(AQW 3755/01)

Ms de Brún: The information is detailed in the table below. Figures refer to 31 March of each year.

Tá an t-eolas léirithe sa tábla thíos. Tagraíonn na figiúirí do 31 Márta i ngach bliain.

(AQW 3756/01)

Ms de Brún: The numbers of additional residential care places for children which have been provided in each of the last three years have been as follows:

The 17 extra places provided in 2001/02 count towards fulfilling the commitment in the Executive’s Programme for Government to increase by March 2003 the number of residential child care places by 52 above the level of provision at July 2001. At present there are several projects being developed by Health and Social Services Boards and Health and Social Services Trusts which will enable this commitment to be achieved.

Seo a leanas líon na n-áiteanna breise cúraim chónaithe a cuireadh ar fáil do pháistí i ngach bliain na trí bliana deireanacha:

Tá na 17 áit bhreise curtha ar fáil i 2001/02 mar chuid de chomhlíonadh ghealltanas Clár Rialtais an Fheidhmiúcháin le líon na n-áiteanna cúraim chónaithe do pháistí a mhéadú go 52 áit faoi Mhárta 2003, níos mó ná leibhéal an tsoláthair i mí Iúil 2001. Faoi láthair, tá roinnt scéimeanna á bhforbairt ag na Boird Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus ag na hIontaobhais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta a chuirfidh ar a chumas an gealltanas seo a chomhlíonadh.

(AQW 3757/01)

Ms de Brún: There were no additional child and adolescent in-patient psychiatric beds created in the last 3 years. Funding has been secured to provide 10 additional adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds and it is planned that these beds will be operational by September of this year.

Níor cruthaíodh leapacha breise síciatracha othair chónaithigh do pháistí agus d’ógánaigh sna trí bliana deireanacha. Fuarthas maoiniú le 10 leaba breise síciatracha othair chónaithigh a chur ar fáil d’ógánaigh agus tá sé beartaithe go mbeidh na leapacha seo in úsáid faoi Mheán Fómhair na bliana seo.

(AQW 3759/01)

Ms de Brún: This information is detailed in the table below.

Tá an t-eolas seo léirithe sa tábla thíos.

(AQW 3760/01)

Ms de Brún: I recently received a request from the Hospice for an emergency loan to help with financial difficulties. My Department is currently considering this request.

Fuair mé iarratas ar na mallaibh ón Ospáis le haghaidh iasachta práinní le cuidiú le deacrachtaí airgeadais. Tá an Roinn s’agam ag déanamh machnaimh ar an iarratas faoi láthair.

(AQW 3761/01)

Ms de Brún: In the last 12 months, in relation to the Acute Hospital Review:

(a) I received invitations from 5 district councils;

(b) I accepted all the invitations;

(c) I met with Omagh, Fermanagh, Magherafelt, Cookstown and Down District Councils;

(d) I met with Omagh District Council on the 30th October 2001; with Fermanagh District Council on the 21st November 2001; with Magherafelt and Cookstown District Council (jointly) on the 6th December 2001; and with Down District Council on the 9th January 2002.

Sna 12 mí deireanach, maidir leis an Athbhreithniú ar Ghéarotharlanna:

(a) Fuair mé cuirí ó 5 comhairle ceantair;

(b) Ghlac mé leis na cuirí go léir;

(c) Bhuail mé le Comhairlí Ceantair na hÓmaí, Fhear Manach, Mhachaire Rátha, na Coirre Críochaí (le chéile) agus an Dúin;

(d) Bhuail mé le Comhairle Ceantair na hÓmaí ar 30 Deireadh Fómhair 2001; le Comhairle Ceantair Fhear Manach ar 21 Samhain 2001, le Comhairlí Ceantair Mhachaire Rátha agus na Coirre Críochaí (le chéile) ar 6 Nollaig 2001; agus le Comhairle Ceantair an Dúin ar 9 Eanáir 2002.

(AQW 3763/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil ar an dóigh iarrtha.

(AQW 3764/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil ar an dóigh iarrtha.

(AQW 3774/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil ar an dóigh iarrtha.

(AQW 3775/01)

Ms de Brún: Information is not available in the form requested.

