Written answers
Tuesday, 11 February 2025
- Healthcare Policy
574. To ask the Minister for Health the steps his Department has taken to provide support to Palestinian children in need of medical treatment to access treatment in Ireland; and if she will make... - Health Services Staff
576. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the need for workforce planning in respect of radiation therapists; her plans to engage with the Minister for Further and Higher Education,... - Health Services
577. To ask the Minister for Health the position in relation to the national review of cardiac services; if she is in possession of a copy of this review; if she will publish the document; and if... - Legislative Measures
579. To ask the Minister for Health the compensation and additional supports that will be provided to employees of companies currently involved in stocking and servicing self-service tobacco and... - Misuse of Drugs
580. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to include hexahydrocannabinol, HHC, as a controlled drug under the misuse of drugs regulations; if he will outline plans to regulate the... - Hospital Appointments Status
582. To ask the Minister for Health when an appointment will be made for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4008/25] - Healthcare Policy
584. To ask the Minister for Health to provide confirmation of required documentation for an S1 application (details supplied). [4010/25] - Hospital Appointments Status
585. To ask the Minister for Health when an appointment will be made for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4011/25] - Medical Internships
586. To ask the Minister for Health if she agrees that radiation therapy students should be paid during their summer clinical placement, and that an unpaid placement presents a financial obstacle... - Healthcare Policy
587. To ask the Minister for Health why medical alert dogs are not recognised under legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4021/25] - Health Service Executive
590. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the level of funding the HSE has paid out to private companies completing assessments in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, per CHO area, in... - Hospital Appointments Status
591. To ask the Minister for Health if a procedure can be expedited for a patient (details supplied) who is awaiting a call to University Hospital Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the... - Ministerial Responsibilities
593. To ask the Minister for Health to publish the ministerial brief she received on commencing her role; and when and by what means it will be published. [4094/25] - Medical Research and Training
594. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of the annual training grant awarded by the National Doctors Training Programme to education institutions (details supplied) from 2019 to 2024 in... - Ambulance Service
595. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware that staff at the National Ambulance Service are on the verge of industrial action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4110/25] - Emergency Planning
598. To ask the Minister for Health what plans are in place to support critical infrastructure such as GP surgeries in the event of severe weather disruptions, particularly where they are... - Dental Services
603. To ask the Minister for Health to urgently address the long and unacceptable waiting lists for orthodontic care (details supplied), currently standing at 5.5 years, with no sign of reducing;... - Hospital Appointments Status
604. To ask the Minister for Health to expedite a hospital appointment for a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4150/25] - Medicinal Products
605. To ask the Minister for Health if she would consider making the medication linaclotide available via the drugs payment scheme as this medication is very expensive; and if she will make a... - Healthcare Policy
606. To ask the Minister for Health the supports to be put in place to resource community drugs services, providing therapeutic or day supports including counselling, rehabilitation, education or... - Health Services Staff
607. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE employment freeze has been completely lifted, specifically in relation to the Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar. [4157/25] - Hospital Waiting Lists
608. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the need to ensure waiting lists are not exacerbated by cancellation of elective surgeries and outpatient care, following Storm Éowyn; and if... - Hospital Equipment
609. To ask the Minister for Health her views on reports that four linear accelerators in Dublin, Cork and Galway were not in use in Autumn 2024 due to staffing shortages; and the position... - Disabilities Assessments
610. To ask the Minister for Health if an autism assessment will be provided to a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4180/25] - Hospital Facilities
611. To ask the Minister for Health when she expects the additional 97 beds planned for Wexford General Hospital to become available to treat patients; the number of existing beds that will no... - Qualifications Recognition
612. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4192/25] - Hospital Appointments Status
613. To ask the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4198/25] - Medical Aids and Appliances
614. To ask the Minister for Health if back-up batteries for CPAP machines are available on the medical card scheme, and if so, are they available in every CHO area, including CHO 2. [4200/25] - Tobacco Control Measures
615. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the new licensing system for tobacco and nicotine products; if he is aware of concerns of smaller retailers of the impact these new fees will... - Primary Care Services
616. To ask the Minister for Health to provide a list of services that have been withdrawn from the Mary Mercer Health Centre, Jobstown, in the past 12 months; the reason those seeking to access... - Tobacco Control Measures
617. To ask the Minister for Health if she is considering any changes to the annual retailers licensing fees for those selling tobacco products or nicotine-inhaling products; and if she will make... - Ambulance Service
618. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the training of advanced paramedics has ceased (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4217/25] - Hospital Staff
619. To ask the Minister for Health her plans, if any, to ensure the provision of one WTE diabetes specialist pump nurse in Wexford General Hospital, for patients with diabetes to have a greater... - Health Services Staff
620. To ask the Minister for Health her plans, if any, to provide the appropriate diabetes staffing resources to provide access to the dose adjusting for normal eating programme for all persons... - Dental Services
621. To ask the Minister for Health the reason Cork University Hospital is taking up the beds needed for the dental treatment in Mallow General Hospital and subsequently dental services are being... - Medicinal Products
622. To ask the Minister for Health to urgently add asthma to the long-term illness scheme, as it is a lifelong chronic illness that requires daily medication that is very expensive; and if she... - General Practitioner Services
623. To ask the Minister for Health if an afterhours doctor service can be provided in a town in Kildare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4223/25] - Legislative Process
624. To ask the Minister for Health in respect of each Bill for which her Department had responsibility and that was initiated in 2024, or that was enacted in 2024, to specify in which House of... - Hospital Appointments Status
625. To ask the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4265/25] - Medical Internships
626. To ask the Minister for Health given the known shortage of radiation therapists in Ireland and their vital role in fighting cancer and given the financial impediments to students of... - Assisted Human Reproduction
627. To ask the Minister for Health to examine the case of a person (details supplied) regarding IVF programme changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4286/25] - Hospital Staff
628. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of medical scientists employed at Cork University Hospital in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the number of hospital laboratories that are currently... - Public Sector Pay
629. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends on intervening on behalf of retired medical scientists who are currently excluded from pay parity with their colleagues; and if she will make a... - Disease Management
630. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the implementation of the new national rare disease strategy, given that the strategy is currently in draft form and awaiting publication; and... - Medicinal Products
631. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends on expediting the review of the drug reimbursement process as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on... - Medical Research and Training
632. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on her efforts to establish a workforce planning expert unit, to work with the education sectors, regulators, and professional... - Hospital Services
633. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the resourcing of the paediatric spinal surgery management unit and efforts to coordinate spinal services across all our hospitals; the... - Primary Care Centres
634. To ask the Minister for Health the number of primary care centres delivered nationally in 2022, 2023 and 2024; the number that have encountered delays during that period; the number of... - Hospital Charges
636. To ask the Minister for Health the plans, to reduce car parking charges at hospitals, particularly with cancer patients and their families in mind; and if she will make a statement on the... - Park-and-Ride Facilities
637. To ask the Minister for Health if there are further plans to expand the provision of park and ride facilities to Cork University Hospital for staff and patients, in particular on the eastern... - Pharmacy Services
638. To ask the Minister for Health the efforts made to appoint a new chief pharmacist to the Department; when she hopes to be in a position to make such an appointment; when she hopes to... - Cancer Services
639. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of any plans under consideration to further extend the BowelScreen cancer screening programme; if there are any plans to extend the... - Health Strategies
640. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the formulation of the new obesity plan and action plan; if she plans to keep the model of care for long Covid under review, taking account of... - Medicinal Products
641. To ask the Minister for Health if she plans to review the drugs reimbursement process and plans; if she will consider investigating new methods for earlier reimbursement of certain... - Public Sector Pay
642. To ask the Minister for Health the salary scale that applies to the Secretary General of her Department; whether this scale has changed in the past year; whether there are proposals to... - Dental Services
643. To ask the Minister for Health the number of school dentists in County Longford; the number of schools each dentist supports; and the number of pupils in each school, in tabular form. [4341/25] - Hospital Equipment
