rather than as a budget constrained service. [27482/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
761. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of increasing staffing of mental health services to fully comply with numbers set out in A Vision for Change and including demographic changes since 2006. [27483/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Vision For Change, our national Mental Health Policy, was introduced in 2006. Among its recommendations were that approximately 10,650 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents were required to fully implement the policy.
This figure was based on Ireland’s then population of 3.917 million, as indicated in the 2002 census. The population of Ireland today, based on the most recent confirmed Census figures in 2011, is 4.499 million. Taking into account this demographic change, the required number of Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents is now 12,240.
As of April 2016, there are 9,553 Mental Health Whole Time Equivalents employed, a gap of 2,687. Using an average figure of €66,000 per Whole Time Equivalent, the additional resources required to fill the gap is €177.3 million per annum.
Since 2012, €160 million in additional ring-fenced funding has been allocated to the mental health services up to the end of 2016. Taking into account various factors, the additional amount provided in the HSE National Service Plan from 2012 to 2016 inclusive totalled €115 million.
762. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of abolishing drug prescription charges. [27484/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated cost of abolishing drug prescription charges for medical card holders is approximately €120 million per year.
763. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of ambulances reaching the transit times set down by the HSE 100% of the time. [27485/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
764. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the cost of abolishing accident and emergency and hospital overnight charges. [27486/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Amendment Act 2013 governs the area of Statutory In-patient Charges and Emergency Department fees. The current Statutory In-patient Charge (SIC) for public patients for overnight and day in-patient services is €75 per day up to a maximum of €750 in one year. With regard to Emergency Department (ED) fees, a standard fee of €100 is charged for attendance at the ED of a public hospital.
The following table which was provided by the HSE, outlines the income received by the HSE for Emergency Department Charges and In-patient charges as reported in the HSE annual Financial Statements for 2015 which will inform the Deputy on the sums generated by patient charges:
|
- |
Emergency Department Charges 2015 € |
In-patient Charges 2015 € |
|
Statutory Acute Hospitals |
9.82 m |
11.55 m |
|
Statutory Non-Acute |
0.03 m |
6.21 m |
|
Total |
9.85 m * |
17.77 m * |
*The above table does not include income received by voluntary hospitals or any other voluntary in-patient setting for these charges.
765. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the cost of introducing a minimum wage of €12, €13, €14 or €15 an hour for all employees under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27781/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked that the HSE respond to you directly on the aspect of the question that relates to their public sector employees. In relation to Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of the Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated.
766. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the cost of introducing a minimum weekly gross wage of €480, €500, €520, €560 or €600 for all full-time employees under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27790/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked that the HSE respond to you directly on the aspect of the question that relates to their public sector employees. In relation to Non-Commercial State Agencies under the remit of the Department, this information is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy when collated.
767. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the Morris report into doping in the greyhound industry was not published as promised; if he will make it publicly available without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26672/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBord na gCon is a commercial State body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958, chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.
The publication of the Morris Report is an operational matter for Bord na gCon. However, I understand the report was published in July of this year and is available on the Bord na gCon website.
768. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount spent to date on remedial works on the former Irish Steel and Irish Ispat site at Haulbowline, County Cork; the approved budgeted spend in 2016 and the plans for spending in 2017; the estimated overall cost of completing the remedial works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27164/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have Ministerial responsibility for the remediation of Haulbowline Island and Cork County Council is acting as my agent to deliver the project. The Government has agreed to provide a total of €61m to complete all aspects of the Haulbowline Remediation Project. Total spending by my Department in the period 2012-15* amounted to €6.77m and funded (in full) the following key preparatory aspects of the remediation project: regularisation of planning and licensing aspects; detailed site investigations; full remediation, including partial reconstruction of key infrastructural access points, Haulbowline Bridges & Bridge access road from mainland; detailed quantitative risk assessment (DQRA)study of former factory site; establishment by Council of a dedicated Project Team & Project team salary reimbursements to Cork County Council. From 2016 only site preparation at East Tip, demolition, clearance etc; construction of perimeter site fencing; design of new roadway from bridge to East Tip; preparation of tender documentation, project design, scheduling of works.
The main priority for the project team both in 2016 and 2017 is completion of the East Tip remediation works. Cork County Council expects to commence this resource intensive phase of the project before the end of this year and the contract for this work is currently subject to a tender process being conducted by Cork County Council. Following requests by participants in the Council’s tender process and due to the significant complexity involved in pricing the works involved, the Council has granted a six week extension to the tender period. This has resulted in the tender submission deadline being revised to October 6th 2016.
While funding for this project is included in my Department’s estimate, funding is ring fenced for the remediation of Haulbowline Island, and is provided in addition to the funding requirements for my Department’s core activities. My Department will finalise a specific capital allocation for 2017 with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in due course.
769. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of increasing forestry coverage to 20% over the next 20 years; and the cost of year one of this programme in 2017. [27506/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe baseline figure used for forest cover in Ireland is taken from the 2012 National Forest Inventory (NFI). This figure is revised every 5 years when new planting and clearfelling activities are taken into account at that point in time. According to the 2012 NFI, the total area under forestry is 731,650 hectares or 10.5% of the total land surface of Ireland. In order to achieve an increase to 20% forest cover from this level a total of 646,150 hectares of new forestry is required. The cost to the exchequer of planting this area of land with trees, to include both grants and premiums using existing rates and 15 annual premiums, would be approximately €7.6 billion. This is a straight calculation without adjustments for items such as future inflation or the shadow price of public funds. If this target is to be reached in 20 years and assuming that the same area is planted each year, the annual total level of afforestation would be 32,308 hectares. This compares with 6,293 hectares planted in 2015. The annual cost of an afforestation programme on this scale would be €378.4 million.
770. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 246 of 16 June 2016, that in order to include a financial instrument as a measure in the rural development plan, an ex ante evaluation is necessary which can take between three months to a year to complete, the progress to date on this task; the approximate timeframe for the completion of this assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26453/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am considering the introduction of Financial Instruments (FIs) in Ireland's Rural Development Programme as they can offer an alternative or complementary form of support to traditional grant based funding. They can take the form of equity or quasi-equity investments, loans or guarantees, and may, where appropriate, be combined with grants.
As required by EU Regulation, and in order to identify market need, the contract for an Ex-ante Assessment for the use of Financial Instruments (FIs) within Ireland’s European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) as well as within the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programmes was awarded to Indecon on 31 August, 2016, following a competitive tendering process. An Ex-ante Assessment Report will be completed by end December, 2016.
Once the Report is received it will be carefully considered and a decision can then be made on whether or not to implement a FI. If a decision is made to proceed with FIs then an agreement must be reached between the Department and any other potential stakeholders/financial institutions on a clear investment strategy that is developed from the gaps, if any, identified in the ex-ante assessment. Funding for such FIs is expected to come from the existing EAFRD and EMFF allocations. Following the development of an investment strategy, an appropriate amendment would have to be made to the Operational Programme(s).
