Written Answers Nos. 301-308
301. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will instruct the HSE to release details of the HCV testing and community implementation budget to persons (details supplied) and interested groups for review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29586/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a matter for the HSE, I have asked them to reply directly to the Deputy.
302. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the stage the consultation on Portlaoise Hospital is at; and the timeframe for completion. [29623/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra303. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the stakeholders that will be met by his officials during the public consultation process on Portlaoise Hospital. [29624/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.
I am committed to securing and further developing the role of the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. Since 2014, the focus has been on supporting the hospital to develop and enhance management capability, implementing changes required to address clinical service deficiencies, and incorporating the hospital into the governance structures within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.
Significant work has been undertaken to strengthen and stabilise current arrangements for services at the hospital to ensure that services that are not sustainable are discontinued and those that are, are safety assured and adequately resourced. Funding has increased by 35% relative to the 2012 budget and staffing levels have risen by 29% from the 2014 base. Governance and management arrangements in Portlaoise Hospital have been strengthened, additional clinical staff has been appointed and staff training, hospital culture and communications have improved.
As agreed at a meeting with Laois Oireachtas members, I am currently giving consideration to a process for wider consultation and no decision has been made on future changes to services at Portlaoise.
304. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the minimum charge for persons with medical cards to pay for medicines which they receive by way of prescription; the minimum charge per item; the maximum charge per prescription; the monthly limit payable in these cases; the arrangements in place to ensure there is no overpayment by a couple in cases in which a husband and wife receive their prescriptions in two different pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29651/18]
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.
305. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Health the status of the new proposed PPP community hospital for Letterkenny; the progress made to date; when planning permission will be sought for same; the timeframe for construction; if funding is in place for its delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29697/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has asked the Health Service Executive to provide the Deputy directly with the current position in relation to the proposed development of a public private partnership community nursing unit in Letterkenny, Donegal.
306. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if exemptions to the GLAS wild bird cover measures which require certain crops to be sown (details supplied) will be sought; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29453/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department continues to monitor the situation outlined. Where GLAS inspections have taken place or are taking place on holdings that contain the Wild Bird Cover action cases are being examined on an individual basis and this examination will take into consideration the ongoing weather conditions.
307. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 222 of 27 June 2018, the locations of the education programmes that have successfully been awarded a tender; the name of the course provider; the costs awarded to the provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29565/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe initial location of the education programme was Garristown in North Dublin. Further courses are planned for Tipperary, Cork and the Midlands this year. The next of these is to begin in the coming weeks. A decision on the possibility of courses next year will be taken in light of experience gained, and demand from would be participants.
The tender was awarded to O'Scanaill and Associates Veterinary Surgeons. The tender provides for costs of up to €21,650 for each course to cover the various course modules, specialist speakers and location rental.
The approach being taken by my Department has been to raise the awareness of the importance of good horse welfare amongst sulky participants and the owners and keepers of trotting horses. The tender was awarded with a view to conducting an education program designed for sulky drivers and trotter horse owners with a specific requirement that members of the Travelling Community be catered for.
This course is designed to encourage participants to move away from the road racing practices and move to racing on tracks and to engage with the regulated sport of harness racing on tracks as operated by the Irish Harness Racing Association. The feedback from participants in the first course has been very positive.
308. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of times his Department has engaged polling companies and-or Irish market researchers to conduct research on its behalf in each of the past two years; the names of such companies; the costs associated with same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29566/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested is outlined in the following table.
In 2017 the Department engaged Behaviour & Attitudes, a market research company, as part of the Spending Review on the TAMS Agricultural Modernisation Scheme. The main objective of the study was to ascertain why farmers had not yet drawn down the TAMS grant for which they had been approved.
In 2018 the Department engaged Behaviour & Attitudes to complete an Attitudinal Survey as part of Glas Evaluation contract. The overall purpose of the evaluation was:
(a) to assess the effectiveness of GLAS as a contributory measure towards sustainable Irish agriculture under the RDP 2014-2020,
(b) to assess its contribution towards the achievement of wider environmental objectives, and
(c) to fulfil, in part at least, Ireland’s commitment towards the monitoring and evaluation requirements set out in the RDP.
2017
|
Name of companies engaged in Polling and or Irish Market researchers to conduct research on behalf of Department |
No of Times companies engaged for this service |
Cost € |
|
Behaviour & Attitudes , Market Research company, (engaged as part of the Spending Review on the TAMS Agricultural Modernisation Scheme) |
1 |
7,380 |
2018
|
Name of companies engaged in Polling and or Irish Market researchers to conduct research on behalf of Department |
No of Times companies engaged for this service |
Cost € |
|
Behaviour & Attitudes, Market research company (engaged to complete an Attitudinal Survey as part of GLAS Evaluation contract) |
1 |
6,608 |
