Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Tobacco Control Measures

Patrick O'Donovan

1012. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Health with regard to the licensing of tobacco vending machines, if the licence required applies to the shop and vending machines or just the person supplying the vending machine; do the suppliers of said vending machines need to get a licence for each vending machine supplied to each shop or one single licence to cover all the shops they have vending machines in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45904/13]

Health Services Staff Training

Clare Daly

1013. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health if training has been provided to staff in the Health Service Executive who are dealing with persons with a mental health condition; and if not, if he will justify this in view of how vulnerable these citizens might be. [46354/13]

Tobacco Control Measures

Damien English

1014. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 15 October 2013, regarding his Department's participation in the high level implementation group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products and where his Department outlined to the group from an intellectual property perspective the potential issues arising in relation to domestic and international law, the issues that he referred to in his response; if they are significant in terms of framing the proposed legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46446/13]

Treatment Abroad Scheme

Finian McGrath

1015. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the position regarding treatment abroad in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [46474/13]

Health Services Access

Brendan Griffin

1016. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that Ireland is one of half of all 27 EU member countries that EU migrants can access full health care services without ever having paid contributions into the system; his views that this is contributing to Ireland becoming a destination for benefit tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46675/13]

Misuse of Drugs

Finian McGrath

1017. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on actions being taken to deal with our drug crisis. [46763/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

Martin Heydon

1018. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Health the reason the new income limits for medical cards of €900 for a married couple over 70 is not double the single person over 70 limit of €500, as it used to be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47183/13]

Mobility Allowance Review

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

1019. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the review of the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant; the date on which the schemes will reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47287/13]

Medical Card Reviews

John Deasy

1020. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the checks he has put in place to ensure that doctors cannot overclaim for medical card patients who have died or emigrated; if his Department has a fraud control system similar to the one operated by the Department of Social Protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45607/13]

Medical Card Reviews

John Deasy

1021. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health the number of reviews that were carried out on over 70's medical card applications following the budget changes introduced in 2012; if these same applicants will have to go through a further review following the 2013 budget changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45608/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

John Deasy

1022. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Health if applicants for the over 70's medical card are subject to the same discretionary conditions as those under 70 whereby financial hardship as a result of medical need may be assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45606/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

Pearse Doherty

1023. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Donegal that are currently eligible for a medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45619/13]

Medical Card Eligibility

Billy Kelleher

1024. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health with regard to the clinic panel that has been set up to assess discretionary medical cards, if financial officers form part of the panel whereby they can accurately value the financial burden on persons and families where no medical card is awarded and a specific costing is placed on the patients needs that would have been covered under the medical card on such needs as therapy, medical equipment, medical supplies, hospital fees, general practitioner visits as well as consultant visits and so on; if not, if he will consider putting such assessors on the panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45639/13]

Hospital Staff Issues

Maureen O'Sullivan

1025. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the reason the salary offered in the urologist position for Temple Street Hospital is below the normal salary for these positions at €109,000; when the position is filled the reason the urologist will be working half the time in Temple Street and half the time in Crumlin; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this may be making it difficult for the position to be filled and that it would impact on the quality of services for children with spina bifida and other health conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45633/13]

Mental Health Services Funding

Colm Keaveney

1026. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Health in reference to the statement by the Minister of State for mental health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on the RTE programme "This Week" which referenced the allocation of €20 million for investment in mental health in 2014, where she said, we, the mental health service, are getting €20 million this year and I have guaranteed that the additional €15 million will be available next year, if he will confirm that his Department has made this guarantee; if so, if he will restate that guarantee in response to this question; if this €15 million will be on top of the €35 million per year that the programme for Government committed to be ring-fenced each year for investment in mental health; if he will state the conditionality attached to this guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45659/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Seán Crowe

1027. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of paediatric patients waiting for inpatient orthopaedic procedures in Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght and in Temple Street Hospital. [45643/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Seán Crowe

1028. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of adult patients waiting for orthopaedic inpatient treatment in Tallaght hospital. [45644/13]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Seán Crowe

1029. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of inpatient beds closed in the National Children's Hospital; and the timeframe in which these beds have been closed. [45645/13]

Symphysiotomy Report

Ged Nash

1030. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Health when he will bring proposals in relation to the Walsh Report with regard to symphysiotomy to Government; when he will appoint a judge to meet with the women involved in order to facilitate a process to bring matters with regard to symphysiotomy further to a successful conclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45646/13]

Cochlear Implants

Nicky McFadden

1031. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on progress in relation to the proposed business plan by the Health Service Executive and Beaumont Hospital to introduce a bilateral cochlear implant programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45651/13]