136 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has considered the submission furnished to him by an organisation (details supplied) of its scientific review launched on 2 December 1999 relating to the herb St. John's Wort; and the plans, if any, he has to act on the scientific review of safety data having had an opportunity to consider its contents.
[27174/99]
146 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the Irish Medicines Board has set up a working group to review the regulation of herbal medicinal products; if not, when this group will be established; the range of interests to be represented on this group; and if he will amend S.I. 271/99 as it applies to herbal remedies pending the publication of this group's report.
[27186/99]
142 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to provide an authorisation or regulatory system for herbal remedies.
[27182/99]
136 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has considered the submission furnished to him by an organisation (details supplied) of its scientific review launched on 2 December 1999 relating to the herb St. John's Wort; and the plans, if any, he has to act on the scientific review of safety data having had an opportunity to consider its contents.
[27174/99]
13 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the guidelines, if any, he will issue to health boards and to each hospital concerning patient admissions following general practitioner referrals as a consequence of the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court in a case (details supplied) on 12 November 1999.
[26976/99]
11 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children when he will introduce legislation to implement the EU directive on tobacco advertising and sponsorship; and his views on the recommendations contained in the report, A National Anti-Smoking Strategy, published by the Joint Committee on Health and Children.
[27141/99]
9 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the dispute with the Alliance of Health Service Unions relating to the claim for extra payments for the period from 8 a.m. on 31 December 1999 to 8 a.m. on 2 January 2000 has been resolved; and if he will assure the public that hospital services will be properly maintained over the new year period.
[26665/99]
39 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself with the current controls in relation to overcrowding of public transport vehicles with particular reference to rail cars; and the proposals, if any, she has to introduce regulations in this regard to ensure commuter safety.
[25937/99]
39 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself with the current controls in relation to overcrowding of public transport vehicles with particular reference to rail cars; and the proposals, if any, she has to introduce regulations in this regard to ensure commuter safety.
[25937/99]
Bill entitled an Act to provide for the prohibition on the sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of eighteen years; to provide for the amendment of the Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act, 1988, and to provide for other connected matters
160 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the difficulties with the orthodontic service in the Eastern Health Board area; the reason appointments are not being made for orthodontic consultations; if his attention has been drawn to the number of children awaiting appointments for these consultations; and the steps, if any, he proposes to take to resolve the difficulties.
[23036/99]
157 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 40 consultants in the Munster region have made a submission asking that the Blood Transfusion Service Board reconsider its decision for a single site testing plan and to agree a continuation of testing in Cork; and his views in this regard.
[23033/99]
151 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he proposes to take concerning the dramatic increase in incidence of meningococcal meningitis which has resulted in the number of notifications of the disease increasing from 131 in 1990 to 485 in 1998; and the steps, if any, he proposes to take to tackle this problem.
[23027/99]
151 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he proposes to take concerning the dramatic increase in incidence of meningococcal meningitis which has resulted in the number of notifications of the disease increasing from 131 in 1990 to 485 in 1998; and the steps, if any, he proposes to take to tackle this problem.
[23027/99]
157 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 40 consultants in the Munster region have made a submission asking that the Blood Transfusion Service Board reconsider its decision for a single site testing plan and to agree a continuation of testing in Cork; and his views in this regard.
[23033/99]
160 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the difficulties with the orthodontic service in the Eastern Health Board area; the reason appointments are not being made for orthodontic consultations; if his attention has been drawn to the number of children awaiting appointments for these consultations; and the steps, if any, he proposes to take to resolve the difficulties.
[23036/99]
5 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the health agencies, if any, which had, at 1 November 1999, failed to achieve year 2000 compliance of systems and equipment; the year 2000 compliance work which remains to be done by health agencies; the agencies concerned; and the likelihood of their achieving year 2000 compliance by 31 December 1999.
[23070/99]
4 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in Dublin 16 was advised on 20 November 1998 that she had contracted hepatitis C through anti-D and has been informed by VHI and BUPA that, in view of the fact she had a pre-existing medical condition, she must wait five years before she can obtain health insurance; and the steps, if any, he will take to have this insurance made available to her and to other people in a similar position at an earlier date without the prescribed waiting time.
[23071/99]
3 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the consideration, if any, given to date to initiating legal proceedings on behalf of the State against tobacco companies similar to those initiated by the Government of the United States and to the taking of prosecutions for failure to fully comply with the provisions of section 5 of the Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act, 1988, concerning disclosure of the ingredients of tobacco products.
[18657/99]
1 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the special arrangements, if any, being put in place to address the backlog which accumulated as a consequence of the nurses' strike; and his Department's views on the impact of the strike on the in-patient hospital waiting lists.
[23069/99]
99 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the investigation, if any, conducted into the criminal case at the beginning of July 1999 in which charges were struck out against an accused charged with having had unlawful carnal knowledge of a child due to there being no courtroom with a video link available to hear the case; and the steps, if any, taken to ensure no such difficulty arises in the future.
[17304/99]
99 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the investigation, if any, conducted into the criminal case at the beginning of July 1999 in which charges were struck out against an accused charged with having had unlawful carnal knowledge of a child due to there being no courtroom with a video link available to hear the case; and the steps, if any, taken to ensure no such difficulty arises in the future.
[17304/99]
109 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide the moneys required in 2000 to enable Crumlin children's hospital retain the epidermolysis bullosa liaison nurse funded by a trust fund which will be exhausted by the beginning of next year.
[18412/99]
108 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will grant funding to Crumlin children's hospital to extend the dermatology unit as proposed in a submission to him.
