Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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1487. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 593 of 20 February 2024, the steps a person (details supplied) who is employed in a private company, but worked on a contract in a clinical setting in a hospital during the peak of the Covid pandemic can take in order to apply for the Covid bonus when their employer refuses to lodge an application on their behalf, but they meet the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12912/24]

Stephen 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.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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1488. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the primary residence is included in the assessment for the nursing home support scheme; if he plans to amend this to exclude the primary residence from the means assessment; if a person can appeal the decision to include the primary residence in the assessment, in cases in which they worked all their lives to pay for their house, the reason this is now being assessed against them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12913/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Nursing Home Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as 'Fair Deal', is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. The primary legislation underpinning the NHSS is the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act 2009. Participants in the NHSS contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone, and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings.

All participants within the NHSS contribute up to 80% of their income (40% if part of a couple) and 7.5% per annum of the value of their assets (3.75% if part of a couple). The first €36,000 (€72,000 if part of a couple) is excluded from assessment. The value of a person's principal residence is only assessed for contributions for their first three years on the scheme.

It is a core principle of the scheme that those who have more, pay more, and those who have less, pay less.

Assets assessed include cash assets as well as non-cash assets such as the principal private residence, other property and land, including farmland.

The process of the determination of financial assessment of means is described in Schedule 1 of the Act and can be viewed by following this link: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/act/15/enacted/en/print#sched1. As the scheme is governed by primary legislation, applicants have no leave to appeal inclusion of the Principal Private Residence in financial assessment of means calculations.

There are currently no plans to revise the legislation to remove the Principal Private Residence from assessment, however the Department of Health is consistently seeking to identify improvements and introduce enhancements to the scheme, where feasible, which aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is sustainable, accessible and affordable for everyone and that people continue to be cared for in the most appropriate settings. Given the size, complexity and cost of the NHSS, implementation is complex and any changes in policy direction need to be carefully assessed and kept under review.

One feature of the NHSS is that NHSS participants who own property/land-based assets in the State also have access to Ancillary State Support, or the Nursing Home Loan, an optional feature of the Fair Deal Scheme. It is a loan advanced by the HSE to help people meet the portion of their contribution to the cost of care that is based on property/land-based assets, most typically against the personal residence. If an individual secures Ancillary State Support, they will not need to contribute against the value of the relevant property during their time on the scheme, unless the property is sold during that time.

Allocation of the Nursing Home Loan (Ancillary State Support) by the HSE results in the creation of a charge (a simple type of mortgage) in favour of the HSE against the interest of the applicant and his/her partner in the asset(s). The HSE will notify the Property Registration Authority of the charge who will register it against the specified asset(s).

It should be noted that Ancillary State Support becomes repayable following the occurrence of a relevant event, most commonly after the death of the client. If the loan is repaid in a timely fashion (in the event of the death of the scheme participant, this is 12 months), no interest is applied. The Revenue Commissioners are responsible for recouping the loan amount.

In certain conditions - for example, where a partner or child continues to reside in the property - a further deferral to the repayment of the loan can be granted.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1489. To ask the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12914/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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1490. To ask the Minister for Health when funding issues will be resolved at a Section 39 organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12916/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that this is a matter for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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1491. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal to wait almost two months for further cancer treatment in Letterkenny University Hospital for an aggressive, terminal cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12930/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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1492. To ask the Minister for Health for his assistance with regard to a fair deal scheme issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12936/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.

Stephen 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.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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1495. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 153 of 31 January 2024, the reason no electroencephalographic machine is available in University Hospital Waterford; what plans are in place or under discussion to provide such a machine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12948/24]

Stephen 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.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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1496. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting time to see a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at St. James’s Hospital. [12969/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures are too long and continue to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care.

The 2023 Waiting List Action Plan built on the foundational work done in previous plans, achieving significant progress in relation to waiting lists, including advancements made on overall waiting list reduction for the second year in a row, and progress made in addressing long waiting times.

The Department of Health is working with the HSE and the NTPF to finalise both the End of Year Report against the 2023 WLAP as well as the new WLAP 2024, which will take account of learnings from 2023 as well as the funding envelope provided for 2024.

With regard to the information requested by the Deputy, the NTPF has advised that the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate true average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list. The average wait times of patients who are waiting to see a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at St. James’s Hospital is provided in the attached.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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1497. To ask the Minister for Health the number of beds in use at Clontarf Orthopaedic Hospital in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form; and if these numbers will be further increased. [12970/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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1498. To ask the Minister for Health the number of MRI, X-RAY and CT scanners the Mater Hospital has in-situ. [12971/24]

Stephen 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

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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1499. To ask the Minister for Health the number of adults aged over 70 years currently on a waiting list for a cataract operation; and the hospitals that carry out this procedure, in tabular form. [12972/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures are too long and continue to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care.

The 2023 Waiting List Action Plan built on the foundational work done in previous plans, achieving significant progress in relation to waiting lists, including advancements made on overall waiting list reduction for the second year in a row, and progress made in addressing long waiting times.

The Department of Health is working with the HSE and the NTPF to finalise both the End of Year Report against the 2023 WLAP as well as the new WLAP 2024, which will take account of learnings from 2023 as well as the funding envelope provided for 2024.

With regard to the information requested by the Deputy, the attached document sets out the number of adults over 70 years of age currently on a waiting list for a cataract operation, by hospital and time-band.

In relation to the hospitals that carry out cataract procedures, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter as soon as possible.

PQ ref. 12972/24 - Adults aged over 70 years on Cataract Surgery Waiting Lists - by Hospital and timeband.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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1500. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting time to see a consultant vascular surgeon in Beaumont Hospital. [12973/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures are too long and continue to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care.

The 2023 Waiting List Action Plan built on the foundational work done in previous plans, achieving significant progress in relation to waiting lists, including advancements made on overall waiting list reduction for the second year in a row, and progress made in addressing long waiting times.

The Department of Health is working with the HSE and the NTPF to finalise both the End of Year Report against the 2023 WLAP as well as the new WLAP 2024, which will take account of learnings from 2023 as well as the funding envelope provided for 2024.

With regard to the information requested by the Deputy, the NTPF has advised that the health system does not collect the data necessary to calculate true average wait times. In particular, the time to treatment of patients who have already received their care is not collected. The NTPF collects data on patients currently on the waiting list. The average wait times of patients who are waiting to see a consultant vascular surgeon in Beaumont Hospital is provided in the attached.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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1501. To ask the Minister for Health the number of women who died in each maternity hospital in Ireland for each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12989/24]

Stephen 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.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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1502. To ask the Minister for Health the nature of the plans being considered to use the new community nursing unit in Nenagh to act as a step-down facility for certain patients at University Hospital Limerick; the engagement that the HSE has had with management and staff at St. Conlon’s community nursing unit in relation to the impact this will have upon them; the projected impacts this decision will have for the availability and number of community nursing unit beds in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13011/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE recently ended the industrial action which commenced on 6 October 2023. As a consequence, members in these grades were not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result of the accumulated backlog, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.