Tuesday, 22 Mar 2022

Written Answers Nos. 1096-1118

Health Services

Ceisteanna (1096, 1097)

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

1096. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the status of feeding eating, drinking and swallowing impairments pathways for assessment and treatment in CHO4. [15058/22]

Holly Cairns

Ceist:

1097. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address an issue raised by a union (details supplied) regarding the process of the way SLT FEDS cases are referred to speech and language therapists in CHO4. [15059/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1096 and 1097 together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 1097 answered with Question No. 1096.

Hospital Appointments Status

Ceisteanna (1098)

Michael McNamara

Ceist:

1098. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15076/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.

In 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.

Dental Services

Ceisteanna (1099)

Matt Carthy

Ceist:

1099. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of the office of the Chief Dental Officer including the numbers employed in the office; the financial allocation to its work; and the activities carried out by the office since January 2021. [15081/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Chief Dental Officer has responsibility for:

- Advising the Minister for Heath on oral health policy.

- Providing ongoing advice and professional support to the Department in discharging its oral health policymaking role;

- Working with the dental profession, principally via the Regulator(s) nationally and internationally via WHO, Council of European Dentists, EU Commission and European Oral Health Platform, to ensure an evidence-based approach to developing oral health policy and services;

- Advising on regulatory reform of the dental health professions;

- Advising the Department and other agencies as appropriate on fluorides and health.

My Department does not have an Office of the Chief Dental Officer within its structures. The Chief Dental Officer is based in my Department's Health Protection Division and works collaboratively with colleagues both within this division and other parts of the Department carrying out other work. The Department is not organised on the basis of stand-alone business units with distinct budgets.

The principal areas of focus for the work of the Chief Dental Officer are aligned with the Programme for Government and include:

- A series of HRB evidence reviews were commissioned, three of which are due to be published;

- Consideration of potential pilot programme for the under-2s to align with the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte;

- Governance of the Ministerial Expert Body on Water Fluoridation;

- Consideration of dental regulation;

- Scoping of dental apprenticeship scheme;

- Workforce Analysis of dental professions;

- Working with key agencies including the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, on the phasedown of dental amalgam;

- Initial development of clinical care pathways on the management of dental caries.

The Chief Dental Officer also fulfils certain international commitments, viz:

- A European WHO strategic lead for the WHO global oral health strategy;

- President-elect, Council of the European Chief Dental Officers;

- Board Member, EU Platform for Oral Health.

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (1100, 1101, 1102, 1103)

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1100. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapists and speech and language therapists in the CHO5 and CHO3 areas in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, by area. [15082/22]

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1101. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of patient cancellations that have occurred in CHO5 and CHO3 to date in 2022 due to the fact that speech and language therapists have been reassigned; the reason for this; the figures by area [15083/22]

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1102. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the number of initial assessments of needs that have taken place in CHO5 and CHO3 in 2020 and 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of assessments of needs that have taken place in CHO5 and CHO3 in 2020 and 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15084/22]

Martin Browne

Ceist:

1103. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Health the campaigns that are and have been underway to recruit speech and language therapists in CHO5 and CHO3 in 2021 and to date in 2022; the number of occupational therapists and speech and language therapists that have been recruited in 2021 and to date in 2022 in each CHO area; and the details of recruitment campaigns currently underway and scheduled for these areas. [15085/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1100 to 1103, inclusive, together.

As these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 1101 answered with Question No. 1100.

Question No. 1102 answered with Question No. 1100.

Question No. 1103 answered with Question No. 1100.

Healthcare Policy

Ceisteanna (1104)

Gary Gannon

Ceist:

1104. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if his Department has liaised with the health and education authorities on increasing places in third-level institutions for the training of radiographers and sonographers as outlined in the National Cancer Strategy; if so, the outcome of such engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15088/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Department of Health engages with health and education authorities on an on-going basis regarding issues of relevance to cancer care.

There has been a considerable increase in the places in third-level institutions for the training of radiographers since the launch of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026.

In 2018, the number of places on the undergraduate degree programme in radiography provided by University College Dublin was increased from approximately 45 to 100 per year, in line with increasing demand. This will start to impact on the availability of radiographers from mid-2022.

Agriculture Schemes

Ceisteanna (1105)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

1105. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing a scheme similar to the farming equipment and technology fund in the United Kingdom that subsidises the purchase of technology such as the augmenta nitrogen analyser for the production of food with the availability of less fertiliser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13824/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

There are a wide variety of investment items available under the suite of seven measures under TAMS II, including items considered as new technology such as GPS machinery control for tractors, combines, sprayers and spreaders under the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS), the Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS) and the Animal Welfare and Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) .

