Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

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363 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 364[Mr. McGuinness.]person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; ifan occupational therapist’s report is available inthe case; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5594/05]Minister of State at the Department of Healthand Children (Mr. T. O’Malley): The Health Act2004 provided for the Health Service Executive,which was established on 1 January 2005. Underthe Act, the executive has the responsibility tomanage and deliver, or arrange to be deliveredon its behalf, health and personal social services.This includes responsibility for aids andappliances. Accordingly, my Department hasrequested the chief officer for the executive’ssouth eastern area to investigate the matter raisedand to reply directly to the Deputy.73. Mr. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the positionregarding hours of home help in the case of aperson (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; andif she will make a statement on the matter.[5595/05]Minister of State at the Department of Healthand Children (Mr. S. Power): The Health Act2004 provided for the Health Service Executive,which was established on 1 January 2005. Underthe Act, the executive has the responsibility tomanage, deliver or arrange to be delivered on itsbehalf, health and personal social services. Thisincludes responsibility for the provision of healthservices in County Kilkenny. Accordingly, myDepartment has requested the chief officer forthe executive’s south eastern area to investigatethe matter raised and to reply directly to theDeputy.Medical Cards.74. Mr. McCormack asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the positionregarding the review of medical cards for eligiblepersons suffering from long-term illnesses, particularlyin the case of a young person suffering aphysical disability such as cerebral palsy or spinabifida; the number of times that person’s eligibilityfor a medical card is reviewed; the guidelineslaid down for the health boards in thosecases; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5596/05]Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children(Ms Harney): The Health Act 2004 provided forthe Health Service Executive, which was establishedon 1 January 2005. Under the Act, theexecutive has the responsibility to manage anddeliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf,health and personal social services. This includesresponsibility for the assessment of applicationsfor medical cards. The periodic review of eligibilityand the frequency of such reviews are alsomatters for the HSE’s local area to consider anddetermine. However, the HSE takes into accountthe circumstances of each case when setting therenewal dates. Reviews are necessary to ensurethe medical card databases are accurate and thatpublic accountability issues are addressed.On the issue of children with very serious illnesses,an operational group overseeing the medicalcard scheme has been asked to put processesin place that limit the need for frequent reviewsin these cases, where a review would normallyresult in automatic renewal of the medical card.Persons aged 70 years and over have a statutoryentitlement to a medical card since 1 July 2001,otherwise applicants, including those who maysuffer from the diseases mentioned by theDeputy, must apply to the local area of the HSEto have their cases assessed on the basis ofincome and medical need.Under the Health Act 1970, the HSE mayarrange for the supply, without charge, of drugs,medicines and medical and surgical appliances topeople with a specified condition, for the treatmentof that condition through the long-term illnessscheme. The conditions are mental handicap,mental illness — for people under 16 only,phenylketonuria, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida,hydrocephalus, diabetes mellitus, diabetesinsipidus, haemophilia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy,multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, parkinsonism,conditions arising from thalidomide andacute leukaemia. Parkinsonism, acute leukaemia,muscular dystrophies and multiple sclerosis wereadded to the scheme in 1975. The LTI does notcover GP fees or hospital co-payments.Chiropody Services.75. Mr. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children if she will introduce astatutory scheme for the provision of chiropodyservices under the medical card. [5608/05]Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children(Ms Harney): The Health Act 2004 provided forthe Health Service Executive, which was establishedon 1 January 2005. Under the Act, theexecutive has the responsibility to manage anddeliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf,health and personal social services. This includesresponsibility for chiropody services. The provisionof chiropody services is a matter for thelocal areas of the HSE. There is no statutory obligationto provide these services; but nationally, avariety of arrangements are in place for the provisionof chiropody services; however, there areno plans presently to introduce a statutoryscheme. It was discovered that chiropodists in theformer ERHA area were imposing additionalcharges for their services on medical card holders.My Department informed the authority that itwas inappropriate to impose such charges and itrecently wrote to the HSE with a view to gettingan early resolution to this matter.Mental Health Services.76. Mr. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children the position in relation
