560. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views that the price of two of the largest medicines supplied by the Health Service Executive, Humira and Enbrel, at a cost of €160 million per year, will not experience significant price reduction when their patents fall in 2017, as a direct result of the terms of the forthcoming medicine pricing agreement with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, because the terms in this agreement will prevent effective post-patent competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21016/16]
559. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views that the new medicines pricing agreement will lead to cost savings in respect of existing biologic, high-technology medicines, given that a lower reimbursement price for biologics will not be possible due to an inability for biosimilars to enter the market; the reason for introducing a clause into the agreement which links the reimbursement price of biologics to the biosimilars entering the market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21015/16]
558. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views that the new medicines pricing agreement will act as a biosimilars blocker, due to a clause which states that biologics will only be reimbursed at a price 30% less than the current level, and only when competitor biosimilar medicines enter the market; his further views that this cannot occur, as biosimilars will financially be prevented from entering the market, as it would be unsustainable to lower their price further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21014/16]
557. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his progress in drafting the national action plan on antimicrobial resistance; if this plan will be subject to public and industry stakeholder consultation and if not, why not; if he is satisfied that with less than one year to go before the completion of the plan the interdepartmental group established to examine and draft this report has not consulted with wider expert stakeholders outside of the Health Service Executive and his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21013/16]
102. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to correspondence previously sent to him by a person (details supplied) regarding the State education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20406/16]
226. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his position on the introduction of the drug Ampligen for the treatment of multiple myalgic encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20029/16]
223. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19982/16]
221. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the status of an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19967/16]
220. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why University Hospital Limerick is effectively denying compassionate access to orkambi for very ill patients in contrast to other cystic fibrosis hospitals; why very ill patients are being denied an available and free therapy; why has the Health Service Executive provided no explanation for this to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, despite repeated efforts on the latter's part; why is University Hospital Limerick in apparent contravention of the Minister where he has urged compassionate use of particular drugs for cancer; why the hospital is saying the drug can be provided from a community pharmacy when the executive states that this is not possible and given that hospital pharmacies are facilitating compassionate use of orkambi in Cork and in St. Vincent’s Hospital and Crumlin Hospital in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19964/16]
569. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) who has a lifelong condition that will never improve and was awarded a medical card in October 2015 but who has now had that medical card taken away and was only awarded a general practitioner visit card. [19679/16]
568. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will review or has reviewed the current system of fitting and refitting wheelchairs for persons; if he is aware that for a person in County Kerry to get refitted or fitted with a wheelchair this could take months, even years, as the company involved only comes to service County Kerry for one or two days in a whole month which means many persons are left in chairs unsuitable for their current needs or simply without a chair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19678/16]
544. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the status of a case (details supplied); his views on the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19484/16]
443. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be granted an appointment for a cognitive assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19097/16]
394. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 360 of 8 June 2016 whether he will reconsider the case for these persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19633/16]
310. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will allow an increase in the self-referral percentage for Tús work placement initiative participants in Cork from the current 20% (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19635/16]
226. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing a medical card for all children in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance. [19037/16]
225. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing an additional 200 intensive home care packages for persons with dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19036/16]
224. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing an additional 500,000 personal assistant hours for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19035/16]
223. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing an additional 2,000 home care packages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19034/16]
222. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost in 2017 of providing an additional one million home help hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19033/16]
221. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the cost of recruiting and employing an additional 100 full-time hospital consultants in 2017; and his estimate of ancillary costs involved. [19032/16]
213. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will arrange for a social worker to be assigned to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18651/16]
189. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to reconsider the decision to refuse compensation to a person (details supplied) for lost crops which has resulted in financial hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18623/16]
165. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will secure a residential placement for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18657/16]
162. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will not permit the introduction of any novel tobacco product such as heated tobacco products here unless it can be independently proven that it cannot be smoked like a traditional cigarette and the product does not release second hand-smoke emissions as the World Health Organization warns that there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18640/16]
72. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Finance if he allowed officials of his Department to meet with any tobacco company in 2015 where the tax treatment of heated tobacco products was discussed; if he fully supports the objectives of Tobacco Free Ireland and if he will not permit a reduced excise rate on any tobacco product whose reduced risk claim has not been verified by an independent scientific body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18642/16]
69. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Finance his plans to ensure that Ireland maintains its downward trend in smoking rates (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18639/16]
450. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to respond to the second annual report of the National Healthcare Quality Reporting System; the actions he will take to address the higher-than-normal deaths in certain hospitals; the discussions he has had with the Health Service Executive regarding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18520/16]
108. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status on the provision of facilities for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17991/16]
238. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including multiple system atrophy as part of the long term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17739/16]
225. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on the fact that according to recent research published by Health Research Board, there has been an increase in the number of persons dying from methadone overdoses, with the number of deaths due to methadone overdoses, the largest cause of deaths by poisoning in Ireland, ahead of even heroin overdoses; if, based on this data on methadone overdoses, he will fast-track the availability of Suboxone, to provide an alternative to methadone, as a way to reduce such overdose risks, given the much lower risk of overdose from Suboxone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17676/16]
224. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views on the delay in drafting regulations to enable the introduction of Suboxone (an alternative to methadone), bearing in mind that they were expected at the end of Q1 2016, and there is need for a notification period of three months under the European technical standards directive once the regulations have been published; his further views that these delays are unacceptable, as there is an urgent need for the availability of Suboxone to cater for persons with opioid dependency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17675/16]
223. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the publication of the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016, to amend section 2(2) and other sections of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act; when he expects the Bill to be enacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17674/16]
209. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why vocational educational services are ceasing operation in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17650/16]
244. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why a person (details supplied) in St. Vincent’s Hospital is being let go; if he is aware that the person's patients are deeply concerned and agitated by this development and that they do not believe that the proposed replacement is adequate to their needs; and if he will request the chief executive officer of the hospital to meet with the affected patients to discuss their concerns. [17620/16]
57. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda Síochána stations and the number of gardaí in each in Cork city on 30 April 2011 and on 30 April 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17085/16]
483. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will immediately review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17022/16]
399. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number and hospital locations of the specialist paediatric urology nurses that are to be appointed and the date of commencement of their contracts, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16986/16]
398. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist nurses he will assign to support the newly appointed paediatric urologist and he will hire; the number which currently exist in the system and their starting date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16985/16]
384. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the completion date of the review of the primary eye care services review group; when he will publicly comment on the outcome of the review; if he will act on the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16912/16]
381. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his views that the figures released indicating that 16% of medical card holders are being prescribed anti-depressants are in line with international norms; if he has concerns over the rate of prescriptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16876/16]
373. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health why he has not ensured the provision of physiotherapy, occupational therapy as well as speech and language therapy for students regarding a school (details supplied); if he is aware that this purpose built school is under-resourced compared to mainstream schools and the huge pressure that this places on the school to provide the basics for these children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16812/16]
372. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the amount he invests in the research of myalgic encephalomyelitis-chronic fatigue syndrome; his plans to provide an increased investment in research; if so, when and the amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16802/16]
371. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health his plans to set up a dedicated clinic for diagnosis and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME, chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16801/16]
351. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health when he will lift the embargo on midwives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16672/16]
229. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the allowance exemption he will provide given to households with medical needs and in respect of the upcoming pay-by-weight refuse charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16662/16]
166. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a school (details supplied) that is specifically built for autism has fewer resources available than a standard school; if he is aware of the huge pressure placed on the school to provide the basic resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16815/16]
165. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills why he did not put in place proper individual education and care plans and make provision for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and so on at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16814/16]