Written Answers Nos. 771-788
771. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Justice if the visa application by a person (details supplied) and the delay in receiving a response will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53110/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 6 February 2020. This application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
My Department has continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions. However, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications.
In January, my Department opened a temporary system to enable these applicants to complete their naturalisation process by signing a statutory declaration of loyalty. Almost 6,200 certificates have been issued so far and a further 1,000 people will receive their certificates in the coming weeks. My Department has prioritised the oldest applications on hand and a significant number of these applicants have received their certificates since the start of the year.
A number of digitisation measures have been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times. This year, we are on track to deliver approximately 11,000 decisions, significantly exceeding the levels achieved in the last two years. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
772. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice the status of the recruitment of additional administrative staff for the Coroner's Court in Cork in order to address delays in completing inquests at the Coroner’s Office in Cork city. [53201/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Coroners Service comprises the network of coroners located in districts throughout the country. Coroners are independent quasi-judicial office holders whose core function is to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths so that a death certificate can be issued.
Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to the recruitment of staff for coroners courts. Coroner staffing and recruitment for Cork City Coroner’s Court is a matter for Cork City Council.
773. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice the number of existing contracts of an indefinite period entered into by her Department prior to the enactment of the EU Procurement Directive. [53234/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy to provide this information as soon as it is available.
774. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Justice when the request for pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the gambling control Bill will be submitted. [53243/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government gives a clear commitment to establish a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being, covering gambling online and in person, and the powers to regulate advertising, gambling websites and apps.
On 19 October 2021, the Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Gambling Regulation Bill. The General Scheme sets out the framework and legislative basis for the establishment of a new independent, statutory body – the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (“the Authority”) – and for a robust regulatory and licensing regime for the gambling sector. I have now written to the Joint Oireachtas Committee referring the General Scheme for pre-legislative scrutiny.
A copy of the General Scheme and further information can be found on my Department's website at: www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR21000265.
775. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice the expected timeframe in which the criteria for the new community safety innovation fund will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53334/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, Budget 2022 provides for the establishment of the new Community Safety Innovation Fund. This fund will reflect the success of the Criminal Assets Bureau and other agencies by using money seized from the proceeds of crime to support investment in community safety projects. The fund, which is expected to grow in the coming years, will have an initial outlay of €2m.
A call for funding proposals will issue, seeking applications for community safety projects and similar initiatives from bodies involved in community safety, such as the new Local Community Safety Partnerships – pilots of which are in place in North Inner City Dublin, Waterford and Longford – and the Drogheda Implementation Board, as well as similar entities nationwide.
Applications will be assessed against criteria outlined in the call for proposals. The criteria and the process for allocating funding are currently under consideration and should be concluded in the coming weeks.
It is intended that the Community Innovation Safety Fund will ensure that the best proposals to improve community safety will get the funding they need, and that the fund will encourage the development of innovative ways in which to improve community safety from those people who understand local community safety needs best. The roll out of the fund will allow best practice on community safety to be shared with other partnerships around the country as new proposals get developed.
776. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Justice the status of a citizenship application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53401/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. The nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
My Department has continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions. However, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing.
My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications.
In January, my Department opened a temporary system to enable these applicants to complete their naturalisation process by signing a statutory declaration of loyalty. Almost 6,200 certificates have been issued so far and a further 1,000 people will receive their certificates in the coming weeks. My Department has prioritised the oldest applications on hand and a significant number of these applicants have received their certificates since the start of the year.
A number of digitisation measures have been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times. This year, we are on track to deliver approximately 11,000 decisions, significantly exceeding the levels achieved in the last two years. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.
777. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when legislation recognising international surrogacy alongside retrospective declaration of parentage will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52910/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra852. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if the forthcoming Assisted Human Reproduction Bill will legislate for both domestic surrogacy and international surrogacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52219/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra887. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health when the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill will be published; the steps he is taking to create a legislative framework to govern surrogacy in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52320/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra928. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill will legislate for international surrogacy; if not, the rationale for excluding same; when it is expected to be legislated for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52495/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra933. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will legislate for international surrogacy as part of the forthcoming assisted human reproduction Bill; the reason there will be a delay in legislating for international surrogacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52516/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra957. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if surrogacy will be included in the proposed assisted human reproduction Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52672/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra958. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health when legislation recognising international surrogacy alongside retrospective declaration of parentage will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52673/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra960. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health when legislation recognising international surrogacy alongside retrospective declaration of parentage will be targeted to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52680/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra961. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health his plans to exclude surrogacy from the upcoming assisted human reproduction Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52681/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra964. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the date regarding the assisted human reproduction Bill on which he plans to include the recognition of international surrogacy; the steps he has taken to date in preparation for that provision; and his plans to legislate for the provision of retrospective declaration of parentage (details supplied). [52690/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra981. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the Government will only legislate for domestic surrogacy and not international surrogacy in the forthcoming assisted human reproduction Bill and will not deal with international surrogacy until a later date (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52752/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1017. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if it is intended to exclude surrogacy from the upcoming assisted human reproduction Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52909/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1023. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health his plans to exclude international surrogacy from the upcoming assisted human reproduction Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52948/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 777, 852, 887, 928, 933, 957, 958, 960, 961, 964, 981, 1017 and 1023 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, drafting of a bill on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated areas of research is ongoing by officials in my Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. This legislation encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in this jurisdiction, including domestic altruistic surrogacy.
