Written answers
				Tuesday, 18 February 2025
  - Patient Transfers 
 681. To ask the Minister for Health if a patient (details supplied) from County Donegal will be transferred from Sligo University Hospital to Beaumont Hospital for a second opinion; and if she...
- Departmental Expenditure 
 682. To ask the Minister for Health the medical-evidence basis for the investment by the HSE into an organisation (details supplied). [5458/25]
- Primary Care Centres 
 683. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the proposed new primary care centre for the town of Sixmilebridge, County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5462/25]
- Departmental Data 
 684. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE community nurses based in Meath in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [5471/25]
- Mental Health Services 
 686. To ask the Minister for Health if funding is available for families who have to go privately for psychology services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5482/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status 
 687. To ask the Minister for Health about the case of a person (details supplied) who was referred in November 2023 to the gastroenterology section of University Hospital Limerick, and has yet to...
- Medical Aids and Appliances 
 688. To ask the Minister for Health what supports are available for those in need of home kidney dialysis wishing to purchase a generator, and who are in receipt of a disability payment; and if...
- Hospital Facilities 
 689. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the optimum number of critical care beds that should be available in the acute hospital system; the number of critical care beds and the location...
- Cancer Services 
 690. To ask the Minister for Health if she will undertake a review of the current BreastCheck screening process to consider extending the breast check programme to both younger women, and those...
- Primary Care Centres 
 691. To ask the Minister for Health regarding a building project (details supplied) the initial projected cost of this centres new entrance; the reason some construction work that was completed,...
- Community Care 
 692. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a plan to re-instate respite care in Cheshire Homes, Shillelagh, County Wicklow, following its closure in 2024, and which impacted local service...
- Ambulance Service 
 693. To ask the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in terms of a developing a new ambulance base in Gorey, County Wexford; its projected timeline for development; and if she will...
- Mental Health Services 
 694. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting on CAMHS waiting lists in Wexford and Wicklow, broken down by the number of months they are waiting, in tabular form; the plans...
- Health Strategies 
 695. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware that the organisers of the consultation meetings for the new National Drugs Strategy do not know if alcohol will be included in a new National...
- Departmental Legal Cases 
 696. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical negligence cases currently being managed by the State Claims Agency; the value of such claims; the value of awards made in 2023 and 2024...
- Mental Health Services 
 697. To ask the Minister for Health if a clinical nurse manager (CNM2) will be allocated to the Carrickmacross adult mental health services at the Carrickmacross primary care centre; and if she...
- Mental Health Policy 
 700. To ask the Minister for Health to take urgent action to address the crisis in mental-health care (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5557/25]
- Primary Care Centres 
 701. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the provision of the north Clondalkin primary care centre. [5561/25]
- Medicinal Products 
 702. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the introduction on the provision of free hormone replacement therapy. [5565/25]
- Hospital Services 
 703. To ask the Minister for Health when services will resume in University Hospital Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5598/25]
- Medical Aids and Appliances 
 704. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive a device. [5606/25]
- Cancer Services 
 705. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of people triaged as urgent who attended a symptomatic breast disease clinic; and the proportion who were offered an appointment in each of...
- Weather Events 
 717. To ask the Minister for Health to outline the public health response/contingency planning regarding significant adverse weather events; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5635/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 718. To ask the Minister for Health the basis upon which healthcare students on a placement or internship will be granted or refused payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5636/25]
- Departmental Funding 
 719. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department or bodies under the aegis of her Department received funding support for projects of any kind from the United States of America International...
- Healthcare Policy 
 720. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of a product being sold as a legal alternative to cannabis hexahydrocannabinol (details supplied) and which is banned in many EU countries; the...
- Health Service Executive 
 721. To ask the Minister for Health if service in the Defence Forces can be used for pay purposes in terms of HSE personnel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5687/25]
- Health Services 
 722. To ask the Minister for Health to report on the waiting list for occupational therapy and speech and language therapy in Corduff primary centre, Dublin 15; the measures she is introducing to...
