Seán Sherlock
Ceist:870. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if there will be a pension increase for a person (details supplied) who worked for the HSE. [21226/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraPension Provisions
Ceisteanna (870)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services Access
Ceisteanna (871)
Seán Canney
Ceist:871. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health when chiropody services will be made available in Tuam primary care centre, Tuam, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21233/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Tests
Ceisteanna (872, 873, 874, 875)
Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:872. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to implement the recommendations of a report (details supplied) on Covid-19 rapid testing in respect of the graduated return of spectators to sport. [21234/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraJim O'Callaghan
Ceist:873. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if regulations will be amended to permit the return of 2,000 antigen tested spectators to the RDS on 15 May 2021 for a rugby match in accordance with the findings of a report (details supplied). [21235/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraJim O'Callaghan
Ceist:874. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if it is planned to permit a branch of an organization (details supplied) to allow 2,000 antigen tested spectators living within a 20km range of a stadium into the stadium on 15 May 2021 for a match as part of the graduated return of spectators to sport. [21236/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraJim O'Callaghan
Ceist:875. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if it will be acknowledged that the antigen testing proposed by an organisation (details supplied) that will take place in advance of the rugby match that will take place on 15 May 2021 is compatible with the recommendations within the on a report on Covid-19 rapid testing. [21237/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 872, 873, 874 and 875 together.
The “Report of the COVID-19 Rapid Testing Group” was chaired at my request by the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Professor Mark Ferguson, and published on 1 April 2021.The report made a number of recommendations for sectors outside the health sector, including sport. These are a matter for the Ministers and Departments with responsibility for the sectors concerned.
The event described must also be considered at this time in the context of the Level 5 restrictive measures which currently remain in place. Any measures introduced at any level of the COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 – the Path Ahead 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 Government announced a slight easing of restrictions from 12 April in recognition of the significant impact that the extended period of Level 5 restrictions is having on people. The focus of this easing of measures is on enabling more outdoor activities in order to improve the health and wellbeing of society. The situation will be subject to ongoing review taking account of the evolving epidemiological situation, the impact of the reopening of priority services, and available evidence in relation to vaccine deployment, uptake and effectiveness. The NPHET and the Government will consider the position again at the end of this month and it is anticipated that a roadmap for the further easing of measures over the coming months will be agreed.
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.
Vaccination Programme
Ceisteanna (876)
Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:876. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if there is a difference in payment for persons administering Covid-19 vaccinations depending on if they are nurses or doctors. [21242/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (877)
Seán Haughey
Ceist:877. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will amend the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 and the associated regulations in order that those who already have had Covid-19 can be exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21245/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Mandatory hotel quarantine has been introduced as one element of Ireland’s public health measures to combat the transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern.
The Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act. All applicable travellers must reserve and pay for a place in mandatory hotel quarantine.
The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 identifies those who are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine and a full list of exemptions can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine. At this time, persons who have had confirmed cases of COVID-19 are not exempt from the requirement to undergo quarantine in a designated facility.
The provisions of the Act also allow for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine; however this can only be undertaken once quarantine has begun.
The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice. In this context, regulations have been introduced to allow fully vaccinated persons arriving from designated states to be exempt from Mandatory Hotel Quarantine. However, this only applies to persons who are fully vaccinated with an EMA-approved vaccine and there will still be a requirement for them to quarantine at home following arrival into the State.
Neither I as Minister for Health nor my Department have any role in decisions relating to whether individual persons must enter mandatory quarantine or whether individual persons are exempted travellers. All such decisions are to be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Pharmaceutical Sector
Ceisteanna (878)
David Cullinane
Ceist:878. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will advise on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21246/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Mandatory hotel quarantine has been introduced as one element of Ireland’s public health measures to combat the transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern.
The Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act.
All applicable travellers must reserve and pay for a place in mandatory hotel quarantine.
Mandatory hotel quarantine is also necessary in circumstances where passengers coming from non-designated states do not provide evidence that they have a negative or ‘not detected’ result from a COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test carried out no more than 72 hours before arrival into Ireland.
Persons undergoing mandatory hotel quarantine must do so in a designated facility. Quarantine in other facilities or locations is not permitted unless outlined in the provisions of the Health Act, such as where a person completes their quarantine in a medical facility while undergoing treatment.
The Act identifies those who are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine and a full list of exemptions can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.
The provisions of the Act also allows for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine; however this can only be undertaken once quarantine has begun and for limited reasons set out in the legislation. The State Liaison Officer (Irish Defence Forces) in the hotel provides passengers with information on how to apply.
Quarantine of persons arriving from areas with a high incidence of variants of concern is considered a deterrent against the emergence of such variants in the state and as such all persons arriving from a designated state are required to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine unless otherwise exempt.
The Expert Advisory Group on Travel continues to keep the list of designated states under review on an ongoing basis. The Chief Medical Officer considers EAGT recommendations and in turn makes recommendations when considering the designation of individual states.
The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice, including the possibility of future exemptions, such as for certain categories of essential workers.