To date, total expenditure under the seven measures of TAMS, including transitional expenditure, has reached in excess of €344m with commitments of an additional €126m made to scheme participants who have yet to draw down those grants. Expenditure has almost reached €28m for tillage investments for use on farms.

Some 48,538 applications have been approved under the scheme. All outstanding approvals issued represent potential outstanding liabilities for the Department and we must have a budget in place to pay these claims.

Specific investment items have not yet been finalised in relation to the interventions to be included in the CAP Strategic Plan (2023-2027) and all appropriate new technologies will be considered. The Capital Investment Scheme, as is the case with all proposals under the CAP Strategic Plan, is subject to the formal approval of the European Commission.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1106, 1111, 1121)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

1106. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation approvals his Department must issue in each week from 1 March 2022 to 31 December 2022 in order to achieve the target of 1,040 afforestation licences as detailed in the recent licensing plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13884/22]

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1111. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actual output versus the phased projected monthly plan for licence and scheme approvals in his Department’s plan for January 2022 and to date in 2022 for each of Coillte felling, private felling, roads, afforestation and ash dieback RUS in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13928/22]

Colm Burke

Ceist:

1121. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of road licences his Department must issue to the private sector each week from 1 March 2022 to 31 December 2022 in order to achieve his targets as set out in the recent licensing plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13962/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1106, 1111 and 1121 together.

The Department published a detailed Forestry Licensing Plan for 2022. The Plan contains a target of 5,250 licences issued this year, which is a year-on-year increase of 30%. The main sub-targets are

- A higher priority will be given to afforestation licences for 2022 with a 107% increase in output up to 1,040.

- There will be a year-on-year increase of 48% of private felling, roads and afforestation files.

- Coillte felling licences are targeted at the same level as 2021.

As can be seen in the table below, as of 18th March 2022 the projected target of year to date licences to be issued was 1,111 and the output of licences was 1,084 i.e. output is 98% of target.

Scheme	Output YTD Licences	Target YTD Licences
Felling (Private)	330	385
Felling (Coillte)	461	330
Afforestation	142	220
Roads	151	176
Total (licences)	1,084	1,111

Full details of all licences issued by category are available on the weekly dashboard which is published and made available to all interested parties as well as being submitted to submitted to the Joint Committee on Agriculture each week.

It is inevitable, in the context of the annual target figures, there will be fluctuations in licence output from week to week

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is to deliver on the ambition outlined in the Licensing Plan and to issue 5,250 licences, meeting the projected targets for each category of licence within that.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ceisteanna (1107, 1108)

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

1107. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost incurred by his Department for the supply of Covid-19 related face masks and face coverings since March 2019 to date; the name of the supplier involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13885/22]

Carol Nolan

Ceist:

1108. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost incurred by his Department for the supply of Covid-19 related hand sanitiser since March 2019 to date; the name of the supplier involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13903/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1107 and 1108 together.

It is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy in the required time. The information is currently being compiled and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

The Minister’s earlier reply stated that it was not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy in the required time, and he would arrange for a reply to be forwarded directly to you as soon as it was available.

From the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, my Department has taken a range of steps to maximise the safety of our staff, in line with evolving Government guidelines.

I now wish to advise the Deputy that the costs incurred by my Department for the supply of Covid-19 related face masks/face coverings and hand sanitiser since March 2019 to date are outlined below:

2019

Supplier of Covid-19 related face masks/face coverings	Cost €	Supplier of Covid-19 related hand sanitiser	Cost €
Perenco	360	Perenco	340

2020

Supplier of Covid-19 related face masks/face coverings	Cost €	Supplier of Covid-19 related hand sanitiser	Cost €
Caulfield Industrial	3,598	Conran International Imports Ltd	958
All Types Ltd	1,490	Coyle Veterinary Distributors	892
Bunzl	1,394	Caulfield Industrial	777
James Boylan Safety Ltd	197,090	All Types Ltd	512
MJ Scannell Safety	11,948	John Murphy	90
CALT Dynamics	5,130	Occupational First Aid	191
Health Service Executive	65,329	C&S Emerald	459
Mooney Boats	2,561	Initial	307
JJD Services	440	Ted Kelleher	979
John Murphy	135	Hygiene Warehouse	330
Occupational First Aid	80	Browns Animal Feeds Ltd	739
Initial	140	McGuires Hardware and Builders Provider	905
Ted Kelleher	447	Codex	787
Hygiene Warehouse	252	Bunzl	66,921
JBS	1,464

2021

Supplier of Covid-19 related face masks/face coverings	Cost €	Supplier of Covid-19 related hand sanitiser	Cost €
All Types Ltd	1,376	All Types Ltd	416
MJ Scannell Safety	42,263	Nationwide	374
Perenco	840	Perenco	340
JJD Services	1,920	C&S Emerald	156
Bunzl	2,111	Bunzl	27,515
Ted Kelleher	111	Ted Kelleher	990
Initial	514	Browns Animal Feeds Ltd	113
Codex	4,356	Codex	1,525

2022 to date

Supplier of Covid-19 related face masks/face coverings	Cost €	Supplier of Covid-19 related hand sanitiser	Cost €
MJ Scannell Safety	8,370	Bunzl	3,406
Bunzl	799

Question No. 1108 answered with Question No. 1107.

