(AQW 452/02)

Ms de Brún: Within the last four years, no nursing staff at the Tyrone & Fermanagh Hospital have been on full time secondment to courses external to the Trust.

Le ceithre bliana anuas, ní raibh ball foirne altranais ar bith in Otharlann Thír Eoghain & Fhear Manach ar iasacht lánaimseartha chuig chúrsaí lasmuigh den Iaontaobhas

(AQW 453/02)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is as follows:

Is é a leanann ná an t-eolas a iarradh:

(AQW 454/02)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is as follows:

Is é a leanann an t-eolas a iarradh:

(AQW 455/02)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is as follows:

Is é a leanann ná an t-eolas a iarradh:

(AQW 456/02)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is as follows:

Is é a leanann ná an t-eolas a iarradh:

(AQW 459/02)

Ms de Brún:

(a) Number of Women from Great Britain who have given birth at hospitals here, 1998-2001

(b) Number of Women from the South of Ireland* who have given birth at hospitals here, 1998-2001

Data supplied by EHSSB includes women from the South of Ireland and overseas.

(a) Líon na mBan ón Bhreatain Mhór a rugadh naíonán dóibh in otharlanna anseo, 1998-2001.

(b) Líon na mBan ó Dheisceart na hÉireann* a rugadh naíonán dóibh in otharlanna anseo, 1998-2001.

* Is é a chuirtear san áireamh le sonraí a sholáthraíonn BSSS an Oirthir mná ó Dheisceart na hÉireann agus ó thíortha thar lear.

(AQW 460/02)

Ms de Brún: The information requested is not available.

Níl fáil ar an eolas a iarradh.

(AQW 462/02)

Ms de Brún: The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill is currently before the Assembly for consideration. It is proposed at this stage that the detail of the system of accreditation proposed in the Bill, including costs, will be set out in guidance and regulations. These will be the subject of widespread public consultation and at this stage it is not possible to give an undertaking as to additional funding to organisations to cover costs.

Tá an Bille um Chosaint Páistí agus Aosach Soghonta faoi bhráid an Tionóil faoi láthair lena mhachnamh a dhéanamh air. Moltar ag an phointe seo go leagfar amach mionsonraí an chórais chreidiúnaithe molta sa Bhille, costais curtha san áireamh, i dtreoir agus i rialacháin. Cuirfear iad seo faoi chomhairliúchán forleathan poiblí agus ag an phointe seo ní féidir gealltanas a thabhairt maidir le maoiniú breise d’eagraíochtaí le costais a chlúdach.

(AQW 463/02)

Ms de Brún: It is intended that the system of accreditation proposed in the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill, which is currently before the Assembly, will promote and encourage good child protection practice within organisations working with children. Organisations seeking accreditation will be required to demonstrate that arrangements are such that the protection of children in their care is maximised. This will include a requirement to carry out checks on those to whom they plan to offer posts and to refer those considered unsuitable to work with children for inclusion in the statutory list which will be held by my Department.

(AQW 464/02)

Ms de Brún: A decision on the charges which may be imposed both for carrying out checks against the statutory lists and for accreditation, has yet to be taken. Before the introduction charges of any kind related to the implementation of the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill, I intend to consult widely.

Ní dhearna cinneadh go fóill ar na costais a d’fhéadfadh a bheith forchurtha ar sheiceáil a dhéanamh leis na liostaí reachtúla ná ar chreidiúnú. Sula dtugtar costais de chinéal ar bith isteach maidir le cur i bhfeidhm an Bhille um Chosaint Páistí agus Aosach Soghonta, tá sé beartaithe agam dul i gcomhairle go forleathan.

(AQW 466/02)

Ms de Brún: Since 1999, the Cancer Registry has investigated nine alleged cancer clusters, with another investigation currently ongoing. None of the nine alleged clusters were found to have significantly high levels of cancer. The details of the investigations are listed below.

2. Glynn Village, Co. Antrim – April 2000. Brought about by a report in a local Sunday newspaper and a request by Councillors to investigate. Conclusions were that Glynn did not have statistically significant higher rates than the population as a whole, nor was there an apparent significant increasing trend in the rates.

3. District Council – May 2000. Local GP asked for information relating to cancer in his area. The levels of cancer were not significantly high.

4. District Council – October 2000. The Ulster Cancer Foundation asked if there were higher rates of cancer incidence in a particular district council. None were found.

5. Kilroot/ Grangemouth oil refinery – March 2001. Alleged in media that the refinery contributes to cancer incidence here. Findings indicated that there was no evidence of the reported "corridor" of higher cancer levels between Belfast and Newry, and that industrial air pollution is more likely to case asthma and chronic pulmonary disease rather than cancer.