Public health will remain a paramount consideration.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme
Ceisteanna (879)
Thomas Pringle
Ceist:879. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the status of the upcoming legislation on the fair deal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21250/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The 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.
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, the Programme for Government commits to introducing this amendment to the Nursing Home Support Scheme and work on the legislation has continued to progress. Officials in my Department and draftspeople in the Office of the Attorney General have been working intensively on drafting this legislation for several months, and I am pleased to say that a finalised draft of the Bill has now been signed by the Attorney General. I am sure you will appreciate that several steps must be completed before the Bill is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, including its approval by Government. I expect to bring the Bill to Cabinet for approval in the next couple of weeks. It will be published very shortly thereafter and presented to both Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest possible opportunity.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (880)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:880. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21252/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
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.
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.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (881)
Michael Ring
Ceist:881. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health the reason the chair did not invite the members to endorse the minutes of 25 February 2021 NPHET meeting at the meeting on 18 March 2021; the reason the practice was dispensed with at this stage; if there will be a further delay in NPHET minutes being published given that the 25 February 2021 meeting minutes were assumedly endorsed at a later meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21253/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Deputy is advised that the minutes of the COVID-19 NPHET are due to published up to the 8th April this week: www.gov.ie/en/collection/691330-national-public-health-emergency-team-covid-19-coronavirus/.
The COVID-19 NPHET is supported by a dedicated Secretariat that works diligently to prepare high-quality minutes for publication as quickly as practicable.
On occasions where draft minutes are not yet fully prepared for presentation to the NPHET for adoption at a given meeting, the Secretariat endeavours to present such minutes at the next NPHET meeting. Accordingly, two sets of draft minutes were presented to the NPHET for adoption on 29th March.
Pharmacy Services
Ceisteanna (882)
Richard Bruton
Ceist:882. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health his plans to restore the FEMPI cuts in the pharmacy sector. [21263/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The regulations to which the Deputy refers, were made under section 9 of the FEMPI Act 2009 and these were set to expire at the end of 2019. It was therefore necessary for my predecessor to enact new legislation under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017, in order to maintain a statutory basis for contractor payments and to prescribe the fees payable from that date.
The previous Government gave a commitment to commence a strategic review of the role of community pharmacists and to engage with the Irish Pharmaceutical Union to develop revised contractual terms. It is my intention to honour that commitment as the existing GMS pharmacy contract is substantially outdated. It has not kept pace with developments that have taken place over the course of recent years including the increasing emphasis on maximising the proportion of people’s healthcare needs met in primary care, interdisciplinary collaboration and the skillset that pharmacists have by virtue of their education and training.
The comprehensive review of the pharmacy contract will address the role to be played by community pharmacy in the context of Sláintecare. It will consider all aspects of pharmacy service provision including delivery of a multi-disciplinary model of service delivery for patients, ensuring clarity of roles and achieving optimum value for money. However, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services or provide better value for money or patient outcomes.
Pharmacy Services
Ceisteanna (883)
Richard Bruton
Ceist:883. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the reason reimbursement schemes require pharmacies to identify their wholesaler when they engage in parallel imports. [21265/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Maternity Services
Ceisteanna (884)
Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:884. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the distress current restrictions at maternity hospitals are causing expectant mothers and their partners; the basis for these restrictions; if there is a schedule for relaxing them at maternity hospitals in counties Louth, Cavan and Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21269/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I would like to assure the Deputy that I fully appreciate how restrictions across the health system are impacting service users and I acknowledge that restrictions in maternity hospitals have been particularly difficult for expectant mothers and partners. However, as this is a service matter, I have asked the National Women's and Infants Health Programme, HSE, to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Vaccination Programme
Ceisteanna (885)
Jackie Cahill
Ceist:885. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be vaccinated soon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21272/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (886)
Holly Cairns
Ceist:886. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if travelling to attend a wedding is classified as essential travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21284/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Ireland remains in Level 5 of the ‘Framework for Restrictive Measures in Response to COVID-19’ and due to the high level of disease and continuing risks associated with COVID-19, population wide measures remain in place.
The Regulations providing for these measures are S.I. No. 168 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) Regulations, 2021 (as amended).
S.I. No. 168 of 2021 provides that you can travel within your own county or within 20km of your home if crossing county boundaries and that you can not travel beyond these distances without a reasonable excuse. Regulation 4. (3) of S.I. No. 168 of 2021 sets out a non-exhaustive list of reasonable excuses including at 4. (3)(l) travel to attend a funeral or a wedding.
Further information on the current domestic travel restrictions is available online here - www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/#travel-restrictions.
Statutory Instruments related to the Covid pandemic are available here - www.gov.ie/en/collection/1f150-view-statutory-instruments-related-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/.
Mental Health Services
Ceisteanna (887)
Colm Burke
Ceist:887. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason supports are not being provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21289/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
HSE Staff
Ceisteanna (888)
John McGuinness
Ceist:888. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health when the outcome of the job evaluation for homecare support assistants which was promised in September 2020 will be published; if the recommendations of the evaluation will be implemented in the short-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21290/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational issue, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.