Written Answers Nos. 426-441
426. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of gynaecological treatments carried out in County Cork by month the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31581/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra427. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of gynaecological treatments carried out nationally by month in the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31582/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 426 together.
In relation to the particular queries raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
428. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards issued nationally by month in the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31583/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
429. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of medical cards issued in County Cork by month in the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31584/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
430. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of medical card applications refused nationally by month in the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31585/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
431. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of medical card applications refused in County Cork by month in the past three years in tabular form [31586/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
432. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the list of the supports offered to women affected by the CervicalCheck issue; the number of women that have opted to avail of each support; the number of women that are in receipt of this support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31602/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the 11 of May, I announced the establishment of a primary and social care support package for women and families affected by the CervicalCheck issues. These measures include:
- The provision of a discretionary medical card for each woman affected, or their next-of-kin in cases where the woman has, sadly, died;
- Meeting of out-of-pocket medical costs incurred;
- The provision of primary care supports, including counselling, to the women affected;
- The provision of counselling services, including bereavement counselling where appropriate, to the immediate family members of these women; and
- The provision of other health and social care supports, including travel costs and childminding, where appropriate.
A team of specially designated Liaison Officers has been appointed to work with individuals and put in place the required supports. I am advised by the HSE that, as of 6 July, Liaison Officers have held 157 face-to-face meetings with women and families to discuss their needs.
To date, 445 new medical cards have been issued in relation to this scheme and amendments have been made to the terms of existing cards in 87 cases to recategorise these as medical cards under the CervicalCheck support package.
A number of individuals are availing of counselling through either the Primary Care Counselling Service or private counselling for which they will be reimbursed, and arrangements are in place to reimburse women and families for costs such as travel and childcare. A range of other health supports is being provided including in response to requests for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dental, ophthalmic and nursing services among others. This is very much a client-driven process and requests for supports will differ from individual to individual.
It is important to note that every individual’s circumstances will be unique to them and thus the HSE has taken care to respect the wishes of the women and their families regarding the timing of contacts and subsequent meetings. Where meetings have not yet been held, this reflects the wishes of the individuals concerned either to meet at a future date that suits them or, in some instances not to take up the offer of support.
433. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied) who is waiting nine years for orthodontic treatment [31604/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
434. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the measures he has taken in his Department further to the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's statement (details supplied) that the Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018 is needed to provide a legal basis for certain data transfers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31625/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018 in its current format will provide the legal basis for sharing data, including personal data, among certain public sector bodies and will assist in stipulating the specific safeguards that should be put in place for such data sharing arrangements.
As the Bill is still under consideration by Government, my Department is not in a position to prepare an implementation plan until the final requirements specified in the legislation are known. My Department will introduce whatever measures are necessary to implement the Bill, once it has been passed.
435. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if there is an EU directive or mechanism that would prevent him from limiting afforestation grants payable to farmers living within a 50 km radius of their forest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31095/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Forestry Programme 2014-2020 in Ireland is 100% State funded and governed by the European Union Guidelines for State Aid in the agricultural and forestry sectors. The Forestry Programme 2014-2020 does not foresee a distinction between farmers or non-farmers with the same level of grants and premiums payable to all applicants.
There are no EU or National provisions to restrict the payment of forestry grants or premiums to landowners living within a specific distance from a proposed forest and I have no intention to introduce such provisions. Such a restriction could impact on landowners who may be retired farmers or the sons or daughters of retired farmers who inherited land but have careers outside of farming.
The afforestation scheme managed by the Department offers the same terms and conditions to landowners, both farmers and non-farmers. Farmers are, however, at an advantage as they may also qualify for Basic Payment and Forestry Premiums on the same land whereas non-farmers cannot.
436. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason behind the introduction of 1 July 2018 as the commencement date to allow farmers in the GLAS scheme to cut traditional hay meadows; and his views on whether the views of persons (details supplied) were justified. [31179/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe GLAS Traditional Hay Meadow action promotes the maintenance of a traditional method of forage conservation that is beneficial to grassland flora and fauna. GLAS farmers who have chosen this action commit to the closure of these meadows until July 1st in line with the terms and conditions of the scheme and receive a payment of €315 per hectare per year (up to a maximum of 10 hectares) to compensate for income foregone. Traditional Hay Meadow is one of the key biodiversity measures under the GLAS scheme and will deliver approx. €18 million in payments this year.
In order to alleviate the forage supply problem, one of the initiatives put in place was an extension to the closing date for grazing livestock on land containing the Traditional Hay Meadow action under the scheme and grazing by livestock was permitted up to 1st May this year. It is not possible to bring forward the cutting date as seed dispersal is a key requirement to maintain species diversity. My priority was to ensure that farmers continue to qualify to receive payment for this action. I would also point out that after the July 1st deadline participants are free to cut and conserve the hay as they would with any other field.
437. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of part-time and full-time media advisers employed in his Department; the Civil Service grade of each media adviser; and the cost over a full year of employing all such advisers. [31239/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that provision of advice with respect to Media matters represents a key part of the brief for my political adviser, who is one of two special advisers employed in my Department.
The current salary scale for Ministerial Advisers is aligned to the Civil Service Principal Officer salary scale.
438. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific projects which will receive the €7 million in extra capital expenditure in 2019 as outlined in Annex 1 of the National Development Plan 2018-2027; the amount each project will receive of this €7 million in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31267/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra439. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific projects which will receive the €255 million in capital funding allocated to his Department in 2019; the amount each project will receive of the €255 million in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31282/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 439 together.
The distribution of the allocations for each of the years will only be confirmed as part of the annual Estimates process which is underway. The funding will be allocated for capital programmes and schemes already in operation, as well as for emerging challenges including those arising from Brexit.
The programmes funded will include the following:
- Forestry Programme
- Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme
- European Maritime & Fisheries Fund Operational Programme 2014-2020
- Investment support for food sector companies , the organic sector and commercial Horticulture
- Investment support for facilities for the Horse and Greyhound Racing industries
In 2021 and 2022 funding will be allocated to the capital schemes envisaged to be operated under the successors to the existing 2014-2020 EU co-funded programmes (RDP and EMFF) and the post 2020 Forestry programme.
In addition to the above multi-project programmes, which support investment by operators across the Agriculture, Food and the Marine sectors, funding will be allocated each year for my Department’s ICT equipment and infrastructure, and Laboratory infrastructure and equipment, for the development of Fisheries Harbours, facilities maintenance and development for Teagasc, Marine Institute, SFPA and BIM, as well as for specific projects with a more limited expenditure timescale.
440. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the specific reason for the underspend in gross voted expenditure of €10 million as outlined in Appendix V of the June 2018 fiscal monitor; the specific projects that have an underspend; the value of the underspend on each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31299/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe €10m underspend recorded in gross voted expenditure as outlined in Appendix V of the June 2018 Fiscal Monitor is based on projected expenditure against actual expenditure. My Department’s expenditure is monitored and managed carefully on an ongoing basis throughout the year and I fully expect all the funding allocated for 2018 will be expended closely in line with the distribution across subheads and schemes as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2018.
441. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a felling licence application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31342/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe felling licence application from the person named has been processed by the Department and was issued on 9th July 2018.
