Written Answers Nos. 222-238
222. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing legislation to restrict the sale of nitrous oxide canisters, commonly known as 'laughing gas', for personal use, and limit their availability exclusively to the medical and catering industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41670/24]
View answerNitrous oxide has various uses such as catering and industrial purposes and, because of its legitimate uses, it is not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Acts. Under the Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010, it is an offence to sell, import or export a psychoactive substance for human consumption, including nitrous oxide.
223. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health if a whole-time consultant neurologist will be assigned to Wexford General Hospital; the expected timeline on any such appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41671/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
224. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of hiring 100 nurse specialists across neuro services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41683/24]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, involving recruitment and costs, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
225. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of consultant neurologists by at least six; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41684/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
226. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health to address a matter in the emergency department of Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan (details supplied). [41701/24]
View answerIn 2019, Our Lady’s Hospital Navan had a budget of €48 million. As of May 2024, the budget for the hospital stands at €72 million. The budget for the last 5 years for Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan was:
• 2023 - €76,000,000
• 2022 - €65,000,000
• 2021 - €63,000,000
• 2020 - €58,000,000
• 2019 - €48,000,000
Approximately 70% of the budget for the hospital is allocated to staff costs. It is not possible to provide a separate budget for the Emergency Department.
The HSE Annual Report and Annual Financial Statements describe how services have been delivered each year and the HSE National Service Plan explains the services that are funded by the budget.
The National Financial Regulations (NFRs) help the HSE to make financial decisions and transactions. All staff across the HSE have a responsibility to be aware of the NFRs, how they apply to the day-to-day operations of their work.
The NRFs set out minimum requirements that must be followed in order to be compliant.
The minimum requirements include:
• Irish and EU statutory requirements
• Achievement of Best Value for Money
• Government policies and guidelines
Specifically within Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan hospital there has been considerable public capital investment in recent years, including:
• Upgrade to canteen and conference area completed 2024.
• Additional external parking provided and completed 2023.
• Upgrade of the mortuary at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan – complete in 2023.
• New Reception area completed 2023.
• Ward Refurbishment – complete 2022.
• Modifications to Theatres – complete 2021
The recently-announced Budget allocation for health includes significant increases on 2024 in the area of Acute Hospitals with an overall increase of 22% to €9.9 billion.
227. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of legal cases taken against his Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024; the costs incurred by his Department in relation to such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41718/24]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. I will respond directly to the Deputy when the information has been collated.
228. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of data breaches experienced by his Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024; if a breakdown will be provided on the nature of the breaches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41736/24]
View answerMy Department is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of data subjects and adhering to obligations as a data controller under data protection legislation.
The Department deals with personal data breaches in line with the Department of Health’s Data Breach Management Policy. All personal data breaches are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Once a potential breach has been detected and secured, a risk assessment is undertaken to determine the risk to the rights and freedoms of the affected data subjects. Under the GDPR, the Department must notify personal data breaches to the DPC unless it is unlikely to result in a risk to data subjects. Where a breach is likely to result in a high risk to data subjects, the Department must also inform those individuals without undue delay. All incidents are logged and reviewed to prevent a similar breach from reoccurring.
The table below sets out the number of personal data breaches logged by my Department since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 to date.
|
Year |
Total Breaches |
Type of Breach |
|
2018 |
4 |
Human Error; Unauthorised Use/Access to Data |
|
2019 |
2 |
Human Error |
|
2020 |
16 |
Human Error; Loss or Theft |
|
2021 |
20 |
Human Error; Unauthorised Use/Access to Data; Hacking Attack; Loss or Theft |
|
2022 |
9 |
Human Error; Unauthorised Use/Access to Data; Loss or Theft; Temporary Loss of Availability |
|
2023 |
14 |
Loss or Theft; Human Error; Unauthorised Use/Access to Data |
|
2024 |
8 |
Human Error; Loss or Theft; Unauthorised Use/Access to Data |
229. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total costs associated for his Department in relation to trips abroad taken by Ministers in his Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2024. [41754/24]
View answerThe table below shows the total cost of trips abroad taken by Ministers in my Department since 2019, including the costs of accompanying advisors and private secretaries.