The surrogacy provisions of the Bill outline the specific conditions under which surrogacy in Ireland will be permitted, including a requirement for all surrogacy agreements to be pre-authorised by the new AHR Regulatory Authority. The legislation also sets out a court-based mechanism through which the parentage of a child born through surrogacy may be transferred from the surrogate to the intending parent(s).
Publication of the AHR Bill is a priority for my Department and the Government, and a commitment to enact this legislation is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”. This Department will continue to engage intensively with the Office of the Attorney General in order to finalise this complex legislation.
The draft Bill does not contain provisions to regulate surrogacy arrangements undertaken in other jurisdictions, nor does it provide for retrospective declarations of parentage. Issues which arise from the undertaking of surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions and the assignment of retrospective parentage concern areas of law that intersect across the remits of several Government Departments and require detailed examination. My Department is engaging with the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of these matters.
Overall, the provisions outlined within the Bill will ensure that AHR practices and related areas of research are conducted in a more consistent and standardised way and with the necessary oversight.
778. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the amount of the €286,000 that was allocated for expansion of services in the medical assessment unit as of December 2020 that has been drawn down by Ennis General Hospital. [51981/21]
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.
779. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if the levels of services in the medical assessment unit of Ennis General Hospital have increased to 204 units per week as committed to in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51982/21]
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.
780. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to put in place a medical exemption certificate for those who have been advised against getting a Covid-19 vaccine for medical reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51986/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra795. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to Covid-19 vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52037/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra917. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the provisions that are in place for persons who cannot take any of the Covid-19 vaccines for medical reasons and have not contracted Covid-19 to be able to dine indoors. [52460/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra918. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he will address concerns that a person (details supplied) who has been medically assessed and certified as unsuitable to receive a Covid-19 vaccine is being denied access to a written exemption, thus preventing them from accessing various services and facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52466/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra925. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health if a person can avail of indoor dining under the EU Digital COVID Certificate requirements in cases in which they received one Covid-19 vaccination which resulted in a severe medical reaction and has been advised not to take a second dose by a medical practitioner. [52486/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1001. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the considerations that are being made for those who are medically certified and advised not to take a Covid-19 vaccine in view of the fact that the use of Covid certificates is now not being discontinued as originally flagged on 22 October 2021; his views on whether such medically certified citizens should be able to avail of some level of Covid-19 pass even weekly or fortnightly antigen testing is required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52841/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1101. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if there are plans in place to address the fact that persons with myocarditis cannot get the Covid-19 vaccine and therefore do not qualify for an EU Digital COVID Certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53276/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 780, 795, 917, 918, 925, 1001 and 1101 together.
The current high level of COVID-19 infection and the dominance of the significantly more transmissible Delta variant poses a very substantial threat, particularly to those who are not fully protected through vaccination. Public health advice remains that those who are not fully vaccinated should avoid congregated indoor settings for their own and others safety.
The National Public Health Emergency Team gave some consideration to the issues arising for those people that can’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons as part of its discussions on the 18th October 2021 on the continuing response to COVID-19 and the extension of Covid Pass arrangements. The matter is being given further consideration.
