Written Answers Nos. 1420-1439
1420. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 639 of 10 July 2018, if the legal framework being finalised with regard to the intention to protect the State's investment in the new maternity hospital will be brought before Dáil Éireann before it is finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32846/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile the approval process is one for myself, as Minister for Health, I can confirm that I intend to brief Government once the legal framework has been finalised. I will, of course, be very happy to share the agreement with the Deputy and the House, as appropriate, in due course.
1421. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the issue of funding for an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32849/18]
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.
1422. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when the independent patient advocacy service recommended by HIQA in May 2015 will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32852/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is intended that an independent patient advocacy service will commence in 2018. My Department will invite tenders for the service shortly with a view to it commencing by the end of this year.
The Programme for Partnership Government (2016) includes a commitment in relation to the establishment of a national patient advocacy service. As noted by the Deputy, the “Report of the investigation into the safety, quality and standards of services provided by the Health Service Executive to patients in the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise” (HIQA, 2015) recommended the establishment of an independent patient advocacy service which would ensure that patients’ reported experiences are recorded, listened to and learned from. The Ombudsman’s report, “Learning to Get Better”, (2015) concluded that many users of hospital services (whether patients or relatives/carers) do not know how to make a complaint about a hospital service and are not aware of the support available to help them to do so. It recommended that independent advocacy services should be sufficiently supported and signposted within each hospital so patients and their families know where to get support if they want to raise a concern.
Both of these reports have informed the ongoing work in relation to the development of the new patient advocacy service. The new service will aim to put patients at the heart of any response to a complaint or in the aftermath of a patient safety incident, so as to ensure that they are supported appropriately.
In parallel with the establishment of the patient advocacy service, my Department has recently commissioned the development of a competency framework and a training programme in patient advocacy. It is expected that this training programme will also be made available to independent advocates in patient safety complaints and support. In addition, my department intends to commission the development of a code of practice and standards which advocacy services will be expected to adhere to.
Following the introduction of the new service, it is planned to conduct an independent evaluation of its operation within two years of its establishment.
1423. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the supports which will be provided to a service (details supplied) to develop its advocacy service arising from the merging of services; the level of funding to be provided to both organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32853/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, this PQ is being referred to the HSE for attention and direct response to the Deputy.
1424. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address the issue of women who have developed severe adverse effects following transvaginal mesh devices and vaginal mesh implant procedures (details supplied); his plans to ban mesh as occurred in England and Northern Ireland recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32867/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1447. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the work he is undertaking to support mesh-injured women; when full removals of transvaginal mesh will be available to women here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32936/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1464. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health when a similar suspension will be implemented here in view of the acceptance by the UK NHS of a recommendation from the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review to suspend the use of vaginal mesh implants to treat stress urinary incontinence. [33007/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1465. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health when it is planned to equip HSE hospitals with the scanning equipment necessary to detect vaginal mesh implants in view of the fact that Irish women suffering complications from mesh must travel to the UK for scans. [33008/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1466. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if the chief medical officer's report on vaginal mesh implants will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33009/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1471. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to address the concerns regarding the use of vaginal mesh; if vaginal mesh surgery will be suspended here in line with the decision of authorities in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33033/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1493. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a ban on the use of vaginal mesh implants; the measures being taken to acquire a scanner here in order to assess the integrity and position of mesh in patients; the supports he plans to give to those with vaginal mesh implants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33153/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra1518. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Health his plans to suspend the use of surgical mesh in order to consider launching a full inquiry into the issue in view of events in the UK in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33268/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1424, 1447, 1464 to 1466, inclusive, 1471, 1493 and 1518 together.
