Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 737: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she proposes to take to ensure that students living away from the family home for long periods and who have to register for a second or subsequent pharmacy or general practitioner under the medical card-GP visit card and drug payment scheme can do so; if she will make this regulation to make it possible for them to do this; if she will introduce a centralised database of the drug payment scheme for medical card and GP visit card service providers and service users; and if this centralised database would remove the geographical barrier to accessing health care here. [1594/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has asked the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 738: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps she is taking to improve the universal access to crisis pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections clinics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1599/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency was established in October 2001 under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1961, with a statutory remit to prepare a strategy to address the issue of crisis pregnancy, the strategy to provide, inter alia for:

a reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services;

a reduction in the number of woman with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and supports which make other options more attractive; and

the provision of counselling and medical services after crisis pregnancy.

The Strategy was published in 2003 and a follow-on Strategy will be prepared in 2007.

Since the Agency's establishment significant resources have been committed towards improving services and supports to women experiencing crisis pregnancy. Approximately 80% of the Agency's funding programme has been devoted to this.

The Agency has funded the expansion of crisis pregnancy counselling services by approximately 50% so that there are now thirteen counselling service providers operating in just over 50 towns/cities nationwide. It has put particular emphasis on spreading services across the country and in some cases to more remote locations. Much of this has been achieved by forming effective partnerships with the Health Service Executive. The Agency has also ensured that all crisis pregnancy counselling is provided free to women regardless of their income, age or where they live.

The Agency has also funded the expansion of post abortion counselling and medical supports nationally. Such counselling is provided free of charge by all thirteen service providers in just over 50 towns and cities nationwide. The Agency also funds seven services to provide free post abortion medical check-ups and contraceptive advice. It is the Agency's intention to focus more on post abortion counselling and services in 2007.

In relation to STI services, over €7m additional funding has been made available to the former health boards and the Health Service Executive since 1997 to address the treatment of STIs and HIV/AIDS. This year alone has seen €1m of this additional funding allocated to HIV and STI service developments.

The additional funding has resulted in a substantial increase in the facilities in place. At present there are seven consultants specialising in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and STIs in Ireland. Five of these are in Dublin (one of which deals with children), one in Cork and one in Galway. The Care and Management sub-committee of the National AIDS Strategy Committee (NASC) has reviewed the development of HIV/AIDS and STI treatment services throughout the country and published a report with a number of recommendations in relation to these services.

On foot of a recommendation of the NASC, my Department and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency commissioned the Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships (ISSHR) in 2003. The information in this study, and the three sub-reports still to be published, will inform our approach to sexual health policy in the future.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 739: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will resolve the doctor issues regarding a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if she will put in place a long-term care package for this person. [1603/07]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.