The Deputies may wish to be aware that on 15 July, NIAC made a recommendation, which was endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer and accepted by the Minister for Health that while the preference was for homologous vaccination regimens (using the same vaccine as part of a two dose regime) that selective use of heterologous vaccination schedules (two different vaccines used as part of two dose regime) should be permitted where a second vaccine dose of a homologous regimen is contraindicated, irrespective of whether the first dose was an mRNA or adenoviral vector vaccine. NIAC in conjunction with the RCPI and the Irish Association of Allergy and Immunology have prepared a guide to aid vaccinators and other healthcare workers on how to advise allergic individuals in respect of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, this guide is available here: rcpi-live-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FAQs-about-COVID19-Vaccines-and-Allergies_12August2021.pdf
781. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the status of the system for managing exemptions to the Covid-19 vaccine relative to the Covid-19 vaccine pass in cases in which a person has a valid medical reason for being unable to get the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51991/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra796. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his Department’s plans to set up a system for medical exemption to the EU Digital COVID Certificate for persons who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or in cases of an adverse reaction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52039/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra924. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the options available to those who have been medically advised not to take the Covid-19 vaccine to avail of the EU COVID Digital Certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52482/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra944. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he in consultation with the HSE will allow EU Digital COVID Certificates to be issued for persons who through no fault of their own are unable to receive a second vaccination due to health issues as a result from a severe reactions to the first vaccination and have been advised by their doctor such as in the case of a person (details supplied) not to do so. [52602/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra987. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the of the number of persons that are unable to get vaccinated due to medical complications and are unable to obtain an EU Digital COVID Certificate to enable them to access premises that require same; if allowances can be made for these persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52775/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 781, 796, 924, 944 and 987 together.
The EU Digital COVID Certificate is a document which is issued to help facilitate enable the safe and free international movement of people across the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to note that the possession of an EU Digital COVID Certificate is not a pre-condition to travel.
The underpinning EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation concerns the issuing and verification of certificates for medical events including vaccination, recovery, and testing related to COVID-19. The EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation, and subsequent associated national regulations, do not allow for the issuing of a certificate for individuals who have not had a medical event as outlined.
Individuals may request a Digital COVID Certificate as proof of a single dose of vaccination given in Ireland if they wish.
The National Public Health Emergency Team gave some consideration to the issues arising for those people that can’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons as part of its discussions on the 18th October 2021. The matter is being given further consideration.
782. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if there are awareness campaigns to raise concerns of the causes of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51993/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll matters relating to the provision of services for the treatment of foetal alcohol syndrome are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply.
783. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the person or body that is responsible for payment of treatment in cases in which a child or adult is involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric ward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51994/21]
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.
784. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of children who were involuntarily admitted to an adult psychiatric ward by gender and age in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51995/21]
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.
785. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the number of adults who were involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric ward in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51996/21]
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.
786. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the outcome and any ongoing review into the work of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland following the commissioning of an external report into governance at the board by his predecessor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51998/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra787. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the legal fees paid by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland; the number of cases the Board has been involved with since 2015; the firms to which these fees were paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51999/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra788. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the changes made on foot of the external report ordered by his predecessor into the way allegations and revelations made by whistle-blowers in relation to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland are handled; the safeguards that have been put in place since this external review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52000/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 786 to 788, inclusive, together.
I believe that the external reports that the Deputy is referring to is the BDO and Crowe Howarth Reports into the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) and were completed in 2015.
Crowe Horwath was engaged to carry out an Organisational Review and BDO was engaged to carry out a review of Remuneration and Contract Management of Non-Permanent Employees. These reports, including findings and recommendations were accepted and approved by the NMBI Board. The reports have resulted in a comprehensive change to the governance arrangements in the NMBI. Regular governance meetings have taken place between the Chief Nurse’s Office in my Department of Health and NMBI Board representatives and NMBI executives at which progress against the recommendations of the Crowe Horwath report have been discussed. Regular governance meetings continue to take place between my Department and the NMBI.
The NMBI recognises the importance of good corporate governance and is committed to maintaining the highest standards of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability. To ensure compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and the Ethics in Public Office Acts, NMBI has developed a set of governance documents to support Board members of NMBI in the performance of their functions. These documents include the ‘Code of Conduct for Board and Committee Members’ and ‘Governance Framework’. These are both published on the NMBI website at www.nmbi.ie/What-We-Do/Governance/Manual-Charter.
In regard to protected disclosures, the NMBI has a ‘Protected Disclosures Policy’, which is published on its website: www.nmbi.ie/NMBI/media/NMBI/Protected-Disclosures-Policy.pdf. This policy expresses the NMBI’s commitment to addressing concerns about potential/possible wrongdoings that may arise and protecting workers who make reports of wrongdoing under this policy. This policy aims to give effect to the obligations and provisions of the Protected Disclosure Act, 2014. Section 22 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 requires the publication of an Annual Report each year relating to the number of protected disclosures made to a public body in the preceding year and any actions taken in response to such disclosures. Pursuant to this requirement, NMBI has published reports on its website at www.nmbi.ie/What-We-Do/Our-Role/Protected-Disclosures-Annual-Report.
In regard to the amount of legal fees paid by the NMBI, as this is an operational matter, I have asked the NMBI to collate the information and respond directly to the Deputy.