As Minister for Health I am committed to putting in place the measures necessary to ensure that both the current use of Transvaginal mesh implants (TVMIs) in surgical procedures in Ireland, and the ongoing clinical management of women who have had these procedures in the past are in line with international best practice and emerging evidence. At my request, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is preparing a report which will make recommendations in relation to the clinical and technical issues involved. I am informed that following recent policy actions in relation to mesh by health authorities in the NHS and in Northern Ireland, as set out below, further engagements with the HSE, the Health Products Regulatory Agency, the professional bodies and colleagues in other jurisdictions will be needed before the report is finalised. It is now anticipated that the CMO’s Report on this issue will be completed by late August or early September.
Pending finalisation of the report, Department officials together with representatives of the HSE and the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) have reviewed the NHS decision of Tuesday 10 July to institute a ‘pause’ in the use of vaginally inserted mesh to treat prolapse and the use of tape or slings to treat stress urinary incontinence, until a set of conditions to mitigate the risks of injury are met, to identify any immediate implications for practice here.
The decision to institute a pause in vaginal mesh procedures in NHS England followed a recommendation the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety (IMMDS) Review established in February 2018 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt. Hon Jeremy Hunt MP. On Wednesday July 11th, a similar pause was instigated by health authorities in Northern Ireland.
NHS England has clarified that the pause will involve implementation of a high vigilance programme of restricted practice. It is not a blanket ban of the relevant procedures, and it is anticipated that there will need to be some exceptions within the pause, within a high vigilance programme of restricted practice. For some patients, mesh procedures may be the only viable treatment option for a debilitating condition.
It has been clarified by the NHS that there is no concurrent change in the evidence base concerning these devices. The recommendations of the IMMDS to NHS England arose because of a lack of certainty or confidence that critical clinical governance measures to assure the safety of mesh procedures are demonstrably in place. The Department considers that similar concerns in relation to the visibility and consistency of such measures apply equally in the public health system here.
There is understandable public and patient anxiety about the ongoing safety of mesh devices in light of the considerable publicity that this issue has received and this has been heightened by recent developments in the NHS. It is important that this be addressed as comprehensively as possible. A pause on the use of mesh procedures, pending confirmation by the Executive that a number of key recommendations as set out below have been implemented, is now considered proportionate and necessary to provide public assurance that these procedures are being carried out in accordance with internationally accepted good practice.
The advice of the HPRA to the Department in relation to this issue is that it is supports a temporary restriction on all procedures involving uro-gynaecological/transvaginal mesh implants, pending the introduction of the further clinical mechanisms proposed relating to the delivery of care for patients. The regulatory status of uro-gynaecological mesh implants at a European level remains unchanged in that they are CE marked medical devices. As such, the benefit-risk profile for the devices is considered positive. Ensuring that the use of transvaginal mesh is appropriate and as safe as possible requires, not only that the device is safe and performs as intended, but also that the healthcare system has appropriate measures for patient selection, treatment and follow-up in place.
Accordingly, I am informed that the CMO has written to the Acting Director General of the Health Service Executive to request that the Executive put immediate measures in place to:
1. Pause the use of all procedures involving uro-gynaecological/transvaginal mesh implants for the management of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) or Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) in HSE funded hospitals, in cases where it is clinically appropriate and safe to do so.
2. Ensure that in situations where expert clinical judgment is that there is an urgency to carry out the procedure and no suitable alternative exists, surgery should proceed only if a delay would risk harm to the patient and should be based on multidisciplinary team decision and fully informed consent.
This pause should remain in place pending confirmation of implementation by the Health Service Executive, working in conjunction with the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (IOG) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), of three urgent recommendations relating to (i) Surgical Training, (ii) Informed Consent and (iii) the Development of an agreed Dataset of Mesh Procedures.
The Department has also written to the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Continence Foundation of Ireland on requesting that they assist the HSE in progressing these recommendations on an urgent basis.
