Written Answers Nos. 1160-1176
1160. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed directly from within the HSE in home care services nationally in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, by CHO area and subdivided by grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17390/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1161. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health the number of staff directly from within his Department with responsibility for home care services in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, by grade in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17391/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1162. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of qualified surgeons with the competency to perform full and safe removal of mesh implants; the hospitals they are attached to; the types of mesh implants they can remove; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17395/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1163. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will review a freedom of information request (details supplied); if the HSE will provide clarity to the family that the files will be provided; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17396/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1164. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the status of the efforts undertaken by his Department to date to provide breast milk banks in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17399/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1165. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Health if he will seek public health guidance from NPHET regarding the possibility of holding outdoor religious ceremonies for faith communities to allow for social distancing and a safe return to services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17401/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, Ireland’s epidemiological situation remains uncertain as a number of disease indicators are now static or potentially disimproving. Ireland is still experiencing high levels of infection across the country and the health service remains under pressure. Level 5 restrictive measures therefore remain in place. Any measures introduced at any level of the Plan are aimed at limiting the spread and damage of COVID-19, and are necessary to protect our key priorities of supporting and maintaining health and social care services, keeping education and childcare services open and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.
The ‘Framework for Restrictive Measures in Response to COVID-19’provides for restrictions on gatherings. The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios in the plan is based on a review of international practice and the judgment of public health experts. It seeks to balance the risks of different types of gatherings against the desire to allow normal activities to proceed in so far as possible. The measures in place for each level reflect the prevailing disease situation and recognise that we can and must prioritise some activities over others.
The Framework sets out when it is considered that organised outdoor events can take place. At Level 5, no organised outdoor gatherings should take place.
I and my Cabinet colleagues recognise the immense sacrifices that are being made by people across the country at this difficult time. That includes the many people who are affected by their inability to attend church in the way they have been used to. However, there has been significant engagement and solidarity from the Catholic Church and other Faiths at all stages throughout this pandemic to ensure the protection of individuals and communities from COVID-19.
Significant progress has been made on suppressing the virus due to the huge effort of our citizens. By working together, we have saved lives and limited the impact of the disease on society in Ireland. We all must continue to do everything possible to avoid the virus spreading.
1166. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when a surgery (details supplied) is expected to receive a vaccine delivery; the reason for the delay; when this surgery will start vaccination of people over 70 years old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17402/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1167. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of vaccines that were not used and had to be disposed of; the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17408/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1168. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the way in which a dossier of children with autism was permitted having regard to data protection considerations; if the Data Protection Commissioner was contacted regarding the dossiers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17412/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1169. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the regulations or provisions which allowed his Department and other Departments to collate dossiers on children with autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17413/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1168 and 1169 together.
I take the allegations made in recent media reports extremely seriously. A team has been set up to establish the facts in respect of specific allegations made in the RTÉ Prime Time programme on 25th March 2021. The Department has engaged with the Data Protection Commissioner.
The allegations which were the subject of the RTÉ Prime Time programme on March 25th were brought to the Department's attention last year. The Department took the matters raised very seriously and commissioned an independent, expert review by an external Senior Counsel. This review was completed in November 2020. Subject to clarification of legal matters, I hope this review may be published at the earliest possible opportunity.
1170. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital-acquired Covid-19 infections by month from March 2020 to February 2021, by hospital in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17418/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1171. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on the legislation for the fair deal scheme relating to the cap on farmland and business and if the current charge can be reduced.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17419/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme, commonly referred to as the Fair Deal Scheme, has been in operation for over 10 years and there is broad agreement that the Scheme operates well and continues to provide appropriate financial assistance where it is required. Those accepted to the Scheme pay a proportion of the value of their assessed income and assets towards the cost of the Scheme, so that those who can afford to pay more, do so, while protecting the Scheme's ability to assist those with fewer resources. There are no plans to amend the charge paid by persons availing of the Scheme.
However, it is recognised that the Act, in its current form, does not place caps on the financial assessment of family owned and operated farms or businesses when calculating the means to pay for nursing home care. This places a potentially onerous burden on family successors and could challenge the future viability of these productive assets.
Therefore, the Department of Health has proposed a policy change to the Scheme, to cap contributions based on farm and business assets at three years where a family successor commits to working the productive asset. The stated policy objective of the legislation is to introduce additional safeguards in the Scheme to further protect the viability and sustainability of family farms and businesses that will be passed down to the next generation of the family to continue to work them as productive assets to provide for their livelihood.
This change was approved by Government and underwent pre-legislative scrutiny in the last Dáil. Progress on the development of the Bill was negatively impacted by the dissolution of the last Dáil and by the COVID-19 pandemic. The response to the pandemic has been and continues to be a national and public health priority. However, work on this legislation has continued to progress. I requested a waiver to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny from the Business Committee, given this was already undertaken in the previous Dáil, and this waiver was granted on 4th February 2021. I have met with the Attorney General to discuss this legislation, and there has been an ongoing and active engagement between the Department of Health and the Office of the Attorney General on the development of the legislation, which will be brought to the Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest possible opportunity. It is on the priority list for publication in the Spring legislative session. The Bill will be enacted upon completion of all stages in the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President.
1172. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit are meeting obligations under the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17429/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe department will collate the necessary material and get back to the deputy as soon as possible.
1173. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the details of the Acts falling under his Department which have been signed into law but have not been commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17447/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is being collated by Department officials and a deferred reply will be submitted within ten working days.
1174. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to vaccinating all special education staff promptly to ensure the safety of staff and pupils (details supplied). [17457/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.
On 23 February, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy. In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death. The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.
On 30 March, the Government approved a further update to the COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Strategy. Based on clinical, scientific and ethical frameworks produced by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and my Department, following the vaccination of those most at risk, future groups will be vaccinated by age, in cohorts of 10 years (i.e., 64-55; 54-45, etc.).
The move to an age-based model better supports the programme objectives by:
- protecting those at highest risk of severe disease first, which benefits everyone most;
- facilitating planning and execution of the programme across the entire country;
- improving transparency and fairness.
Further details are available at the link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/93f8f-minister-donnelly-announces-update-to-irelands-vaccination-prioritisation-list/
1175. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if changes will be made to allow for partners to be present during childbirth and maternity appointments. [17461/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1176. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of applicants for test and trace positions currently on a panel; the status of same on the panels in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17462/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1178. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of staff ready to begin work in testing and tracing but who have yet to be appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17464/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1176 and 1178 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
