Written Answers Nos. 172-191
172. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the additional beds opened under the winter plan; the hospitals in which these beds were located; the number that were open in each hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3419/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health, I recognise that hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. It is against this background that the Health Service Capacity Review 2018 recommended an increase in acute hospitals beds of over 2,600 by 2031 to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.
Increasing capacity is therefore a priority for the Government. Over the past 12 months, an additional 240 beds have been opened.
The HSE's National Service Plan for 2019 provides for a comprehensive capacity programme for 2019. The main elements of the programme are:
- 78 additional beds are scheduled to come on stream by the end of Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2019, including the 40 bed modular build in South Tipperary General Hospital and the 30-bed ward in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda;
- 75 acute beds and 70 community beds are scheduled to come on stream in early 2019, as part of the Winter Plan 2018/19;
- Preparation of 202 beds, of which 16 are critical care, during 2019, with a view to bringing this extra capacity into operation in the first quarter of 2020.
Of the 75 acute beds to be opened as part of the Winter Plan 2018/19, the HSE have confirmed that 40 beds have been opened to date and the remainder are due to come on stream in early 2019. As requested by the Deputy, a table of the hospital sites where beds are due to open under the Winter Plan is attached, and includes the number of beds opened at each hospital site to date.
|
Hospital Group / CHO |
- |
- |
Site |
- |
Type of bed |
- |
- |
Number of beds planned |
Number of beds opened to date |
|
SSW |
Cork University Hosptial |
Inpatient |
5 |
5 |
|||||
|
SSW |
South Infirmary (SIVUH) |
Inpatient |
3 |
||||||
|
IE |
Colmcilles |
Inpatient |
8 |
||||||
|
DM |
Tallaght |
Inpatient |
6 |
6 |
|||||
|
RCSI |
Connolly |
Inpatient |
20 |
20 |
|||||
|
Saolta |
Galway University Hospital |
Inpatient |
4 |
4 |
|||||
|
Saolta |
Merlin Park |
Inpatient |
4 |
||||||
|
SSW |
UH Waterford |
Inpatient |
6 |
||||||
|
DM |
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore |
Inpatient |
6 |
||||||
|
UL |
University Hospital Limerick |
Inpatient |
8 |
5 |
|||||
|
Saolta |
Letterkenny UH |
Inpatient |
5 |
||||||
|
Total acute beds Winter Plan 2018/2019 |
75 |
40 |
173. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the additional beds opened in Cavan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3420/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra174. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the additional beds opened in Monaghan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3421/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together.
As Minister for Health, I recognise that hospitals are increasingly operating at or above capacity, with year-round demand pressures that are further challenged over the winter months. It is against this background that the Health Service Capacity Review 2018 recommended an increase in acute hospitals beds of over 2,600 by 2031 to support the projected increase in demand for services in the years ahead.
Increasing capacity is therefore a priority for the Government. Over the past 12 months, an additional 240 beds have been opened.
A Capacity Programme for 2019 has been agreed which provides for the following increases to capacity, as set out in the National Service Plan 2019:
- 78 additional beds are planned for Quarter 1 of 2019, including the 40-bed modular build in South Tipperary General Hospital and the 30-bed ward in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda;
- 75 acute beds and 70 community beds to come on stream in 2019, as part of the Winter Plan 2018/19;
- preparation of 202 beds, of which 16 are critical care, by quarter 4 2019 with a view to bringing this extra capacity into operation in the first quarter of 2020.
While no additional beds opened in Monaghan Hospital or in Cavan General Hospital in the last 12 months, 5 additional beds in Monaghan Hospital are included in the 202 beds due to come on stream in the 1st quarter of 2020.
The RCSI Hospital Group, which includes both Cavan General Hospital and Monaghan Hospital, has identified the need for development of the resuscitation area in Cavan Emergency Department. Future investment in Cavan General Hospital will be considered within the overall acute hospital infrastructure programme, the prioritised needs of the hospital groups and within the overall capital envelope available to the health service.
175. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of winter ready clinics opened under the winter plan; the location of the clinics; the number of staff based in each clinic; the number of patient visitors who have attended each of these clinics to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3422/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the Winter plan 2018/19, the HSE has focussed efforts on admission avoidance along with optimised patient flow and facilitated discharges in order to support the management of the winter surge in illness requiring admission.
The purpose of Winter Ready Services/ Clinics is to take every opportunity to make sure that at-risk patients have prepared themselves for winter, that they have had their flu vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, checking that they are using their medications and devices correctly (e.g. nebulisers, inhalers), that they are aware of the effects of winter weather on their condition and that they have a management plan should they become unwell.
Winter ready advice and management is being delivered via Community Healthcare Organisations using the ‘Make every contact count’ approach which aims to maximise the benefits to the patient and best use existing resources. These at-risk patients are already in contact with health services with specialist staff such as a COPD outreach nurses, Community Intervention Teams and Public Health Nursing who are delivering this service. Additionally Waterford and Cork are both opening specific Winter Clinics for Respiratory COPD / Breathlessness assessment, diagnosis and management.
In relation to the specific query raised about the location, staffing and patients who have attended the clinics, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.
176. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the statistics for failed discharges in UHK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3431/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible.
177. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the recent announcement to ban fishing vessels over 18 metres from fishing inside the six mile limit will apply to mussel dredgers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3157/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced the outcome of the review of trawling activity inside the 6 nautical mile zone on 21st December 2018 following an extensive public consultation period which spanned from 30 April until 11 June 2018 and attracted over nine hundred submissions with a wide diversity of views expressed. The submissions are published on the Department’s website.
I carefully considered the issues raised during the public consultation process and, following a detailed evaluation, decided to exclude trawling by fishing vessels over 18 metres from inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from 1 January 2020. This refers to overall length of the vessel and applies to trawling activities only.
Based on my assessment, I consider that there is a compelling case for excluding trawling by large vessels in coastal waters inside six nautical miles. I am satisfied that there are sufficient fishing opportunities for these vessels outside of six nautical miles. I also believe that these actions will provide wider ecosystem benefits, including for nursery areas and juvenile fish stocks. I am very conscious of the exclusive reliance of small scale and island fishermen on inshore waters and the benefits this change will bring for those fishermen and I firmly believe that this will, in the medium term, provide ecosystem and nursery stock benefits for all fishermen.
I am also mindful of the opportunity these measures will provide for further sustainable development of the small scale inshore and the sea angling sectors, which the Government has committed to in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
I also announced that there will be a transition period to 2022 for vessels over 18 metres targeting sprat. This transition is in order to allow a period of adjustment for these vessels, as this fishery is concentrated inside the 6 nautical mile zone. I have asked BIM to offer affected vessel owners technical assistance to adjust to other fisheries during the transition process.
Vessels over 18 metres will continue to be permitted inside 6 nautical miles to trawl for sprat only until 2022. A total allowable catch of up to 2,000 tonnes, reflecting a reduction on recent years, will be permitted for these vessels during 2020, reducing to 1,000 tonnes in 2021. All trawling activity by vessels over 18 metres vessels for sprat, inside the 6 mile limit, will end from the beginning of 2022.
The exclusion applies to trawling by vessels over 18 metres inside 6 nautical miles only. The reports prepared and the consultation paper did not examine other fishing activities such as dredging. In referring to mussel dredgers, I understand that the Deputy is referring to the activity of fishing for mussel seed which is gathered from wild seed beds and subsequently relaid on seabed farms on behalf of aquaculture operators for on-growing to marketable size. Mussel seed fishing is already subject to a number of restrictions including prior authorisation, amounts which may be taken, limits on the fishing season and specific curtailments in the case of Natura 2000 conservation sites.
178. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment in respect of a scheme will issue to a farmer (details supplied) in County Cork. [3193/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named applied for investments under the Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme of TAMS II and the application was approved on 4 July 2017. The applicant submitted a claim for payment on 9 January 2019, which is currently being processed.
179. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 14 of November 2018, when a reply will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3201/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraA reply to the question referred to by the Deputy was issued to the Deputy's Office on the 18th of December 2018. A copy of the letter has been issued by my Office today.
180. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department records sheep that are imported at the point of entry; if not, the point at which they are recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3206/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe intra EU movement of animals is recorded on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), which is the EU-wide online management tool for all sanitary requirements on intra-EU trade and importation of animals, semen and embryo, food, feed and plants. Imports of live animals are recorded on TRACES by the competent authority of the country of origin on the point of exit.
181. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of forestry premiums paid on forestry in County Leitrim under the categories of premiums paid to farmers and landowners who live in County Leitrim and premiums paid to others who do not live in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3209/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Forestry Scheme is voluntary for all landowners and it’s a matter for them as to whether they wish to avail of the grants and premiums available. The current Forestry Programme does not differentiate between a “farmer” and “non-farmer” but targets funding at all landowners who wish to convert lands to forestry. It is important to note that the non-farmer category also includes recently retired farmers and the family members of existing farmers who may also be living locally.
In 2018, my Department paid a total of €2.7 million in forestry annual premiums for forests planted in Co. Leitrim. The breakdown of those payments to forest owners, by category, is shown in the table below and demonstrates that nearly 80% of payments went to farmers.
|
Co. Leitrim: Breakdown of 2018 Forestry Premiums Paid |
||
|
- |
Amount paid in € |
% of total premiums paid |
|
Premiums paid to farmers who live in Co. Leitrim |
1,344,308 |
49% |
|
Premiums paid to farmers who live outside Co. Leitrim |
802,762 |
29% |
|
Premiums paid to forest owners (non-farmers) who live in Co. Leitrim |
174,762 |
6% |
|
Premiums paid to forest owners (non-farmers) who live outside Co. Leitrim |
409,894 |
15% |
|
TOTAL Premiums paid 2018 |
2,731,726 |
100% |
182. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of tonnes of beef produced on quality assured farms in each of the years 2016 to 2018; the number of tonnes deemed ineligible for the quality assurance payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3256/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn reference to participation in the Bord Bia Quality assurance scheme for beef, the number of beef farms participating in Bord Bia’s Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) has been growing steadily in recent years, reflecting stronger demand coming from the marketplace for Quality Assured product.
There are now over 50,000 herdowners in the country who are members of SBLAS. My Department has carried out a review of cattle throughput at export meat plants and local abattoirs and this is the data currently available. Based on this review, SBLAS member-farms accounted for 1.55 million cattle supplied for slaughter in 2016: representing 90.4% of the total national figure of 1.72 million. In 2017, the share of cattle that came from SBLAS farms grew to 91.4%, or 1.67 million out of a total of 1.83 million slaughterings in total. The figures for 2018 are not yet available, but a further small increase is expected in the share coming from SBLAS farms.
The Quality Payment System (QPS) to which the Deputy's question also refers is a payment mechanism whereby a price is determined and paid by processors to farmer suppliers. As this is a commercial matter between processors and farmers, my Department has no role in its operation and does not consequently collect data on it.
183. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulatory with which inspections were carried out by departmental personnel on weighing equipment in livestock processing plants in each of the years 2016 to 2018; the number found to be out of calibration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3257/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra184. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulation under which weighing equipment in livestock processing plants is required to be independently calibrated to ensure the accuracy of these machines is kept to a high standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3258/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra185. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the regulation under which a grading machine in a beef processing factory is required to be independently calibrated to ensure its accuracy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3259/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 governs the monitoring of carcase classification, carcase presentation and weighing. It specifies how on-the-spot checks shall be carried out in all slaughterhouses applying compulsory carcase classification.
According to this legislation, on-the-spot checks shall be performed in all slaughterhouses which slaughter 150 or more bovine animals per week at least twice every three months.
The legislation stipulates that each on-the-spot check shall relate to at least 40 carcasses selected at random.
In 2018, the Department conducted almost 550 unannounced, on-the-spot inspections in 32 factories on classification, carcase presentation and weights (616 inspections in 2016 and 628 in 2017). This is an average of 20 inspections per factory per year, which significantly exceeds the legal minimum requirement of 8 inspections per year.
