Results 121-140 of 45,774 for speaker:Micheál Martin

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

Micheál Martin: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the drugs payment scheme, DPS. 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...

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

Micheál Martin: The rationale for the use of casemix systems as part of the budgetary process is the wish to base funding on measured costs and activity, rather than on less objective systems of resource allocation. It is also used to fund hospitals based on their mix of cases. The national casemix programme operates in 34 hospitals nationally. Those whose cost per case is higher than the mean have some of...

Written Answers — Compensation Scheme: Compensation Scheme (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: I met representatives of the Psychiatric Nurses' Association on 24 September 2003. Among the issues discussed was the report of the task force on assaults on psychiatric nurses and, in particular, the proposal that a scheme be established to compensate psychiatric nurses seriously injured as a result of assault by a patient. Officials from my Department prepared a draft memorandum for...

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 board or authority. My Department has, therefore, asked the CEO of the South Eastern Health Board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.

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

Micheál Martin: Statutory responsibility for the provision of orthodontic treatment to eligible persons rests with the health boards in the first instance. Entitlement to orthodontic treatment is determined by reference to orthodontic guidelines, a set of objective clinical criteria applied by health board orthodontists when assessing children's priority of need for treatment. The orthodontic guidelines were...

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

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together. The additional moneys, €857,000, allocated to the Southern Health Board in 2003 arose out of consideration of revised proposals from that board earlier in the year. This decision was taken after careful consideration of the applications from all boards for the available funding under this heading. The allocation sought and granted...

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

Micheál Martin: 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 — 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 board or authority. My Department has, therefore, asked the CEO of the South Eastern Health Board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.

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

Micheál Martin: The current waiting time in the North Western Health Board region in respect of cervical smears is four weeks for priority smears and 16 weeks for routine smears. The North Western Health Board will continue to make efforts to reduce the waiting times further.

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

Micheál Martin: The provision of orthodontic services is the statutory responsibility of the health boards or authority in the first instance. The aim of my Department is to develop the treatment capacity of orthodontics, both nationally and in the North Western Health Board or NWHB, in a sustainable way over the longer term. Given the potential level of demand for orthodontic services, the provision of...

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

Micheál Martin: The national roll-out of BreastCheck, which I announced last year, requires detailed planning to include essential infrastructure. The BreastCheck clinical unit in the western area will be at University College Hospital, Galway, with two associated mobile units. The area of coverage is counties Galway, Sligo, Roscommon, Donegal, Mayo, Leitrim, Clare and Tipperary North Riding. A capital...

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

Micheál Martin: At my request, Comhairle na nOspidéal established a committee to examine existing arrangements for the provision of consultant level neurology and neurophysiology services nationally and to make recommendations on the future organisation and development of those services. Comhairle na nOspidéal has now published its report and, having considered it, I am happy to endorse its recommendations...

Written Answers — Smoking Ban: Smoking Ban (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: Environmental health officers from the health boards and staff from the Office of Tobacco Control authorised under the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002 will be monitoring compliance with the smoke-free workplace regulations when made. The Health and Safety Authority, which is the statutory body with responsibility for health and safety in the workplace, will also be involved with monitoring...

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

Micheál Martin: The provision of orthodontic services is a matter for the health boards in the first instance. I have taken a number of measures to improve orthodontic services on a national basis. The grade of specialist in orthodontics has been created in the health board orthodontic service. In 2003, my Department and the health boards funded 13 dentists from various health boards for specialist in...

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

Micheál Martin: According to figures made available to my Department by the health boards, there are ten consultant orthodontists employed in the health boards and authority public orthodontic service. In addition, my Department funded 13 dentists from various health boards to obtain specialist in orthodontics qualifications at training programmes in Ireland and at three separate universities in the United...

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

Micheál Martin: Decisions regarding the work of the acute hospitals review group are a matter for its independent chairperson. I understand that the first meeting of the group has been scheduled for 19 February. It will be a matter for the chairperson to decide whether this meeting will proceed. In the meantime, the analytical and research work for the group, which is provided by a secretariat from my...

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

Micheál Martin: The Government approved the publication of the report of the national task force on medical staffing, or the Hanly report, in October 2003 and is committed in principle to the implementation of its recommendations. Those recommendations include a number of measures which, far from precipitating mass emigration, are expected to improve significantly the retention in Ireland of the doctors who...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available at present. I am having the information collated and will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Hepatitis C Incidence. (17 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: The Finlay tribunal, which reported in 1997, noted that between November 1991 and December 1993, donors in the Munster region who tested positive for hepatitis C were not immediately informed of their test results. One of these donors, known to the tribunal as Donor L, gave evidence that he had made blood donations regularly between 1986 and July 1993. He expressed considerable distress and...

Hepatitis C Incidence. (17 Feb 2004)

Micheál Martin: I thought the Deputy had said that earlier.