Written Answers Nos. 826-842
826. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that an elderly person has been waiting for over a year for a special bed for their home and still has not received one; the rationale for this (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55243/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this refers to an individual case, I have referred this matter to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
827. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent dental surgeons in each of the CHO regions who are currently involved in the public dental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55275/23]
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.As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
828. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the locations where people who require serious dental treatment (details supplied) can obtain this in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55278/23]
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.As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
829. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the actions, funding and resources provided by the Government to tackle substance addiction; if he will detail in tabular form, for each local health office area, funding provided for each; the number of residential detox beds available in each; and the number of people on waiting lists for detox beds. [55282/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Strategic Action Plan for the National Drugs Strategy 2023-2024 is based on the six strategic priorities identified following the mid-term review of the strategy in 2021. The action plan was developed by strategic implementation groups reporting to the national oversight committee. A progress report for the first year will be published in due course.
The HSE spends over €140m on Drug-related-expenditure each year. To support the implementation of the national drugs strategy, an additional €4m million was provided in Budget 2024, to expand drug services in the community. See the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/4e5630-reducing-harm-supporting-recovery-2017-2025/#the-strategic-action-plan-for-the-national-drugs-strategy-2023-2024
www.drugsandalcohol.ie/39724/1/Factsheet.pdf
As the remainder of this question refers to a service matter, I have sent this PQ to the HSE for direct response. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
830. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the main initiatives he has taken to develop and expand mental health services since 27 June 2020; the additional funding provided in successive budgets; his plans for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55290/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of mental health services are in the main a matter for the Health Service Executive and I have requested the executive to respond to the Deputy directly in this regard. From a policy and budgetary point of view the Deputy may also be interested to note the following progress in areas such as enhancing all aspects of our mental health services and supports remains a key priority for Government. There have been significant improvements in the delivery of our mental health services over the past number of years and the Government is committed to ensuring their continued development throughout this year and into the future. I have outlined in my below response some of the key achievements in mental health in recent years.
The Government’s clear commitment to enhancing mental health services, is shown by significant mental health funding increases in recent years. The total allocation for mental health services in 2024 is approximately €1.3 billion, which is the fourth year in a row in which the mental health budget has been increased. This increase in funding for mental health services represents a significant investment which will enable continued policy implementation and service improvement in line with our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. This year’s budget allocation builds on the investment this Government has made over the last number of years to deliver the policy priorities of Sharing the Vision through the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, and enabling us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2024.
As part of the funding allocated to mental health services, new development funding has been secured to advance initiatives on youth mental health, and around priority groups identified within our national suicide prevention strategy Connecting for Life. This new development funding will be focused on increased CAMHS staffing, a new Youth Mental Health app, a referral pilot for children's community services including CAMHS (piloting an approach to service referrals known as ‘No Wrong Door’), the expansion of Suicide Bereavement Liaison Services, and expanding the Traveller Counselling Service to achieve national coverage for the first time.
Funding allocated to mental health services in recent years has allowed for the continued investment in the mental health national clinical programmes and models of care, which has led to significant service improvements, including the full implementation of specialist perinatal mental health network provided for and the on-going expansion of specialist mental health teams for eating disorders, ADHD in adults, and dual diagnosis.
Telehealth services are fully established including YourMentalHealth.ie; the information line 1800 111 888, the crisis textline, 50808, and NGO online supports. These include youth specific supports, such as those provided through Jigsaw, SpunOut, and Turn2Me. The majority of telehealth supports are available seven days per week, with some providing 24hour support. In addition, the HSE has partnered with SilverCloud, on a national roll out of digital cognitive behaviour therapy to address depression and anxiety and to make mental health support more widely available.
Importantly, as budgets increase, we need to ensure that we have plans and strategies in place so that those resources are used effectively and efficiently to the benefit of people using our mental health services. All aspects of mental health services are being improved and developed, through Sharing the Vision in the short to longer term. Sharing the Vision aims to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum, from mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, during the period 2020-2030.
In terms of implementation and oversight, the National Implementation Monitoring Committee (NIMC) implementation and implementation monitoring structures are well established, enabling policy implementation and governance. The NIMC is made up of the NIMC Steering Committee, supported by a NIMC Reference Group to provide the service user and family member perspective. The establishment of the Reference Group in March 2022 is a key development as it is absolutely vital that people who use our services and their families are at the heart of the design, development and delivery of the systems we build to serve them.
NIMC Specialist Groups, have been established in priority areas of development including Youth Mental Health Transitions, Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity, Women’s Mental Health, Primary Care Mental Health Services and Digital Mental Health.