6. Breast Cancer amongst teachers in a small school – August 2001. Investigation raised through the Health and Social Services Board. No significant findings.

7. Electoral Ward – March 2002. Investigation of alleged high levels of cancer in the Newtownbutler area. Upon examination of both the cancer incidence and mortality rates, Newtownbutler did not appear to have statistically significant higher rates than the general population, nor was there an apparent significant increasing trend in the rates.

8. District Council – May 2002. Asked by a company to investigate if there were high levels of childhood cancer being registered in its surrounding area, as had been reported in local paper. The rates in the surrounding district councils were not significantly higher than in the general population and there was no significant increasing trend in the rates with time.

9. District Council – June 2002. Raised by a member of the public through the Department to investigate if the levels of breast cancer were high in their district council. The rates were not significantly higher than in the general population.

10. Cancer in the workplace – September 2002. Investigation ongoing.

Ó 1999, d’imscrúdaigh an Chlárlann Ailse naoi mbraisle ailse líomhnaithe agus tá imscrúdú eile idir lámha faoi láthair. Níor thángthas ar leibhéal iontach ard ailse i ceann ar bith de na naoi mbraisle líomhnaithe. Tá sonraí na n-imscrúduithe liostaithe thíos.

2. Sráidbhaile an Ghleanna, Co. Aontroma – Aibreán 2000. Déanta mar gheall ar thuairisc i nuachtán áitiúil an Domhnaigh agus ar iarratas Comhairleoirí le himscrúdú a dhéanamh. Ba iad na torthaí nach raibh rátaí staitisticí níos airde ar bhonn suntasach ag an Ghleann ná ag an phobal san iomlán, níor léir go raibh méadú suntasach treochta ar bith sna rátaí ach oiread.

3. Comhairle Ceantair – Bealtaine 2000. D’iarr gnáthdhochtúir áitiúil eolas ag baint le hailse ina cheantar. Ní raibh leibhéil ailse iontach ard.

4. Comhairle Ceantair – Deireadh Fómhair 2000. D’fhiafraigh Foras Ailse Uladh an raibh rátaí níos airde de mhinicíocht ailse i gcomhairle ceantair ar leith. Níor thángthas ar cheann ar bith.

5. Scaglann Ola Kilroot/Grangemouth – Márta 2001. Bhí sé líomhnaithe sna meáin go gcuireann scaglann le minicíocht ailse anseo. Léirigh cinneadh nach raibh fianaise ar bith ann don "phasáiste" tuairiscithe de leibhéil níos airde ailse idir Béal Feirste agus an tIúr, agus gur dócha go mbeadh plúchadh nó galar ainsealach na scamhóg de thoradh ar thruailliú aeir tionsclaíoch ná ailse.

6. Ailse Chíche i measc múinteoirí i scoil bheag – Lúnasa 2001. Cuireadh an t-imscrúdú i bhfeidhm tríd an Bhord Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta. Níor thángthas ar chinneadh suntasach ar bith.

7. Toghbharda – Márta 2002. Imscrúdú ar leibhéil arda ailse líomhnaithe i gceantar An Bhaile Nua. Ar scrúdú minicíocht ailse agus rátaí báis, níor chósúil go raibh rátaí staitisticí níos airde ar bhonn suntasach ag an Bhaile Nua ná mar a bhí sa phobal mhór, ná gur cosúil go raibh an treocht ag méadú sna rátaí ar bhonn suntasach.

8. Comhairle Ceantair – Bealtaine2002. D’iarr cuideachta imscrúdú le fail amach an raibh leibhéil arda ailse leanaí á clárú sa timpeallacht máguaird, mar a bhí tuairiscthe sa pháipéar áitiúil. Ní raibh na rátaí sna comhairlí ceantair máguaird níos airde ar bhonn suntasach ná mar atá sa phobal mhór agus ní raibh an treocht sna rátaí ag méadú go suntasach le himeacht aimsire.

9. Comhairle Ceantair – Meitheamh 2002. D’iarr ball an phobail tríd an Roinn imscrúdú a dhéanamh ar cé acu a bhí leibhéil ailse chíche ard ina gcomhairle ceantair. Ní raibh na rátaí níos airde ar bhonn suntasach ná mar a bhí sa phobal mhór.

10. Ailse san áit oibre – Meán Fómhair 2002. Imscrúdú idir lámha.

(AQW 534/02)

(a)

(i) As the new Causeway Hospital did not accept its first patient until May 2001, there is no record of sick leave absences for periods prior to this.

