Written Answers Nos. 914-932
914. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if additional funding will be directed toward expanding the HSE counselling in primary care and HSE primary care psychology services given the mental health impact of the pandemic as well as specialist secondary mental health services for those who need them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52457/21]
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.
915. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents in north County Dublin waiting for a CAMHS appointment at 1 October 2021 or the latest date available; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52458/21]
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.
916. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of adults in north County Dublin waiting for a mental health appointment at 1 October 2021 or the latest date available; the length of time they have been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52459/21]
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.
919. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health if the skills specialty required and being interviewed for in relation to the present ongoing recruitment of a consultant cardiology resource at University Hospital Waterford is that of a qualified interventional cardiologist; the full and actual printed job specification title without condensing and description that has been used to advertise this post in medical journals, websites and offered to specialist recruiters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52470/21]
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.
920. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health when respite services will resume at a nursing home (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52475/21]
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.
921. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 19 October 2021, if he will ensure that the legislation includes banning advertising of this nature (details supplied). [52476/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI assume the Deputy’s question relates to protests and advertisements against termination of pregnancy.
As I indicated in my previous response, this issue is included in the Programme for Government Our Shared Future (2020), and it remains an ongoing priority for me.
I am committed to addressing all matters to ensure safe access to termination of pregnancy services, and I plan to have proposals on the legislative programme as soon as possible.
922. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the additional steps that are being taken to clear the waiting list for dental surgery for children with complex needs who have been referred to the dental hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52478/21]
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.
923. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an orthodontic appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52481/21]
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.
926. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health when feedback will be provided to the National Eating Disorder Recovery Centre following a meeting between the HSE; when a resolution is expected; if the HSE will be utilising this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52487/21]
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.
927. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health when legislation and availability of supports regarding assisted human reproduction such as IVF and surrogacy both domestically and abroad will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52491/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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. Issues which arise from the undertaking of surrogacy arrangements in other jurisdictions 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.
On the matter of supports available for AHR treatment, although AHR treatment is not currently funded by the Irish public health service a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Arrangements administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Arrangements must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and authorised for supply to the client’s nominated community pharmacy by the High Tech Hub managed by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the client’s eligibility, i.e., Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme. Given the costs associated with certain fertility medicines, I am aware that these schemes can have a material impact on the total cost of AHR treatment for individuals who avail of them.
In addition, there is other support available in that patients who access IVF treatment privately may claim tax relief on the costs involved under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme.
Further to this support, a commitment to introduce the model of care for infertility, which was developed by officials in my Department in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme, is included in the Programme for Government, “Our Shared Future”. This model of care will ensure that infertility issues will be addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary as part of the full range of services available in obstetrics and gynaecology.
The model of care comprises three stages, starting in primary care (i.e., GPs) and extending into secondary care (i.e., Regional Fertility Hubs) and then, where necessary, tertiary care (i.e., IVF and other advanced assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments). Structured referral pathways are being put in place and patients referred onwards for further investigations or treatment as required and as clinically appropriate.
Phase One of the roll-out of the model of care has involved the establishment, at secondary care level, of Regional Fertility Hubs within maternity networks in the six Hospital Groups across the country, in order to facilitate the management of a significant proportion of patients presenting with infertility issues.
Phase Two of the roll-out will see the introduction of tertiary infertility services, including IVF, in the public health system, but will not commence until such time as infertility services at secondary level have been developed across the country, required resources have been allocated and the AHR legislation commenced.
The underlying aim of the policy to provide a model of funding for AHR, within the broader AHR regulatory framework, is to improve accessibility to AHR treatments, while at the same time embedding safe and appropriate clinical practice and ensuring the cost-effective use of public resources.
929. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health the recommended number of neurology specialist nurses for St. Vincent’s University Hospital considering the catchment area and best practice guidelines; the actual number of neurology specialist nurses at the hospital; the current plans in place to address shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52508/21]
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.
930. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the process available for persons who have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine but have been advised on medical grounds not to get the second dose of the same vaccine; the persons or bodies such persons can contact to resolve this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52512/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The Committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practices in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.The HSE has been advised to operationalise updated NIAC guidance in relation to the mixing of vaccines, specifically relating to certain people who are yet to complete a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine regimen. The NIAC advice on heterologous vaccination is published in Chapter 5a of the Immunisation Guidelines and is available at the link below:
www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/guidelines/covid19.pdf.
The Immunisation Guidelines state that those individuals who have been administered a first dose of Vaxzevria® (AstraZeneca) and who did not subsequently complete their vaccination schedule as intended, should be offered an mRNA vaccine. Those who receive a heterologous schedule should be considered fully vaccinated after their second vaccine (7 days after Comirnaty® (Pfizer/BioNTech), 14 days after Spikevax® (Moderna).
Individuals with a contraindication to one mRNA Covid-19 vaccine should not receive another authorised mRNA vaccine. Consideration may be given to adenoviral vector vaccination for anyone 18 and older including pregnant women. This should be given after an interval of at least 28 days and the person should be considered fully vaccinate.
As responsibility for the vaccine rollout lies with the Health Service Executive they should be contacted directly regarding any issues.
931. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will address reports (details supplied) regarding a Covid-19 vaccine; the consideration given to this report in the context of Ireland’s Covid-19 vaccine booster campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52514/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra965. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he has asked NIAC to consider offering booster jabs to those who availed of a vaccine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52694/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra1087. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will address concerns raised regarding a vaccine booster (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53197/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 931, 965 and 1087 together.
On 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 HSE has developed an operational plan for the vaccination of this cohort with the programme expected to commence on the week of 1 November.
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.
932. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to open an all-purpose primary care facility in Clane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52515/21]
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.