It is acknowledged that there may be concerns that restricting the availability of mesh procedures, particularly SUI mesh procedures, which are widely accepted to be less invasive and more effective than non-mesh alternatives will delay access to treatment procedures for distressing symptoms. Advice received in relation to this is that uro-gynaecological mesh procedures are largely elective procedures and it is not anticipated that a postponement of weeks/months will materially affect health outcomes for the majority of women affected. Given the limited number of surgeons and units carrying out these procedures in HSE funded hospitals, it is anticipated that the Executive will be in a position to indicate to the Department that these recommendations have been implemented within a number of months.
In relation to the provision of appropriate aftercare for women suffering from mesh complications, including appropriate diagnostic facilities, this has already been identified as one of two priority recommendations for immediate advancement by the Executive in the course of preparation of the CMO’s report. The CMO wrote to the Acting Director General of the HSE, and to the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (IOG), the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and the Continence Foundation of Ireland (CFI) on May 28th 2018, requesting that the Executive commence work on (i) the development of appropriate patient information resources and consent materials and (ii) clarification and development of treatment pathways and appropriate referral services for women suffering from mesh-related complications, in conjunction with the IOG, the RCSI and the CFI.
The HSE has confirmed that work has commenced by the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) in the HSE to progress these recommendations, and the experiences of the women concerned will be an essential element to informing the assessment of need and identifying the aftercare services required. This work will include identifying the appropriate specialist clinical expertise and facilities required at hospital group level and nationally to provide comprehensive aftercare services. It will also include an examination of the role of and requirement for specialist diagnostic services such as translabial scanning. Pending the completion of this work, there may be a need to look at sourcing services from abroad to address any immediate shortfalls identified, either through utilisation of the treatment abroad scheme or by commissioning services from abroad.
A Learning Notice concerning mesh devices in uro-gynaecological procedures was circulated by the NWIHP on 26th June 2018 to all maternity hospitals and acute hospitals with gynaecological services to highlight the importance of appropriate patient selection, adequate information and consent and also to inform the service providers that a Response Group has been convened to propose remedies for and address the provision of aftercare for complications. This learning notice has been posted on the NWIHP website.
https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/acute-hospitals-division/woman-infants/quality-and-safety/learning-notice-0518-transvaginal-mesh.pdf
1425. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding regulations relating to life-saving medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32868/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs you are aware, Statutory Instrument SI No. 449 of 2015 Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations allows trained non-medical persons to administer six prescription–only medicines to a person, without a prescription, for the purpose of saving their life or reducing severe distress in an emergency situation.
These Regulations were put into place to expand upon an existing and long-standing practice whereby any person may administer or assist in the administration of a person’s personally prescribed medicine, e.g. their inhaler, again for the purpose of saving their life or reducing severe distress in an emergency situation.
To ensure that the six scheduled medicines in this Regulation are administered safely, the legislation requires that a non-medical person completes an approved training course for the medicines that they wish to administer.
The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is responsible for approving the training courses for persons engaged or employed by listed organisations for the supply and administration of medicinal products in emergencies. Listed organisations can include schools, sports clubs and other community groups, voluntary groups and rescue organisations. While PHECC approve these training courses, the decision to undertake them lies solely with the organisation that wishes to gain approval under the Regulations to administer one of the scheduled medications.
PHECC have advised that the Cardiac First Response and Medications for Listed Organisations (CFR and MLO) Salbutamol course incorporates the basic modules of Cardiac First Response Community which importantly teaches Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and the duration of the course may be between 6-8 hours. This time period facilitates the teaching, learning and skill assessment required for non-medical persons to safely care for persons/patients in the community who may be experiencing a life-threatening condition such as an acute asthmatic attack. Acute illness can progress very quickly to cardiac arrest therefore all authorised persons must be able to identify and treat a cardiac arrest which is the minimum clinical training required prior to completion of the medication modules. The 2 modules focusing on Salbutamol - medication management and medicinal product administration are part of the course duration and generally are allotted 2-4 hours of teaching time. Should a person have a current cardiac first response (CFR) certificate this part of the programme (4 hours) does not have to be repeated.
