Committee Reports::Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Health and Children, 2007::29 April, 2007::Report


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TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

29^th Dáil

An Comhchoiste um Shláinte agus Leanaí

TUARASCÁIL DEIRIDH 2007

1 Eanáir — 29 Aibreán 2007

Aibreán 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

29^th Dail

Joint Committee on Health and Children

FINAL REPORT 2007

1^st January — 29^th April 2007

April 2007

Table of Contents

1	Content and Format of Report	4
2	Functions and Powers	4
3	Chairman, Vice Chairman, Convenors and Membership	5
4	Meetings, Attendance and Recording	5
5	Number and Duration of Meetings	6
6	Work of the Committee	7
	6.1Joint Committee	7
	6.2Dáil Select Committee	8
	6.3sub-Committee on the Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals	8
7	Groups and Individuals attending before the Committee(s)
	7.1Joint Committee on Health and Children	8
8	8.1Joint Committee Reports	10
	8.2Work in Progress	11
9	Travel	11
10	Functions and Powers	11

APPENDIX 1 -	Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee	12
APPENDIX 2 -	Members of the Joint Committee	16
APPENDIX 3 -	Orders of Reference of the sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals	17
APPENDIX 4 -	Members of the sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals	18
APPENDIX 5 -	Meetings of the Joint Committee	19
APPENDIX 6 -	Meetings of the Dáil Select Committee	20
APPENDIX 7 -	Meetings of the sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals	21
APPENDIX 8 -	Minutes of Proceedings of the Joint Committee	22
APPENDIX 9 -	Minutes of Proceedings of the sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals	44

1. Content and Format of Report

This 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 25^th April 2007, the Joint Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this report covering the period of 1 January 2007 to the dissolution of Dáil Eireann on 29^th April 2007.

2. Functions and Powers

The 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 Membership

Deputy John Moloney was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 17^th November 2004. Deputy Jimmy Devins was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health & Children on the same day. 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.

Deputy Paudge Connolly was elected as Chairman of the sub-Committee on the Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals on 9^th May 2006. The Orders of Reference of the sub-Committee are set out at Appendix 3.

The Members of the sub-Committee on the Adverse Side Effects of Parmaceuticals are set out at Appendix 4.

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings 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.oireachtas.ie

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 8.1

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 11 occasions during the period under report from 1^st January 2007 to the dissolution of Dáil Eireann on 29^th April. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 20 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 6.1 below and at Appendix 5.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 5 occasions during the period under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 12 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 6.2 below and at Appendix 6.

The sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals met on 4 occasions during the period under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 3 hours. The date and subject matter of the meetings is set out in paragraph 6.3 below and at Appendix 7.

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee in public session are attached at Appendix 8.

Minutes of proceedings of the sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals in public session are attached at Appendix 9.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the 11 occasions the Joint Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

•Presentation by the Irish Endocrine Society on shared care for diabetes patients.

•Presentation by the Cystic Fibrosis Association on progress made by the CF Working Group chaired by the HSE.

•Presentation by the Department of Health and Children and the HSE on the filling of consultant posts.

•Discussion with the SDLP on North/South Health and Social Care.

•Presentation by the Department of Health and Children and the HSE on Public Orthodontic Services.

•Presentation by the Irish Expert Body of Fluorides and Health on Water Fluoridation in Ireland.

•Discussions with the Minister for Health and Children and the CEO, Health Service Executive on priority health issues.

•Presentation by the National Treatment Purchase Fund and the Department of Health and Children on the operation of the NTPF.

•Discussion with Bodywhys on services available to parents of children with behavioural problems.

•Discussion with HSE on services available to parents of children with behavioural problems.

•Presentation by the All Ireland Cancer Foundation on cervical cancer.

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the 5 occasions the Dáil Select Committee met, it considered the following matters:

•Health Bill 2006.

•Medical Practitioners Bill 2007.

•Child Care (Amendment) Bill, 2006 [Seanad].

