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TITHE AN OIREACHTAISAn Comhchoiste um Shláinte agus LeanaíTUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2004agusCLÁR OIBRE 2005Eanáir 2005_______________ HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTASJoint Committee on Health and ChildrenANNUAL REPORT 2004andWORK PROGRAMME 2005January 2005Table of Contents
1. Content and Format of ReportThis report has been prepared pursuant to Standing Order 84 (3), (4), (5) and (6) (Dáil Éireann) and Standing Order 69 (3), (4), (5) and (6) (Seanad Éireann) which provide for the Joint Committee to- •undertake a review of its procedure and its role generally •prepare an annual work programme •lay minutes of its proceedings before both Houses •make an annual report to both Houses . At its meeting on , the Joint Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this annual report. 2. Functions and PowersThe Dáil Select Committee was established by Order of Dáil Éireann of 16 October 2002 to consider Bills, Estimates for Public Services and the terms of any international agreement involving a charge on public funds which come within the aegis of the Department of Health and Children. The Dáil Select Committee under the same Order was enjoined with a Select Committee of Seanad Éireann, established by Order of Seanad Éireann of 17 October 2002, to form the Joint Committee on Health and Children. Among the principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider — •public affairs administered by the Department of Health and Children; •matters of policy for which the Minister for Health and Children is responsible; •legislative and expenditure proposals of the Department; •scrutiny of EU legislative proposals; •certain matters relating to bodies under the aegis of the Department of Health & Children. The Orders of Reference of the Dáil Select Committee and the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 1. 3. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and MembershipDeputy John Moloney was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 17th November 2004 to replace Deputy Batt O'Keeffe who was appointed a Minister of State in October 2004. Deputy Jimmy Devins was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health & Children on the same day to replace Deputy Moloney. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee. Deputies Charlie O'Connor and Fergal Browne are the Convenors of the Committee whose function it is to ensure the availability and attendance of Members or their substitutes for meetings of the Committee and, in particular, to ensure Members' availability for divisions. The Members of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 2. 4. Establishment of Sub-Committee.Standing Order 81(3) (Dáil) and Standing Order 65(3) (Seanad) confer on Committees the power to appoint sub-Committees and to refer to such sub-Committees any matter covered by its orders of reference and to delegate any of its powers to such sub-Committees, including power to report directly to the Dáil and Seanad. The Joint Committee agreed at its meeting on 10th July 2003 to create a sub-Committee to consider Alcohol Misuse by Young People. It was also agreed that the Sub-Committee would consist of 6 Members (3 from the Dáil and 3 from the Seanad). The Orders of Reference of the sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 3. The Members of the sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 4. At its first meeting on the 17th December 2003 the Sub-Committee elected Batt O'Keeffe, T.D. as Chairman. The sub-Committee produced a Report on the issue that was laid before both Houses on the 15th June 2004. 5. Meetings, Attendance and RecordingMeetings of the Joint Committee, Select Committee and sub-Committee took place in the Committee rooms in Leinster House 2000. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Committee. Televised coverage of public meetings of the Committee were broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by RTE and TV3. An Official Report (Parliamentary Debates) of the public meetings of the Committees is published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. The Official Reports may also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas website at www.irlgov.ie/oireachtas. Copies of other reports published by the Joint Committee may be obtained from the Clerk, Joint Committee on Health and Children, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports is set out at paragraph 9. 6. Number and Duration of MeetingsThe Joint Committee met on 19 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 33 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 5. The Dáil Select Committee met on 5 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 15 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 6. The Sub-Committee on Alcohol Misuse by Young People met on 4 occasions during the year and the number of hours discussion involved in this meeting was in excess of 4 hours. The date and subject matter of the meetings is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 7. Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee and sub-Committee meetings in public session are attached at Appendix 8. 