Furthermore, PHECC advise that they welcome all opportunities to engage with other bodies and in this case specifically the Department of Education and schools to increase the public’s involvement for the education and training for CFR and MLO courses, and explore potential or perceived barriers to facilitate and support the legislative requirements of SI 449 of 2015.
1426. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding respiratory consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32869/18]
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.
1427. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the waiting times for Dublin north city and county audiology services, Grangegorman primary care centre; when a person (details supplied) will have their hearing aid repaired or replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32871/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
1428. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the capital allocation for health which will be spent on major projects in each of the years 2018 to 2024. [32874/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Development Plan outlines capital funding for the Health sector for the next five years (2018 to 2022).
|
National Development Plan |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Health Sector |
€493m |
€667m |
€724m |
€780m |
€825m |
A capital plan will be developed for each year of the National Development Plan having regard to the total funding available and the capital priorities for the public health sector.
Health capital projects and programmes listed below and currently underway will require the bulk of the notified capital allocation over the initial period of the National Development Plan.
The major priority Government projects currently in development comprise:
- National Forensic Mental Health Services Hospital at Portrane,
- New Children’s Hospital along with the Paediatric Outpatient and Urgent Care Centres at Connolly and Tallaght Hospitals,
- National Rehabilitation Hospital Phase I
- National Plan for Radiation Oncology at Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Galway,
- Primary Care Centre Infrastructure Programme,
- Relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to the St Vincent’s University Hospital campus,
- Long-term residential accommodation programmes for older people (Community Nursing Home Programme) and peoples with disabilities to address regulatory standards for accommodation.
1429. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the high cost of asthma medication (details supplied). [32878/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). The conditions covered by the LTI are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the Scheme.
For people who are not eligible for the LTI scheme, there are other arrangements which protect them from excessive medicine costs.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €134 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
People who are not eligible for a medical card may still be able to avail of a GP visit card, which covers the cost of GP consultations.
1430. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views regarding the issue of the postcode lottery for persons with severe asthma (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32879/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccess to licenced treatment for asthma is a service matter for the HSE. I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
1431. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if the contract for the analysis of the smear test results will be put out for tender; if so, when this will commence; if the original procurement guidelines will be reviewed with a view to improving them; if retests are being analysed within the original standards; and if not, if standards have been upgraded, for example, to include extra safeguards. [32881/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe outcome of a health technology assessment carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for the National Screening Service was that the HPV test is a more accurate testing mechanism than the current liquid-based cytology, that the use of the HPV test would result in fewer false negative results, and that the use of the HPV test would result in more cancers being prevented.
I approved the switch to HPV testing as the primary screening mechanism for the CervicalCheck programme in February. Under the proposals, cytology testing will still be done on a smaller cohort as a secondary test. I have asked the HSE to implement the move to HPV testing as the primary screening method as soon as possible.
While the extent to which the HPV testing can be done in Ireland is being assessed, it is likely that a tendering process will be needed to meet at least some of the HPV testing requirement. Any decisions regarding the provision of screening laboratory services are subject to competition rules governed by HSE procurement policy and will form part of the project planning and implementation. An EU procurement process for the provision of services is planned for over the coming weeks.
All laboratories contracted by CervicalCheck must operate in line with Quality Assurance standards and requirements set out by the cervical screening programme. Each laboratory is subject to ongoing monitoring by the programme to ensure compliance with QA standards.
Every test is examined by two screeners. All screeners (including supervisory screening staff) are expected to maintain their competence through participation in proficiency testing schemes, recognised cervical cytopathology External Quality Assurance schemes and in-house training, as appropriate.
The clinical advice is that there is no evidence that the clinical and technical aspects of the programme have performed outside or below international standards or the quality guidelines set for the programme. Smear tests can produce both false positive and false negative results. However, the Scoping Inquiry and the Independent Clinical Expert Review will provide independent and international scrutiny of performance.
