Written Answers Nos. 1154 - 1173
1154. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the number of agency staff employed by position and by hospital for each month in each of the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1204/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1155. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the HSE's budgeted expenditure for agency staff per month in each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; the actual amount the Health Service Executive spent on agency staff per month in each of the years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1205/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1156. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to cover the cost of agency staff by the HSE for 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1206/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1157. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the names of all agencies used to provide staff to hospitals in each of the years 2014 to 2016; and the average fee paid to each of these agencies per month in the years concerned. [1207/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1154 to 1157, inclusive, together.
I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
1158. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the budget allocated to a HSE service (details supplied) for each of the years 2014 to 2016, in tabular form; the number of staff employed in the service for these years; the number of staff that have been recruited to the HSE by this office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1210/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
1160. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1212/17]
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 scheduling of appointments for patients is a matter for the hospital to which the patient has been referred. Should a patient's general practitioner consider that the patient's condition warrants an earlier appointment, he or she should take the matter up with the consultant and the hospital involved. In relation to the specific case raised, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1161. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of the recruitment of a locum doctor in Rathmore, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1215/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
1162. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will examine the difficulty and delay in obtaining a medical certificate for a person (details supplied); if his office will expedite the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1217/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Drivers and Passengers with Disabilities Tax Relief Scheme is operated by the Revenue Commissioners and provides tax relief for vehicles purchased for use by people with specific severe and permanent physical disabilities. The eligibility criteria for the scheme are set out by the Department of Finance, details of which can be found on www.revenue.ie.
In order to qualify for tax relief under the scheme, the person with a disability must have a valid Primary Medical Certificate, applications for which are processed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) Local Health Offices, on behalf of the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners. If the HSE refuses an application for a Primary Medical Certificate, the person is informed that they may appeal the refusal to the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal, which is based at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin and is under the auspices of the Minister for Finance.
As the matter raised by the Deputy is a service matter, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for a direct reply to the Deputy.
1163. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of full-time equivalent Civil Service workers in gross income ranges (details supplied) in his Department for each of the years 2007 to 2015. [1227/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Human Resource Management System (HRMS) and the Public Service Payroll Shared Service Centre (PSSC) that now arranges the payroll for my Department do not hold the information requested by the Deputy in that format. Hence the precise information the Deputy is seeking is not available from our systems. However, the information in respect of the amounts of salary paid to staff in the pay ranges referred to by the Deputy in each of the years concerned has already been provided in follow up to Parliamentary Question No. 209 of 8th December 2016 which issued to the Deputy on 12 December 2016.
1164. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the use of the drug, roaccutane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1237/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs per our previous answer to you in PQ 36145/15, as Roaccutane is not authorised in Ireland for the treatment of cancer, no data is available to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
However if the Deputy is interested in reviewing international clinical trials data the two best websites are clinicaltrialsregister.eu and clinicaltrials.gov.
1165. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of long-stay residential beds in Killybegs Community Hospital, County Donegal, for each of the years from 2014 to 2016 and in 2017 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1247/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1166. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of short-stay residential beds in Killybegs Community Hospital, County Donegal, for persons with anticipated limited hospital stays, for each of the years from 2014 to 2016 and in 2017 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1248/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1167. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons admitted to the short-stay unit at Killybegs Community Hospital for each month in 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1249/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra1168. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the total bed numbers currently available at a community hospital (details supplied) in County Donegal; if there are plans to reduce either long-term residential bed numbers or short-stay beds at the facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1250/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1165 to 1168, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters they have been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
1169. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding persons working within the mental health service here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1255/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1170. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he will meet a person (details supplied) following a request issued to his office for a meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1256/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health, I am always open to meeting individuals and organisations but, due to the busy nature of Oireachtas and Government business, it is not possible to accede to every request. I have been in touch with the individual concerned to let her know that I have asked the newly appointed Director of the HSE National Women & Infants Health Programme to meet with her on the issue of foetal anomaly scanning.
1171. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the cost of overtime in 2016 for nurses in mental health services in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1257/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1172. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if an early appointment can be arranged for a person (details supplied). [1260/17]
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.
However, 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.
1173. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Health if a medication (details supplied) will be added to the list of medications available under the GMS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1262/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