644. To ask the Minister for Health the number of trophon machines currently in use at both CHI Temple Street and CHI Crumlin. [4342/25] - Hospital Staff
645. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant-in-intensive-care-medicine positions based at Mullingar Regional Hospital in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [4343/25] - Mental Health Services
646. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting an initial appointment with CAMHS, in Westmeath, by waiting time, in tabular form. [4344/25] - Health Strategies
647. To ask the Minister for Health to outline her plans in respect of the Programme for Government commitment to “ensure a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical... - Hospital Appointments Status
648. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be called for hip surgery in Tullamore Hospital. [4375/25] - Medicinal Products
649. To ask the Minister for Health for support on the case of a person (details supplied). [4376/25] - Departmental Data
650. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and precocious puberty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4377/25] - Medicinal Products
651. To ask the Minister for Health the plans to provide solu-cortef injection medication in EpiPen form for children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and precocious puberty in line with other... - General Practitioner Services
652. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the chronic shortage of GP services in north County Dublin; to outline her plans to deal with this issue; if she has considered the... - Health Service Executive
653. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends to direct the HSE in relation to its capital plan. [4400/25] - Hospital Waiting Lists
654. To ask the Minister for Health her immediate plans to help alleviate the backlog of children with scoliosis waiting for surgery. [4401/25] - Nursing Homes
655. To ask the Minister for Health the date on which the new Nenagh community nursing home will open to residents. [4408/25] - Emergency Departments
657. To ask the Minister for Health when the HIQA review into the need for a second accident and emergency department in the midwest will be concluded. [4410/25] - Medical Internships
658. To ask the Minister for Health if she is considering offering financial supports for radiation therapy students while they are on placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter.... - Health Services
659. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the cessation of the Heartwatch programme; the number of patients participating in the programme each year; and her plans for the resumption or... - Registration Certificate
660. To ask the Minister for Health her views on whether it is appropriate that Dungarvan is still without a registrar of births, deaths and marriages; if her Department will work with the HSE to... - Medical Aids and Appliances
661. To ask the Minister for Health the measures that can be taken to greater integrate continuous glucose monitoring into the healthcare system; and if she will make a statement on the matter.... - Health Strategies
663. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for the development of a national diabetes strategy; the opportunity there will be for stakeholder engagement and public consultation; and if she... - Departmental Data
664. To ask the Minister for Health the amount spent on diabetes-related treatment and care within the health service in 2023 and 2024, broken down by year and expenditure, in tabular form. [4425/25] - Legislative Process
665. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for the progression of the Health Information Bill 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4442/25] - Mental Health Services
666. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant psychiatrists and senior psychiatrists in each of the CAMHS teams based in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the... - Health Services Staff
667. To ask the Minister for Health the number of additional WTE staff recruited into neonatology services in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4455/25] - Medical Aids and Appliances
668. To ask the Minister for Health the changes that have been made to the system of reimbursing dispensing opticians for vouchers issued by the HSE for glasses for children; if she will provide... - Hospital Staff
669. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant gastroenterologist based at Galway University Hospital in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a... - Departmental Expenditure
670. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a schedule of expenditure relating to IT external service provision in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, including the company name and... - Ambulance Service
671. To ask the Minister for Health the number of advanced paramedics stationed in Cork under the National Ambulance Service (details supplied). [4487/25] - General Practitioner Services
674. To ask the Minister for Health if a GP practice can cease giving medication to a person without attending a six-month check-up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4546/25] - Hospital Appointments Status
675. To ask the Minister for Health when an ophthalmology appointment will be made for a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4563/25] - Medical Aids and Appliances
677. To ask the Minister for Health the reason adults with type 1 diabetes attending Limerick University Hospital are still not offered insulin pumps as a treatment option, despite the qualified... - Organ Donation
678. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the organ donation opt-out register which is to be put in place under the Human Tissue Act 2024; when it is expected that the register will be... - Ministerial Responsibilities
679. To ask the Minister for Health to outline the exact title of each Minister of State in her Department; to outline their delegated functions and attributable budget heading for each of these... - Legislative Process
680. To ask the Minister for Health if all sections of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 have commenced yet; if not, the details... - Medical Aids and Appliances
681. To ask the Minister for Health the reason adults with type 1 diabetes attending University Hospital Limerick are still not offered insulin pumps as a treatment option, despite the... - Departmental Funding
682. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on interim funding for an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4639/25] - Hospital Appointments Status
683. To ask the Minister for Health the status of an operation for a person (details supplied). [4641/25] - National Treatment Purchase Fund
684. To ask the Minister for Health if she has plans to alter the national treatment purchase fund to increase the pay from a nursing home (details supplied) and similar private nursing homes to... - Medicinal Products
685. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the pricing and reimbursement application process for melatonin under the community drug scheme; if melatonin will be provided under the... - Home Help Service
686. To ask the Minister for Health to examine the case of a person (details supplied) requiring a home help package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4674/25] - Departmental Schemes
687. To ask the Minister for Health if the hardship scheme will be expanded to allow for forms and prescriptions from GPs to be accepted in place of those from paediatricians; and if she will... - Hospital Staff
688. To ask the Minister for Health the number of agency blitz days carried out in 2024 and the date by each hospital, in tabular form; the number of sessions involved; the number of staff... - Cancer Services
689. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to expand the age catchment of the BreastCheck programme. [4694/25] - Hospital Waiting Lists
690. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a lower limb prosthesis in the public hospital system. [4695/25] - Programme for Government
691. To ask the Minister for Health to provide greater clarity on the programme for Government’s commitment to roll out more early-age dementia supports and for increased funding for the... - Care Services
692. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to increase the number of places for individuals who need 24/7 care due to suffering with early-onset dementia who are under 65 years-of-age; and if... - Medical Aids and Appliances
693. To ask the Minister for Health if she will approve the new mandibular device used to treat sleep apnoea (details supplied). [4702/25] - Departmental Funding
694. To ask the Minister for Health whether promised interim funding for an organisation (details supplied) will be released; and to provide details of the funding amount and timeline for its... - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
695. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the project to establish an elective hospital in Cork as of February 2025; if a site for this project has been identified; and if she will make a... - Mental Health Services
696. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the care of a person (details supplied) has been completely inadequate and that the lives of other persons... - Ambulance Service
697. To ask the Minister for Health the number of advanced paramedics the National Ambulance Service has employed in each county in each year from 2014 through 2024 inclusive; the number of... - Hospital Charges
702. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends to scrap parking charges for cancer patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4781/25] - Medical Cards
703. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends to make medical cards an automatic entitlement for cancer patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4782/25] - Cancer Services
704. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware that stem cell therapy is treated as an elective procedure for cancer patients and that this has a direct impact in terms of access to beds; if... - Hospital Appointments Status
705. To ask the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4801/25] - Artificial Intelligence
706. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence, AI, within the Department; if any section of her Department currently... - Medicinal Products
707. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to reimburse women affected by the delay to the rollout of the free HRT scheme which was due to begin in January 2025; and if she will make... - Assisted Human Reproduction
708. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department still plans to bring forward legislation to amend the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024; the elements of the Act that the Bill... - Alcohol Advertising
709. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the level of alcohol brand advertising broadcast on terrestrial television during the Six Nations Rugby Championship game between Ireland... - Hospital Appointments Status
711. To ask the Minister for Health to review a case (details supplied) and escalate this referral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4839/25]
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