Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Health Services

Colm Burke

1294. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the HSE universal guidelines on bras, prostheses and wigs will be published; the funding to be allocated for the implementation of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63669/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1295. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons undergoing radical radiotherapy treatment who commenced treatment within 15 working days of being deemed ready to treat by the radiation oncologist not including palliative care patients in each of the months from 1 January 2019 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63670/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1296. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons who attended prostate rapid access clinics; the number and proportion who attended within the recommended ten working days each quarter between 1 January 2015 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63671/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1297. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of all prostate cancer diagnoses made as a result of a person’s attendance at a prostate rapid access clinic in each of the years 2015 to 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63672/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1298. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons who attended lung rapid access clinics; the number and proportion who attended within the recommended 20 working days each quarter between 1 January 2015 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63673/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1299. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of all lung cancer diagnoses made as a result of an individual’s attendance at a lung rapid access clinic in the years 1 January 2016 to 30 November 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63674/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1300. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of persons who attended symptomatic breast disease clinics; the number and proportion who attended each quarter for each of the pathways, urgent recommended two weeks and non-urgent 12 weeks between 1 January 2015 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63675/22]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1301. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of all breast cancer diagnoses made as a result of a person’s attendance at symptomatic breast disease clinics in each of the years 1 January 2015 to 2022 and date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63676/22]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Colm Burke

1396. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a timeline of when works are due to commence on the development of a helipad at the Cork University Hospital site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1096/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Colm Burke

1397. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to expand the reimbursement for the freestyle libre continuous glucose monitoring sensor to over-21s under the HSE's community funded scheme for aids and appliances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1101/23]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Colm Burke

1398. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the way that his Department is addressing inequalities in the uptake of the continuous glucose monitoring sensors between under 21 years of age and over 21 years age groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1102/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

1399. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action that his Department is taking to provide reimbursement of required medicines for women with gestational diabetes to help protect both the mother and baby; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1103/23]

Healthcare Policy

Colm Burke

1400. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the introduction of a national diabetes patient register considering the lack thereof has made it difficult for policy makers and academics to understand the impact of tools used to help diabetes patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1104/23]

Departmental Staff

Colm Burke

1456. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of persons, if any, working in his Department who have a qualification in the area of genomics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1323/23]

Hospital Charges

Colm Burke

1457. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the publication of reimbursement levels, costs of procedures and hospital charges to enable patients to make informed decisions prior to seeking medical treatment abroad under the EU Cross-Border Directive on Healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1324/23]

EU Directives

Colm Burke

1458. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the right to reimbursement under the EU Cross-Border Directive on Healthcare is based solely on the care and treatment received, regardless of where the patient receives such treatment within the EU/EEA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1325/23]

EU Directives

Colm Burke

1459. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the treatment and care received in another EU/EEA country must be of the same or similar standard as that would be received in the home country under the EU Cross-Border Directive on Healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1326/23]

EU Directives

Colm Burke

1460. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that the right to reimbursement for treatment and care received under the EU Cross-Border Directive on Healthcare is automatic and does not require further approval by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1327/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1559. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that he will instruct the Commission for Public Service Appointments to conduct an immediate audit on the recruitment of qualified paramedics for the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1741/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1560. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to setting an annual qualified paramedic recruitment target that is filled by ranking all applicants and taking from the highest rank down until the target is reached, without omitting eligible candidates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1742/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1561. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that a system will be put in place to ensure adequate capacity in the National Ambulance College for successful candidates to the National Ambulance Service to commence any induction and training required within 90 days of the campaign closing, in order that no successful candidates are left waiting on the panel indefinitely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1743/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1562. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to putting in place a time limit of 90 days for the time that successful candidates can be left on a panel before a formal job offer is made in the National Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1744/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1563. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the support that is given to new-entry qualified paramedics as per the National Ambulance Service workforce support policy, education and competency assurance framework; if there are any plans to update this framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1745/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1564. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the reason that the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council is awarding qualifications to the paramedics and advanced paramedics that are not able to pass a competency assessment based on PHECC guidelines and training standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1746/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1565. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason that the National Ambulance Service uses an induction programme in lieu of competency assessments for Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council-registered EMTs and does not apply a similar process to PHECC-registered paramedics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1747/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1566. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the reason that the National Ambulance Service does not accept Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council-qualified paramedics onto an induction programme where any policy or educational gaps can be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1748/23]

