Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

945. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the guidelines for persons when a member of their household displays symptoms of Covid-19; if they should self-isolate until a negative test is returned; if his attention has been drawn to HSE guidance being issued to persons that says a member of a household is not required to isolate while their household member with symptoms is waiting for a test; his views on whether this is not the appropriate guidance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27118/20]

Hospital Equipment

David Cullinane

970. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken by University Hospital Waterford to provide insulin pump therapy as a treatment option to all eligible adults with type 1 diabetes; the plans of the hospital to provide type 1 diabetes self-management education to adults attending its clinic; if the hospital has included the specialist nursing staff and dieticians required to provide insulin pump therapy for adult diabetes services within its budget proposal; if he will fund same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27225/20]

Cannabis for Medicinal Use

David Cullinane

971. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the position regarding medicinal cannabis; the position regarding the delivery of medicinal cannabis by the HSE nationwide originating from another EU state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27228/20]

Vaccination Programme

David Cullinane

176. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if adequate stockpiles of the flu vaccine have been secured; the reason for the delay in securing these and rolling out the flu vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25703/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

213. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the provisions being made to provide PPE to dental surgeries, general practice, pharmacies and other non-HSE aspects of the healthcare system; if provision will be made to allow them to procure PPE VAT-free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25874/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

745. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of the measures taken to date as a consequence of the HSE publication Covid-19 Testing and Tracing: Roadmap to enhance capacity and turnaround published 14 May 2020; the progress made on the measures identified within; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24960/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

746. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of Covid-19 swab tests conducted at each community testing centre, each hospital and by the National Ambulance Service, on a weekly basis since 1 April 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24961/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

747. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of Covid-19 tests evaluated at each testing laboratory involved on a weekly basis since 1 April 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24962/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

748. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons involved in Covid-19 swabbing, test evaluation and tracing by occupation and county in each testing site since 1 April 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24963/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

749. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of drive through testing facility lanes available on a weekly basis since 1 April 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24964/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

750. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the opening hours and staffing levels by occupation for each swabbing centre in each week since 1 April 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24965/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

751. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if all swab data is now fed directly from Swiftqueue to the laboratory information system [24966/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

752. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the results data transfer between NVRL and Case Tracker CRM has been fully automated or the percentage that has been automated since 1 May to date [24967/20]

Health Services Staff

David Cullinane

773. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that nurses that answered the HSE Be On Call campaign and were placed in the health service are working on expired contracts; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that there are no standard entitlements to sick pay for such nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25158/20]

Health Services

David Cullinane

781. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when developmental checks for children previously administered by the HSE will recommence; the estimated number of checks missed; the number of checks and referrals to early intervention teams, speech and language therapists and other health professionals from March to September this year; the number of checks and referrals to early intervention teams, speech and language therapists, and other health professionals in the same period for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25219/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

792. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average Covid-19 test turnaround by county and nationally from general practitioner referral to communication of results for community testing in each week since 1 April to 14 September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25319/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

802. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if weekly Covid-19 testing turnaround time data will be published as is done in other jurisdictions similar to the daily and weekly reporting of Covid-19 testing numbers and case numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25345/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

804. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the occupational grade of all persons employed for Covid-19 testing; the number at each grade; the additional hires being provided for as indicated in the Plan for Living with Covid-19 which sets a target of a 3,000+ dedicated workforce; the number of the 3,000+ that are new hires; the number that have been seconded or transferred within the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25350/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

805. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of the 700 swabbers and 500 contact tracers outlined in the Plan for Living with Covid-19 that have been hired; the number in a pool; when all 1,300 staff will be hired; the locations in which the staff will be located by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25351/20]

Health Services Staff

David Cullinane

806. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if staff hired as part of a dedicated Covid-19 testing workforce that come from other parts of the health service will be replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25352/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

807. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the estimated percentage of the population which lives within one hour of a Covid-19 swab test centre; the estimated percentage which will have access to the service within one hour of their home as envisaged under the Plan for Living with Covid-19; the time frame for the service to materialise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25353/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

808. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the targets, and associated timelines for Covid-19 swabbing, testing, and contact tracing; if there is an ambition to test more than 100,000 a week; if so, the number and timeline for reaching same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25354/20]

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

David Cullinane

818. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the protocol in place between both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland for contact tracing as it relates to cross-Border workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25426/20]