365 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 366to the opening of a psychiatric unit in BeaumontHospital; when the proposal for this unit was firstinitiated; and when it is likely that it will be fullyopen. [5616/05]Minister of State at the Department of Healthand Children (Mr. T. O’Malley): The Health Act2004 provided for the Health Service Executive,which was established on 1 January 2005. Underthe Act, the executive has the responsibility tomanage and deliver, or arrange to be deliveredon its behalf, health and personal social services.This includes responsibility for the provision ofmental health services. Accordingly, my Departmenthas requested the chief officer for the HSEeastern regional area to investigate the matterraised and to reply directly to the Deputy.77. Mr. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children the flaws which havebeen identified by the inspector of mentalhospitals in respect of the facilities at St. Ita’s,Portrane; if her Department has agreed with thehealth board a critical path for the modernisationand upgrading of these facilities; if she plans tointervene to speed up the planning process inview of the lengthy delay in getting to grips withproblems which have been identified over a longperiod. [5617/05]Minister of State at the Department of Healthand Children (Mr. T. O’Malley): The provision offacilities at St. Ita’s Hospital, Portrane, is a matterto be addressed in the context of the Health ServiceExecutive’s national service plan, which willindicate its proposed capital plan for this year. Iexpect this plan will be presented shortly.Medical Cards.78. Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaisteand Minister for Health and Children the numberof persons covered by a medical card at each ofthe dates 1 January 1997, 1 June 2002, 30 September2004, 31 January 2005; and for the mostrecent date available. [5636/05]87. Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Tánaisteand Minister for Health and Children the numberof persons in each county covered by a medicalcard on 1 January 1997, 1 June 2002, 30 September2004 and 31 January 2005; and thenumber at the latest date for which figures areavailable. [5664/05]106. Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the number ofpersons in County Roscommon covered by amedical card on 1 January 2003, 2004 and 2005respectively; and if she will make a statement onthe matter. [5698/05]107. Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the number ofpersons in County Leitrim covered by a medicalcard on 1 January 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively;and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5699/05]108. Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the number ofpersons in County Longford covered by a medicalcard on 1 January 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively;and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5700/05]Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children(Ms Harney): I propose to take Questions Nos.78, 87 and 106 to 108, inclusive, together.The details requested by the Deputies are setout in the following table:County January 97 June 02 January 03 January 04 September 04 January 05 February 05Dublin 282,872 291,310 277,378 271,837 273,582 272,855 271,892Kildare 35,004 39,505 37,973 36,967 37,391 36,934 36,547Wicklow 35,068 30,211 28,918 27,982 27,804 27,502 27,411Laois 21,518 18,375 17,926 17,318 17,311 17,095 17,327Longford 12,957 12,647 12,499 12,263 12,363 12,386 12,532Offaly 23,634 19,746 19,303 18,974 19,137 19,101 19,359Westmeath 22,337 20,887 20,929 20,675 21,068 21,082 21,456Clare 30,962 31,133 29,620 30,438 30,887 30,672 30,623Limerick 55,177 52,027 50,370 49,212 49,657 49,629 49,227Tipperary N 20,822 20,098 19,105 19,135 19,061 18,918 18,921Cavan 22,030 19,216 19,124 18,768 18,400 18,564 18,463Louth 39,821 39,075 37,486 35,942 34,746 34,493 34,437Meath 38,645 32,008 30,550 31,517 30,440 29,867 29,592Monaghan 22,497 17,993 17,285 16,632 16,462 16,308 16,249Donegal 69,524 66,787 65,734 66,852 67,618 67,188 67,295Leitrim 12,430 11,526 11,476 11,264 11,344 11,163 11,186Sligo 20,615 20,270 19,714 19,629 19,483 19,442 19,222Carlow 17,061 16,365 16,008 15,602 15,455 15,190 15,242Kilkenny 22,159 20,567 20,152 19,756 19,708 19,473 19,534Tipperary S 27,309 29,064 28,607 28,720 28,459 28,336 28,304Waterford 39,508 35,775 34,955 34,716 34,785 34,925 34,696
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Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

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