Written Answers Nos. 1511-1530
1511. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a date for surgery in Letterkenny University Hospital, the reason that planned surgery was cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42057/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
1512. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of excluding the one parent family payment from the medical card means test by way of the additional numbers that would qualify for the medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42065/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe data required to model this proposal is not readily available and it is therefore not possible to provide an estimated cost. Specifically, the following data which is necessary for the estimation is unavailable:
1. the number of persons in receipt of the one parent family payment and/or the jobseekers transition payment who already hold eligibility for a medical card or a GP visit card, and
2. the total number of persons in receipt of the one parent family payment and/or the jobseekers transition payment including a breakdown by age profile to allow for an accurate calculation to be made using the average cost of a medical card by age.
It should also be noted that where a person's sole income is derived from a social welfare payment, even where this is more than the current means threshold, he/she will be awarded a medical card.
Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.
1513. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if a premises (details supplied) has been considered for use as housing for Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42067/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the information requested by the Deputy comes under the remit of the Health Service Executive, this PQ has been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
1514. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42068/22]
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.
1515. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health when legislation dealing with opt-out organ donation will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42073/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe enactment of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Bill is a priority for the Government. The Bill will provide the legal basis for an opt-out system of organ donation and will be supported by a public information campaign.
Drafting of the Bill is at an advanced stage and Government approval for publication will be sought as soon as possible in the autumn session of the Dáil.
1516. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE child sexual abuse findings that were classified as confirmed that were overturned by the appeal panel to classified as unfounded since the formation of the appeals panel in 2015; the number of alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse that have sued the HSE in relation to outcomes and findings; if HSE outcomes and findings that were made prior to the publication of the 2014 policies and procedures have no standing at present given that these assessments were conducted in the absence of a health board and HSE policy; if this is the case given that it would impact each case prior to the commencement of the 2014 policies and procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42080/22]
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.
1518. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date in finding an out-of-court resolution to the issues raised by thalidomide survivors; his views on the recent discussions that he had with the group and the outcome; the reason for the reported cost of €24 million to his Department of providing documents for the ongoing court case; if he will provide an accurate costing of running the case to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42086/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question raised by the Deputy includes reference to matters related to litigation that has been delegated to the State Claims Agency. The Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible for me to comment on matters that are sub-judice.
However, I am happy to inform the Deputy that I met with members of the Irish Thalidomide Association in February last and assured them of the Government’s commitment to provide them with the necessary health supports to meet their related needs.
Following that meeting, the designated senior manager in the Health Service Executive who liaises with Irish thalidomide survivors and assists them to access supports towards their ongoing health and personal social service needs, commenced a process to develop recommendations for future planning and pathways of care for survivor’s health care needs now and into the future. The recommendations will also inform the work already underway in the Department to provide these health and personal social supports on a statutory footing as committed to by the Government.
The State Claims Agency (SCA) has advised that it has paid €2,015,961 in respect of thalidomide related claims against the Department of Health. This figure is as of 30th June 2022.
The sum of €2,015,961 relates to all payments made to the plaintiffs and their solicitor firm; payments made to experts; and payments made in respect of the plaintiffs' and the Department's legal costs, to include the costs of documentary counsel.
It is not possible to estimate the future costs nor the expected completion date of the litigation.
1519. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he will make appropriate changes in order that the living alone allowance is not assessable income for medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42089/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1520. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost of ensuring that the living alone allowance is not assessable income for medical cards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42090/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1519 and 1520 together.
As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
1521. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if valneva will be purchased by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42092/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to secure an adequate supply of safe and effective vaccines against Covid-19, Ireland participated in an EU led procurement process where the Commission negotiated a range of contractual agreements with various vaccine suppliers on behalf of Member States. Ireland has, through its participation in this process, gained access to a broad range of vaccines that it might not otherwise have access to, allowing for the successful roll-out of the largest vaccination campaign in the history of the State and the subsequent reopening of society and the economy.
One of the vaccine suppliers that the Commission negotiated contractual arrangements with (and which Ireland originally opted into) was Valneva. However, as the company was unable to obtain authorisation by the European Medicines Authority by the contractually agreed target date (and following consideration of Ireland's overall vaccine portfolio), Ireland (alongside other Member States) has opted out of the relevant purchase agreement (in line with its contractual right to do so).
1522. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive access to speech and language therapy and occupational therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42101/22]
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.
