Written answers

Tuesday, 8 September 2020

Department of Health

Health Services Provision

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1080. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the trainee GP intake to 250 a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21343/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As GP training is currently the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, I have arranged for this question to be referred to the Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1081. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of an additional ambulance for each of the four HSE regions; the estimated cost of recruiting additional paramedics to staff them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21344/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1082. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing prescription charges by €1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21345/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The total cost of reducing prescription charges by €1 is €48m; €25.7m for the Under 70s and €22.6m for the Over 70s.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1083. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of increasing the number of undergraduate nursing places by 250; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21346/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has a four year nursing/midwifery degree programme. Therefore, the full year effect of the cost of increasing the number of undergraduate nursing and midwifery places by 250 arises from year four onwards and this is estimated to be € 20,260,000. Costs can be broken down into four main areas -

The Higher Education Authority uses a figure of €7,500 per student per year as representing an average of funding currently provided by them for grants and fees for nursing and midwifery undergraduate places. Given that four cohorts of the increased number of 250 would be in place by year four, the estimated annual cost from that point onwards is €7,500,000. During the final year of the programme students are on rostered work placements and are paid 70% of the first point of the staff nurse salary scale for a period of 36 weeks. The estimated annual cost of this for 250 students is €5,900,000. Each placement requires supervisory, teaching and assessment support which is provided by a team of Clinical Placement Co-ordinators, Allocations Liaison Officers and Nurse Tutors. The estimated annual cost of this is €6,400,000 to provide the support required for the four cohorts of the increased number of 250 which would be in place by year four.

There is also travel / accommodation allowances of €50.79 per student for clinical placement weeks which estimates to €460,000 over 4 years.

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1084. To ask the Minister for Health the current and capital cost of a palliative care bed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21347/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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