Níl an t-eolas ar fáil ar an dóigh iarrtha.

(AQW 3782/01)

Ms de Brún: Officials in my Department are in discussion with their counterparts in the Department of Education and Learning to assess the impact the reduction in ESF funding will have on health and social services.

Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts are already aware of the retraction of European funding in the coming years, and the pressures this will put on their own voluntary activity support budgets. It will be for them to assess the value of current projects and to decide whether to continue funding them, taking into account the impact withdrawal may have on the well-being of the service users involved. This will involve careful assessment of priorities, opportunity costs and available resources.

Tá oifigigh ó mo Roinn i mbun caibidlí lena gcomhghleacaithe sa Roinn Oideachais agus Foghlama le measúnú a dhéanamh ar an tionchar a bheidh ag an laghdú i maoiniú ESF ar na seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta.

Tá a fhios ag na Boird agus ag na hIontaobhais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta cheana féin faoi aistarraingt an mhaoinithe Eorpaigh a dhéanfar sna blianta atá le teacht, agus faoi na brúnna a chuirfidh sí seo ar a mbuiséid thacaíochta féin do ghníomhaíochtaí deonacha. Fúthu féin a bheidh sé measúnú a dhéanamh ar fhiúntas na scéimeanna reatha agus cinneadh a dhéanamh iad a mhaoiniú go fóill nó gan iad a mhaoiniú, ag cur san áireamh an tionchar a d’fhéadfadh an aistarraingt a bheith aici ar leas na n-úsáideoirí seirbhísí lena mbaineann sí. Beidh measúnú cúramach ar thosaíochtaí, ar chostais deiseanna, agus ar na hacmhainní ar fáil i gceist.

(AQW 3783/01)

Ms de Brún: The provision of day services is a shared responsibility between statutory providers in the fields of education, training, employment and health and social services, and voluntary sector providers. The aim is to enable people with a learning disability to access the service most appropriate to their needs at a particular point in time. Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts have developed the necessary multi-agency networks and protocols to meet identified local need.

My Department’s Priorities for Action 2002/03 require Boards and Trusts to continue to develop the range of day care and respite services for people with a learning disability. Some of the additional funding allocated to Boards for the development of community services in 2002/03 will be available for this purpose.

Idir soláthraithe reachtúla i réimsí oideachais, oiliúna, fostaíochta, na seirbhísí sláinte agus sóisialta agus soláthraithe na hearnála deonaí atá an chomhfhreagracht as seirbhísí lae a sholáthar. Is í an aidhm ná cur ar chumas daoine le míchumas foghlama an tseirbhís is oiriúnaí dá riachtanais a fháil ag am ar leith. D’fhorbair na Boird agus na hIontaobhais Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta na gréasáin agus na prótacail riachtanacha ilghníomhaireachta le riar ar riachtanais aitheanta áitiúla.

Éilíonn Tosaíochtaí le hAghaidh Gnímh 2002/03 mo Roinne ar Bhoird agus ar Iontaobhais réimse a seirbhísí cúraim lae agus faoisimh a fhorbairt go fóill do dhaoine le míchumas foghlama. Cuirfear cuid den mhaoiniu breise dáilte ar Bhoird le haghaidh forbairt seirbhísí pobail i 2002/03 ar fáil don chuspóir seo.

(AQW 3802/01)

Ms de Brún: Arimidex has been available on prescription here for ten years and is widely prescribed for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. It is not yet licensed for use in the precautionary treatment of patients who have had surgery and/or radiotherapy for curable breast cancer. The results of clinical studies to date are not sufficiently matured to conclude that Arimidex provides a clear survival advantage in the long term in these cases.

Tá Arimidex ar fáil ar oideas le deich mbliana anuas anois agus moltar mar chóir leighis go forleathan é chun ailse brollaigh forbartha a leigheas. Níl sé ceadúnaithe go fóill i leigheas réamh-aireach na n-othar a chuaigh faoi mháinliacht agus/nó a raibh radaiteiripe d’ailse brollaigh inleigheasta acu. Níl torthaí na staidéar cliniciúil go dtí seo aibí/forbartha go leor chun teacht ar an gcinneadh go bhfuil buntáiste soiléir san fhadtéarma ag Arimidex ó thaobh marthanais de sna cásanna seo.

