Robert Troy
Ceist:1949. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if the provision of home help hours for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [35947/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraHome Help Service
Ceisteanna (1949)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (1950)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1950. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if there is currently restricted access to the additional MRI scanner at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar; and if this scanner is available for both inpatient and outpatient cases. [35953/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (1951)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1951. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if an appointment can be expedited for a person (details supplied). [35954/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
Ambulance Service
Ceisteanna (1952)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Ceist:1952. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the progress of the permanent ambulance base in a state-of-the-art facility in Carlow town (details supplied); the response rate in Carlow town and county for emergency ambulance response; the response rate nationally; and the response rate, by town, in Carlow. [35957/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As these are service related matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (1953)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1953. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a child (details supplied) will be called for surgery at the first available date. [35959/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (1954)
Robert Troy
Ceist:1954. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the plans he is putting in place to get Ireland ready for the EU Health Data Space Regulation; and if he is confident Ireland can move its health records online in time. [35960/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation will provide a common governance framework and harmonised infrastructure for the use and reuse of electronic health information in and between EU Member States for primary purposes (patient care and treatment) and secondary purposes (research and innovation, policy making, education and training). It will achieve this by:
• building a common governance framework and harmonised infrastructure for the use of electronic health data for primary and secondary purposes
• facilitating the use of EU standardised and interoperable Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
• providing for EU cross-border exchange of health data:
• for primary use through MyHealth@EU
• for secondary purposes through HealthData@EU
• establishing key fundamental patient rights surrounding personal electronic health information
The EHDS is currently in legal translation, with planned publication in the Official Journal of the European Union by Q4 2024. The Regulation will then take effect 20 days after publication and follow a phased-implementation timeline. Member States have several obligations under the EHDS that will requirement initial implementation from 2026-2030.
I welcome the forthcoming Regulation as a powerful driver of health services improvement and a key for unlocking for the tremendous potential of health data to improve the lives of patients and the professionals who care for them.
My department has significantly increased our activity in recent years to support readying our legislative and policy landscape for the implementation of the EHDS. To achieve this, I have published the Health Information Bill 2024, which will provide a legal basis for the establishment of Digital Health Records in Ireland and have published the Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024 – 2030 to guide strategic development and investment in digital transformation. The HSE has also published their accompanying Digital Health Strategic Implementation Roadmap 2024-2030. With the publication of the Digital for Care Framework and Roadmap, we now have the vision, guiding principles, roadmap, appetite, and a growing momentum to deliver on our ambition to digitally transform health services in Ireland and into the next decade.
The Health Information Bill 2024 is the first in a series of legislative measures that will facilitate our national EHDS implementation. It will be followed by the transposition of the EHDS into national law in 2025 and an expansion of our national health information legislation in 2026 to provide comprehensively for secondary use including research and innovation.
By 2026, Member States will be required to appoint three supervisory authorities to coordinate and provide oversight to national implementation. These bodies are:
• a Digital Health Authority to support the governance of health data for primary use and oversight of the MyHealth@EU platform
• a Market Surveillance Authority to serve as the supervisory body for Electronic Health Record systems
• a Health Data Access Body to support the governance of health data for secondary use and oversight of the HealthData@EU platform
Appointments for each of these roles is currently undergoing options appraisal analysis and bodies will be advised of their designations by the end of Q4 2024. The national timeline for these appointments is designed to ensure Ireland can maximise the benefits of EU funding that will become available in the coming years to support the implementation.
By 2028, Member States will be required to have initial categories of data in EHRs available for patients and healthcare practitioners to access and edit. Initial categories of data will include:
• Patient summaries
• Electronic prescriptions
• Electronic dispensations
Ireland is currently readying the availability of this data through the HSE’s Shared Care Record Programme and National Patient App.