7. Work of the Committee7.1 Joint CommitteeOn the 19 occasions the Joint Committee met, it dealt with the following matters: •Presentation by Department of Health & Children officials on the need for a National Diabetes Strategy. •Presentation by Consultant Oncologists and Surgeons regarding the recommendations contained in the Report on the Development of Radiation Oncology Services in Ireland. •Presentation by Consultant Orthodontists on progress made in implementing the recommendations contained in the report on “The Orthodontic Service in Ireland” undertaken by the Joint Committee on Health and Children in the 28th Dáil. •Presentations by the Mid-Western Health Board; the South-Eastern Health Board and the Western Health Board on the reasons why each Health Board did not spend all of its allocated budget in 2002 and 2003. •Presentation by the Diabetes Federation on the need for a National Diabetes Strategy. •Presentation by the Irish Pharmaceutical Union on ‘the Community Pharmacy: Quality and Timely Access'. •Presentation by the Irish College of Psychiatrists on the current and future implications of the lack of resources provided to the Mental Health Services. •Presentation on the Future of the Interim Health Service Executive and the National Steering Committee on the Health Reform Programme by the Executive Chairman. •Presentations by Department of Health & Children Officials on COM (2003) 831, COM (2004) 80 and COM (2004) 10. •Presentation by Professor Paul Connett on the recommendations contained in the Report of the Forum on Water Fluoridation. •Discussion on a draft Report on Alcohol Misuse by Young People produced by the sub-Committee dealing with the issue. •Presentation by the Post Polio Supporters Group on the recommendations contained in it's recently published Report. •Presentation by Mr. Colm McCarthy, DKM Consultants, on a draft report for the Joint Committee on Restrictive Medical Training Practices In Ireland. •Presentation by Dr. John Martin, OECD, on the findings of the OECD Health Project. •Presentation by the Irish Thoracic Society on the present and future implications of the burdens of lung disease and related illnesses. •Draft Work Programme for the 2004/5 Autumn/Winter Session. •Presentations by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) and the Medical Defence Union (MDU) on Medical Litigation Issues. •Pre-meeting discussion before a forthcoming meeting with the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. •Discussion with the Secretary-General of the Department of Health and Children regarding the recommendations contained in the recently published Report by the Post Polio Supporters Group. •Presentation by Department of Health Officials and the Consultant who helped produce a feasibility study of an all-Ireland Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS). A copy of the Joint Committee's work programme for 2005 is at Appendix 10. 7.2 Dáil Select CommitteeOn the 5 occasions the Dáil Select Committee met, it dealt with the following matters: •Consideration of the Tobacco (Amendment) Bill, 2003. •Consideration of the 2004 Revised Estimate for the Department of Health & Children (Vote 33). •Consideration of the Health (Amendment) Bill, 2004. •Consideration of the Health Bill, 2004. 7.3 Sub-Committee on Alcohol Misuse by Young People.On the 4 occasions that it met, the Sub-Committee on Alcohol Misuse by Young People dealt with the following matters: •Presentation by the Pioneer Abstinence Movement on its role in helping to combat alcohol misuse by young people. •Appointment of Mr. John Kissane, Independent Consultant, to assist in producing a Report on Alcohol Misuse by Young People. •Production of a final Report that was then presented to the Joint Committee for agreement and laid before both Houses on the 15th June 2004. 8.Groups and Individuals attending before CommitteeIn the year under report, the Joint Committee met with the following organisations, groups and individuals: •Department of Health & Children Officials; •Ms. Mary Harney, T.D., An Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children; •Professor Donal Hollywood, Professor of Clinical Oncology, St. Lukes Hospital, Dublin; •Dr. Ian Fraser, Consultant Oncologist, St. Lukes Hospital, Dublin; •Dr. Seamus O'Cathail, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, University College Hospital, Cork; •Mr. Gordon Watson, Consultant Surgeon, Waterford Regional Hospital; •Mr. Kevin Moran, Consultant Surgeon, Letterkenny General Hospital; •Dr. Maccon Keane, Consultant Medical Oncologist, University College Hospital, Galway; •Dr. T.G.McNamara, Consultant Orthodontist, St. Camillus's Hospital, Limerick; •Dr. Triona McNamara, Consultant Orthodontist; •Dr. Ian O'Dowling, Consultant Orthodontist; •Dr. Antonia Hewson, Principal Dental Surgeon, St. Mary's Hospital, Castlebar, Co. Mayo; •Mr. Stiofan de Burca, Chief Executive Officer, Mid Western Health Board; •Mr. John O'Brien , Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Mid Western Health Board; •Mr. Pat McLoughlin, Chief Executive Officer, South Eastern Health Board; •Dr. Mary Hynes, Deputy Chief Executive Officer,Western Health Board; •Mr. Liam Minihan, Director of Finance, Western Health Board; •Mr. Eugene Halley, Director of Finance, South Eastern Health Board; •Professor John Nolan, Consultant Endocrinologist, St. Jame's Hospital, Dublin 8; •Dr Chris Thompson, Consultant Endocrinologist, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; •Dr Liam Plant, Consultant Nephrologist, Cork University Hospital; •Ms Anna Clarke, Health Promotion Manager, Diabetes Federation of Ireland; •Ms Theresa Loughnane, Dietician, Diabetes Federation of Ireland; •Ms Caitríona Coleman, Patient with Diabetes, Diabetes Federation of Ireland; •Mr. Seamus Feely, Secretary General, Irish Pharmaceutical Union; •Mr. Richard Collis, President, Irish Pharmaceutical Union; •Mr. Karl Hilton, Vice-President, Irish Pharmaceutical Union; •Ms. Liz Hoctor, Treasurer, Irish Pharmaceutical Union; •Edward MacManus, Community Pharmacist, Irish Pharmaceutical Union; •Dr. Kate Ganter, Chairman, Irish College of Psychiatrists; •Dr. Brendan Cassidy, Faculty of Adult Psychiatry, Irish College of Psychiatrists; •Dr. Stephen Browne, Faculty of Adult Psychiatry, Irish College of Psychiatrists; •Dr. Harry Kennedy, Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry, Irish College of Psychiatrists; •Dr. Oonagh Bradley, Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Faculty of Learning Disability, Irish College of Psychiatrists; •Dr. Margo