Brendan Griffin
Ceist:223. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health for his views on a matter (details provided); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraProposed Legislation
Ceisteanna (223)
Freagraí scríofa
The enactment of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is included in the Programme for a Partnership Government and is a priority for Government. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill contains a suite of meaningful measures to reduce the level of harmful consumption of alcohol in Ireland and the harms caused by alcohol.
Separation and Reducing Visibility
The Bill provides for restrictions on the display, advertisement and visibility of alcohol products in mixed trade retail outlets. These provisions address concerns that alcohol is not an ordinary consumer product but a psychoactive drug that requires a licence for sale. The separation and reduced visibility of alcohol products in the manner prescribed will achieve the following objectives:
- access to alcohol products will be controlled in premises to which it applies;
- alcohol products cannot be on open display near grocery products, thereby discouraging impulse purchases and the purchase of alcohol products as part of everyday household grocery shopping;
- separate display of alcohol products or closed display in storage units will make alcohol products less visible to children and protect them from in-store marketing techniques.
The options provided for in the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill address the reasonable need for flexible implementation of the requirement to separate and reduce visibility of alcohol products in mixed trade retail outlets.
Labelling
The principle of the labelling provision is to provide consumers with information about the alcohol product and to provide health warnings. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill provides a 3 year lead in time for the introduction of the labelling provisions. This time frame is considered to give sufficient time for manufacturers and retailers to prepare for these new provisions. The labelling provisions are necessary as part of the suite of measures to increase awareness and knowledge of the dangers posed by alcohol consumption. Research indicates that the labelling measures will be welcomed by consumers. The Health Research Board Report ‘Alcohol: Public Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours’ stated that there is strong support for more labelling on cans and bottles containing alcohol. The vast majority of those surveyed support including the number of calories (82 per cent), details of alcohol-related harms (95 per cent) and the ingredients (91 per cent) of alcohol products.
My Department considers that the suite of measures contained in the Bill are a proportionate response to address the harms caused by the misuse of alcohol and bring about a cultural shift in our attitude to alcohol. The Bill commenced Committee Stage in the Seanad on the 26 October 2016. The Bill is scheduled to return to Committee Stage in the Seanad during this session of the Oireachtas. In the interim, consideration is being given as to how best this important public health measure can be brought forward.
Departmental Funding
Ceisteanna (224)
Michael Ring
Ceist:224. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the capital funding that is available from his Department for community groups and voluntary organisations, in view of the fact the national lottery grant scheme is not available in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14506/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
While my Department no longer operates a National Lottery Fund, the Deputy should note that the HSE operates a similar scheme and continues to provide grants to health agencies and other organisations from National Lottery funds. Details of the scheme are available on the HSE website at http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/natlotterygrants/.
Question No. 225 answered with Question No. 208.
Medical Card Applications
Ceisteanna (226)
Robert Troy
Ceist:226. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if, following his visit to a centre (details supplied), he will advance an application for a community based medical card. [14531/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Following my recent visit, the Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the matter of a "house" medical card and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Health Services Data
Ceisteanna (227)
Peter Burke
Ceist:227. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of neurological specialists there are covering counties Longford and Westmeath to address the needs of Parkinson's patients; the number of nurses there are to cover these specialist needs; the facilities that exist for neurological care for persons with conditions such as Parkinson's; if there are plans to increase current services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14538/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Speech and Language Therapy
Ceisteanna (228)
Robert Troy
Ceist:228. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the status of the speech therapy service in Athlone, County Westmeath; and the timeframe for the appointment of a replacement speech therapist in this area. [14541/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (229)
Mary Butler
Ceist:229. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) at South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital, Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14548/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (230)
John Brassil
Ceist:230. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the status of cataract surgery in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14551/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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 the Deputy directly.
Medical Card Applications
Ceisteanna (231)
Seán Sherlock
Ceist:231. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the reason persons (details supplied) were refused medical cards and informed that if they were not married and instead cohabiting, they would have received such a card. [14552/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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 Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information was issued to Oireachtas members.
Basic Payment Scheme
Ceisteanna (232)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Ceist:232. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage he imposed on transfers of entitlements without land as in compliance with Ireland's commitment to do so; the amount that was recouped from this for the national reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14301/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In accordance with the EU Regulations governing the operation of the Basic Payment Scheme, each Member State has the option to apply 'clawback' to the transfer of entitlements without land. Ireland has applied such a 'clawback' to the sale of entitlements without land at a rate of 50% in 2016 which resulted in €14,800 being reverted to the National Reserve in that year. Following consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee I have decided to reduce the rate of 'clawback' applicable to the sale of entitlements without land from 50% to 20% for 2017.