Member States will also be required establish health data access services for secondary use and make initial categories of health data available for access upon data permit request. To date, Ireland has received €3.6 million in EU funding to develop our secondary health data infrastructure. This funding will support the establishment our national Health Data Access Body and its required services such as a national metadata catalogue.
Full compliance with the Regulation will be required by 2030. This will include making expanded categories of data available in the patient EHR as follows:
• medical images
• medical tests and laboratory reports
• discharge reports
Expanded categories of data for secondary use will also become available, including clinical trial data and genetic data.
The work to ensure Ireland meets these expanded categories is currently underway and will continue over the coming years, being driven by the supervisory authorities.
Nursing Homes
Ceisteanna (1955)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:1955. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will give further consideration to the need to provide additional support for nursing home care; particularly for smaller-scale nursing home providers, in view of the challenges facing them to remain viable due to various increased costs over the past number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35988/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The sustainability of the Nursing Home sector in Ireland is an important priority for this Government and unprecedented levels of funding; investment and support has been provided over the last number of years to stabilise the sector. The overall budget has increased from €986m in 2020 to €1.161bn in 2024. It is anticipated that the trend of allocating increased funding to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) will continue in the forthcoming budget. In addition, the Government has provided the private and voluntary nursing home sector, with over €151 million in funding delivered through the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) over the course of the Covid pandemic, which was extended to the end of April 2023. Other supports directly delivered through the HSE include serial testing, the provision of PPE and deployment of expert response teams. The provision of free PPE and oxygen to private nursing homes continues, and cost €77 million from 1 April 2020 to 31 October 2022. A €10 million scheme (TIPS) was established to support private and voluntary nursing homes with increases in energy costs. The scheme covers 75% of year-on-year cost increases in energy and heating, up to a monthly cap of €5,250 per nursing home, over the period of July to December 2022. TIPS was extended further, to June 2023. Budget 2023 saw over €40 million in additional funding for the NHSS which is providing for an uplift in the maximum prices chargeable by private and voluntary nursing homes, as negotiated. An additional €45.6 million has been allocated to support nursing homes in Budget 2024. This was including a new €10 million fund to support private and voluntary nursing homes with HIQA compliance. The scheme is designed to target and support structural improvements in nursing homes to assist their meeting HIQA compliance plans in respect of protection against infection and fire precautions. This is active as from 1 January 2024 and can be backdated for eligible works to 1 January 2020. The budget to support approximately 23,000 people to live in nursing homes through Fair Deal, inclusive of client contributions, is approximately €1.5 billion this year. In late February, it was announced that over €3.2 million in State support will be provided for over 440 registered nurses in private nursing homes to obtain a Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing. This follows similar funding provided for registered nurses in public Community Nursing Units and voluntary nursing homes.
In addition, I recently announced the completion of the national rollout of a new community based mobile X-ray service which aims to reduce the number of older patients attending Emergency Departments (EDs). Following a pilot launched in 2022, from 1 March 2024 this free, community-based service is available to all residents in private and voluntary nursing homes and Community Nursing Units nationwide.
Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) following negotiations and based on its cost criteria. These criteria include: costs reasonably incurred by the nursing home, local market prices, historic prices and the available budget. The Department of Health and I have met with the NTPF Board several times to discuss ways in which to support the sector, where necessary and appropriate, to complement the normal process of negotiating rate increases when contracts are renewed. The NTPF has statutory independence in this regard, and neither Ministers nor the Department of Health has any role in NHSS price negotiations. Nevertheless, nursing homes which had a scheduled renegotiation of their Deed of Agreement recently with the NTPF have seen a significant uplift (an average baseline increase in price per bed of 6%). I wish to note that the NTPF have no role in provision of funding for public beds within private Nursing Homes. In the last two years, there has been an increase in Nursing Homes moving to a 12-month duration of their deeds of agreement with the NTPF. In a 30 - month period (March 2022 - July 2024), the average increase in the maximum rates a nursing home can charge for NHSS has increased approx. 12% or €122 per resident per week. The average price difference between the lowest and highest county averages in March 2022 was €278 which, by comparison to July 2024, has reduced to €244. The Department of Health is also examining ways in which additional supports can be provided to the sector.