Agriculture Schemes

Ceisteanna (1109)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

1109. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applicants or members of the REAP scheme who have applied for afforestation approval under the afforestation grant and premium scheme during February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13925/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Results Based Environment Agri Pilot Programme (REAP) is designed to trial the results-based approach on a national basis and to test the upscaling potential of the model for inclusion in the next national agri-environment scheme to follow GLAS. REAP incentivises farmers to maintain and improve the environmental condition of their land.

While parcels brought into REAP may not be converted to forestry during the term of the REAP contract, afforestation is fully compatible with REAP. REAP participants are subject to a maximum land area of 10ha for individual farmers and 30ha for partnerships of three farm holdings. The average REAP area under management per participant is 8.4ha.

It is important to note that REAP is not a whole-of-farm project and that afforestation opportunities continue to exist for REAP participants on parcels that have not been selected for the project. Of the 29 afforestation approvals in February, I can confirm that one of these was a REAP participant.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1110)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1110. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of ash dieback RUS licences his Department plans to issue in March and April 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13927/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Since the first finding of ash dieback disease in Ireland, the Department has provided support totalling over €7 million to owners of ash plantations impacted by ash dieback disease through the ash dieback reconstitution scheme (introduced in 2013) and more recently the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS – Ash dieback) introduced in July 2020.

Applications for that RUS are received regularly and decisions are issued as the assessment of the applications are complete. To date, my Department has received 574 applications covering 2,325ha and has issued 178 decisions for 575ha.

The Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 was published earlier this year and deals with projected licensing output and approvals for support schemes and may be found here gov.ie - Forestry Licensing Plan 2022 (www.gov.ie), A key target of the plan is to refocus on the delivery on approvals from the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (RUS) (Ash Dieback). Many RUS applications are screened in for Appropriate Assessment and are referred to ecology. Of these, any that propose replacing the ash crop with conifer species currently require planning permission. My Department is engaging with the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), with the objective of removing the planning permission requirement for these files.

My Department will continue to work with their counterparts in the DHLGH, on progressing these files.

Question No. 1111 answered with Question No. 1106.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1112)

Michael Creed

Ceist:

1112. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the take-up and success or otherwise of the revised Coillte farm partnership arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13931/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Coillte is a private limited company established under the Forestry Act 1988 and is operationally independent from my Department. I have referred the matter to Coillte for direct follow-up with the Deputy.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1113)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1113. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has plans to grant aid a natural impact statement considering the low levels of farmers planting forestry in 2021 in view of the fact that only 390 hectares were planted by farmers in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13932/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

It is proposed to pay an Environment report grant if a report from an ecologist or archaeologist is submitted to my Department as part of an application for an afforestation licence.

The aim is to increase the quality of afforestation applications as they address environmental aspects, to increase the throughput of applications by my Department and to ensure applicants and their agents are reasonably reimbursed for the additional costs associated with the required standard and scope of environmental reports.

Sanction has been requested from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to pay this grant from the end of March 2022.

While supporting the submission of quality applications should help with the issuing of approvals, it is also the case that there are approvals to plant which have not been used. In 2021, approvals for some 4,606 hectares were given for planting whereas 2,016 hectares were planted.

We have on hand some 5,000 hectares approved and not yet planted, and have written to applicants to remind them that their licence is valid for three years from date of issue and to encourage them to consider planting. In addition, we intend to double the number of afforestation licences issued in 2022 to 1,040, which on average would represent 8,000 hectares.

We will also be looking to all involved in forestry to promote the benefits of planting, especially as a complementary activity to farming, and we will be doing our part to communicate this message widely to all parts of society.

Departmental Budgets

Ceisteanna (1114)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1114. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown of the forestry budget within his Department for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13933/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The allocation for the forestry programme for 2021 was €103.424 million, of which €99.093 million was capital expenditure with €4.331 million was allocated to current expenditure.

There was a total spend of €69,567 million, made up of €68,034 million in capital and €1.533 million in current.

A primary reason for the Capital underspend was a shortfall in new planting.

