Written Answers Nos. 195-203
195. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the names of advisers she has appointed to her office since becoming Minister; the responsibilities of each; the previous employment of each; the salaries of each; and if she plans to make further appointments. [4861/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, I have appointed two Special Advisers.
The appointments were made in line with the "Instructions to Personnel Officers - Ministerial Appointments for the 32nd Dáil" that were issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), which permits the appointment of a maximum of two special advisers.
Details of these appointments are publicly available through the DPER website, and are set out in the following table.
|
Name |
||
|
Special Adviser to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation |
Mr Pauric McPhillips |
Ms Lucy Moylan |
|
Area of Responsibility |
Policy |
Press |
|
Annual Salary |
2nd Point Principal Officer Standard Scale |
1st Point Principal Officer Standard Scale |
Prior to their current appointments, both individuals served as Special Advisers to me in my capacity as Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
196. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the terms of report No. 42 with regard to higher remuneration in public service were not applied to a small number of former health board officials who transferred to the HSE in 2005, some of whom are still employed by the HSE, while others have retired; the justification for this; the action he plans to take in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4719/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the time of the publication of Report 42 of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Service, there was a lack of agreement around the application of recommended pay increases to different categories of managers in the HSE. As a result, the then Minister for Health did not sanction the payment of these increases. Subsequently, due to the severe economic situation in Ireland, in July 2008, the Government decided to cap all increases at 5% and announced that all of the pending increases for Ministerial and Parliamentary Office holders and other senior public servants would not be implemented. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act was also passed which restricted the power to pay remuneration above the rate determined in accordance with the terms of the Act.
My Department submitted a business case for the application of pay adjustments to certain senior managers in the HSE to the Minister for Finance (now Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform). The Minister for Finance considered that the circumstances applying to these HSE senior managers cannot be considered as exceptional circumstances, which cause a substantial inequity to arise, that warrant a distinction to be made between those circumstances and those of other public servants.
There are no plans to make any awards in respect of Report 42 at this time.
197. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be provided with home care hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4667/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
198. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if there is an increase year on year on the number of children that present with autism and related problems in each of the years 2010 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4672/18]
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.
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.
199. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the position regarding an application by a person (details supplied). [4677/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
200. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4678/18]
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.
201. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if the introduction of free Wi-Fi will be made available to inpatients and outpatients at University Hospital Limerick; the estimated cost of such a project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4693/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
202. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if a person who is working in the HSE and has reached 65 years of age can continue working until 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4696/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy colleague, the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, Paschal Donohoe T.D., secured Government approval in December 2017 for an increase in the compulsory retirement age from 65 years to 70 years for public servants who currently are required to retire at age 65 years . Legislation will be necessary to effect these changes and the General Scheme of a Bill was also approved by Government at that time. Minister Donohoe has indicated that he would ask the Attorney General to prioritise the drafting of this legislation so that the new compulsory retirement age would become effective as soon as possible.
The Government also agreed, in advance of the legislation coming into effect, that interim arrangements could be introduced, for serving public servants who reach the age of 65 years between the date of the Government Decision and the coming into effect of the necessary legislation. These arrangements enable such public servants to be retained until they reach the age of eligibility for Contributory State Pension, which is currently age 66 years. My Department has advised the HSE and other agencies of these interim measures.
203. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) was removed from the public waiting list and transferred to the National Treatment Purchase Fund without notice, to be then transferred back to the public waiting list due to age ineligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4702/18]
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.