Sharing the Vision Implementation Plan 2022 – 2024 was published on 23 March 2022. The Plan sets out individual programme pathways of implementation for each of the 100 policy recommendations for the next three years. Additionally, official reporting has commenced with Status Implementation Reports and NIMC Analysis Documents published on a quarterly basis online. As of Q2 2023, 95 of the 100 recommendations are in implementation, with 81 marked on track or with a minor delivery issue.
The implementation of Sharing the Vision will build on existing initiatives already underway, for example in the provision of digital mental health services, the continued phased development and rollout of our national clinical programmes, which are at the heart of service improvement, and the ongoing legislative reform through the review of the Mental Health Act.
In mid-2021, the Government approved a General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Mental Health Act. This General Scheme took into account the 165 recommendations of the Expert Group Review of the Act, the observations of key stakeholders such as the Mental Health Commission and the HSE, the results of a 2021 public consultation wherein 100 submissions were received, changes in domestic legislation, most significantly the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and Ireland’s international commitments, including under the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
A Mental Health Bill is now being prepared. The Bill will significantly update existing mental health legislation through, inter alia, the introduction of a set of guiding principles for adults and children receiving inpatient treatment, a revised set of criteria for detention, an overhauled approach to consent to admission and treatment, aligning capacity in mental health legislation with the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, the introduction of a new, discrete Part on the care and treatment of children, and the introduction of additional safeguards for people receiving inpatient mental health treatment. The finalisation and introduction to the Oireachtas of a Mental Health Bill is a priority for the Government.
The General Scheme of Mental Health Bill was published in July 2021, followed by a pre-legislative scrutiny report published in October 2022. Parliamentary Drafters were initially assigned in January 2022 and new team assigned in January 2023. The Department of Health supporting OPC as it progresses the text of the Bill and is in regular contact with drafters and legal counsel. The Bill was prioritised for drafting in spring, summer and autumn legislative sessions, and work is expected to continue through the end of 2023 to ready Bill for publication.
I was very pleased to announce, in November 2020, the extension of Connecting for Life, our national suicide reduction strategy, by four years to 2024. This followed a recommendation from the independent strategy review conducted in 2018. It reflects the many achievements to date and the hard work and dedication of multiple stakeholders. The National Office for Suicide Prevention responsible for the implementation of Connecting for Life and overseen by the Department has a €14 million allocation. The extension and continued implementation of Connecting for Life demonstrates the government’s commitment to addressing suicide and self-harm in our communities.
Connecting for Life will reach the end of its life in 2024 and a tender has been issued by the HSE to evaluate its implementation. Planning will also soon commence for the successor strategy to Connecting for Life.
Following the Programme for Government commitment, the interdepartmental High-Level Taskforce was established by Government in 2021 to enhance links for those in contact with the criminal justice system accessing Mental Health, Addiction or Primary Care services. Final Report was approved by the Government on 20 September 2022 and was subsequently published. A joint Inter-Departmental Steering Committee has been established to monitor implementation the HTLF report over the next five years. The first annual progress report of this group will be published shortly.
Please see the below table outlining the budget allocation to HSE Mental Health Services since 2020.
Mental Health Funding 2020-2024
|
Year |
Allocation (NSP) - €m |
|
2020 |
1,031.3 |
|
2021 |
1,114.1 |
|
2022 |
1,159.0 |
|
2023 |
1,226.7 |
|
2024 |
1,295.5 |
As occurs each year following the Budget, discussions will now take place with the HSE on details relating to specific service initiatives in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2024, including that for Mental Health.
As the question also concerns operational matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
831. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the main initiatives he has taken to develop and expand health services for older people since 27 June 2020; the additional funding provided in successive budgets; his plans for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55291/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2020 the overall funding available to the HSE for Older Persons was €1.97 billion, next year the overall funding available will exceed €2.6 billion. A wide range of core services will be provided for older persons including home support, day care, community supports in partnership with voluntary groups and intermediate care as well as long-stay residential care when remaining at home is no longer feasible.
Investment in social care services has been a substantial priority for this Government. The delivery of home support hours is increasing year on year. In 2024 we expect to deliver 22 million hours of home support. This is more than has ever been delivered before. Over many years, both day care and the meals on wheels service has proven to be important components of the community services offered to older people, particularly in rural communities. We are building on recent investment to support these services by investing an additional €2.2 million in 2024 for day care services and an additional €1 million for meals on wheels nationally.
The HSE, in preparing its National Service Plan, will examine how services, including relevant KPIs, can be progressed within the overall increased envelope of funding for older persons services.
