Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

More documents

Recommendations

Info

383 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 384[Ms Harney.]ing recommendations of the forum and advise meon all aspects of fluoride in the future.The Dental Health Foundation was establishedmore than 20 years ago as a charitable trust dedicatedto raising the profile of oral health inIreland. Its establishment was initiated by thedental profession with the agreement and supportof the Department of Health. The foundationplays an important role in facilitating and supportingthe promotion of oral health in line withthe Department’s 1994 dental health action plan.It works closely with the Department’s healthpromotion unit, providing a focus for oral healthwithin the wider context of health promotion inIreland. In 2004, my Department provided fundingof \120,500 to the Dental Health Foundationin its role providing the secretariat for the Irishexpert body on fluorides and health.Grant Payments.127. Mr. Connolly asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the reason thehome and lands of a person (details supplied) inCounty Monaghan, which the Health ServiceExecutive valued at \60,000, were assessed inconsidering this person’s application for a subventiontop up grant, when the appropriate thresholdfor means testing is \75,000; and if she willmake a statement on the matter. [5869/05]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 Monaghan. Accordingly, myDepartment has requested the chief officer forthe executive’s north eastern area to investigatethe matter raised and to reply directly to theDeputy.Hospital Services.128. Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children when a person (detailssupplied) in County Mayo will be called for anophthalmic procedure at Galway RegionalHospital. [5870/05]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 provision of services atGalway Regional Hospital. Accordingly, myDepartment has requested the chief officer forthe executive’s western area to investigate thematter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.Health Service Reform.129. Mr. J. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children the status of theHanly report now that she has wound up theHanly group; and if she will make a statement onthe matter. [5873/05]Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children(Ms Harney): I regard the report of the nationaltask force on medical staffing as a significant contributionto the development of acute hospitalsservices and to the organisation of medicalstaffing.The report makes important proposals forreducing the working hours of non-consultanthospital doctors, NCHDs, in line with the Europeanworking time directive. It highlights theneed to implement changes in medical staffing toensure safety and quality of patient care and toreduce significantly the unacceptably long workinghours of NCHDs.The Hanly report recommends a significantincrease in the total number of consultants, workingin a “consultant provided”, team basedsystem, so that patients can receive faster accessto senior clinical decision making. The report alsodeals with medical education and training withparticular reference to the changes that will beneeded in the context of a 48-hour working forNCHDs.Regarding the organisation of hospital services,I consider that the report proposes an appropriateway forward in terms of regional self-sufficiency,investment in hospital services and theorganisation of those services around hospitalnetworks. In line with these recommendations, Iwill continue the Government’s planned investmentin new hospital facilities and additional consultantposts. This approach will be to the benefitof all patients.The national hospitals office is best placed tofurther the recommendations of the Hanly reportregarding hospital services. While the acutehospitals review group which was to carry out thiswork will not now proceed, Mr. David Hanly whochaired the report of the national task force onmedical staffing will continue to be available foradvice on the reform process.Hospitals Building Programme.130. Mr. J. Breen asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children when the upgradeof Ennis General Hospital will commence; and ifshe will make a statement on the matter.[5874/05]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 is required to manage and deliver, orarrange to be delivered on its behalf, health andpersonal social services. This includes responsibilityfor facilities at the Mid Western RegionalHospital, Ennis. An outline development control
385 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 386plan for the hospital has been prepared and it wasendorsed by the Mid Western Health Board inDecember 2004. This is now a matter for considerationby the Health Service Executive in thecontext of the capital investment framework 2005to 2009.Birth Certificates.131. Mr. Kehoe asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children the procedure for amother wishing to remove the name of a personfrom their child’s birth certificate, with this person’sconsent; and to put the true father’s nameon it; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5875/05]Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children(Ms Harney): The Births and Deaths RegistrationActs 1863 to 1996 include a provision for the correctionof an error of fact or substance in a registerof births, which allows for a correction on footof a statutory declaration setting out the errors inthe entry in question. These provisions may beused to remove erroneous details from a birthentry. The Acts also include provisions for theentry of paternity details in the register of birthsin respect of children born to parents who are notmarried to each other.The Status of Children Act 1987 amendedsection 7 of the Births and Deaths RegistrationAct (Ireland) 1880 by the substitution of sections7 and 7A. Section 7A sets out the procedures forthe re-registration of a birth to include paternitydetails where the birth was initially registeredwithout such details being included. As it wouldappear from the information furnished that a manhas been named in the entry in the register ofbirths, the provisions of section 7A may not beavailed of in the case referred to by the Deputy.However, if the Deputy were to furnish detailsto an tArd-Chláraitheoir, including details of theputative father, he could investigate to see whatmeasures, if any, can be taken to resolve thematter, either under current legislation or theprovisions of the relevant parts of the Civil RegistrationAct 2004, which are due to be commencedin the near future.Hospital Staff.132. Mr. Connolly asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children the findings ofthe task force established in April 2002 by herpredecessor to examine the incidence of assaulton psychiatric nurses; when she proposes toimplement these findings; and if she will make astatement on the matter. [5916/05]133. Mr. Connolly asked the Tánaiste andMinister for Health and Children when it is proposedto introduce a no faults compensationpackage for psychiatric nurses who are injured asa result of assaults at work; and if she will makea statement on the matter. [5917/05]Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children(Ms Harney): I propose to take Questions Nos.132 and 133 together.The report of the task force on assaults onpsychiatric nurses was completed in 2003. Inaddition to quantifying the level of assaults andmaking recommendations on prevention, thereport contained proposals for a scheme of compensationfor psychiatric nurses who have beenseriously injured as a result of an assault by apatient in the workplace.Government approval would be required forthe introduction of any new State compensationscheme, which would be additional to the existingserious physical assaults scheme, last revised in2001. The serious physical assaults scheme providesenhanced sick pay arrangements for nursesassaulted at work. Medical expenses are alsorefunded. In circumstances where a nurse is certifiedpermanently unfit to resume duty he or shemay be paid five sixths of full salary untilretirement.In late 2003 a draft memorandum for Governmentwas circulated and during the consultationprocess, complex legal and financial issuesemerged on aspects of the scheme proposed bythe task force and their implications for thehealth service and the wider public service.In March 2004 the Psychiatric Nurses’ Associationand SIPTU were advised that particularconcerns had been raised concerning the proposedscheme. In the meantime officials from myDepartment have been in consultation with theDepartment of Finance and the office of theAttorney General. I am sure the Deputy willappreciate that the issues involved are very complexand have far reaching implications for thehealth service. I expect to be in a position to providemore definite information shortly.Health Services.134. Mr. Neville asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children when a suitable andproper care centre involving one-to-one supervisionwill be made available to a person (detailssupplied) in County Limerick. [5918/05]Minister of State at the Department of Healthand Children (Mr. T. O’Malley): The Health Act,2004 provided for the Health Service Executive,which was established on 1 January, 2005. Underthe Act, the executive has responsibility to manageand deliver or arrange to be delivered on itsbehalf, health and personal social services. Thisincludes responsibility for the provision of residentialplaces. Accordingly, my Department hasrequested the chief officer of the executive’s midwesternarea to investigate the matter raised andto reply directly to the Deputy.Care of the Elderly.135. Mr. Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Ministerfor Health and Children the estimate ofmoney owed to persons or their families from
Page 1 and 2: 337 Questions— 22 February 2005.
Page 23: 381 Questions— 22 February 2005.
Page 75 and 76:
485 Questions— 22 February 2005.
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
show all

Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?