Ambulance Service

Colm Burke

1567. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to instructing the National Ambulance Service to undertake an independent review of the bank of questions used as part of the MCQ assessment, given the low success rates in campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1749/23]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

1628. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if the eligibility criteria under the drugs payment scheme will be widened for the drug known as saxenda in order that patients who meet two of four criteria (details supplied) will meet the requirements of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1895/23]

Departmental Funding

Colm Burke

43. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of centres belonging to an organisation (details supplied) that are supported by her Department by county; the Government supports that have been allocated to the organisation in 2022 in comparison to 2020 and 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62535/22]

Departmental Funding

Colm Burke

55. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when it is envisaged that Community Centre Investment Fund allocations will be discharged to the community groups and organisations for successful projects under category 1 of the fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62536/22]

National Broadband Plan

Colm Burke

80. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a progress report on the roll-out of the national broadband plan in County Cork from 1 January 2022 to 30 November 2022; the number of premises connected during this timeframe, including schools and broadband connection points in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62537/22]

National Broadband Plan

Colm Burke

81. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if NBI is continuing to engage with a company (details supplied) to provide broadband to premises in cases in which the company's fibre broadband infrastructure is bordering an amber area under the national broadband plan and given that the company has sufficient capacity to accommodate more premises on this line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62538/22]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

296. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if the 35 children with cystic fibrosis whose age and genotype were not included in the initial deal with a drug manufacturer will now be included to provide access to the life changing medication, kaftrio (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62834/22]

Community Development Projects

Colm Burke

413. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline all the actions that her Department has taken across various sectors to revitalise rural Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56912/22]

Visa Applications

Colm Burke

60. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if consideration will be given to merging the employment permit and visa application processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62109/22]

Rail Network

Colm Burke

209. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport the new plans for the metropolitan rail network proposed for Cork; if he will outline the plans for infrastructure improvements and frequency for the Blackpool, Blarney, Rathduff, Mallow, Banteer and Millstreet stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61763/22]

Departmental Schemes

Colm Burke

238. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance if he will carry out a review of the fuel grant for disabled drivers (details supplied) in view of the fact that no such review has been carried out within the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61732/22]

Citizenship Applications

Colm Burke

490. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice if consideration will be given to assigning additional staff to the citizenship division in her Department given that there is a three-month delay in acknowledging receipt of applications and over 20 months before a decision is made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61779/22]

Hospital Facilities

Colm Burke

8. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will put in place a new mechanism to fast-track the process for the design application for planning permission for the building of the new elective hospital for Cork, in view of the fact that over 12 months have already passed from the time the HSE made its submission to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61133/22]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

36. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his Department, in conjunction with the HSE, has been in communication with the Health Products Regulatory Authority with respect to ongoing medicine shortages as outlined on the HPRA website (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61134/22]

Departmental Funding

Colm Burke

150. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of the funding provided by his Department to Teagasc for the acquisition of a series of flux towers; the purpose of these towers; the role of the towers in rewarding farmers for carbon sequestration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60837/22]

Tillage Sector

Colm Burke

160. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will set out the details of the two new tillage-focused research projects that were recently announced; when the projects will commence; the persons or bodies that will be involved in the projects; the timeline for the commencement and termination dates of the projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60836/22]

Energy Policy

Colm Burke

6. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress that has been made to date regarding the establishment of a new built environment and heat delivery taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61212/22]

Renewable Energy Generation

Colm Burke

7. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the other capital supports that will be provided in order that Ireland can achieve its target for biomethane development of 5.7 TW hours, given that currently the renewable heat obligation scheme is the only scheme in place to assist in achieving these targets but is not due to commence until 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61213/22]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

125. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the action his Department is taking to help mitigate against the increasing risk to the supply of off-patent medicines nationwide due to rising inflationary, energy and transport costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61151/22]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

126. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, has expressed concern to him, his Department or the HSE regarding the number of current medicine shortages listed on the HPRA website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61152/22]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

127. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health his plans, if any, to reduce the number of medicines in short supply nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61153/22]

Medicinal Products

Colm Burke

128. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the actions taken by him and the Department to mitigate against future medicine shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61154/22]

Nursing Homes

Colm Burke

149. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of nursing homes in County Cork that have benefited from supports to deal with the cost of energy in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61232/22]

Disability Services

Colm Burke

150. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE-funded therapists who have been allocated to special schools in County Cork in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61233/22]