At each inspection an average of 85 carcasses were inspected for correct classification and carcase presentation. The legal minimum requirement is 40 carcasses per inspection.
The weighing of a carcase is governed by SI 363/2010. It states that the factory shall check and record the accuracy of the weighing scales used for the purposes of weighing a carcase if requested by an authorised officer. For the purposes of determining the accuracy of its weighing scales the factory must possess a set of calibrated weights, totalling not less than 260 kg in weight. These calibrated weights are used by an authorised officer to determine the accuracy of the scales at each inspection. These inspections are in addition to the daily scales checks that each factory conducts before production.
There were no issues regarding weighing systems discovered at inspections from 2016 – 2018.
186. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a food business operator in a slaughter plant can access information on an animal that is not being presented for slaughter by a herd keeper; the information the operator can see relating to other animals in the herd on the animal identification and movement system when accessing information on an animal being presented for slaughter by a herd keeper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3260/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraEach animal consigned by a keeper to a Food Business Operator (FBO) is accompanied by its passport. The FBO has access on the AIMS to information on the specific animals presented for slaughter by herd keepers, such as the date of birth, breed, gender and disease history and this information is available on the animal's passport.
It is the responsibility of the keeper to present the correct passports for the consignment of cattle for slaughter to an FBO.
The procedure for an FBO to obtain information on any specific animal is by entry of the tag number on the presented passport whereupon information on that animal is released by AIMS. An FBO does not have any facility to search by herd number.
187. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the same compliance requirements in relation to CAP will apply to the new beef environmental economic pilot scheme in view of the fact it is an incentive for suckler farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3274/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP) will target the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves - measuring the liveweight of the calf at weaning as a percentage of the cow's live weight. One of the aims of the pilot scheme is to make it as simple as possible for farmers.
All applications for support and payment claims will be subject to administrative checks, cross-checks and any other controls deemed necessary, before payments are made. Applicants will also be required to facilitate any administrative and on-the-spot checks on-farm which the Department deems necessary. Cross compliance penalties will not be applied to payments under BEEP as it is an exchequer funded pilot. State aid de-minimises rules will apply. Further information will be available on the terms and conditions when the scheme is launched.
188. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding allocated for the new beef environmental economic pilot scheme in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3275/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the Budget 2019, I secured an allocation of €20 million for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP). This measure is targeted at suckler farmers and is aimed at further improving the economic and environmental efficiency of beef production.
The Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP) will target the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves by measuring the liveweight of the calf at weaning as a percentage of the cow's liveweight. This data will be used to target improvements on a herd basis by giving the farmer detailed feedback on the performance of individual animals. The data collected will also be a valuable addition to Ireland's already impressive database on cattle genomics.
This measure builds on existing measures aimed at enhancing the sustainability and carbon efficiency of the national suckler herd. Further details on the pilot will issue shortly.
189. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of participants in the young farmers scheme for 2017 and 2018, per county in tabular form; if there are proposed changes planned to streamline the terms and conditions of this scheme for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3276/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of participants in the Young Farmers Scheme per county for 2017 and 2018 is set out in the following table:
|
County |
2017 Young Farmers Scheme participants |
2018 Young Farmers Scheme participants |
|
Carlow |
134 |
110 |
|
Cavan |
369 |
356 |
|
Clare |
374 |
361 |
|
Cork |
1,030 |
1,016 |
|
Donegal |
378 |
332 |
|
Dublin |
38 |
41 |
|
Galway |
773 |
785 |
|
Kerry |
493 |
467 |
|
Kildare |
134 |
129 |
|
Kilkenny |
311 |
290 |
|
Laois |
274 |
271 |
|
Leitrim |
242 |
219 |
|
Limerick |
360 |
340 |
|
Longford |
151 |
150 |
|
Louth |
92 |
86 |
|
Mayo |
704 |
710 |
|
Meath |
251 |
248 |
|
Monaghan |
223 |
206 |
|
Offaly |
250 |
251 |
|
Roscommon |
359 |
338 |
|
Sligo |
214 |
201 |
|
Tipperary |
494 |
465 |
|
Waterford |
236 |
221 |
|
Westmeath |
184 |
178 |
|
Wexford |
358 |
334 |
|
Wicklow |
158 |
140 |
Some 95% of applications under the 2018 Young Farmers Scheme are finalised. The applications that remain outstanding are cases where the Department is working with individual applicants where outstanding information is required to finally process the application or where the required administrative and on-farm checks are required to be completed to determine eligibility for participation in the scheme in 2018.