Budget 2025
Ceisteanna (1956)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:1956. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if further consideration will be given to the pre-budget 2025 submission of a national organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35989/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government is committed to promoting cardiovascular health and has invested in cardiovascular services to achieve this. The Government acknowledges the vital support, education, and advocacy offered by the Irish Heart Foundation and other patient support groups.
Thanks to continued investment in Health Services, Ireland has seen a decline in the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since 2012, the mortality rate from heart disease has been reduced by 38%, and mortality from stroke has been reduced by 48%.
Many patient services are embedded in policy, including the National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 for which the government has provided over €7.3m to date.
In 2022 and 2023, the HSE's National Heart Programme sponsored two CVD risk prevention projects with the Irish Heart Foundation supported through the Enhanced Community Care Programme.
Her Heart Matters’ is a national women’s cardiovascular health promotion campaign run by the Irish Heart Foundation and supported by the Women’s Health Fund. The campaign aims to raise awareness around symptomology and gender differences in CVD.
The State, via the HSE, provides funding to the Irish Heart Foundation and other cardiovascular support agencies of approximately €530,000 through Service Level Agreements and Grant Aid Agreements, of which €380,000 has been allocated to Irish Heart Foundation in 2024.
The HSE advise that an additional once-off sum of €400,000 has been allocated to the Irish Heart Foundation in 2024. This is dedicated to a high-risk CVD prevention programme which has demonstrated its effectiveness by enhancing healthcare provision, clinical outcomes, and health behaviours in patients living in deprived communities.
We welcome the Irish Heart Foundation's 2025 pre-Budget submission and recognise the importance of advocacy and support groups and their value as a partner in Ireland’s health systems.
Hospital Facilities
Ceisteanna (1957)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:1957. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when additional and modern facilities will be provided at a hospital (details supplied) to enable increased capacity and eliminate delays in provision of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35990/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
Education and Training Boards
Ceisteanna (1958)
Jackie Cahill
Ceist:1958. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of people who have undertaken the mandatory all-terrain vehicle-quad bike training since the introduction of the new regulations in November 2023, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33854/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Neither the Department nor Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) hold complete data on the number of people who have undertaken mandatory all-terrain vehicle-quad bike training since the introduction of the new regulations in November 2023. This information would be only available from individual providers who provide this training.
The below table sets out data pertaining to the number of people who have completed mandatory all-terrain vehicle/quad bike training and subsequently have received QQI certification.
|
Number |
County |
|
Cavan |
6 |
|
Limerick |
7 |
|
Mayo |
41 |
|
Tipperary |
940 |
|
Wexford |
2 |
|
Total |
996 |
Third Level Education
Ceisteanna (1959)
Brendan Smith
Ceist:1959. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students from the State studying at further and higher education level in Northern Ireland in the academic years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024; the financial supports available for such students to meet fees and maintenance costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33932/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Based on most up-to-date for two full academic years, the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland has provided the data below for the number of students domiciled in Ireland who were studying at Further and Higher Education Institutions in Northern Ireland for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years. (Data for 2023/24 is not yet available.)
Number of Students domiciled in Ireland enrolled in NI FE Colleges (2021/22 to 2022/23)
|
- |
Academic Year |
- |
|
|
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
|
Students |
1,195 |
1,140 |
Number of Students domiciled in Ireland enrolled in NI HEIs (Level of Study - Undergraduate & Postgraduate) (2021/22 to 2022/23)
|
- |
Academic Year |
- |
|
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
|
|
Students |
2,305 |
2,765 |
Irish students who choose to study a full-time undergraduate course in Northern Ireland can apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for a maintenance grant in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Student Grant Scheme.
