Written Answers Nos. 656-675
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Written Answers Nos. 656-675
656. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of children who are waiting for an appointment for an initial referral with a scoliosis consultant, scoliosis assessment and a scoliosis operation. [23236/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI sincerely regret that children can experience a long waiting time for treatment for scoliosis, and I am conscious of the burden that this places on them and their families. This Government’s priority is to improve waiting times for all patients accessing hospital treatment across all specialties, including Scoliosis.
It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result of the deferral of elective scheduled care activity in March, April and May of 2020, and since 2nd January 2021.
It is of note that key social distancing measures and Infection Prevention and Control requirements, such as two-metre distancing, have a material impact on the available physical space to deliver all hospital services, including scoliosis procedures, and this has had a significant impact on both available capacity and operational activity levels.
Despite the challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic last year, by 31st December 2020 Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) had carried out 322 scoliosis procedures, a decrease in activity of 16% compared with 2019. By the end of March 2021, CHI had carried out a total of 108 scoliosis surgeries, an increase of 24 surgeries (29%) compared to the same period in 2020.
Children’s Health Ireland has advised my Department that as of the end of March 2021, there were 119 patients on the spinal fusion waiting list, a decrease of 4 patients compared to the start of the year. There were 70 patients on the waiting list for other spinal procedures, which is a decrease of 8 patients since the start of 2021.
Children’s Health Ireland has advised that under the current HSE guidelines, they have reduced the number of procedures to urgent and those that are time sensitive. Children’s Health Ireland has advised that they are working with the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh to expand orthopaedic capacity. This is expected to have a positive impact on orthopaedic long waiting patients, including reductions in waiting times for children with scoliosis. CHI is also running additional orthopaedic clinics in City West, using a new active clinical triage model, which is reducing the number of children waiting the longest for appointments.
Representatives of CHI, the Orthopaedic Spinal Team and the Advocacy Groups continue to meet as part of the Co-Design framework on a quarterly basis to work on providing solutions for patients in the spinal service.
In relation to the number of children who are waiting for an appointment for an initial referral with a scoliosis consultant/scoliosis assessment, the table attached shows the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) published figures by time-band for paediatric orthopaedics outpatients at the end of March 2021. The waiting list figures relate to the specialty of paediatric orthopaedics and cannot be broken down by medical diagnosis, therefore the number of children with a diagnosis of scoliosis who are on this waiting list cannot be provided.
657. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the reason Israel has been removed from the list of countries required to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the 3.5 million plus Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem who come under the direct control of the Israeli Government have not been given access by Israel to the Covid-19 vaccine; his views on whether that by differentiating between Israelis and Palestinians this leads to further victimisation of Palestinians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23238/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is applying more stringent measures applying to international travel including mandatory hotel quarantine in order to mitigate against the risk of new variants being imported through travel and to protect the progress we are making in suppressing transmission domestically.
Countries are designated under the Health Act 1947 by the Minister for Health following consultation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and across Government as necessary.
An Expert Advisory Group on Travel to the CMO (EAGT) was established on 1 March 2021 to develop a method of risk assessing countries and to consider broader issues of travel and COVID-19. The Group has developed an approach to risk assessments in keeping with guidance of the WHO and ECDC and which is aligned to the legislative framework in place for mandatory quarantine.
Epidemiological data is reviewed, at a minimum, on a weekly basis. Recommendations for addition to the list of Designated States are made every two weeks, and recommendations for revocation of countries as Designated States are made weekly. The Chief Medical Officer considers these recommendations and in turn makes recommendations to the Minister for Health who forms his own opinion with respect to the designation of individual states.
On April 11, the designation of Israel was revoked under with Section 38E(4) of the Health Act following advice of the CMO to the Minister.
658. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if NIAC has researched a matter related to vaccines and hotel quarantine (details supplied). [23240/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraNIAC has been involved in assessing the evidence and liaising with international stakeholders on new vaccines as they are being developed against COVID-19 to inform a national immunisation programme.
- Following the recommendation for use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Comirnaty®, COVID-19 Vaccine – Moderna, Vaxzevria (previously COVID-19 Vaccine - Astra Zeneca) and COVID-19 - Vaccine Janssen by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and authorisation for use by the European Commission, NIAC has developed guidance for their use in Ireland which is contained in the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland.
- This is a rapidly evolving area, with the EMA currently assessing four other vaccines, including CVnCoV/CureVac, NVX-CoV2373/Novovax, Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac) and COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell) Inactivated/Sinovac.
- NIAC are not involved in travel policy related to COVID-19, however, the definition of a fully vaccinated individual as applied to travel utilises the NIAC definition of vaccine-induced immunity. This will be reviewed as further data relating to other vaccines, and their efficacy including in the context of variants of concern, becomes available.
659. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a person travelling outside the State with their young child for medical appointments and treatment will have to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival back into the country every time they make the trip (details supplied). [23241/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMandatory 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 Act identifies those who are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine and a full list of exemptions can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.
An exemption from mandatory quarantine on medical grounds is possible only where a person is travelling to Ireland for an unavoidable, imperative and time sensitive medical reason, which is certified by a registered medical practitioner. Medical services are available at all times in designated facilities, to ensure the health and wellbeing of every person in quarantine. If a person has medical emergency while in quarantine, it is also possible to be transferred to a hospital for treatment.
There is also a possibility for a person in quarantine to apply for review of their quarantine on medical grounds. One of the permissible grounds for appeal is ‘for medical or other exceptional reasons, including the necessity of providing care for any vulnerable person’.
Requests for review are submitted to the State Liaison Officer present in each designated facility and are considered by independent appeals officers. Decisions on requests for review are provided within a 24-hour period.
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. Public health will remain a paramount consideration.
As of 17th April, passengers who are 'fully vaccinated' and have the documents to confirm this are no longer required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland. Dependents, including children, will also be exempted from the requirement to complete mandatory hotel quarantine in this instance.
Please note that the 4 EMA approved vaccines currently accepted have specific definitions for when a person would be considered 'fully vaccinated'.
Passengers who are 'fully vaccinated' and exempt from hotel quarantine are still subject to other travel restrictions, such as the need to provide a negative pre-departure PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form.
Neither I as Minister for Health nor my Department have a 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.
Further information can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.
We note that the PQ requested a specific answer to a specific situation for which details were not included with the PQ. If the Deputy wants to provide same the Department can review such details.
660. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist multidisciplinary mental health for intellectual disability teams that are in place in each catchment area nationwide; the details of the location in which each such team is based; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23242/21]
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.
661. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health the work his Department is undertaking to encourage persons to take the second dose of their Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23243/21]
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.
662. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 234 of 7 October 2020, the breakdown of all payments made to each company and the service they provided since March 2020 to date in 2021. [23246/21]
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.
663. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when his Department will finalise and publish its assessment of the revised budget and timelines regarding the construction of the new national children’s hospital. [23253/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra664. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if he will publish the detailed analysis compiled by the National Paediatric Health Development Board regarding the national children’s hospital which was submitted to his Department in early February 2021. [23254/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 664 together.
The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) has statutory responsibility for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital.
The NPHDB has, at my request, undertaken a review of the project. The Board and the Department are nearing the finalisation of this review. This additional scrutiny will provide the appropriate assurances to Government that there has been a robust analysis of the way forward, to ensure the delivery of a world class children's hospital.
Following the completion of this review, expected in the coming weeks, an update on the position will be provided to the relevant stakeholders.
It is important that these established governance processes put in place are respected, so as not to have a potentially detrimental effect on the future delivery of this project or undermine the role of the Board in its ongoing engagement with the main contractor and its work more generally.
665. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if he is considering a more hands-on-approach to the resolving the ongoing dispute between a company (details supplied) and the National Paediatric Health Development Board considering the substantial delays to the construction of the national children’s hospital [23255/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Paediatric Health Development Board (NPHDB) has statutory responsibility for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital.
There are Governance structures in place to oversee and monitor progress on the Children’s Hospital Project and Programme. These include the Children's Hospital Project and Programme Board, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Health, and the Children’s Hospital Project and Programme Steering Group, chaired by the Deputy Director General of the Health Service Executive. The Steering Group directs the overall programme of work within agreed parameters, and reports to the Children’s Hospital Project and Programme Board.
Officials in my Department engage with the NPHDB on a regular basis. I have been informed by my officials that the main contractor on the project has submitted a significant number of claims to the NPHDB which it alleges are outside the agreed scope of the construction contract. It is entitled to do that.
The NPHDB continues to robustly defend claims from the contractor where, in the opinion of the Board and its advisors, there is no contractual entitlement. Where there is a dispute on the validity of a claim, the construction contract sets out the dispute management process. Under the Dispute Resolution procedures claims can proceed to conciliation and potentially end up in Court.
There are three matters relating to the New Children’s hospital before the High Court. The decisions to issue these proceedings rests with the NPHDB and the contractor. As the matters are now before the Courts, I do not wish to say anything that could in any way prejudice those proceedings.
666. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health when the drug kaftrio for cystic fibrosis patients will be approved for funding for use in Ireland. [23256/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes and for the administration of the community drug schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
Reimbursement is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
In line with the 2013 Health Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list.
