Written Answers Nos. 2218-2236
2218. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that travelled into Ireland in each week from 22 March 2021 to date who declared an essential reason for travel; the percentage of these of the overall number of persons who travelled here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20159/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraBeginning in November 2020, persons identifying as essential travellers within the definitions of EU Council Recommendation 2020/1475 were not subject to advisory restricted movement or to follow up phone calls through the COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form. However, the introduction of regulations on 6th February 2021 set out exemptions from mandatory quarantine for arriving passengers. Therefore, the previous declarations as to whether the passenger's travel was essential was no longer applicable and the declaration was removed from the form. My Department is does not have responsibility for gathering data on passengers reasons for travel.
2219. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if a vaccine (details supplied) is being administered to cohort 3 given the revised policy that it is safe and effective for those over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20160/21]
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.
2221. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20163/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSE is currently recommending that only critical time dependent elective procedures are undertaken at this time due to the on-going and significant increased demand for bed capacity related to COVID-19.
This decision was made arising from the rapid increase in COVID-19 admissions and to ensure patient safety and that all appropriate resources were made available for COVID-19 related activity and time-critical essential work.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
On 23 March the HSE published the “Safe Return to Health Services Plan”. This plan outlines a three phased approach for the proposed restoration of services across Community Services, Acute Hospital Operations, Cancer Services and Screening Services. It sets target times for their safe return and details the conditions and challenges that will have to be met.
Every phase of the plan has been informed by clinical guidance and putting patient and staff safety first.
Decisions in relation to the type and volume of activity will be made at site level based on local COVID-19 numbers, available capacity and guidance from national clinical leads.
The schedule outlined in the plan for resumption of services will be regularly monitored by the HSE and updated as appropriate, dependant on public health advice and healthcare capacity.
Under 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 is a standardised approach used by the HSE to manage scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures. It sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists and was developed in 2014 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.
In 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.
2222. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if the necessary IT database exists to roll-out the EU digital green cert system in Ireland in a timely manner to allow freedom of movement for vaccinated persons to arrive and depart Ireland from July 2021 onwards to give a much needed boost to the tourism and hospitality sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20173/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Commission published it's draft proposal for a Regulation to introduce a ‘Digital Green Certificate’ on 17th March 2021. The draft regulation outlines a common framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of certificates relating to vaccination, testing and recovery. Ireland is engaged in constructive discussions at EU level, with involvement by a number of Government Departments, not just Health.
Careful consideration is being given to the proposal and its many policy, infrastructural and operational implications across a number of sectors in Ireland. My Department is engaging constructively in the on-going technical discussions at EU level, in collaboration with relevant Departments, to ensure we can achieve alignment in relation to a return to international travel for non-essential purposes, as soon as it is safe to do so.
2223. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he has received representations from the European Commission in relation to the mandatory quarantine system here; if so, the nature of such representations; if reservations have been expressed regarding the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20174/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government remains in regular contact with the European Commission and other international partners working in all areas of cooperation concerning international travel, including the Mandatory Quarantine System.
The European Commission has recently contacted my Department, along with colleagues in a number of other Member States, regarding some concerns about selected travel restrictions in those Member States. Officials in my Department will review these concerns in full and provide any clarification or information necessary on the Mandatory Quarantine System or related matters to the Commission.
In the meantime, the Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice.
2224. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health when walk-in Covid-19 testing will be available in Cork city. [20175/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra2225. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the way in which locations are selected for walk-in Covid-19 testing. [20176/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2224 and 2225 together.
As part of the HSE’s enhanced COVID-19 testing for local communities, from Thursday March 25th, a number of temporary ‘walk-in, no appointment necessary’ testing centres have been established to actively look for cases of COVID-19. These centres, which are opening in areas where the number of positive cases is particularly high, will allow people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19 to get a free test without having to contact their GP first. Around 20% of people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic. The HSE aims to carry out 300-500 COVID-19 tests per day at each walk-in centre and any detected cases will be referred to contact tracing in the same way as detected cases that were referred through by a GP.
The locations where centres are being opened have been decided based on local disease prevalence and on the advice of public health directors. The locations will change week-on-week. Decisions on future locations of walk-in centres will be made following assessments made by the Directors of Public Health in the HSE based on the prevailing incidence rates. Further information including the current test centre locations and dates of operation are available on the HSE website through the following link:
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/testing/covid-19-walk-in-test-centres.html.
