Written Answers Nos. 1099-1116
1099. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if he will put measures in place to ensure all healthcare workers will have third shots of Covid-19 vaccines available to them in advance of the winter period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53272/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 8 September, I announced an update to the Covid-19 vaccination programme following advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).
The NIAC has recommended a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (irrespective of whether the primary vaccination course was of an mRNA or adenoviral vector) for residents aged 65 years and older living in Long Term Residential Care Facilities and for those aged 80 years and older living in the community. The booster dose can be given after a minimum interval of six months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule.
I have accepted this advice and the HSE has made the necessary arrangements to operationalise these recommendations with the booster rollout now underway.The NIAC has now recommended that a booster dose of Pfizer/BioNTech should be offered to all those aged 60-79 who have completed their primary vaccination course with any Covid-19 vaccination. The booster dose should be ideally given 6 months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule (with a minimum interval of 5 months).
The NIAC continues to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccines for those with waning immunity and reduced effectiveness in other groups, such as those with co-morbidities (under 60 years of age) and healthcare workers and will make further recommendations if required. I have asked the Chief Medical Officer to ensure that the NIAC examine whether there is a clinical need for healthcare workers to receive booster vaccines.
1100. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health , further to Parliamentary Question No. 625 of 28 September, if he will consider an interim waiver of the statutory public inpatient charge for those small numbers who suffer an adverse reaction to Covid-19 vaccines pending any future review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53273/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrently, the Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are eligible, subject to the statutory in-patient charge, to public in-patient hospital services. The current public hospital statutory in-patient charge is €80 per night, subject to a maximum of €800 in any period of twelve consecutive months. All persons accessing public in-patient services in a public hospital are liable for the statutory public in-patient charge, subject to a number of limited exemptions which include;
- medical card holders;
- people receiving treatment for prescribed infectious diseases - including Coronavirus (Covid-19);
- people who are subject to 'long-stay' charges;
- children referred for treatment from child health clinics and school board examinations;
- people who are eligible for hospital services because of EU Regulations;
- women receiving maternity services;
- children up to 6 weeks of age;
- people with hepatitis C who have a Health Amendment Card; and
- people who are part of the Redress Scheme for Women Resident in Certain Institutions.
The question of waiving statutory in-patient charges and other fees for persons who experience an adverse reaction to Covid-19 vaccination, will require further consideration in the context of broader health policy, legal and financial implications which may arise.
1102. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the expected timeframe in which the HSE will report to his Department on the outcome of the application process for the €70,000 funding allocation in budget 2021 to support family support services, specifically in counties Louth and Meath, in which the HSE is issuing a template by which interested parties can apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53279/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Drug Strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, recognises the role of families affected by drug use in contributing to the planning, design and delivery of effective addiction services. The development of family support services is also listed as a drug and alcohol priority in the HSE National Service Plan for 2021.
In Budget 2021, I secured €280,000 in additional funding to support family services. This funding will be used to develop and broaden the range of peer-led, mutual aid and family support programmes in accordance with best practice, in line with action 2.1.16 of the National Drugs Strategy.
The development of family support services is listed as a drug and alcohol priority in the HSE National Service Plan for 2021. It is intended that the HSE will use this additional funding to develop coordinated family support programmes in the following four areas this year:
- Dublin North Inner City,
- Cork/Kerry,
- Louth and Meath, and
- Donegal.
It is anticipated that each initiative will be allocated €70,000. I am happy to report that the drawdown of the funding for these services has been approved by the Department.
The HSE is currently managing a commissioning process for the provision of family services in Louth and Meath.
As the expected timeline for the completion of the commissioning process is an operational matter for the HSE. I have asked the HSE to keep me informed of progress in commissioning this service.
1103. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the expected timeframe in which details of the €80,000 funding allocation to improve access and provision of community-based drug and alcohol services will be announced; the assessments that will be used to allocate the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53280/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the publication of the Department of Justice scoping report on community safety and wellbeing in Drogheda in March 2021, I announced additional funding of €150,000 to support family support services and to improve access to community-based drug and alcohol services across the North East Region.
This consists of (a) €70,000 to support family support services, which was provided for in Budget 2021 and (b) €80,000 to improve access and provision of community-based drug and alcohol services.
The €80,000 has been ring fenced for the North East Region under the additional allocation of €1 million provided in Budget 2021 to support community-based drug and alcohol services nationwide.
The Department of Health will shortly be announcing details of this new €1million funding programme.
It is anticipated that the €80,000 funding will be allocated based on an assessment of population needs in the region, which will be carried out by the HSE and the North Eastern Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force. Funding will be provided for three years initially and will be subject to a review to determine if it is delivering its expected outputs. It is intended that the funding will remain in the base and can be allocated for a further three year period.
Additional funding for drug and alcohol services was provided in Budget 2022. A factsheet on the new funding provided for in Budget 2022 which can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/001fc-budget-2022-factsheet/. Further details on this funding will be set out in the HSE national service plan 2022.
I am committed to improving access to and availability of and community-based drug and alcohol services in the North East region of Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.
1105. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of children who are on the waiting list to see a child psychologist in community healthcare organisations, CHOs, 6 and 7 in County Wicklow by waiting times of less than three, three to six, six to 12 and more than 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53286/21]
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.
1106. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of child psychologists in CHOs 6 and 7 in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53287/21]
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.
1107. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for an assessment with the children's disability network team in CHOs 6 and 7 in County Wicklow, by referral waiting times of less than three, three to six, six to 12 and more than 12 months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53288/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1108. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of children who were on the waiting list for the school age team and an assessment of need who have been referred to another service (details supplied) in CHOs 6 and 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53289/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1109. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the number of children who were on the waiting list for the school age team and an assessment of need who have been referred to another service (details supplied) in CHOs 6 and 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53290/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1107 to 1109, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1110. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the extent to which data was irretrievably lost by the HSE due to the recent cyberattack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53294/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1111. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the categories of data that were irretrievably lost by the HSE due to the recent cyberattack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53295/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1112. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the extent to which HSE email systems remain unavailable due to the recent cyberattack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53296/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1113. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health when HSE email systems, including historical email access, will be fully restored following the recent cyberattack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53297/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1110 to 1113, inclusive, together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1114. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the protocols in place with regard to dealing with freedom of information and GDPR requests to the HSE while there are data access difficulties following the recent cyber-attack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53298/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a matter in relation to the Health Service Executive response to the recent cyberattack, I have asked that body to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1115. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health when he will establish a ministerial stakeholder group to review and strengthen current risk reduction measures for the prescribing and dispensing of sodium valproate in women of child-bearing potential, as agreed in November 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53313/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of the proposed stakeholder group referred to by the Deputy are currently under consideration by officials within the Department of Health.
1116. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health when four unfilled epilepsy nurse specialist posts will be recruited to meet the six posts agreed in 2018 for the implementation of the pregnancy prevention programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53314/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational matters for the Health Service Executive (HSE), I have asked that the HSE responds to the Deputy directly.
