Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

[Deputy Mary Lou McDonald.]
Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
supplied) has been told by the Health Service Executive in Swords, County Dublin, that they
must wait 14 to 16 months for an appointment with a speech and language therapist appointment
and 12 months for a hearing test for their three and half year old child; his views on such
lengthy waiting times for a public patient with a medical card who is reliant on the public
health system. [8009/12]
Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch): As the Deputy’s
question relates to service matters, I have arranged for this question to be transferred to the
Health Service Executive for direct reply.
699. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if he can assist with a transfer
request by a health professional (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the
matter. [8016/12]
Minister for Health (Deputy James Reilly): As this is a service matter, it has been referred
to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Ambulance Service
700. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health if he will make inquiries regarding
the fact that an emergency call for an ambulance in Rathkeale, County Limerick, resulted in a
delay of two and a half hours for the ambulance to arrive; and if he will make a statement on
the matter. [8027/12]
Minister for Health (Deputy James Reilly): As this is a service matter, it has been referred
to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Drugs Task Forces
701. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all the
drugs task forces nationally including the name of the chair, the number of board members,
and the number of staff employed on full time and part time contracts; the procedures, if any,
that are in place to decide the persons that compose these boards; and if he will make a
statement on the matter. [8045/12]
702. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he could provide a breakdown
of the expenditure of each drugs task force on local projects and on salaries; the funding
allocated to each drugs task force nationally for 2011; the amount of funding allocated for each
task force for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8046/12]
703. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the section within his Department
that has responsibility for allocating funding to drugs task forces; if he will clarify if it is this
same section to whom task forces report ; if not, to whom do they report; and if he will make
a statement on the matter. [8047/12]
Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Róisín Shortall): I propose to take
Questions Nos. 701, 702 and 703 together.
Due to the volume of information requested by the Deputy in relation to the membership
and staffing of each Task Force and its expenditure on local projects and salaries, I have
arranged for the details to be forwarded directly to her.
The procedures governing the appointment of the chair and members to the Task Force are
contained in the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces Handbook, which is available on the
638