Tuesday, 14 Feb 2023

Written Answers Nos. 662-679

Departmental Reviews

Ceisteanna (662)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

662. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if his Department has reviewed the 2015 pilot naloxone scheme; and if he will report on same. [6794/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Nursing Homes

Ceisteanna (663)

Peter Burke

Ceist:

663. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter regarding a facility (details supplied), given the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6801/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

It became clear in late August 2022 that a small number of active nursing homes were being converted into accommodation centres for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). Other active nursing homes were known to be in official negotiations or to be considering this approach. Given the challenges being faced in the nursing home sector, the Minister of Health and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth agreed a joint position - namely, that the procurement guidelines around accommodation for persons under temporary protection would exclude nursing homes from consideration that were still registered operators with HIQA on or after the date of 1 September 2022. The intention behind this position is to avoid unintentionally incentivising active nursing homes to leave the market. Former nursing homes that had already ceased operation and were deregistered prior to this date would not be affected if they wished to enter into contracts as accommodation providers.The Department of Health remains committed to continuing, constructive cross-Government engagement to address the health and social care needs of beneficiaries of temporary protection, as well as the identification of appropriate sites for that might be used for accommodation, and will continue to engage on this matter. Both departments are engaging to keep the policy under review with regard to specific facilities.

Dental Services

Ceisteanna (664)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

664. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of an application to the Dental Council (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6802/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I have consulted with the Dental Council on this matter. The Council have advised that the person in question has not yet made direct contact with the Dental Council. While the Dental Council does offer periods of adaption to applicants that don’t currently meet the necessary professional language competency standards, it is necessary for practical and for safety reasons to have sufficient English language ability to effectively engage with the registration process.

The Council also advises that an update on this matter has been provided directly to the Deputy.

Dental Services

Ceisteanna (665)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

665. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1515 of 18 January 2023, the additional steps being taken to address significant delays in processing applications by Ukrainian dentists to the Dental Council; if further staff have been provided to deal with this backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6803/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Dental Council has advised that it is continuing to accept and to process applications from dentists who have been granted either temporary or permanent protection by the State, via a new assessment process that the Council has developed and put in place for such cases.

These complex cases are being managed by experienced registration officers, who continue to assess and manage the information gaps that are arising in many of these applications in a way that is fair while still protecting public safety.

The Dental Council and my Department continue to review the situation, and additional staff will be assigned within the Dental Council should this become necessary.

Question No. 666 answered with Question No. 550.

Question No. 667 answered with Question No. 560.

Question No. 668 answered with Question No. 541.

Question No. 669 answered with Question No. 550.

Question No. 670 answered with Question No. 560.

Question No. 671 answered with Question No. 560.

Question No. 672 answered with Question No. 541.

Nursing Homes

Ceisteanna (673, 674)

David Cullinane

Ceist:

673. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of meetings which have taken place between Ministers of his Department and the Attorney General relating to long-stay charges litigation since 1 January 2000. [6824/23]

David Cullinane

Ceist:

674. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of meetings which have taken place between officials at his Department at principal officer grade and above and the Office of the Attorney General or the Office of the Chief State Solicitor relating to long-stay charges litigation since 1 January 2000. [6825/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 673 and 674 together.

Upon the raising of issues about how the State has approached legal challenges taken against it in relation to pre-2005 legacy nursing home charges, the Government moved quickly to establish the facts surrounding these issues, which go back many decades, by requesting the Attorney General to prepare a Report on the litigation management strategy. This comprehensive Report was produced within a week and was published on 7 February 2023. As is normal in relation to the management of litigation against the State, there has been significant and regular engagement between my Department, the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office in relation to this litigation since cases were first taken in the 2005/06 period.The Attorney General's Report sets out the general approach adopted in the management of this litigation. It also set outs the importance of the public interest in the proper administration of justice which is served by legal professional privilege and the entitlement of the State not to waive privilege in respect of the legal advice provided by the Office of the Attorney General on the matters addressed in his Report. The Minister for Social Protection and I have undertaken to consider the Attorney General's Report in full and to revert to Government in three months on any further steps required.

Question No. 674 answered with Question No. 673.

EU Directives

Ceisteanna (675)

Gerald Nash

Ceist:

675. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans at European Union level to review and update the various EU nursing directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6836/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Along with the professions of midwife, doctor, pharmacist and dentist, Registered General Nurse (RGN) is one of the five health professions falling within the scope of the European Union’s automatic recognition system. The relevant legislation obliges member states to comply with minimum training standards as set out in the Professional Qualifications Directive. Officials in my Department liaise closely with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) with regard to nursing training and education and considerations regarding the potential updating of nursing qualification criteria.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) is the national coordinator for the Professional Qualifications Directive. DFHERIS also sits on the Group of Coordinators for the recognition of professional qualifications which meets quarterly to discuss the Professional Qualifications Directive and officials from my Department also attend meetings of the Group of Coordinators.

The European Commission keeps the Professional Qualifications Directive under review and engages with the Group of Coordinators in this regard. The Group of Coordinators is due to meet next in March and the meeting agenda includes an item on the update of minimum training requirements of sectoral professions.

Health Services Staff

Ceisteanna (676)

Cathal Crowe

Ceist:

676. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he, in conjunction with the HSE, will examine the current pay and travel expense arrangements for healthcare assistants, given the difficulties they are having in paying for their transport at present (details supplied). [6846/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In recognition of the increase in the cost of living, Building Momentum, the public service agreement, and its extension agreement runs from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023. The original Agreement involved two general-round pay increases of 1% which were applied with effect from 1 October 2021 and 1 October 2022, along with an additional sectoral bargaining fund to deal with outstanding claims to be applied with effect from 1st February 2022.

The extension to Building Momentum provides for a further increase in basic salaries of 3% backdated to 2 February 2022, an increase of 2% from 1 March 2023, and an increase of 1.5% or 750 euro, whichever is higher, due on 1 October 2023.

Motor travel rates for public and civil sector staff are set centrally by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. These were revised in 2022 by that Department, and the circular setting out same is attached for information.

Circular

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (677)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

677. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the caseload and headcount of staff and children awaiting intervention in each separate children's disability network team in the State, in tabular form. [6850/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Disability Services

Ceisteanna (678, 679, 682, 683, 685)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

678. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the caseload and headcount of staff and children awaiting intervention in the east central Cork children's disability network team, in tabular form. [6851/23]

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

679. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the caseload and headcount of staff and children awaiting intervention in the southeast Cork city children's disability network team, in tabular form. [6852/23]

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

682. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the caseload and headcount of staff and children awaiting intervention in the northwest Cork children's disability network team, in tabular form. [6855/23]

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

683. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the caseload and headcount of staff and children awaiting intervention in the north Cork city and Blarney children's disability network team, in tabular form. [6856/23]

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

685. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the caseload and headcount of staff and children awaiting intervention in the east Cork city children's disability network team in tabular form. [6858/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 678, 679, 682, 683 and 685 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. 679 answered with Question No. 678.