The HSE has advised that reimbursement under the High-Tech Drug Arrangements was approved in October 2020 for Ivacaftor/ Tezacaftor/ Elexacaftor (Kaftrio) in a combination regimen with ivacaftor 150 mg tablets for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 12 years and older who are homozygous for the F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene or heterozygous for F508del in the CFTR gene with a minimal function (MF) mutation. This reimbursement approval is fully aligned with the initial EMA market authorisation which issued on 21 August 2020.
The HSE advises that, the week beginning 26 April 2021, the European Commission approved the EMA's recommended licence extension of Kaftrio for patients aged 12 years and older with Cystic Fibrosis who have at least one F508del mutation.
In line with agreed formal processes governing the reimbursement of new medicines or new indications of existing medicines in Ireland, the assessment process commences when the applicant company submits a rapid review dossier of evidence to the HSE. The HSE has confirmed that it has received a rapid review dossier for the extended indication of Kaftrio from the applicant company.
The application remains under consideration with the HSE and a decision will be made in line with the 2013 Act.
667. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if he plans to use the Covid-19 tracker application operated by the HSE to provide evidence of vaccination from Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23282/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is a decision for the HSE who have operational responsibility for the development of the app. Whilst it would be convenient for users of the app to be able to store their electronic vaccination certificates on the app, data privacy issues would be a foremost consideration. The Covid tracker app was based the principle of privacy by design with no data related to the identity of the app user contained within the app. If evidence of vaccination was to be added, careful consideration would need to be given to such matters.
668. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if the change of policy in the assessment of needs in relation to it now being used solely as a screening service for children’s needs has had an impact on the number of legal proceedings against the HSE for not meeting the three month appointment target set out in the accompanying legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23283/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
669. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if a diagnosis of autism can still be made through the assessment of needs process if the child presents with characteristics associated with autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23284/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
670. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health the reason the change of policy in relation to the assessment of needs was made in 2018 and not implemented until January 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23285/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
671. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Health if his Department has explored the development of a taskforce to liaise between his Department, the HSE and the Department of Education to assist families of autistic children navigate the services they require; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23286/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that I recently announced an Autism Innovation Strategy which will address the issues he has raised. The Strategy is under the remit of Department for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration and Youth.
672. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the amount in legal fees incurred by his Department in 2020 and in each of the years 2000 to 2020. [23572/21]
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.
673. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be made available for small scale poultry businesses which were totally dependent on selling their product to the hospitality sector pre-Covid-19 and have lost such market for the past 14 months; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such enterprises are unable to avail of Covid-19 business supports due to the fact they are not rateable; if he will ensure that appropriate grant aid is put in place as a matter of urgency to ensure that such businesses remain operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21009/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials and I have ongoing contact with all the key stakeholders across the agrifood sector since the start of the pandemic. The Department and I are working to ensure that business and services to farmers can continue, keeping food and other processing facilities operational. A key focus has been on ensuring that the supply chain continues to function, critical state services in processing plants continue to operate so that farmers have an outlet for their produce and the critical certification and other services required to support exports of live animals and products continue to operate.
In addition, 40% of the €337.5 million COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme was made available for food businesses. Similarly, up to 40% of an additional €500 million tranche of the Future Growth Loan Scheme was available to provide long-term investment support for farmers, fishers and food businesses.
It should be noted that, for the poultry sector, production hit record levels in 2020, with a total of 111m birds slaughtered in DAFM approved establishments. Currently, 2021 is trending in a positive direction, with slaughter up 4.9% YTD on the same period in 2020. In addition, prices for poultry meat have remained relatively stable and prices at end of February 2021 for poultry meat were €2.15 per kg, having recovered to the same price as the same period in 2020.
The Department will continue to monitor the markets and any impacts on the agrifood sector including market disturbance arising from the pandemic.
674. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of forests in various counties including in County Laois are experiencing heavy growth of an invasive species of cherry laurel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22594/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraCherry laurel is not officially listed as an invasive species by Invasive Species Ireland. While it may be present on a number of former estates, public parks or similar type land, it may have a positive effect in providing winter cover for birds and other wildlife, and as a wind break and thermal cover.
In areas where Laurel species are dominating canopy or understorey, an intervention and replacement with appropriate species may be warranted. Any such action is a matter for relevant landowners and removal should take place in line with best forest practice. In Woodland where cherry laurel is present, vigilance should be maintained for the presence of listed invasive species such as snow berry, Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan balsam.
675. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 384 of 1 April 2021, the status of plans to retroactively amend SI No. 786 of 2007 to enable responsible persons to prescribe anti-parasitic medicines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22597/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Article 105(4) of EU Regulation 2019/6, professionals other than veterinarians are only permitted to prescribe certain veterinary medicines if a Member State facilitated this at the time the Regulation came into force in 2019.
Such a system did not exist in Ireland at that time and amending national legislation retrospectively would not have retroactive effect, nor would it alter this fact.
