Written Answers Nos. 552-570
552. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health the plans he is putting in place to ensure the availability of the FreeStyle Libre 2 device in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56406/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement under the community schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
553. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will ringfence funding under the diabetes care envelope in budget 2023 to fund the provision of the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system to persons with diabetes over 21 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56407/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement under the community schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
554. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to remove the age restriction on Freestyle Libre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56408/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement under the community schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
555. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if contract workers, such as contract cleaning staff, contract catering staff and contract security workers as opposed to agency workers who worked in the health service including in hospitals during the Covid pandemic will be eligible for the pandemic recognition payment; if so, when they will be paid the bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56420/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra578. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if agency workers contracted by the HSE, such as security staff and cleaners will be eligible to receive the pandemic bonus payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56595/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 578 together.
Firstly I would like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. To date, over 124,000 workers have received the payment, and payments to eligible HSE and Section 38 staff are substantially complete.
I have instructed officials to expedite rollout to other cohorts as a matter of priority. I can confirm, subject at all times to fulfilling all the eligibility criteria for the recognition payment, that both agency staff and contract staff (e.g. eligible cleaners/catering/security staff, etc.) are to be included in the KOSI process for cohorts 1-4 below.
1. Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);
2. Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;
3. Agency roles working in the HSE;
4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help/home care/home support) contracted to the HSE.
556. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if categories of workers (details supplied) are eligible for the pandemic recognition payment; if so, when they will be paid the bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56421/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly I would like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. To date, over 124,000 workers have received the payment, and payments to eligible HSE and Section 38 staff are substantially complete.
Certain non-HSE/Section 38 healthcare employees are also covered by the Government Decision. These include eligible staff in:
1. Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);
2. Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;
3. Agency roles working in the HSE;
4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help/home care/home support) contracted to the HSE;
5. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;
6. Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.
The HSE and KOSI Corp are currently progressing the rollout to eligible staff in cohorts 1-4 above. Information on the process involved has now been provided by the HSE and KOSI Corp to relevant organisations, and payments are being processed quickly as data is returned by employers.
The Department of Health has transferred funding to the Department of Defence and Dublin City Council to enable payments to eligible staff in cohorts 5 and 6 above, and payments to these staff will be arranged by their respective organisations shortly.
The Government is mindful of other workers who played an important role during this challenging period in sustaining important services. It was very difficult to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks which eligible healthcare workers faced.
Outside of the State’s recognition measures, the Government also notes that some private sector healthcare employers have recognised the work of their employees during the pandemic. The Government would encourage private sector healthcare employers that have not already done so to consider appropriate measures to recognise their own frontline workers for their work during this most trying period.
557. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update following on from the appointment of a person (details supplied) for a primary medical certificate recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56424/22]
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.
558. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health when funding will be provided to purchase a necessary piece of equipment for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo, given the severity of their diagnosis and the need for the equipment. [56466/22]
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.
561. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health the HSE's plans with regard to its use of Millfield House, County Cork; the way in which the HSE will ensure that former residents who move back there from Garnish House, as recently indicated by the HSE, will not endure further uncertainty regarding their placement there given the known impact of such uncertainty on mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56478/22]
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.
562. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 679 of 25 October 2022, the specific reason that a person (details supplied) who contracted long-Covid during their work as a nurse in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital has not yet been provided with special leave with pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56497/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
563. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of an assessment for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56512/22]
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.
564. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health if a medication (details supplied) is covered under the drug payment scheme; if so, the current dosage allowable under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56513/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Reimbursement for medicines under the community drugs schemes is for licensed indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency or the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
In making a relevant reimbursement decision, the HSE is required under the Act to have regard to a number of criteria including efficacy, the health needs of the public, cost effectiveness and potential or actual budget impact. I, as the Minister for Health, have no role in these decisions.
The HSE have advised that Primolut N (norethisterone) 5mg was recently discontinued in Ireland and is no longer licensed with the HPRA. However, this product will remain on the reimbursement list until the expiry date of the last batch of this product which was notified from the manufacturer to the HSE has been reached. The expiry date for this current batch is September 2023, whereupon this product will then be withdrawn from the reimbursement list.
The HSE have further advised that there is currently a licensed therapeutic alternative available on the Reimbursement list. The HSE also notes that some patients have been approved on an individual basis for reimbursement of Primolut N (norethisterone) 5mg where licensed products have been exhausted. However, licensed products should always be considered in the first instance.
The medical decision to prescribe or not prescribe any treatment for an individual patient is strictly a decision for the treating clinician, in consultation with their patient. I, as the Minister for Health, have no role in this clinical decision-making process.
Finally, 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.
565. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the provisions that are in place to provide joint parental rights for children conceived by same-sex couples in a non-clinical setting; the legislative reforms are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56515/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra566. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the provisions that are in place to provide joint parental rights for children conceived by same-sex couples using a known donor prior to May 2020; the legislative reforms that are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56516/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra567. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the provisions that are in place to provide joint parental rights for children of same-sex female couples conceived or born outside of Ireland; the legislative reforms that are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56517/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 565 to 567, inclusive, together.
Parts 2 and 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 provide a legal framework for donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR), including the legal parentage of children born in the State as a result of DAHR procedures. Parts 2 and 3 came into operation on 4 May 2020.
For DAHR procedures which take place after 4 May 2020, the provisions of the Act require consent to be signed by the intending parent or parents and the donor or donors prior to a DAHR procedure taking place in a clinical setting in the State. These consent forms concern parentage of any child born through a DAHR procedure in the State and further ensure that information on the identity of the donor(s) is recorded in the National Donor Conceived Person Register. This enables the State to vindicate the rights of donor-conceived persons to information about their genetic identity.
The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 does not cover DAHR procedures that take place abroad or in a non-clinical setting as it is not possible to ensure that such DAHR procedures have adhered to the requirements of the Act, particularly in relation to donor conceived children's right to know their genetic heritage.
There are provisions in Sections 21-23 of the Act of 2015 which entitle parents of children born in the State as a result of a DAHR procedure performed before the Act commenced in May 2020 to apply to the Courts for legal recognition of their parental status. The DAHR procedure must have been carried out in a DAHR facility in Ireland or abroad. While the retrospective provisions regarding parentage may apply where the donor is anonymous, known donors are not permitted retrospectively.
The conditions to be met for retrospective declaration of parentage include that the intending parent was the intending parent at the time of conception and that nobody other than the mother and the intending parent is recorded as a parent on the birth register.
Finally as the Deputy may be aware the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 was published and passed second Stage in the Dáil in March 2022. Also, in July the Government established an Inter-Departmental Group which will shortly report on matters relating, primarily but not exclusively, to international surrogacy. Issues which arise from the recommendations of that group will be further examined in the context of both existing legislation and the ongoing progression of the AHR Bill through the Oireachtas, as required.
568. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the status of operations to transfer ophthalmology services from Cork University Hospital to South Infirmary-Victoria University Hospital; the costs borne to date of that transfer in tabular form; and the reasons for delay. [56536/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service issue, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
569. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the costs of moving ophthalmology patients to private consultants in the Cork area; and the number of patients who are impacted, by age and gender in tabular form. [56537/22]
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.
570. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of staff, the grade and length of service of each staff member currently assigned to ophthalmology services across Cork hospitals; and the number of vacancies in the same hospitals. [56538/22]
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.
