Written Answers Nos 1569-1588
1570. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite a medical appointment for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this person was first referred for this appointment two years ago. [28966/17]
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.
In relation to this particular query, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1572. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when one or more Parkinson's disease nurse specialists will be appointed at Cork University Hospital for the more than 1,000 persons living with Parkinson's in the Cork area, in view of the fact that a presence would reduce emergency admissions and would have a net cost saving to his Department. [28977/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to this particular query, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
1573. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of restoring funding to HSE section 39 organisations to enable them to meet pay restoration in line with HSE and section 38 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28988/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
1574. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who have made contact with abortion pill providers in each of the past five years; and the number of women who have used abortion pills here in each of the past five years (details supplied). [28992/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy's question refers specifically to the HSE Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
1575. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the treatment abroad scheme has been used to access medicinal cannabis; if medicinal cannabis has been applied for under the treatment abroad scheme already; and if any application under the scheme has been successful for medicinal cannabis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29010/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to you.
1576. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the practice of hospital administration pressurising private insured patients into foregoing treatment as public patients as recently reported by the media (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29018/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAlthough a proportion of activity in public hospitals involves the provision of care to private patients, the core purpose of the system is to provide services for public patients. Government policy is to ensure there is equitable access for public patients, that the proportion of private activity is appropriately controlled and that the costs of provision of services to private patients are recouped by public hospitals.
The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are, subject to certain charges, eligible for public in-patient hospital services. However, persons can opt to be treated privately on admission to a public hospital, in which case they are liable for the consultants fees and hospital charges arising for that episode of care, whether paid for by the patient or by a health insurer on their behalf. Where private in-patient services are provided the daily charges that apply depend on the category of hospital and whether the overnight accommodation was in a single or multi-occupancy room.
Hospital admission staff are required to speak with patients to establish whether they wish to be treated as a private patient and to sign the required forms. I would expect that no undue pressure would be placed on patients to be treated privately and I have previously stated that the operational procedures by the HSE to manage this process should take account of the health status of patients in hospitals. The HSE has indicated that it is always intended that admissions staff will only engage in a conversation with patients regarding their public or private status when appropriate and would consult with clinical staff involved in the treatment of a patient before engaging on this issue. I have asked my Department to ensure that common protocols are used to establish the wishes of patients in this regard.
It is worth noting that the Department has recently conducted an analysis of trends in private activity in public hospitals since the Health (Amendment) Act 2013 commenced. The key conclusion from the analysis is that the proportion of patients treated privately in public hospitals remained very stable over recent years and did not increase significantly following the introduction of the new charging regime in 2014.
1577. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if there is a funding stream that is available to an organisation (details supplied); and his plans to support services such as this. [29022/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal or Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces are responsible for allocating money for suitable projects, based on locally identified needs and priorities. Applications for funding for organisations should be made directly to the appropriate Drug and Alcohol Task Force. Contact details for Drug and Alcohol Task Forces are available at
http://health.gov.ie/healthy-ireland/national-drugs-strategy/local-and-regional-drugs-task-forces/.
1578. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the full year cost of restoring distance coding and of increasing the allowance to amounts (details supplied) under the rural practice allowance, in tabular form. [29028/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 2009, a number of reductions have been applied under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (FEMPI) to the fees and allowances paid to healthcare professionals, including GPs who provide services under the GMS scheme. The “distance code” was removed as a factor in calculating GP fees and allowances in 2010 under FEMPI. Certain fees payable to GPs such as capitation and out of hours fees varied according to a patient's age, gender and distance of their residence from the GP's surgery.
To accurately cost a reinstatement of the previous "distance code" arrangement would require a detailed exercise by the HSE, which would involve establishing a database for the current population of GMS patients containing their age, gender and distance of their residence from their GP's surgery. The Primary Care Reimbursement Service, which is responsible for the remuneration of GPs for the range of services they provide under the GMS scheme, does not currently maintain such a database. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a cost estimate in respect of this element of the Deputy's question.
Regulations were signed on 5th May 2016 which provide for the introduction of the new Rural Practice Support Framework (RPSF), which includes improved qualifying criteria for rural support and an increase in the financial allowance from €16,216.07 to €20,000 per annum.
Under this Framework, if two practice units are providing general practitioner services in the same qualifying area, both practices may qualify for a modified allowance of €10,000. GPs holding a permanent GMS contract who received the Rural Practice Allowance of €16,216.07 immediately prior to the introduction of the new Regulations who do not meet the new qualifying criteria continue to receive the payment on a personal basis, provided they retain their contractual commitment to the remote rural area.
As at 19th June 2017, there are 251 practice units in receipt of rural supports under the RPSF. 176 practices receive the full financial allowance of €20,000 and 19 practices receive the modified allowance of €10,000. Estimates of the approximate full year costs of increasing the existing allowance to the amounts specified by the Deputy, and the corresponding modified allowance to half of these amounts, are set out in the table below. Any increase in the financial allowance under the new RPSF would only apply to those practices that qualify under the new criteria, therefore these costings have excluded the 56 GPs who currently receive the old financial allowance of €16,216.07.