The full Terms and Conditions of the 2019 Young Farmers Scheme will be made available when the scheme launches for online applications in early February. It is expected that the terms and conditions will be consistent with those that applied in 2017 and 2018.
190. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of preparatory work which has been carried out in relation to the reform of CAP 2020; the control national governments will have in the reformed scheme; if there will be a move away from compliance to take account of more local realities to help create more sustainable farming for persons in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3277/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new regulations for the CAP 2021-27 were launched on Friday 1 June 2018 by Commissioner Hogan. The proposals, as drafted, involve significant changes, including in relation to governance, the distribution of direct payments among farmers and the increasing environmental conditionality attaching to such payments. These proposals are complex and we are now in the middle of intensive and challenging negotiations for the next CAP 2021-27.
Consideration of the CAP proposals is ongoing at EU level. Since the legislative proposals were launched in June 2018 a total of 25 Working Group meetings have taken place under the Austrian Presidency. The proposals are also discussed at the Special Committee of Agriculture meetings on a regular basis. In addition, CAP post 2020 is also a standing agenda item at every Agri-Fish Council meeting where I have discussed the CAP proposals extensively with my Agriculture Ministerial colleagues.
The Romanian Presidency outlined an equally intensive programme of Working Group meetings to discuss specific aspects of the CAP proposals for the duration of their Presidency. I will have a further opportunity to discuss the proposals at the upcoming Agri-Fish Council on Monday 28 January.
I have always sought to have a broad consultation on these proposals. In February 2018, I launched my Department's public consultation process which included six meetings with stakeholders across the country. In addition, I hosted a Conference in July 2018 on the new CAP legislative proposals for interested stakeholders, including farm bodies, state agencies and the environmental pillar. The outcome from the consultation process and the stakeholder conference is feeding into the Department’s on-going analysis and policy response to the proposals.
This was a timely opportunity to bring all interested stakeholders together for a constructive discussion on the future CAP. The range of speakers came from the political sphere, from the European Commission, and from my Department. The conference was a very useful opportunity to hear the views of the many stakeholders involved.
Since then there have been ongoing informal consultations with stakeholders, including farm bodies, state agencies and the environmental pillar. The new delivery model requires Member States to submit their draft CAP Strategic Plan to the Commission for approval before the deadline of 1 January 2020 covering Pillar I and Pillar II expenditure. The CAP Strategic Plan will allow Member States the flexibility to design measures that are best suited to their own strategic needs within parameters laid down in Council Regulations.
My Department is working towards the 1 January 2020 deadline. The process of developing the draft Cap Strategic Plan will be a complex process, involving a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis, a needs assessment, scheme design, ex ante evaluation including a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment. The establishment of a Monitoring Committee including representatives from the key stakeholders, relevant Government Departments and agencies and the EU Commission is a requirement under the current draft proposals. The Committee will oversee progress on the implementation of schemes in the current Rural Development Programme (RDP) and will continue to have a role in the next programming period.
I am open to working with the new delivery model and welcome the move to a more strategic performance based approach. This new framework must be based on system which provides simplification for all. The new CAP proposals will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, achieving more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas. The negotiations for the CAP post 2020 are still ongoing and I will continue to seek to secure the best possible outcome for the Irish agri-food sector.
191. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if lands designated as habitats are eligible for GLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3278/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll land farmed that is designated as habitat under the Birds or Habitats Directives and all commonage land is not only eligible for GLAS but was afforded priority access to the scheme. The GLAS terms and conditions and detailed specifications outline the criteria that must be met in order for land to be eligible for the action.
The scheme is now fully subscribed and closed to new applications.