The Student Grant Scheme does not extend to Post-Leaving Certificate courses pursued outside the State. Furthermore, the scheme does not cover the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside Ireland, other than the exceptional provision in respect of postgraduate courses in four publicly funded approved institutions in Northern Ireland:
• Queen’s University, Belfast,
• University of Ulster,
• St. Mary’s College of Education, Belfast and
• Stranmillis College, Belfast.
This provision is consistent with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement and is intended to promote greater tolerance and understanding between both jurisdictions.
Students seeking to pursue their studies in Northern Ireland are advised to contact Student Finance Northern Ireland. In addition, they may wish to contact the relevant Further or Higher Education Institution in Northern Ireland for advice on the type and range of supports that may be available in any specific college.
Third Level Fees
Ceisteanna (1960)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Ceist:1960. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the income that is assessed in the case of an applicant who may apply for SUSI grant funding whose parents are deceased and who is in the care of a guardian; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33990/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
When a dependent applicant is applying to SUSI and their parents are deceased, the income of their guardian may be considered when assessing their grant application, depending on the legal status of the guardianship.
A legal guardian is a person who has been appointed by a court and has the legal authority and corresponding duty to make decisions for another person. The student’s income and that of their legal guardian(s) is included in the assessment of applications from dependent and mature dependent students.
Income from guardians who are not court appointed legal guardians is not included when calculating the reckonable income of a dependent student’s application.
If an applicant considers they have been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, they may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. If they have had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in SUSI and remain of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in their case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the appeals officer to the applicant). Such appeals can be made by the appellant online via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.
Third Level Fees
Ceisteanna (1961)
Colm Burke
Ceist:1961. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of any potential changes to the SUSI grant criteria to allow for the funding of hybrid and part-time courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33999/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I was delighted to launch the new Part Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses on August 1st, which will be introduced from September 2024.
This is the first time, under the Student Support Act, that fee support will be available for students studying part-time. Fee support will be provided to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award.
There are 62 part-time courses identified as being eligible for this scheme for the 2024/25 academic year, encompassing both in-person and hybrid (part in-person, part online) provision. Eligible courses must have an average of between 30 and 50 credits (ECTS) per year.
Eligibility will be subject to meeting nationality, progression and residency criteria, similar to the existing Student Grant Scheme. This Scheme is means tested and a student’s total reckonable household income must fall below the threshold of €55,924 for the 2024/25 academic year. SUSI are administering the Scheme which is now open for applications for funding for the 2024/25 academic year at www.susi.ie.
This is an important new initiative which will open the doors of higher education to many groups who cannot participate in full time programmes.
My Department is committed to monitoring and evaluating the scheme during the pilot stage of this new initiative and there will be opportunities for new courses that meet the eligibility criteria to be included for the 2025/26 academic year to provide students with more flexibility of choice.
Programme for Government
Ceisteanna (1962)
Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:1962. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the implementation of the programme for Government commitments under the remit of his Department. [34010/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Programme for Government commitments under the remit of my Department are set out at the following link:
Third Level Fees
Ceisteanna (1963)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Ceist:1963. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a Susi grant application for a person (details supplied) will be re-examined. [34080/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
I have been advised by my officials that the student to whom the Deputy refers was awarded the €500 student contribution grant by the awarding authority, SUSI, for the 2024/2025 academic year. The total household reckonable income for 2023 was calculated to be within the thresholds of €62,000 to €100,000 for this rate of grant.
For the 2023/2024 academic year, the students’ total household reckonable income for 2022 was calculated to be within the thresholds of €50,840 and €62,000. The student was, therefore, eligible for the 50% student contribution grant which applied to those students with household incomes between that range.
The student appealed the decision relating to their 2024/2025 application to SUSI in June 2024. The appeal was refused by the SUSI Appeals Officer on 1 July 2024 as the income calculations were found to be correct.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by an Appeals Officer in SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in their case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the Appeals Officer to the applicant). Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.