Wrigley, Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age, Irish College of Psychiatrists; •Mr. Kevin Kelly, Executive Chairman, Interim Health Service Executive; •Mr. Hugh Cawley, Head of Change Management, Interim Health Service Executive; •Mr. Kevin McGrane, Assistant Principal Officer, Interim Health Service Executive; •Professor Paul Connett, St. Lawrence University, New York; •Ms. Joan Bradley, Secretary, Post Polio Supporters Group; •Mr. Jim Costello, Chairperson, Post Polio Supporters Group; •Mr. Hugh Hamilton, Vice Chairperson, Post Polio Supporters Group; •Mr. Anthony Carrick, Administrator, Post Polio Supporters Group; •Mr. John McFarlane, Director and Survey Report Author, Post Polio Supporters Group; •Mr. Colm McCarthy, Director, DKM Consultants; •Dr. John Martin, Director, OECD; •Dr. James Hayes, Cavan/Monaghan General Hospital; •Professor Walter McNichols, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4; •Dr. Neil Brennan, Mercy Hospital Hospital, Cork; •Dr. Charles Gallagher, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4; •Dr. Eithne Molloy, St. John's Hospital, Limerick; •Dr. Michael Saunders, Chief Executive, Medical Defence Union; •Dr. Christine Tomkins, Professional Services Director, Medical Defence Union; •Ms. Mary-Lou Nesbitt, Head of Governmental and External Relations; Medical Defence Union; •Mr. Finbarr Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive, Irish Hospital Consultants Association; •Dr. Josh Keaveny, President, Irish Hospital Consultants Association; •Dr. Michael O'Keeffe, member, Irish Hospital Consultants Association; •Dr. John Clarke, member, Irish Hospital Consultants Association; •Dr. Eamon Carmody, member, Irish Hospital Consultants Association; •Professor Mary Leader, member, Irish Hospital Consultants Association. •Ms. Derval Cummins, Consultant, Booz, Allen, Hamilton. •Mr. Paul Robinson, CEO, North Eastern Health Executive; •Dr. Jeff King, The Sub-Committee on Alcohol Misuse by Young People met with the following organisation and individual: •The Pioneer Abstinence Movement. •Mr. John Kissane, Independent Consultant. 9. 9.1 Joint Committee Reports.During the year under report, the Joint Committee published the following reports: •EU Scrutiny Report COM (2003) 808, a proposal for a Council Regulation on the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2003) 831, an amended proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons and their families moving within the community, and Council Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 fixing the procedure for implementing Regulation No. 1408/71, in respect of the alignment of rights and the simplification of procedures. •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2004) 10, a proposal for a Council Decision authorising the placing on the market of sweet corn from genetically modified maize border-top: 1pt solid #000000;1 as a novel food or novel food ingredient under Regulation (EC) No. 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council. •EU Scrutiny Report COM (2004) 80, a proposal for Opinion of the Commission on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position regarding a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells amending the proposal of the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the Treaty. •EU Scrutiny Report COM (2004) 439, a proposal for a Council Decision authorising the placing on the market of food and food ingredients derived from genetically modified maize NK603 as novel foods or novel food ingredients under regulation (EC) No. 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council. •Report of the OECD High Level Parliamentary Seminar on enhancing the Performance of Health Systems, held in Paris on 19th February 2004. •Report of a Eurocare Conference on Alcohol Policy, held in Warsaw, Poland, from 16th to 19th June 2004. •Report of the 15th International AIDS Conference, held in Bangkok, Thailand from the 11th to 16th July 2004. •Report of the International Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour, held in Copenhagen, Denmark from 25th to 28th August 2004. •Report on Alcohol Misuse by Young People. •Report on Restrictive Practices in Medical Training in Ireland. 9.2. Work in ProgressThere is no specific work in progress at present. 10. Travel.The Joint Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference in connection with its work programme. a) Purpose of travel: to attend an OECD High Level Parliamentary Seminar on enhancing the Performance of Health Systems Date and Destination: 19th March 2004. Paris, France Members travelling: Deputies Jimmy Devins, Batt O'Keeffe (Chairman) and Olivia Mitchell. b) Purpose of travel: to attend a EUROCARE Conference on Alcohol Policy. Date and Destination: 16th to 18th June 2004. Warsaw, Poland. Members travelling: Deputies Dan Neville, Batt O'Keeffe (Chairman) and Fiona O'Malley. c) Purpose of travel: to attend the 15th International Conference on AIDS. Date and Destination: 11th to 16th July 2004. Bangkok, Thailand. Members travelling: Deputies Olivia Mitchell, Batt O'Keeffe (Chairman) and Fiona O'Malley. d) Purpose of travel: to attend an International Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour Date and Destination: 25th to 28th August 2004. Copenhagen, Denmark. Members travelling: Deputy Dan Neville. Purpose of travel: to attend a Suicide Prevention Conference Date and Destination: 29th September to 1st October 2004. Wexford Town. Members travelling: Deputy Dan Neville. e) Purpose of travel: to attend a Suicide Prevention Conference Date and Destination: 25th and 26th November 2004. Galway. Members travelling: Deputy Dan Neville. 11. Functions and PowersThe Joint Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role. ____________________ John Moloney, T.D. Chairman, January 2005. |
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