Written Answers Nos. 356-370
356. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if she plans to ensure that the Courts Service is permitted to release photographs of persons convicted of murder and other serious offences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49047/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra357. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the public policy reason for the Courts Service not publishing the names of persons convicted of murder and other serious offences after the conclusion of criminal trials; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49048/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 357 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, management of the courts is the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998, as well as the separation of powers in the Constitution. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, I have had enquiries made with the Courts Service who have informed me that they do not publish the name of anybody convicted of a crime. Neither do they take or hold photographs of any defendant.
More generally, the position in respect of the trial of criminal offences in Ireland is that justice must be administered in public in accordance with the Constitution. This is subject to certain statutory provisions that prohibit the reporting of the identification of an accused person or a convicted person, where, for example, that person is a minor or where the publication of their identity could lead to the identification of a victim, usually a minor but also adult victims in respect of certain offences.
Where there is no order of prohibition in place, the media can and do report on murder and serious crimes, including by way of naming the convicted person. The Courts Service has maintained access to the courts for the media at all times, including throughout the pandemic.
358. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice if she will bring forward the commencement date of the humanitarian admissions programme for Afghan nationals to October 2021, reflecting the urgency of the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49061/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra359. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Justice if she will remove the limit of four family members per sponsor from the humanitarian admissions programme for Afghan nationals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49062/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 359 together.
I am very conscious of the plight faced by the Afghan people following the collapse of the former Afghan government and the takeover by the Taliban, that has further fuelled the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Ireland's national response to the current crisis includes opening the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) under Minister O'Gorman's remit to Afghan persons in need of protection and working to ensure that applications received by Afghan nationals under the various State schemes for immigration residence and international protection can be prioritised for speedier processing where possible. These schemes provide avenues for Afghan nationals to seek protection and for eligible family members living in Ireland to seek to have their close family members granted permission to reside in Ireland, where the relevant criteria are met. More than 670 Afghan nationals have already been granted permissions to reside in the State so far this year.
Last week, the Government approved an additional initiative; the special Afghan Admission Programme. The Programme will allow places for up to 500 Afghan family members and each applicant will have an opportunity to nominate up to four family members who are currently residing in Afghanistan or who have fled to neighbouring territories and whom they consider would be especially at risk in terms of their freedom and safety.
The Programme is guided by the previous Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Programme (SHAP) which also provided for the nomination of a limited number of close family members and by the IRPP Humanitarian Assistance Programme (IHAP), which included Afghan nationals.
The Programme, including the detailed eligibility criteria and the application process, will be developed over the coming months, with a view to issuing a call for applications in December. The timescale provided is to ensure that the options considered are as inclusive as possible and that the programme is available to those that most require our help. The intervening time is required to develop the details of the programme, including a guidance document for applicants, application form, decision making criteria and the appeals process. The clearer the application process is made at the outset, the quicker we will be able to process applications in the interests of those concerned.
360. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if section 39 organisations will be recognised for their invaluable work for communities by delivering parity of treatment in relation to pensions for workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48911/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 39 organisations are privately owned and run and the terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, is strictly between the employer and the employee. Terms and conditions for employees in Section 39 organisations, including pensions, are beyond the remit of my Department.
361. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the required funding is made available to safeguard the necessary services, ensure lifelong supports for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities and assist ageing parents and carers who are struggling to manage. [48967/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.
The Deputy has clarified that the question refers to day services and respite services for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
362. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a monitor will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48742/21]
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.
363. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the percentage of assessments of need completed under the Disability Act 2005 that included a diagnosis of a disability, on an annual basis in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48744/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra364. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of applications by county for assessments of needs under the Disability Act 2005 overdue for completion at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48745/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
365. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the reason assessors are not asked to provide a diagnosis under the new standard operating procedure for assessments of need under the Disability Act 2005, given the Act requires the nature and extent of the disability to be set out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48746/21]
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.
366. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health the mean and median time required to complete assessments of need under the Disability Act 2005 for 2018, 2019 and 2020, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48747/21]
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.
367. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the details of the total public expenditure committed to the Tobacco Free Ireland initiative in 2019 and 2020 within his Department, the health and well-being programme and the Health Service Executive, including all prevention and cessation programmes be provided in view of the progress reported in the recent Tobacco Free Ireland Annual Report 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48748/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Healthy Ireland Framework was adopted by the Irish Government in October 2013. Tobacco Free Ireland was the first policy document to be launched under the framework and plays a major part in achieving the vision set out in Healthy Ireland. Tobacco Free Ireland aims to denormalise smoking and to protect children from the dangers of tobacco consumption. It sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free (i.e. with a prevalence rate of less than 5%) by 2025.
Prevention is primarily carried out through tobacco control legislation. Legislation (based on the WHO MPOWER evidence based measures) implemented in recent years includes the introduction of standardised packaging and a ban on smoking in cars. The current legislative project will license the retail sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products and will ban the sale of tobacco products through automatic vending machines.
Seeking to increase the price of tobacco products in each budget is also an important action under the MPOWER principles.
Other important prevention measures include warning young people about the dangers of smoking and 2020 saw the inclusion of information on the dangers of tobacco use in Healthy Choices 1, the first substance misuse module of Junior Cycle - Social, Personal and Health Education, aimed at first year students.
Tobacco cessation measures include; smoking cessation medications provided to medical card holders through the Primary Care Reimbursement Scheme, frontline HSE intensive smoking cessation services, the national quit line and mass media campaigns. The quit campaign aims to increase the demand for QUIT support services and the national quitline. The total amount spent on smoking cessation services by the Tobacco Free Ireland programme was €13m in 2019 and estimated to be the same for 2020.
368. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the day care centres that are back in operation for an area (details supplied); the centres that are not open; and the reason for same, in tabular form. [48753/21]
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.
369. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the areas of the health services (details supplied) in which it is required that graduates work a certain number of years in the health service upon graduation. [48757/21]
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.
370. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of developmental checks that took place in north County Dublin in each of the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [48758/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra371. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if a catch-up programme will be put in place for developmental checks, assessment of needs and early intervention in north County Dublin given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in reducing the number of checks, assessments and interventions that took place over the past 18 months. [48759/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 371 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
