Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Charitable and Voluntary Organisations

James Browne

1. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health if, in view of recent events, he has plans to review arrangements for the funding and auditing of section 38 agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21103/16]

Home Help Service Data

Louise O'Reilly

2. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of banked and paid for hours that home-help workers are due; the breakdown of these by region; the number of hours that have been cut from persons in the same areas for the period 2014 to 2016 to date; the number of home-help hours projected for 2016 and the percentage of these that have been delivered to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21095/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

3. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health when the task force for the implementation of personalised budgets for persons with disabilities will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21104/16]

Charitable and Voluntary Organisations

Alan Kelly

4. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health to provide an up-to-date list of section 38 entities which receive funding from the HSE and the amount of funding each organisation received from 2013 to 2015, inclusive; if he will publish all HSE audits of section 38 organisations; and if he will consider a policy of seeking to ensure a representative of the HSE serves on the board of each of these entities on at least a pro tem basis to ensure transparency and public confidence in the spending of public money. [21096/16]

Hospital Groups

Jack Chambers

5. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Health the criteria for appointment to senior hospital management positions and for board appointments in each of the hospital groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21105/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Aindrias Moynihan

6. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health his plans to reduce gynaecology waiting times in Cork University Hospital. [20992/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Michael Moynihan

7. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the reason for the substantial increase between December 2015 and May 2016 in the number of outpatients waiting more than a year for a consultation in Cork University Hospital. [20984/16]

Mental Health Services Provision

Mick Wallace

8. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Health his proposals to end the practice of admitting children to adult mental health units and cope in an age-appropriate way with the rise in the number of children and young persons receiving acute inpatient mental health care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20611/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

John Brassil

9. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the waiting times for cataract surgery in County Kerry. [20963/16]

Health Services

Maureen O'Sullivan

10. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health his views on whether proper protocols were followed in a case (details supplied); and his and the Health Service Executive's plans to amend guidelines and best practice standards to ensure persons at risk are dealt with promptly. [20612/16]

Home Help Service

Robert Troy

11. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health his proposals to increase the number of hours under the home help scheme and the number of home care packages in counties Longford and Westmeath. [20977/16]

Mental Health Services Report

Catherine Connolly

12. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health if he has commenced the promised review of A Vision for Change, when he will complete it, the composition of the review team, its terms of reference, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20606/16]

Health Services Provision

Mick Barry

13. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health his views on the continuing depth of involvement of religious organisations in providing State-funded health care, on the separation of church and State, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21000/16]

Nursing Home Services

Jackie Cahill

14. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health if he will discuss with the Health Service Executive the need for capital funding to secure the future of a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20599/16]

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

15. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if he will review legislation, given that the Crowe Horwath report into the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is reported to note that the legislation underpinning the management of fitness-to-practise cases and the corporate governance of the board appears to be a major contributor to the current problems and is in need of urgent review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20923/16]

Health Services Staff Recruitment

Gino Kenny

16. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Health if he will expedite the recruitment of a full-time consultant medical oncologist with a special interest in sarcoma in St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin 4; if he will renew the contract of the locum consultant medical oncologist who has a special interest in sarcoma until the post is filled on a permanent basis; if he will agree to meet the Sarcoma Action Group of concerned cancer patients and their families who are seeking an urgent meeting with him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20616/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Willie O'Dea

17. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the reason for the substantial increase between December 2015 and May 2016 in the number of outpatients waiting more than one year for a consultation in University Hospital Limerick. [20983/16]

Home Care Packages Provision

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the increases in staffing that have been achieved to deal with the crisis under the home help scheme and the carer respite services; the number of persons who are in hospital with their discharge delayed who are waiting to access these services; the number of carers who have been unable to continue as carers, due to the lack of respite services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20910/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Bernard Durkan

19. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which he expects to be in a position to reduce the waiting lists for various procedures throughout the public health and hospital system with a view to ensuring a readily accessible hospital service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20912/16]

Health Services Reports

Louise O'Reilly

20. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 213 to 215, inclusive, of 23 June 2015, the actions he is taking to ensure patient safety in terms of investigating why certain hospitals have higher than average death rates; if he will undertake any investigations or follow-up action following the publication of the second annual report of the national health care quality reporting system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20917/16]

Mental Health Services Provision

John McGuinness

21. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health his plans to improve psychiatric services at acute and at community level in counties Carlow and Kilkenny. [20987/16]

Commissions of Investigation

John McGuinness

22. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the status of the establishment of a statutory commission of investigation into a foster home in the south east. [20988/16]

Vaccination Programme

Maureen O'Sullivan

23. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health why the Health Service Executive is not engaging with the Reactions and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma, REGRET, group; if he has confidence in the human papilloma virus vaccine; and if he will engage with the group to discuss the serious illnesses suffered by over 370 girls and address the lack of possible information on side-effects provided to parents of students receiving the vaccine. [20613/16]

HSE Governance

Louise O'Reilly

24. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing a legislative based accountability framework for Health Service Executive employees; the consultation or meetings he has had on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20913/16]

Services for People with Disabilities

Colm Brophy

25. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of needs assessments by needs assessment officers in areas (details supplied); the number of officers in place; the reason for the delay in provision; when he will clear the backlog of applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20454/16]