[18411/99]
102 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to reform the domiciliary care allowance to extend it to developmentally disabled children under two years of age; the outcome of a review of the provisions in this regard; and his views on whether the scheme is causing hardship to a substantial number of families with disabled young children.
[18404/99]
101 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if funding will be allocated to Crumlin children's hospital for the year 2000 to provide moneys required to enable the hospital retain the epidermolysis bullosa liaison nurse based at the hospital whose position has up to now been funded by a trust fund which will be exhausted by the beginning of 2000.
[18403/99]
100 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will grant funding to Crumlin children's hospital to extend the dermatology unit as proposed in a submission to him.
[18402/99]
109 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide the moneys required in 2000 to enable Crumlin children's hospital retain the epidermolysis bullosa liaison nurse funded by a trust fund which will be exhausted by the beginning of next year.
[18412/99]
108 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will grant funding to Crumlin children's hospital to extend the dermatology unit as proposed in a submission to him.
[18411/99]
101 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if funding will be allocated to Crumlin children's hospital for the year 2000 to provide moneys required to enable the hospital retain the epidermolysis bullosa liaison nurse based at the hospital whose position has up to now been funded by a trust fund which will be exhausted by the beginning of 2000.
[18403/99]
100 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will grant funding to Crumlin children's hospital to extend the dermatology unit as proposed in a submission to him.
[18402/99]
102 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to reform the domiciliary care allowance to extend it to developmentally disabled children under two years of age; the outcome of a review of the provisions in this regard; and his views on whether the scheme is causing hardship to a substantial number of families with disabled young children.
[18404/99]
5 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent of year 2000 compliance in health boards and hospitals to date; and if he has satisfied himself that no difficulties will arise with essential information systems or medical equipment and that no patient will be at risk as a consequence of lack of proper compliance.
[18426/99]
4 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to enable non-consultant hospital doctors work more reasonable hours; and his views on whether patients are at risk as a consequence of the excessive hours these doctors are required to work.
[18425/99]
3 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to provide for the registration of pregnancy counselling services and the application of guidelines prescribing the minimum code of practice and standards to be complied with.
[17397/99]
1 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, he will take to resolve the nurses pay dispute and to ensure a nurses strike does not occur.
[18424/99]
24 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the types of infrastructure projects falling within the ambit of his responsibilities being considered as potential areas for public or private partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14439/99]
24 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the types of infrastructure projects falling within the ambit of his responsibilities being considered as potential areas for public or private partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[14439/99]
84 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the consideration, if any, given to date to the publication of a new medical practitioners Act; and when he will publish this long promised legislation.
[14101/99]
84 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the consideration, if any, given to date to the publication of a new medical practitioners Act; and when he will publish this long promised legislation.
[14101/99]
10 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has to provide the Air Corps with medium lift helicopters which would allow it to undertake search and rescue around the coast when the current contract between the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources and Bond Helicopters for the provision of search and rescue facilities at Dublin and Shannon expires.
[9278/99]
Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Statute of Limitations, 1957, and the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act, 1991, by making new provisions as regards the date from which the period of limitation is to run in respect of actions for certain personal injuries resulting from physical or sexual abuse.
98 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the group inquiring into the adoption assessment procedures used by health boards in assessing the suitability of couples for foreign adoption has advertised for submissions from prospective adopters on their experiences, interviewed any of those who have applied for such an assessment or assessed to obtain their views and input.
[10489/99]
97 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the review being undertaken of assessment procedures applied by health boards to determine the suitability of couples for foreign adoptions has been completed; if not, when it will be completed; if it is intended to publish the report of the review group; and if he will issue assessment guidelines to ensure a uniformity of approach on the part of health board social workers within each health board.
[10488/99]
23 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the review being undertaken of assessment procedures applied by health boards to determine the suitability of couples for foreign adoptions has been completed; if not, when it will be completed; if it is intended to publish the report of the review group; and if he will issue assessment guidelines to ensure a uniformity of approach on the part of health board social workers within each health board.
[7768/99]
98 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the group inquiring into the adoption assessment procedures used by health boards in assessing the suitability of couples for foreign adoption has advertised for submissions from prospective adopters on their experiences, interviewed any of those who have applied for such an assessment or assessed to obtain their views and input.
[10489/99]
97 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the review being undertaken of assessment procedures applied by health boards to determine the suitability of couples for foreign adoptions has been completed; if not, when it will be completed; if it is intended to publish the report of the review group; and if he will issue assessment guidelines to ensure a uniformity of approach on the part of health board social workers within each health board.
[10488/99]
23 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if the review being undertaken of assessment procedures applied by health boards to determine the suitability of couples for foreign adoptions has been completed; if not, when it will be completed; if it is intended to publish the report of the review group; and if he will issue assessment guidelines to ensure a uniformity of approach on the part of health board social workers within each health board.
[7768/99]
59 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of persons deleted from the hospital waiting lists as a consequence of the verification of waiting lists undertaken by hospitals and health boards prior to certifying the waiting list figures at 31 December 1998; the number deleted for the reason that those people on the waiting list (a) chose to have the procedure as a private patient or (b) died; and, of those who died, the number of adults and children concerned and the specialties in respect of which they were awaiting in-patient hospital treatment.
[5952/99]
48 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the psychiatric committal system operated under the Mental Treatment Act, 1945, has collapsed and that the Garda Síochána is not prepared to co-operate in the transfer to hospital of patients in respect of whom papers have been signed ordering them to be detained under section 184 of the Act; and the steps, if any, he proposes taking to address this difficulty.
[5786/99]