(ii) The number of Causeway Hospital nursing, ancillary and domestic staff on sick leave during July, August and September 2002 is detailed in the following table.

(b) My Department has recently published a Human Resources Strategy, which aims to realise a future for the HPSS as an employer caring for both its staff and service users. This Strategy requires Trusts as HPSS employers to set targets and implement measures to reduce sick absences.

The Trust is continually working towards reducing the high levels of sickness within these staffing groups. The Trust has an Occupational Health Department which provides support to managers and staff. It is about to tender for a confidential staff counselling service and a member of the Trust’s Personnel Department has been seconded full time to support managers in the area of sickness counselling. In addition Senior Management Teams and Trust Board members are provided with monitoring reports and reports of progress made in the area of managing absence.

(a)

(i) Cionn is nár ghlac Otharlann úr an Chlocháin lena céad othar go dtí Bealtaine 2001, níl taifead ar bith ar neamhláithreachtaí saoire bhreoiteachta do thréimhsí roimhe seo.

(ii) Tá líon na foirne altranais, coimhdí agus inmheánaí ar shaoire bhreoiteachta i Iúil, Lúnasa agus Meán Fómhair 2002 léirithe sa tábla seo a leanas.

(b) D’fhoilsigh an Roinn s’agam Straitéis Acmhainní Daonna ar na mallaibh a bhfuil sé mar aidhm aige todhchaí do na SSSP mar fhostóir a thugann aire dá mbaill fhoirne agus dá n-úsáideoirí seirbhíse araon a thabhairt i gcrann. Is é a theastaíonn ón Straitéis seo go leagfaidh na hIontaobhais mar fhostóirí SSSP spriocanna amach agus go gcuirfidh siad bearta i bhfeidhm le neamhláithreachtaí breoiteachta a laghdú.

Bíonn an tIontaobhas ag obair i gcónaí leis na leibhéil arda tinnis laistigh de na grúpaí foirne seo a laghdú. Tá Roinn Sláinte Ghairme ag an Iontaobhas a sholáthraíonn tacaíocht do bhainisteoirí agus do bhaill fhoirne. Tá sé ar tí tairiscint a chur isteach do sheirbhís rúnda comhairle foirne agus tugadh ball de Roinn Pearsanra an Iontaobhais ar iasacht go lánaimseartha le tacaíocht a thabhairt do bhainisteoirí i réimse comhairle tinnis. Ina theannta sin, cuirtear tuairiscí monatóireachta agus tuairiscí ar dhul chun cinn atá déanta i réimse neamhláithreacht a bhainistiú ar fáil do bhaill na bhFoirne Bainisteoireachta Sinsearaí agus na mBord Iontaobhais.

(AQW 540/02)

Ms de Brún: I am aware that a fund to modernise dentistry was established in England in 2000 but there are no plans at present to replicate this here. However, my officials are participating in a working group chaired by England’s Chief Dental Officer which is looking at the options for change to modernise NHS dentistry in England in order to assess whether any of the options put forward are appropriate for our local needs.

I did submit a developmental bid in the recent Budget process to modernise dental practice premises and equipment but unfortunately this was unsuccessful. However, there is already a substantial amount spent providing dental services here. Overall expenditure on dentistry has risen from £54.4m in 1998-99 to £57.4m in 2000-01.

Is eol dom gur bunaíodh ciste i Sasana i 2000 le fiaclóireacht a thabhairt suas chun dáta ach níl pleananna ar bith lena mhacasamhail a dhéanamh anseo faoi láthair. Tá mo chuid feidhmeannach, áfach, ag glacadh páirte i ngrúpa oibre, a bhfuil Príomhfheidhmeannach Fiaclóireachta Shasana ina chathaoirleach air, atá ag smaoineadh ar na roghanna le haghaidh athraithe chun fiaclóireacht SNS i Sasana a thabhairt suas chun dáta ionas go ndéanfar measúnú ar cé acu atá ceann ar bith de na roghanna a cuireadh chun tosaigh fóirsteanach dár riachtanais áitiúla.

Chuir mé tairiscint fhorásach isteach sa phróiseas Buiséid le gairid le haghaidh áitreabh agus trealamh cleachtas fiaclóireachta a thabhairt suas chun dáta ach ar an drochuair níor éirigh leis. Tá méid suntasach á chaitheamh cheana ar sholáthar seirbhísí fiaclóireachta anseo. D’ardaigh caiteachas iomláine ar an fhiaclóireacht ó £54.4m i 1998-99 go dtí £57.4m i 2000-01.

(AQW 552/02)

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

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