On an ongoing basis, NPHET considers and reviews, based on public health risk assessments, how best to target testing to detect, and mitigate the impact of, the virus across the population. This includes keeping Ireland’s national testing policy under continuing review.
2226. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20183/21]
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.
2227. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the current waiting lists for treatment of paediatric rheumatology in terms of numbers on the lists and the delay in getting a service; the number of consultants available to provide this service; the steps he plans to take to ensure early intervention in such cases which is vital to good long-term outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20185/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for hospital appointments and procedures, and I am conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families. This Government is committed to improving waiting times for all patients accessing hospital treatment across all specialties, including rheumatology.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted in the last year as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elective hospital care was curtailed for the first quarter of 2021, in line with the rapid increase in Covid -19 hospital admissions, with only critical time dependent elective procedures undertaken.
On 23 March the HSE published the “Safe Return to Health Services Plan”. This plan outlines a three phased approach for the proposed restoration of services across Community Services, Acute Hospital Operations, Cancer Services and Screening Services. It sets target times for their safe return and details the conditions and challenges that will have to be met. Every phase of the plan has been informed by clinical guidance and putting patient and staff safety first. Decisions in relation to the type and volume of activity will be made at site level based on local COVID-19 numbers, available capacity and guidance from national clinical leads.
The schedule outlined in the plan for resumption of services will be regularly monitored by the HSE and updated as appropriate, dependant on public health advice and healthcare capacity.
Patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.
Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) has advised my Department that they sincerely regret that children and their families are experiencing long waiting times for their rheumatology appointments and they are making every effort to reduce these waiting times including the scheduling of additional outpatient clinics in CHI at Connolly this year.
CHI has further advised that the Rheumatology service in Crumlin has appointed a Consultant Rheumatologist position following a successful recruitment campaign. It is expected that the Consultant will be available to take up their post in 2022. CHI’s intention will be to work closely with the new appointee and the current rheumatology team to develop strategies to address the waiting times for patients on the waiting list.
The attached tables provide details of the total number of patients awaiting a first Outpatient appointment with a Consultant Rheumatologist at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) at the end of March 2021.
2228. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the number of complaints that have been received by his Department in relation to the violation of the rights or poor treatment of persons staying in mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20188/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe safety, wellbeing and comfort of all guests quarantining in a designated facility is a priority of the mandatory quarantine system, along with the ultimate goal of protecting public health by limiting the potential spread of COVID-19 variants of concern.
As part of the agreement with the single service provider for the mandatory quarantine service, complaints from guests regarding facility operations are handled in the first instance by the staff at the designated facility. A comprehensive complaints procedure is in place and the service provider will make all reasonable efforts to address feedback or complaints from guests during their stay in a designated facility.
The mandatory hotel quarantine service provider has confirmed that a small number of complaints have been received regarding operational matters, but that these have all been resolved.
The State Liaison Officer (SLO) have staff onsite 24/7 at each designated facility to liaise between guests and the service provider if required. Issues or complaints raised by guests which fall outside the facility operations are addressed by the SLO. The provisions of the Health Act allow for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine, this is also facilitated through the SLO. This might include appeals related to exemptions under the Health Act to the requirement to undergo quarantine in a designated facility.
All guests undergoing mandatory quarantine in a designated facility are being provided with access to a 24/7 on-site healthcare team who hold clinical responsibility for their wellbeing during their stay. The on-site healthcare team are available to address any wellbeing concerns of guests through both scheduled daily check-in calls during a guest's stay as well as through direct engagement if requested. Guests requiring any specific, urgent or emergency care which cannot be provided on-site at a hotel may also be referred to a dedicated medical facility by the on-site healthcare team.
Guests who wish to access other services, such as consular services, may arrange to do so through normal channels. The hotel service provider will endeavour to facilitate any requests for assistance in accessing such channels, such as by arranging for translation services if requested.
2232. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of persons over 80 years of age who are confined to the home who have received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and have yet to receive their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, respectively by county in tabular form; the date on which all of this cohort will have their first dose received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20224/21]
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.
2233. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the date on which a person (details supplied) will receive the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20225/21]
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.
2236. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the ending of partner restrictions in maternity settings; and the criteria for the removal or easing of the restrictions. [20231/21]
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.