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
|
Minister Simon Harris |
17,903 |
294 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
MoS Catherine Byrne |
959 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
MoS Finian McGrath |
9,632 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
MoS Jim Daly |
23,183 |
378 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Minister Stephen Donnelly |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4,736 |
9,930 |
11,748 |
|
MoS Anne Rabbitte |
0 |
0 |
1,909 |
7,700 |
10,956 |
0 |
|
MoS Frank Feighan |
0 |
0 |
569 |
9,693 |
0 |
0 |
|
MoS Mary Butler |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2,599 |
0 |
2,480 |
|
MoS Hildegarde Naughton |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2,654 |
4,321 |
|
MoS Colm Burke |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1,461 |
230. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the amount spent by his Department on public relations in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [41773/24]
View answerMy Department has the following information for the period 1 January 2013 to 11 October 2024:
|
YEAR |
COST |
|
2013 |
€0.00 |
|
2014 |
€0.00 |
|
2015 |
€0.00 |
|
2016 |
€0.00 |
|
2017 |
€95,874.63 |
|
2018 |
€20,731.44 |
|
2019 |
€5077.58 |
|
2020 |
€21,937.20 |
|
2021 |
€173,054.09* |
|
2022 |
€116,235.00* |
|
2023 |
€0.00 |
|
2024 YTD |
€0.00 |
*The figures for 2021 and 2022 consist of payments made for the provision of Contract Staff, specifically Temporary Press Officers. This was required due to the increase in workload, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
231. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total amount of consultancy fees incurred by his Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [41791/24]
View answerThe table below shows expenditure on consultancy in my Department for each of the past ten years and to date in 2024.
|
Year |
Total (€) |
|
2014 |
1,554,510 |
|
2015 |
814,476 |
|
2016 |
704,804 |
|
2017 |
1,341,064 |
|
2018 |
1,414,425 |
|
2019 |
928,666 |
|
2020 |
816,792 |
|
2021 |
512,564 |
|
2022 |
1,189,113 |
|
2023 |
806,017 |
|
2024 |
300,934 |
232. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the amount spent by his Department on traditional and online advertising in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [41809/24]
View answerThe amounts outlined in the below table were spent on traditional and online advertising over the years 2014-2023 and up until Friday 11 October 2024. This includes Healthy Ireland campaigns, Departmental notices, departmental COVID-19 public health guidance and other departmental campaigns.
The overarching aim of Healthy Ireland is to bring about a healthier population by supporting people to enjoy the best possible health and well-being. It is the Government-led initiative aimed at delivering the Sláintecare objective of preventing ill-health and keeping people well. Since 2018, Healthy Ireland has developed a number of engagement campaigns designed to raise public awareness of Healthy Ireland supports under three themes – healthy eating, physical activity and mental wellbeing.
The Department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic included a comprehensive advertising campaign across both traditional and online media channels for the purposes of informing the public and promoting the latest public health guidance. The level of advertising spend varies depending upon the public health requirements at the time. The Health Service Executive continues to run advertising campaigns to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine programme and the latest public health advice.
The table below provides the information requested in this Parliamentary Question.
|
Year |
Traditional Advertising Spend |
Digital Advertising Spend |
|
2014 |
€40,430.63 |
€ - |
|
2015 |
€89,376.59 |
€4,417.30 |
|
2016 |
€21,876.38 |
€ - |
|
2017 |
€22,079.52 |
€ - |
|
2018 |
€723,995.65 |
€321,508.46 |
|
2019 |
€479,746.50 |
€44,008.34 |
|
2020 |
€1,631,569.74 |
€315,101.82 |
|
2021 |
€2,001,388.10 |
€315,101.82 |
|
2022 |
€680,350.16 |
€336,919.60 |
|
2023 |
€1,846,662.81 |
€486,503.17 |
|
2024 (YTD) |
€509,752.50 |
€100,172.24 |
233. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently waiting for ophthalmology appointments, by county; and the average wait time per county, in tabular form. [41829/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
234. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid by the State on the purchasing of ventilators from China which were unsuitable for use (details supplied); the amount of that cost which has been recouped by the State; the legal costs associated with attempting to recoup the costs; the total costs associated with storage of the ventilators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41830/24]
View answerAs the Deputy's question refers to an operational matter which is the responsibility of the HSE, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
235. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of babies born with drug or alcohol addictions, by county, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [41831/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
236. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid out in compensation by the HSE over the past fifteen years. [41832/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
237. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently in hospital despite being clinically discharged; and the details of the number who have been in hospital despite being clinically discharged for in excess of six months, one year and two years, per hospital. [41833/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
238. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of cancer surgeries carried out in the State in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [41834/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