•Consideration of the 2007 Revised Estimates for Public Services - Vote 39 (Health and Children), Vote 40 (Health Service Executive) and Vote 41 (The Office of the Minister for Children)

•Pharmacy Bill 2007

6.3 sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals.

On the 4 occasions that it met, the sub-Committee on The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals discussed its Draft Report on the Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals.

7. Groups and Individuals attending before the Committee(s)

In the period under report, the Joint Committee met with the following organisations, groups and individuals:

7.1 Joint Committee on Health and Children

•Ms. Mary Lane Heneghan, Chairperson, Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland.

•Mr. Carl Rainey, Vice-Chairperson, Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland.

•Mr. Rory Tallon, Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland.

•Dr. Charles Gallagher, Respiratory Consultant, St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

•Mr. Godfrey, CEO, Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland.

•Dr. Richard Firth, Irish Endocrine Society.

•Dr. Diarmuid Smith, Irish Endocrine Society.

•Ms. Margaret Donoghue, Irish Endocrine Society.

•Ms. Deirdre Moyna, Irish Endocrine Society.

•Mr. Tommie Martin, National Director, HSE.

•Ms. Fionnuala Duffy, Assistant National Director, Planning and Development, National Hospitals Office, HSE.

•Mr. Martin Rogan, Assistant National Director with responsibility for mental health, HSE.

•Officials from the Department of Health and Children.

•Cllr. Carmel Hanna MLA, SDLP Health Spokesperson.

•Mr. Dominic Bradley MLA, SDLP.

•Mr. Hugh Kane, Chairman, Orthodontic Review Group, HSE.

•Mr. Pat Healy, Assistant National Director, Service Management South, HSE.

•Mr. Seamus McNulty, Assistant National Director Service Management West, HSE.

•Dr. Seamus O’Hickey, Chairman, Irish Expert Body of Fluorides and Health.

•Dr. Brian O’Herlihy, Vice-Chairman, Irish Expert Body of Fluorides and Health.

•Mr. Stephen McDermot, Member, Irish Expert Body of Fluorides and Health.

•Prof. Denis O’Mullane, Member, Irish Expert Body of Fluorides and Health.

•Ms. Martina Quelly, Member, Irish Expert Body of Fluorides and Health.

•Ms Mary Harney T.D., Minister for Health and Children.

•Prof. Brendan Drumm , CEO, HSE.

•Mr. John O’Brien, Temporary National Director of National Hospitals Office.

•Mr. Pat Healy, Assistant National Director, Primary Continuing and Community Care Directorate.

•Mr. Pat O’Byrne, Chief Executive, National Treatment Purchase Fund.

•Ms. Anna Lloyd, Director of Patient Care, National Treatment Purchase Fund.

•Mr. Martin Rogan, Assistant National director of Mental Health Services, HSE.

•Mr. Ian Daly, Consultant Psychiatrists and Chair of Expert Advisory Group on Mental Health. HSE.

•Ms. Catherine Joyce, Communications Officer, Bodywhys.

•Ms. Jenny Kelly, Board Member, Bodywhys.

•Dr. Henrietta Campbell, All Ireland Cancer Foundation.

•Dr. Peter Daly, All Ireland Cancer Foundation.

8. 8.1 Joint Committee Reports.

During the period under report, the Joint Committee published the following reports:

•The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals (Eight Report).

•Annual Report 2006 and Work Programme 2007.

8.2 Work in Progress

•Report of ‘The Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction’.

•Report on Water Fluoridation in Ireland.

9. Travel.

The Joint Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference in connection with its work programme.

1.Purpose of travel: Fact finding mission to ascertain what policies are in place for the prevention and treatment of MRSA.

Date and Destination: 7^th February 2007. Deventer, Holland.

Members travelling: Senator Fergal Browne.

2.Purpose of travel: To attend a Parliamentary Event hosted by Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) & United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW) entitled “Addressing discrimination and violence against the girl child: the role of Parliaments”

Date and Destination: 1^st March 2007. New York, USA.

Members travelling: Senator Mary Henry.

11. Functions and Powers

The Joint Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role.

____________________

John Moloney, T.D.

Chairman,

April 2007.