Significant progress has already been made in implementing the recommendations of the Nursing Homes Expert Panel, and many short and medium-term recommendations have already been implemented and mainstreamed into normal operations. Four Expert Panel Progress Reports have been published to date, as well as an implementation progress update in October 2023, and all are available on the Department’s website:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/c7f5b-covid-19-nursing-homes-expert-panel-report-implementation-oversight-team/#progress-reports
Key areas of progress include:
• The Patient Advocacy Services was extended to private nursing homes from 1 November 2022.
• Work has continued in the development of a Safe Staffing and Skill mix Framework for the sector and the final report is due to be completed in Q1 2024.
• Palliative and end-of-life programmes for nursing homes was launched in 2022 and continues to provide training and education across the nursing home sector.
• Dedicated IPC and Safeguarding teams for nursing homes continue to provide specialist services across the 9 CHOs.
• Community Support Teams continue to support private nursing homes.
• Over 100 places funded on postgraduate gerontological nursing training courses for the academic year 2022/2023, with funding secured in 2024 to provide a further 220 places.
The Government has provided substantial support to the private and voluntary nursing home sector over the pandemic:
• Over €151m of financial support has been provided to private and voluntary nursing homes through the COVID-19 Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS).
• The provision of free PPE and oxygen to private nursing homes continues, costing approximately €77 million to date.
• A €10 million scheme (TIPS) was established last year to support private and voluntary nursing homes with increases in energy costs, covering 75% of year-on-year cost increases up to a monthly cap of €5,250 per nursing home. This scheme was extended for a second time to the end of June 2023, with a further short-term extension under review.
Nursing Homes Support Scheme Rental
The insertion and commencement of Section 45D of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Act 2009) as amended, will increase the amount of rental income that nursing home residents can retain under Fair Deal from 60% to 100%. This change to the scheme will be implemented from 1 February 2024.
Prior to 1 November 2022 participants in the Fair Deal scheme were able to rent out their homes or other assets, however all rental income was subject to assessment at 80% like all other income (such as pension income). Recognising that this may act as a disincentive against renting out a property, the Government approved a policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, 'Fair Deal', to remove a disincentive for applicants to the Scheme to rent out their principal residence after they have entered long term residential care. The rate of assessment for rental income from a principal residence, effective from 1 November 2022, was reduced from 80% to 40%. This means that for someone renting out their principal residence, they retained 60% of the income accrued from that rental and 40% is assessed under Fair Deal. This policy change addresses the commitments made under Housing For All Action 19.8. The change was made through a Committee Stage amendment to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022 and became operational as of 1 November.
Following a review period, as per the conditions of the amended legislation, the insertion of Section 45D into the Act will permit nursing home residents to retain 100% of the income accrued from renting the principal private residence, effective from February 2024.
It should be noted that this provision will only apply to income generated from rental of the principal private residence - any rental income received from a property which is not from a principal residence will continue to be treated as general income and assessed at 80%.
Regulation of home support providers
The Programme for Government commits to "Introduce a statutory scheme to support people to live in their own homes, which will provide equitable access to high quality, regulated home care". Work is ongoing within the Department to progress this commitment.
The Department of Health is currently developing a regulatory framework for providers of home support services with the aim of ensuring that all service users are provided with high quality, regulated care. This will comprise of primary legislation for the licensing of home support providers; regulations which will set out the minimum requirements that a home support provider must meet to obtain a licence; and HIQA national standards.
Development of the primary legislation is now at an advanced stage with the Bill having been placed on the autumn legislative programme priority list for drafting. Transitional timelines for the registration of home support providers under this framework are currently being finalised with further details to be available following publication of the General Scheme.
The draft regulations are at an advanced stage informed by a public consultation, which concluded on 4 August 2022. The analysis of submissions has been carried out by the Institute of Public Health (IPH) which demonstrated strong agreement in relation to regulation of home support service provision. A report on the findings of the public consultation was published in January 2023. Legal advice and engagement with key stakeholders (HIQA, HSE, Private and Voluntary Providers, and service user representative groups) will assist with final revisions to regulations for providers of home support services.
In addition to this, HIQA has initiated the process of developing standards for home care and home support services.
Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants
Addressing the shortage of care workers in Ireland is an urgent priority for the Government.
To this end, the cross departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants was established in March 2022 to examine and formulate recommendations to address the challenges in frontline carer roles in the home support and long-term residential care sectors. The Report of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants was published on 15 October 2022, and it contains 16 recommendations. Implementation of these recommendations is underway and is being overseen by a cross-departmental Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Health. The group met most recently in October and a progress update was recently published: www.gov.ie/en/publication/66dd1-strategic-workforce-advisory-group-on-home-carers-and-nursing-home-healthcare-assistants/
Dementia
Since my appointment as Minister for Mental Health and Older People in 2020, I have made dementia a priority. Through successive budgets, I have worked to prioritise Government funding for the development of dementia diagnostic and post-diagnostic services, in line with the recently-published Dementia Model of Care.