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

David Cullinane

819. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the procedure for communication between the HSE and HSC to ensure that cross-Border workers are included in contact tracing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25427/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

820. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the procedures in place in circumstances in which a person works here but lives in Northern Ireland and is a close contact of a confirmed Covid-19 case at the workplace here; the jurisdiction responsible for contact tracing in this event; if residents of one jurisdiction are included in contact tracing conducted by the other jurisdiction; the situation in the inverse scenario; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25428/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

821. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if work colleagues in Northern Ireland of a person that lives here but works in Northern Ireland are included in contact tracing and considered close contacts and vice versa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25429/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

184. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of medical scientists employed in laboratories which are conducting Covid-19 tests; his plans to increase the number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24495/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

185. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost of hiring an additional one medical scientist in testing laboratories. [24496/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

186. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the cost of providing at 10% pay rise to medical scientists and the hiring of an additional one medical scientist with this in mind [24497/20]

Disease Management

David Cullinane

207. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans for tackling asthma; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24607/20]

Air Pollution

David Cullinane

208. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans for acting on smoky coal and air pollution and their impact on health; the extent of his cooperation and engagement with other Departments on the matter to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24608/20]

Long-Term Illness Scheme

David Cullinane

212. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to include asthma on the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24615/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

129. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when pharmacies will receive the PPE, in particular surgical masks, that was promised by the HSE to keep pharmacy staff and their vulnerable customers safe from the potential risk of catching or spreading Covid-19 infection in the course of their working day in the pharmacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24261/20]

Health Services

David Cullinane

31. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the measures he has undertaken or will undertake as part of the winter plan to protect capacity in the health service, to ensure maximum possible uptake of the flu vaccine, secure sufficient staffing levels and bed availability, deliver Covid-19, non-Covid-19 and catch-up care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23639/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

33. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure a proactive and robust testing and tracing regime to support the plan for living with Covid-19; the way in which Ireland compares with the EU and other comparator states such as New Zealand in terms of testing and tracing capacity and performance by tests per capita; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23640/20]

Budget 2020

David Cullinane

34. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if promised medical card eligibility expansions and reductions in prescription charges made in budget 2020 will be commenced in 2020; the reason for the delay; if funding is being made available for same in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23641/20]

Medical Cards

David Cullinane

61. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to introduce medical cards for cancer patients and terminally ill patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23643/20]

Dental Services

David Cullinane

68. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to tackle waiting lists and deliver public dental and orthodontic care; his further plans to expand eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23645/20]

Maternity Services

David Cullinane

76. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to re-evaluate and relax restrictions on pregnant parents being accompanied by their partners in hospitals before, during and after birth on compassionate grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23644/20]

Hospital Waiting Lists

David Cullinane

81. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to deliver on commitments to persons with scoliosis and reduce wait times for care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23646/20]

Medical Inquiries

David Cullinane

89. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to advance an inquiry into mesh implants and sodium valproate; his further plans to gather better data to understand the extent of the impact of same; if an expert panel will review the UK report on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23647/20]

Medical Inquiries

David Cullinane

626. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health his plans to advance an inquiry into mesh implants and sodium valproate; his further plans to gather better data to understand the extent of the impact of same; if an expert panel will review the UK report on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23642/20]

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

David Cullinane

669. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when diabetes reviews of hospitals and prairie care settings resume; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23393/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

700. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of Covid-19 tests conducted to the end of August 2020; the number and percentage which were positive; the estimated number and percentage of false positives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23522/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

846. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the details of the Covid-19 testing and tracing regime; the structures and leadership of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24122/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

847. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the staffing requirements for meeting 100,000 Covid-19 swabs and tests per week; the associated cost related to each staffing category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24123/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

848. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the staffing and laboratory requirements for conducting and evaluating 100,000 Covid-19 tests per week; the associated cost related to each staffing category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24124/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

849. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the staffing levels related to the Covid-19 testing and tracing regime; the number employed directly for this purpose; the number seconded; the areas from which they are seconded; the agency staff and associated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24125/20]

Covid-19 Tests

David Cullinane

850. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the measures that will need to be taken to deliver 100,000 Covid-19 swabs and tests per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24126/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

David Cullinane

851. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of the Covid-19 contact tracing regime; the number employed for same; the number seconded from elsewhere; the areas from which they are seconded; his plans to recruit and train contact tracers; the estimated number of contact tracers required; the associated costs in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24127/20]