Results 101-120 of 45,809 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Written Answers — Health Board Services: Health Board Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The publication of the report of the national advisory committee on palliative care was approved by Government and launched on 4 October 2001. The report describes a comprehensive palliative care service and acts as a blueprint for its development over a five to seven year period. My Department has provided funding to all the health boards on a pro-rata basis to commence the development of...

Written Answers — Health Board Services: Health Board Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, the development of palliative care services in this case is a matter for each health authority. My Department has, therefore, asked the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards to provide the information, which will be forwarded to the Deputy, as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Diabetes Incidence: Diabetes Incidence (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Diabetes is a condition that is characterised by high blood glucose concentrations. The hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, helps the body to take energy from food and use it as fuel for the body. The raised glucose level occurs because the body is not producing sufficient insulin or the cells are resistant to the action of the insulin. The glucose is unable to get into the...

Written Answers — Diabetes Incidence: Diabetes Incidence (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 326 together. Services at Beaumont Hospital are provided under an arrangement with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has, therefore, asked the regional chief executive of the authority to examine this issue and to reply to the Deputy directly. The Deputy may be aware that I have asked the chief medical officer of the Department of...

Written Answers — Diabetes Incidence: Diabetes Incidence (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The total amount spent on public moneys specifically dedicated to diabetes in 2003 was €49,356,252 as follows: Programme 2003 Heartwatch (Primary Care Programme) 200,000 Diabetes Federation of Ireland 63,000 Community Health — Screening for diabetic retinopathy 230,000 Long Term Illness Scheme 48,863,252 Total 49,356,252 The national programme in general...

Written Answers — Diabetes Incidence: Diabetes Incidence (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Diabetes mellitus, DM, is a condition characterised by high blood glucose concentrations. The hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, helps the body to take energy from food and use it as fuel for the body. The raised glucose level occurs because the body is not producing sufficient insulin or the cells are resistant to the action of the insulin. There are two main types of DM....

Written Answers — Health Board Services: Health Board Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy is aware, responsibility for the provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons in County Mayo rests with the Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The provision of private care in public acute hospitals has been a long standing feature of the Irish health care system. The White Paper on Private Health Insurance 1999 sets out the advantages of allowing private practice on public hospital sites, as follows. It helps to ensure that medical and other staff of the highest calibre continue to be attracted into and retained in the public...

Written Answers — Cancer Screening Programme: Cancer Screening Programme (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Phase 1 of the national cervical screening programme has been up and running in the Mid-Western Health Board since October 2000. Under the programme, cervical screening is being offered at five year intervals to approximately 74,000 women in the 25 to 60 age group free of charge. The national health strategy includes a commitment to extend the programme to the rest of the country. The Health...

Written Answers — Cancer Treatment Services: Cancer Treatment Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 333 and 334 together. As the Deputy is aware, I launched the report, The Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland, in October 2003. I established the expert group on radiotherapy services to ensure that we effectively plan the current and future development of this element of cancer care. Palliative care was identified as a particular issue in...

Written Answers — Health Board Services: Health Board Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Responsibility for the provision of health services to persons living in County Sligo rests with the North Western Health Board. My Department has therefore asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The report of the national task force on medical staffing — Hanly — proposes that the hospitals referred to by the Deputy should form part of an integrated network alongside St. Vincent's University Hospital to meet the acute hospital needs of the east coast region. The report recommends that St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, and St. Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, should be...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Responsibility for the provision of a medical card is, by legislation, a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health authority. I understand that the Deputy raised this matter previously in a parliamentary question last November and was subsequently informed by the South Eastern Health Board that there was a medical card valid until the end of November 2003 in this case and...

Written Answers — Health Board Services: Health Board Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of health services, including hospices services, in the Galway area is a matter for the Western Health Board in the first instance. The Galway Hospice Foundation, has for the past number of years, provided a valuable service to cancer patients and their families in the west. I am aware that there are difficulties surrounding the operation of the...

Written Answers — Drugs Payment Scheme: Drugs Payment Scheme (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: My Department put in place a refund scheme to process applications from people who may be eligible for a refund due to the delay in putting the drugs payment scheme on a statutory basis. The scheme was advertised in the national press on 26 June 2003 and again on 12 and 14 September for the extension of the closing date for applications to 31 October. The GMS payments board is operating the...

Written Answers — Nursing Education: Nursing Education (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The commission on nursing, which reported in 1998, recommended that pre-registration nursing education move from a three year diploma programme to a four year degree programme in each of the disciplines of general, psychiatric and mental handicap nursing. The Government expressed its commitment to implementing the programme by providing capital investment in excess of €240 million to ensure...

Written Answers — Health Board Services: Health Board Services (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The provision of medical services to residents of County Mayo is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the position in relation to this case and reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Responsibility for the provision of drug treatment services rests with the health boards in the first instance. I have been advised by the Eastern Regional Health Authority that the three area health boards within the eastern region provide detoxification and rehabilitation services on both an in-patient and out-patient basis. Those under 18 years old are prioritised for these services. For...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The overall objective of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 is to reduce the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research with the ultimate aim of leading a drug-free lifestyle. The health related aspects of the strategy focus in particular on education and prevention and treatment and...

Written Answers — Organ Retention: Organ Retention (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 369 together. The post-mortem inquiry is a non-statutory inquiry chaired by Ms Anne Dunne SC. Since the beginning of 2003, the inquiry has been concentrating on the investigation of the post-mortem policy, practice and procedure of the three main paediatric hospitals, the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, the Children's University Hospital,...