Estimated costs of increasing the current full allowance available under the Rural Practice Support Framework to the amounts specified by the Deputy, and the current modified allowance to half of these amounts
|
- |
€ |
|
Increasing allowance to 21,000 |
€ 185,500 |
|
Increasing allowance to 21,500 |
€ 278,250 |
|
Increasing allowance to 22,000 |
€ 371,000 |
|
Increasing allowance to 22,500 |
€ 463,750 |
|
Increasing allowance to 23,000 |
€ 556,500 |
|
Increasing allowance to 23,500 |
€ 649,250 |
|
Increasing allowance to 24,500 |
€ 834,750 |
|
Increasing allowance to 25,000 |
€ 927,500 |
|
Increasing allowance to 25,500 |
€ 1,020,250 |
|
Increasing allowance to 26,000 |
€ 1,113,000 |
|
Increasing allowance to 26,500 |
€ 1,205,750 |
|
Increasing allowance to 27,000 |
€ 1,298,500 |
1579. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the number of staff under the remit of his Department that have applied to be transferred to Department or State agency offices located outside the Dublin region in each of the years 2014 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; the estimated average cost incurred for each staff member that relocated outside the Dublin region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29040/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCivil Servants who are interested in transfers to regional offices can seek such transfers through the Departmental Transfer Lists or the Central Applications Facility which was maintained in the context of the decentralisation programme. In addition Civil Servants can also seek transfers through their Staff Association for head to head swaps. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy as applications from staff members of this Department to transfer to offices outside the Dublin region are currently not collated in the format requested by the Deputy. Staff from this Department who transfer to regional offices are not entitled to removal expenses as all such transfers are on a voluntary basis.
1580. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will have a medical procedure carried out at Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29063/17]
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 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.
1581. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding maternity leave cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29064/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply.
1582. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will schedule an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29099/17]
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 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.
1583. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Health the position regarding securing a bed for a person (details supplied) who requires intensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy. [29101/17]
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.
1584. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for funding for flood relief (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28625/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, recently announced the introduction of a once-off targeted Voluntary Homeowner Relocation Scheme. As part of the announcement the Minister outlined that further examination is ongoing by the OPW, Local Authorities and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in evaluating, on an individual basis, if any alternative remedial works can be undertaken to protect those at risk farm buildings that flooded in order to inform the feasibility of any future once-off targeted scheme for Voluntary Farm Building Relocation.
This is being progressed at present to determine the feasibility of any future scheme and prepare the potential criteria. At this point it is not possible to identify the individual circumstances that will be covered by any potential flood damage support measure.
1585. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the growing infant formula industry here and the effects of the promotion of a largely unnecessary product on breastfeeding rates and children's health around the world, in view of the fact that the global percentage of mothers that are unable to produce enough milk is between 1 to 5%; his further views on the fact that the production of formula contributes to high agricultural emissions rates here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27951/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs a leading producer of high quality, safely and sustainably produced dairy products, Ireland is one of the leading producers of Infant Formula in the world. In 2016, Ireland exported over €1.2bn in finished Infant Formula products, as well as base powders for final product to be produced in other countries. The Infant Formula industry utilises milk from Irish farms and represents a significant value-added, and as such less susceptible to price volatility, segment of the dairy sector which has multiple positive effects for rural Ireland in terms of an outlet for quality farm produce as well as a source of high quality employment. In terms of environmental impacts mentioned by the deputy, Ireland is rated as having the most carbon efficient dairy production in the European Union, primarily attributable to our predominantly grass-based systems of production.
With respect to the specific issues raised by the deputy with respect to breastfeeding, officials in my Department have been advised by the Department of Health that the Breastfeeding Action Plan 2016 – 2021 sets out the priority areas to be addressed over the next 5 years to improve breastfeeding supports, to enable more mothers in Ireland to breastfeed and to improve health outcomes for mothers and children in Ireland. The implementation of the Action Plan by the Health Service Executive will enable the Executive to promote, support and protect breastfeeding in Ireland.
In the context of facilitating choice for those who cannot or decide not to breastfeed, infant formula offers an alternative.
1586. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has satisfied himself that previously entered into arrangements affecting the development of the bloodstock industry between Ireland, the UK and France will continue to operate in the aftermath of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28429/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs has been the case across the entire agri-food sector, my Department has been in regular contact with Irish equine industry stakeholders in order to fully understand the potential implications of Brexit for that industry.
The sector is represented on the Department's Stakeholder Consultative Committee, which met most recently on 11 April, and it was also the focus of the most recent of the five sectoral dialogues that I have hosted under the All-Island Civic Dialogue process, which took place in Portlaoise last week. This latter event provided myself and my Department with a particularly valuable further opportunity to tease out the issues facing the sector in some detail, and to consider possible responses. It was made all the more worthwhile by the strong attendance of representatives from Northern Ireland, given the highly integrated nature of the industry on the island.
These contacts have given the industry the opportunity to flag its concerns in relation to Brexit, including in relation to the operation of the Tripartite Agreement, which facilitates the free movement of horses between Ireland, the UK and France. Indeed, this was an issue which featured very prominently at last week's Dialogue, and will be given careful consideration by myself and my Department over the coming period.