The Afforestation scheme under the Forestry Programme is demand led. The 2021 estimate provided for the planting of 8,000ha under the scheme. In 2021 some 2,016 hectares of new forestry was planted of the 4,250 ha approved.

My Department intends to double the number of afforestation licences issued in 2022 to 1,040, which on average would represent 8,000 hectares. We have in addition 5,200 hectares already approved which has not been planted and we have recently written to applicants to remind them to use their approval before it expires. We will also be looking to all involved in forestry to promote the benefits of planting, especially as a complementary activity to farming, and we will be doing our part to communicate this message widely to all parts of society.

We will continue to monitor closely expenditure versus anticipated spend throughout 2022.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1115, 1116)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1115. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targets of his Department for the planting of forestry in 2022 considering that in order to merely keep the national forestry acreage constant 12,000 hectares would need to be planted in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13934/22]

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1116. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry licences issued to farmers in January and February 2022 by type of licence in tabular form given that in order to merely keep the national forestry acreage constant 12,000 hectares would need to be planted in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13935/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1115 and 1116 together.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 had identified an annual target of 8,000 hectares for afforestation. I do acknowledge that this is an ambitious target, given the level of planting last year. However along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is on increasing the number of afforestation licences issued.

We intend to double the number of afforestation licences to 1,040, which on average would represent 8,000 hectares. We have in addition 5,200 hectares already approved which has not been planted and we have recently written to applicants to remind them to use their approval before it expires. We will also be looking to all involved in forestry to promote the benefits of planting, especially as a complementary activity to farming, and we will be doing our part to communicate this message widely to all parts of society.

In relation to January and February 2022 105 afforestation licences were issued and of those 64 were issued to farmers.

Full details of all licences issued by category is available on the weekly dashboard found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/3b8b5-2022-forestry-weekly-dashboard/

Question No. 1116 answered with Question No. 1115.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1117, 1119)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1117. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that are awaiting approval within his Department; the length of time that these licences have been in his Department by number of months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13936/22]

Colm Burke

Ceist:

1119. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of private felling licences in the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13960/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1117 and 1119 together.

My Department has, through Project Woodland, established a definition of the backlog, which is anything on hand over 120 days. Therefore, the current licences on hand, broken down by category and those over 120 days is indicated in the table below.

These cohorts of applications have reduced by 29% since the end of last August, which is a significant reduction in the number of applications awaiting decision.

The Forestry Licensing Plan for this year contains a target of 5,250 licences issues, which is a year-on-year increase of 30% including:

- A higher priority will be given to afforestation licences for 2022 with a 107% increase in output up to 1,040.

- There will be a year-on-year increase of 48% of private felling, roads and afforestation files. Coillte felling licences will maintain the levels they achieved in 2021.

Weekending 11th March

	<=120 days	>120 days	Overall
Afforestation	90	722	812
Roads	157	393	550
Felling (private)	436	1,516	1,952
Felling (Coillte)	0	898	898
Total	683	3,529	4,212

The number of months licences are on hand is shown below.

	Total	<=120 days	=121 days-6 months	7-12 months	>=13 months
Afforestation	812	90	87	153	482
Felling (Private)	1952	436	229	412	875
Felling (Coillte)	898	0	314	427	157
Forest Roads	550	157	72	113	208

Along with Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who has overall responsibility for the sector, my priority this year is to deliver on the ambition outlined in the Licensing Plan and to issue 5,250 licences, meeting the projected targets for each category of licence within that. This will have the effect of reducing the backlog and the time taken to issue a licence.

Forestry Sector

Ceisteanna (1118)

Jackie Cahill

Ceist:

1118. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of afforestation licences that have been issued in the past year with no planting taking place between the date of issuance and 1 March 2022; the combined acreage of these licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13937/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In 2021, approvals for 502 afforestation licences for some 4,606 hectares were given for planting, while only 2,016 hectares were planted, and we do need to significantly increase this figure. There are 5,200 ha in the system, which have a valid approval, but have not gone ahead to planting. We have written to applicants with unused licences to remind them that their licence is still valid and to encourage them to consider using them before their approval lapses.

Communication and positive messaging about the benefits of afforestation is also crucial. On most farms, planting can comfortably co-exist with livestock enterprises and can significantly increase the net income from the holding.

Farmers who plant trees on a portion of their lands, can continue to engage in their traditional farm enterprises. They can also continue to receive their Basic Payment on planted lands, and will receive grants to cover establishment costs, generous premia over 15 years and substantial tax free income at thinning and harvesting time.

We must also work together to communicate this positive message consistently, especially those in direct contact with farmers and landowners.. I look forward to working closely with foresters and farmers to do this.