(AQW 3803/01)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not available.

Níl fáil ar an eolas a iarradh.

(AQW 3805/01)

Ms de Brún: Arimidex has been available here for at least ten years and is widely prescribed for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. Preliminary results from a large multi-centre study comparing the use of Arimidex with the traditional agent Tamoxifen show that it is too early to say if Arimidex provides a clear survival advantage in long term use for patients who have had surgery for early breast cancer.

A number of patients from the Ulster Hospital’s Breast Clinic have been included in this study, in which the health service here has been a major contributor.

Tá Arimidex ar fáil anseo le deich mbliana anuas ar a laghad agus moltar go forleathan mar chóir leighis é chun ailse brollaigh atá forbartha a leigheas. Léiríonn réamhthorthaí ó staidéar mór ilionad a chuir úsáid Arimidex i gcomparáid leis an oibreán traidisiúnta Tamoxifen go bhfuil sé róluath a rá an bhfuil buntáiste amach is amach san fhadtéarma ag baint le Arimidex ó thaobh marthanais de maidir le hothair a chuaigh faoi mháinliacht d’ailse brollaigh go luath.

Áirítear roinnt othar ó Chlinic Brollaigh Ospidéal Uladh sa staidéar sin agus ba mhó an cúnamh a bhí sa tseirbhís sláinte ansin dóibh.

(AQW 3809/01)

Ms de Brún: Belfast East, East Antrim and North Antrim constituencies have neither an Acute hospital nor a Minor Injuries Unit.

Níl Géarotharlann nó Ionad Mionghortuithe i dtoghlaigh Bhéal Feirste Thoir, Aontroma Thoir nó Thuaidh.

(AQW 3817/01)

Ms de Brún: It is not possible to assess the present standards of diagnosis of young people with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. Continual Professional Development of GPs and psychiatrists is designed to ensure increased awareness and to keep professionals up to date with developments in this area.

Support for the individuals diagnosed with ADHD is provided via the child and adolescent services. Support for the families and carers is available through a range of mental health carer support services provided by the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Ní féidir caighdeáin láithreacha fháthmheas dhaoine óga le Neamhord Easpa Aire agus Hipirghníomhaíochta (NEAH) a mheasúnú. Tá sé de chuspóir ag Forbairt Leanúnach Ghairmiúil Ghnáthdhochtúirí agus síciatraithe níos mó eolais air a chinntiú agus gairmithe a choinneáil ar an eolas faoi na forbairtí sa réimse seo.

Tugtar tacaíocht do na daoine aonair fáthmheasta le NEAH tríd na seirbhísí páistí agus ógánach. Tá tacaíocht do theaghlaigh agus d’fheighlithe ar fáil trí réimse seirbhísí tacaíochta d’fheighlithe sláinte meabhrach soláthraithe ag na hearnálacha reachtúla agus deonacha.

(AQW 3818/01)

Ms de Brún: Psychiatrists are educated about ADHD during their general professional training as part of child and adolescent mental health subjects. Child and adolescent psychiatrists, who undergo higher professional training in this sub-specialty prior to becoming consultants, would focus on relevant areas such as ADHD in considerably more depth. Post graduate Continual Professional Development of psychiatrists would ensure increased awareness of ADHD and that professionals keep up to date with developments in this area.

Múintear ábhar an NEAH do shíciatraithe le linn a n-oiliúna gairmiúla ginearálta mar chuid d’ábhair sláinte meabhrach an pháiste agus an ógánaigh. Dhíreodh síciatraithe páistí agus ógánach, a dhéanann oiliúint ghairmiúil níos airde san fhospeisialtacht seo sula ndéantar comhairleacha díobh, i bhfad níos mine ar réimsí cuí amhail NEAH. Chinnteodh Forbairt Leanúnach Ghairmiúil Iarchéime na síciatraithe go mbeadh níos mó eolais acu ar NEAH agus go gcinneodh gairmithe súil ar fhorbairtí sa réimse seo.