1523. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the estimated full year cost of supplying free hormonal replacement therapy to all women who require it to treat symptoms of perimenopause and menopause; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42102/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive (HSE) advise that while Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is used as a treatment for women’s health issues/menopause, there are also a wide range of other HRTs in place across multiple clinical areas, including the replacement of cortisone in Addison’s disease, and the replacement of thyroxine in thyroid disease, etc.
In addition, menopause can present differently for individual women, both in symptom severity and duration. Not all women experiencing menopause may be clinically eligible for HRT, which is prescription based. Women may also choose not to take HRT and to address their symptoms through alternative therapies and/or lifestyle changes.
In 2021, the provision of HRT under the statutory schemes cost €5.4m – €3.9m under the General Medical Services (medical card) scheme and €1.5m under the Drug Payment Scheme.
The HSE do not have access to data on the expenditure of patients receiving products privately in community pharmacies or whose expenditure for medicines falls below the threshold of the Drug Payment Scheme. This prevents the HSE from giving a robust estimation of the costs of providing HRT free to all who may need it to treat symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
However, the HSE have estimated that the cost to the state would likely be €8.2m per annum, at a minimum. This estimation does not take account of any associated loss of prescription charge income, any relevant future demographic changes, or how the introduction of free provision could impact on uptake.
1524. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if pay parity in line with HSE workers will be immediately implemented for section 39 workers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42104/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, I would like to acknowledge the important role that Section 39 organisations and staff play in our health sector. They have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities and older people.
Under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides financial assistance to organisations to provide services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide. However, Section 39 organisations are privately owned and run, and staff in these organisations are not public servants. Their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between the employer and the employee.
1525. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of general practitioners allocated to children and infants following a refusal of three general practitioners to register them by CHO area in each of the years 2020 and 2021 and to date in 2022; if he will provide an additional schedule in respect of the same information for persons aged 18 years and over in tabular form; if he will detail the protocol for assigning an adult with a general practitioner who cannot source one themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42105/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Where a GMS patient experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept him/her as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign that person to a GP's GMS patient list.
People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis, in which the Minister for Health has no role, and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private contractors, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.
In relation to the number of GPs allocated and the protocols for assigning patients to GPs, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1526. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health the steps that he intends taking to ensure that disability organisations funded under section 39 of the Health Act 2007 can afford to pay similar wages and salaries to those operating under section 38 of the Act in view of the similar work they do; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42108/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, I would like to acknowledge the important role that Section 39 organisations and staff play in our health sector. They have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities and older people.
Under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides financial assistance to organisations to provide services similar or supplementary to a service that the HSE may provide. However, Section 39 organisations are privately owned and run, and staff in these organisations are not public servants. Their terms and conditions of employment, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between the employer and the employee.
There is no scope to currently re-examine the level of funding the HSE provides to these organisations.
1527. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the process to include the cancer medicine, abemaciclib verzenios for reimbursement under the medicine access scheme (details supplied). [42116/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the administration of the community drug schemes; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1528. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the reason that the south east regional drug and alcohol taskforce has not had a full-time coordinator for over two years; the action that is being taken to ensure that the full-time position is restored; if the person that was in the full-time position is still being paid by the HSE; if so, if he will resolve the issues that are preventing that person from returning to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42118/22]
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.
1529. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information regarding any ongoing research projects or studies within the Irish health system into the causes, treatment and cures for chronic and transient tinnitus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42122/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn preparing a response to the Deputy’s question, officials in the Department of Health sought the input of the Health Research Board (HRB), the largest funder of health research in the state. The HRB has not received any applications for funding for research projects in this area in recent years and, as a result, does not currently fund research in this area. The HRB would welcome applications in this area.
The above notwithstanding, the deputy’s attention is drawn to a large clinical trial of a neuromodulation device for tinnitus treatment. This trial was conducted in the HRB-funded Clinical Trials Facility in St. James’s Hospital. The trial was funded by an industry partner and the results were published in NATURE. The article in question is available at the following link: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13875-x.
1530. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will offer financial assistance towards the cost of an extension to accommodate a child (details supplied) with special needs. [42125/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe only funding avenue for an adaptation of the kind mentioned in the question is the Housing Adaptation Grant, which is under the remit of the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Neither the Department of Health nor the HSE offer funding of this nature.