Through Budget 2024, I have continued to prioritise dementia by providing an additional €500,000 to increase the provision of in-home dementia day care, for people who cannot, or do not wish to, attend centre-based day care. This was first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and is universally viewed as beneficial, improving both the quality of life of clients and providing a break for family carers. 52 dementia-specific day centres have also opened.
Alongside this, I allocated €300,000 in funding to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland to provide weekend activity clubs for people with young onset dementia. This new service will have the benefit of also providing respite to the family carer. Up to 120 people with dementia and their families are expected to benefit from this weekend service.
Furthermore, in Budget 2024 I announced that a minimum of 18% of all new home support hours are now ringfenced for people with dementia.
Going forward there will be a strong focus on dementia-specific services, which have developed in recent years, like the Memory Technology Resource Rooms and National Dementia Adviser Service which provide invaluable information and supports to people with dementia and their family carers to help them adapt to a dementia diagnosis and continue to live as well as possible.
Commission on Care
On 3 October 2023 the Government approved the proposal put forward by the Minister for Health and I for the establishment of a Commission on Care for Older People. The Commission will examine the provision of health and social care services and supports for older persons and make recommendations to the Government for their strategic development. In addition, a cross-departmental group will be established under the auspices of the Commission to consider the supports for positive ageing across the life course and to develop a costed implementation plan for options to optimise these supports. The Commission will be comprised of independent experts and will be supported by a secretariat from the Department of Health. In Budget 2024, €1.243 million has been allocated to support the work of the Commission, which will formally commence in early 2024.
Both Minister Donnelly and I were delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Alan Barrett, Chief Executive Officer of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), as the Chairperson of the Commission on Care for Older People. This appointment marks a significant milestone in the Commission’s formation.
Safeguarding
To further strengthen the framework for safeguarding adults at risk, the Department of Health is at an advanced stage of developing an overarching national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector. This overarching national policy will build on existing adult safeguarding policies and structures for the sector and address potential policy and legislative gaps and will align with the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. The Department plans to commence a public consultation shortly and will announce details in the near future. Legislation as required to underpin the policy will be prepared subject to its approval by Government.
832. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the main initiatives he has taken to develop and expand primary care services since 27 June 2020; the additional funding provided in successive budgets; his plans for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55292/23]
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.The Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
833. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the main initiatives he has taken to develop and expand general practitioner services since 27 June 2020; the additional funding provided in successive budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55293/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraA number of significant developments were undertaken in the period concerned to increase the number of GPs working in the State and improve access to GP services for all patients across the country.
The 2019 GP Agreement was rolled out from 2019 to 2023. The Agreement provided for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GPs, the introduction of new fees for additional services, and increased practice supports and allowances. Over €211 million in additional annual investment in general practice has been provided for under the Agreement through successive budgets.
The Agreement also provided for the GP Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Programme which commenced operation in 2020 and has now been fully rolled out under the terms of that Agreement. The CDM Programme engages with patients to encourage a pro-active management of four chronic conditions: COPD, diabetes, asthma, and cardiac diseases. The programme has been progressively extended to include all GMS patients suffering from one or more of the four conditions, and to extend opportunistic case-finding to all GMS patients aged 45 and over.
Additional funding was provided under Budget 2023 to expand the CDM Preventative Programme to include all women who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia since January 2023, a cohort at particular risk of developing diabetes. This initiative commenced on Thursday 30th November and was one of a number of diabetes initiative funded under that Budget, including provision for the development of a National Diabetes Register.
As provided for under Budget 2023 and the recent GP Agreement 2023, GP visit card eligibility has now been extended to all those who earn up to the median household income and to all children aged 6 and 7. The funding provided for this expansion of GP care without charges includes a package worth €30 million specifically to support capacity in general practice; to enable GPs to retain staff and recruit additional staff to meet demand. An additional support of €2 million for GP Out of Hours services is also included.
To directly increase the number of GPs working in the State, the number of doctors entering GP training has been successively increased in recent years, with 286 new entrants for this year and funding provided to increase the places for new entrants planned for next year to 350.
Furthermore, the joint HSE and ICGP programme is underway to bring up to 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023 which will help to quickly improve access to GP services, particularly in areas with limited access. With increased funding provided for next year, it is planned to bring to Ireland up to 250 more non-EU GPs by the end of 2024.