I would also point out that, in April this year, Department officials hosted the annual meeting of the Tripartite member countries and industry stakeholders, which provided the opportunity to discuss this issue with the UK and France. The matter has also been raised in the context of my Department's ongoing contacts with its counterpart in Northern Ireland, with the clear objective of retaining the arrangement in any post Brexit trade configuration.
1587. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the increase in the cost of farm inputs with particular reference to fertilizers remains a concern; if he has satisfied himself that such increases remain manageable and will not affect the viability of farming enterprises in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28434/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMost recent CSO data on fertiliser prices (December 2016, January, February and March 2017) show increases in the price of Urea and CAN. These price increases are strongly linked to the price of natural gas which increased over the Spring period. Urea has increased from €321/tonne to €359/tonne, in part due to increased input costs for fertiliser manufacturers and a reduction in supply of Urea. Prior to this in 2016 we had seen a decrease in Urea price of 18% from €396/ tonne in January 2016 to €321/tonne in December 2016 and overall fertiliser prices reduce by over 20% in 2016 based on CSO data.
Based on data compiled by the CSO fertiliser costs reduced from €565.4 million in 2015 to €503.2 million in 2016. This includes an increase in sales of 1.1% for 2016.
I understand that the issue of price of fertilisers is an important issue for farmers and is one of the main input costs on farms. Over the past 20 years fertiliser use has decreased by 28% reflecting improved environmental controls brought about by schemes like REPS, AEOS and GLAS. The Nitrates Directive limits the amount of Chemical Nitrogen and Phosphorus based on stocking limits and crop types. There is a greater awareness of the value of slurry which is being used to replace nutrients as chemical fertiliser prices increased. Irish farmers have a preference for using ammoniacal nitrogen in the form of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) with over 80% of nitrogen purchased in this form. Farmers would benefit by switching to the cheaper ureic form (Urea) of nitrogen which has a price advantage of up to 30% over CAN without loss of production.
Teagasc has identified that soil pH has a large influence on nutrient availability with 64% of grassland soils below optimum pH. Grassland soils can release up to 80 kg N/ha per year when soils are at optimum pH. This can be achieved by the application of ground limestone based on soil analysis results.
A proposed fertiliser regulation is being discussed at EU Council and Parliament which will widen the range of fertilisers that will be available on the EU market and encourage the use of recycled material as fertiliser.
1588. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the statutory basis for the Agricultural Appeals Office; the number of full-time and part staff employed in the office in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, by staff category (details supplied) in tabular form; and the Exchequer funding allocated to the office in each of the years 2010 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [28506/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agriculture Appeals Act 2001, along with the Agriculture Appeals Regulations 2002, provides the legal basis for the service.
Since 2002 the Agriculture Appeals Office (AAO) provides an independent appeal service to farmers who are dissatisfied with decisions of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine concerning designated schemes implemented by the Department.
|
Year |
Director |
Deputy Director |
Appeals Officer |
Higher Executive Officer |
Executive Officer |
Clerical Officer |
|
2010 |
1 (Acting) |
9* (F) + 1 (P) |
1* (P) |
1 (F) |
3 (F) + 1 (P) |
|
|
2011 |
1 (Acting) |
7 (F) + 1 (P) |
1 (P) |
1* (F) |
3 (F) + 1 (P) |
|
|
2012 |
1 * (Acting) |
1 (Acting) |
7* (F) + 1 (P) |
1* (P) |
1 (F) |
3 (F) + 1 (P) |
|
2013 |
1* |
7 (F) + 1 (P) |
1 (P) |
1 (F) |
3 *(F) + 1 (P) |
|
|
2014 |
1 |
10* (F) + 1 (P) |
1* (P) |
1 (F) |
3 *(F) + 1* (P) |
|
|
2015 |
1 |
10 (F) + 1* (P) |
1 (P) |
1 (F) |
2 (F) + 1 (P) |
|
|
2016 |
1* |
10* (F) + 1 (P) |
1 (P) |
1 (F) |
2 (F) + 1 (P) |
|
|
2017 |
1 |
10 (F) + 1* (P) |
1 (P) |
1 (F) |
2 (F) + 1 (P) |
Fulltime (F)/Part time (P)/*denotes staff changes during year
There are no other personnel in the Agriculture Appeals Office other than those provided in the table above.
An Annual Budget is provided to the Agriculture Appeals Office for expenses that may be incurred in relation to legal costs. All other costs in relation to administration, services and accommodation are paid for from the central voted funds of my Department.
The annual budget expenditure for the Office for the years 2010-2016 was as follows:
|
Year |
Annual Expenditure € |
|
2010 |
115,178 |
|
2011 |
13,349 |
|
2012 |
12,600 |
|
2013 |
88,067 |
|
2014 |
112,045 |
|
2015 |
18,418 |
|
2016 |
5,107 |
The annual budget allocation for 2017 is €91,000 of which €525.00 has been spent to date.