Medicinal Products Prices

Sean Fleming

26. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health how Ireland’s expenditure on medicines compares to other European Union member states when considered as a share of overall health expenditure. [20976/16]

General Practitioner Services

Bríd Smith

27. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the actions he is taking to progress the development, staff levels and contracts of general practitioners including the provision of care free at the point of use to persons under 12 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20909/16]

Hospital Services

Mattie McGrath

28. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health when he will complete improvements to radiology services at South Tipperary General Hospital; the investment cost of these improvements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20602/16]

Mental Health Services Provision

Mattie McGrath

29. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health his assessment of mental health services in south Tipperary since the closure of St. Michael's psychiatric unit in Clonmel, County Tipperary; if he will consider re-opening this unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20603/16]

Budget Submissions

Alan Kelly

30. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if he has examined the Alzheimer Society of Ireland's recent pre-budget submission, in particular if he notes the request for an additional €67 million in budget 2017 to provide additional home care packages for persons suffering from dementia; and his views on whether this proposal should be implemented in budget 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20609/16]

Treatment Benefit Scheme Eligibility

Clare Daly

31. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health to amend the terms of the treatment abroad scheme to include medical treatment in relation to termination of pregnancy, reasonable travel, accommodation and subsistence for the woman and a travel companion, particularly as the State's forcing of a woman to rely on her own financial resources entirely outside the public health care system in a case (details supplied) constituted discrimination and a violation of human rights. [20615/16]

Electronic Health Records

Carol Nolan

32. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the consultation that has taken place with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland with respect to working towards interoperability of cross-Border e-health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20919/16]

Medicinal Products Expenditure

Róisín Shortall

33. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the way he proposes to cut the costs of medication to the State and to the general public. [20949/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Mary Butler

34. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Health the reason for the substantial increase between December 2015 and May 2016 in the number of outpatients waiting more than a year for a consultation in Waterford University Hospital. [20964/16]

Ambulance Service

Ruth Coppinger

35. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health to report on the implementation of the action plan of the national ambulance service capacity review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20950/16]

Health Services Funding

James Browne

36. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Health his plans to review arrangements for funding of section 38 agencies in view of recent events. [20956/16]

Mental Health Services

Pat Buckley

37. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a regulatory framework to allow for the registering of all residential mental health and drug and alcohol units to ensure that standards are being observed and proper evidence based care is being provided, especially where Health Service Executive funding is being allocated. [20946/16]

Mental Health Policy

Catherine Connolly

38. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the reason the independent monitoring group set up to monitor the implementation of A Vision for Change and which sat for two periods, 2006-2009 and 2009-2012, did not sit after 2012 given that it was a fundamental recommendation in A Vision for Change; his plans, if any, to reconvene such a monitoring group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20607/16]

Health Services Provision

Niamh Smyth

39. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if it is acceptable to allow an eight year old child who is deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other wait two years on the public waiting list for an ear, nose and throat appointment within the Cavan and Monaghan Hospital Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20601/16]

Speech and Language Therapy Provision

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

40. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to reduce waiting times for speech and language therapy. [20960/16]

General Medical Services Scheme Administration

Denise Mitchell

41. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the progress being made in the ongoing negotiations with the Irish Medical Organisation on a new general medical services, GMS, contract; if the National Association of General Practitioners will be included in the ongoing negotiations for a new GMS contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20940/16]

Mental Health Services Provision

Pat Buckley

42. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health his progress in establishing 24/7 crisis intervention supports in adult mental health, such as introducing a seven-day week in day units or opening crisis houses as laid down in the A Vision for Change strategy. [20945/16]

Medicinal Products Prices

David Cullinane

43. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health why, according to 2013 figures from the OECD, Ireland had the highest per capita spend on medicines in the European Union; the areas in which the €775 million in savings in the drugs bill have been made including a breakdown of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20935/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Catherine Connolly

44. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list for ultrasounds; the backlog that exists for ultrasounds in Galway University Hospital for infants up to four months; the reason there is a backlog for such an essential service; the steps being taken to resolve this backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20605/16]

Electronic Health Records

David Cullinane

45. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to address the differing legal frameworks, lack of legal clarity and lack of interoperability to facilitate health data exchange to ensure co-ordinated care across borders in respect of barriers to the deployment of e-health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20934/16]

Medical Card Administration

Louise O'Reilly

46. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health his plans to legislate for a distinct new medical need ground for eligibility for the medical card with an assessment involving the establishment of a threshold of medical need and not tested against a household’s financial means or against diagnosis titles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20916/16]

Palliative Care Services Provision

Robert Troy

47. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the Health Service Executive plans in place to support North Westmeath Hospice and palliative care in the county generally. [20995/16]

Hospital Waiting Lists

John Lahart

48. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the reason for the substantial increase between December 2015 and May 2016 in the number of children waiting more than a year for an outpatient consultation in Temple Street Children's University Hospital, Dublin 1. [20974/16]

Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage

James Lawless

49. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the list of the current conditions covered under the long-term illness scheme to include chronic and severe asthma. [20953/16]

Electronic Health Records

Gerry Adams

50. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date in the development of e-prescribing, online referrals and scheduling, telehealth and the development of summary patient records; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20924/16]