Lastly, my Department and the HSE have commenced a Strategic Review of General Practice. The review, with input from key stakeholders, will examine the broad range of issues affecting general practice, including issues related to GP capacity, and will set out the measures necessary to deliver a more sustainable general practice into the future.
It is worth also noting that significant additional funding was provided to general practice during the Covid-19 pandemic to both support GP practices and to provide related services without charge to patients, including Covid GP assessments and referrals for testing.
834. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the main initiatives he has taken to develop and expand acute hospital services since 27 June 2020; the additional funding provided in successive budgets; his plans for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55294/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is being collated by Department officials and a deferred reply will be submitted within ten working days.
835. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health whether he agrees that all files, including personal notes, should be transferred from one HSE-funded facility to another in a specific case (details supplied). [55307/23]
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.As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
836. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if further hours of care around lunchtime each day will be provided for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55313/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
837. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health his Department’s criteria in relation to tenders for ambulance services for HSE hospitals by private contractors (details supplied). [55339/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra838. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health who appoints the panel to score the tenders for ambulance services for HSE hospitals (details supplied); and what experience they have. [55340/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra839. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if it is his Department’s rule that on a long-term basis private ambulance companies would own or have leased ambulances prior to applying for the contract for the provision of ambulance services for hospitals (details supplied). [55341/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra840. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health when it comes to tenders for ambulance services for hospitals if it is his Department’s rule that ambulance companies cannot on winning the contract attempt to secure ambulance services (details supplied). [55342/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra841. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health when it comes to tenders for ambulance services for hospitals if it is his Department’s rule that his Department establishes whether or not a company actually has the ambulances or staff to provide the services (details supplied). [55343/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra842. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health it comes to tenders for ambulance services for hospitals would it be satisfactory to his Department that a company on winning the contract company only then moves to secure ambulances (details supplied). [55344/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra843. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health when it comes to tenders for ambulance services for hospitals if it is his Department’s rule that staff should be Garda vetted prior to the contract being activated and that proof of such vetting should be supplied to the tender process (details supplied). [55345/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra844. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health is it Department policy that the companies tendering ambulance services are inspected and receive on-site visits from the HSE prior to the awarding of a contract to seek evidence of the requirements to fulfil the contract (details supplied). [55346/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra845. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health is it Department policy that companies tendering ambulance services are inspected and receive on-site visits from the HSE after the awarding of a contract (details supplied). [55347/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra846. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health is it Department policy to rescind contracts awarded if the company appointed are incapable of providing the contract; and what process exists and must be engaged in to rescind a contract (details supplied). [55348/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra847. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that a company would win a contract for the provision of ambulance services which does not have its own ambulances (details supplied) which only purchases or seeks ambulances after the award of the contract, whose staff are not Garda vetted, that does not have staff to operate the service tendered for at the point of the award, still does not have the ambulances required to operate the services, and is now contracting out the services required to other ambulance companies other than the company that was successful in winning the tender. [55349/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra848. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if the scenario in which a company wins a contract for the provision of ambulance services which does not have its own ambulances, which only purchases or seeks ambulances after the award of the contract, whose staff are not Garda vetted, that does not have staff to operate the service tendered for at the point of the award, still does not have the ambulances required to operate the services, and is now contracting out the services required to other ambulance companies other than the company that was successful in winning the tender poses a potential threat to patient safety (details supplied). [55350/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra849. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if the scenario in which a company wins a contract for the provision of ambulance services which does not have its own ambulances, which only purchases or seeks ambulances after the award of the contract, whose staff are not Garda vetted, that does not have staff to operate the service tendered for at the point of the award, still does not have the ambulances required to operate the services, and is now contracting out the services required to other ambulance companies other than the company that was successful in winning the tender poses a significant possibility of a civil suit by patients should the company fail to meet patient safety and operational criteria (details supplied). [55351/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 837 to 849, inclusive, together.
It is a matter for individual contracting authorities to ensure that their public procurement function is discharged in line with the standard accounting and procurement rules and procedures. Public procurement practices are subject to audit and scrutiny under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993, and the Local Government Reform Act 2014. It is the responsibility of each Contracting Authority to ensure they adhere to these rules.
To create a level playing field for all businesses across Europe, EU law sets out minimum harmonised procurement rules. The EU Procurement and Remedies Directives govern the way public authorities purchase goods, works and services. The rules are transposed into Irish law and apply to tenders for public contracts whose monetary value exceeds certain thresholds. For tenders of lower value, national rules apply which must respect the general principles of EU law such as equal treatment, non-discrimination etc.
As this Parliamentary Question relates to the HSE contracting processes, this is an operational issue and is a matter for the HSE. Members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.