1432. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the laboratories from which misread cervical smear tests came; and if the misread figures will be distinguished from those that were false negatives. [32882/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Scally Inquiry, which the Government established on 08 May 2018, is examining all aspects of CervicalCheck, and all relevant documents within the Department and the HSE. As part of the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry, Dr Scally will examine the tendering, contracting, operation, conflict of interest arrangements, performance information and performance management, accreditation and quality assurance of contracted cytology laboratory services by CervicalCheck from initiation of the programme.
Separately, the Independent Clinical Expert Review Panel led by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists will review the results of screening tests of all women who have developed cervical cancer who participated in the screening programme since it was established. This will provide independent clinical assurance to women about the timing of their diagnosis and any issues relating to their treatment and outcome.
These two strands of investigation will establish the facts with regard to the performance of contracted cytology laboratory services, as indeed is required by the very comprehensive terms of reference set for Dr Scally as agreed by a majority of the Opposition. It is important now that we allow these reviews to conclude.
1434. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health his views on the threat tobacco poses for persons with asthma; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32887/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Ireland. Each year some 6,000 people die from diseases caused by tobacco use and many more suffer ill health because of active smoking and being exposed to second-hand smoke.
There is a substantial body of evidence concerning the impact that tobacco use has on asthmatics. Children whose parents/guardians smoke have an increased risk of ever having asthma, and for those who have asthma, exposure to second-hand smoke can exacerbate their asthma. Active smoking by asthmatics and exposure to second-hand smoke is likely to exacerbate their asthma.
The policy document Tobacco Free Ireland (2013) sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free (i.e. with a prevalence rate of less than 5%) by 2025. Tobacco Free Ireland addresses a range of tobacco control issues and initiatives and contains over 60 recommendations. Some of those recommendations relate to extending the smoking ban on a legislative basis to the campuses of primary and secondary schools and child-care facilities. Other recommendations relate to the promotion, on a voluntary basis and in conjunction with key stakeholders, of smoke free environments on the outdoor campuses of third level institutions, health care facilities, Government facilities, sports facilities, playgrounds, parks and beaches. Progress has been made in particular in relation to health care and Government facilities, playgrounds and third level institutions.
Currently there are no plans to extend the smoking ban on a legislative basis to public places such as parks, beaches, bus stops, sports pitches or the exits of shops and other buildings.
E-cigarettes and novel tobacco products are regulated at EU level by the European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016. (S.I. 271 of 2016). The Regulations set out safety and quality rules for nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and provide for health warnings on e-cigarette packs.
1435. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the process of the recently announced review of hospital car park charges; the estimated date of completion; the details that relate to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32893/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn March, I requested that the HSE carry out a review of hospital car parking charges, with the aim of establishing clear national guidelines in this area. The review will involve the relevant stakeholders and will take account of the income generated by charges, the impact of any reduction in car parking income on hospital services and the views of patient advocacy groups.
Following this, the HSE established a review group which first met in April 2018. The group is currently compiling information in relation to current charging arrangements countrywide. On 27 June 2018, the HSE held a public consultation forum with key stakeholders invited, including patient advocacy groups. The review group has been collecting information on current charges across the hospital network and meeting patient representatives and advocacy groups on this issue. Practice in other health service jurisdictions is also being researched as part of the review of charges. The HSE has advised that a daft report is due to be ready for consideration by September 2018.
1436. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Health if the delays being experienced in the delivery of home care packages in the CHO 7 areas in counties Kildare and Wicklow will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32897/18]
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.
1437. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health if an appointment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32903/18]
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, since 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.
1438. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if approval has been granted for a full-time social worker for oncology patients at Letterkenny University Hospital; if so, the date on which the post was first sanctioned; if this post has yet to be advertised, the reason for same; when the advertisement of same will commence; when the post will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32916/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to reply to you directly.
1439. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health the proposed use for the site of the former St. Brigid’s Hospital in Ballinasloe, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32917/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the public healthcare estate, my Department has asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in relation to the site at Ballinasloe, County Galway.