- Eating Disorders 
 724. To ask the Minister for Health the number of specialist teams and dedicated inpatient beds in County Cork for patients suffering from eating disorders. [5735/25]
- Home Help Service 
 725. To ask the Minister for Health if home help supports will be expedited for a person (details Supplied). [5739/25]
- Emergency Departments 
 726. To ask the Minister for Health when the HIQA interim report into the review of accident and emergency services in the mid-west is due; if she will publish the interim report; and if she will...
- Medicinal Products 
 727. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a medication (details supplied) is not covered under the drugs payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5766/25]
- Primary Care Services 
 728. To ask the Minister for Health the psychology waiting-list numbers and exact wait-times in months and years for children and adolescents in the north Lee, south Lee, north Cork and Kerry...
- Health Services Staff 
 732. To ask the Minister for Health for details of vacant psychology posts in the South West regional health area submitted since 1 July 2024 to the prioritisation/derogation process introduced...
- Hospital Admissions 
 738. To ask the Minister for Health to review the case of a person (details supplied) and ensure a place in a hospital unit. [5798/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 739. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE public health nurses by location based in CHO7, as of 7 February 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5817/25]
- Hospital Admissions 
 740. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons that have attended the minor injuries unit at Naas General Hospital for each week since 1 December 2024, in tabular form; and if she will...
- General Practitioner Services 
 741. To ask the Minister for Health the options available to a private patient who cannot get access to a GP service in their local community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5820/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 742. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on staff shortages in the Cork east public health nurse network; if vacant positions have been filled; if a full service is now available in all...
- Vaccination Programme 
 743. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme; the strategy and key performance indicators for the programme; if a review will be carried...
- Healthcare Policy 
 746. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the National Genetics and Genomics Office priority deliverables for 2025; the additional resources required to fully ensure the key...
- Legislative Measures 
 747. To ask the Minister for Health the status of proposed legislation banning the sale of disposable nicotine inhaling products, banning the sale of flavoured nicotine inhaling products and...
- Hospital Facilities 
 748. To ask the Minister for Health to provide a list of the 44 hospital-controlled car parks that provide patient parking; a list of those that provide concessions with details of such; a list...
- Covid-19 Pandemic 
 751. To ask the Minister for Health if she will address the issues relating to long Covid awareness (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5841/25]
- Departmental Correspondence 
 752. To ask the Minister for Health to expedite an operation for a person (details supplied). [5842/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 753. To ask the Minister for Health for the current staffing provision of psychologists for the North Lee, South Lee, West Cork, North Cork and Kerry primary care child and adolescent services,...
- Departmental Staff 
 755. To ask the Minister for Health the gender breakdown of her Department in respect of principal officers, assistant secretaries and secretaries general, respectively; and if she will make a...
- Health Services Waiting Lists 
 756. 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. [5864/25]
- Primary Care Services 
 757. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware that the primary care centre in Balbriggan is being under-utilised while waiting lists for health services in north County Dublin continue to...
- Primary Care Centres 
 760. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the private healthcare and therapy services offered in the primary care centre in Balbriggan; the number of hours private services are...
- Mental Health Services 
 761. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for an initial appointment at South Galway CAMHS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5871/25]
- Domestic Violence 
 764. To ask the Minister for Health following the publishing of the National Clinical Practice Guideline on Screening and Management of Domestic Violence in Pregnancy and the Early Postnatal...
- Dental Services 
 767. To ask the Minister for Health the number of applicants that sat the Dental Council examination for dentists for full registration in each of the past five years; and the pass rate for each...
- Medical Qualifications 
 768. To ask the Minister for Health the number of applicants that sat the pre-registration examination system for Irish Medical Council registration in each of the past five years: and the pass...
- Health Services 
 769. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the national endometriosis framework; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5906/25]
- Disabilities Assessments 
 772. To ask the Minister for Health if he will add endometriosis to the long-term illness scheme; if this is being considered as part of the development of the national endometriosis framework;...
- Health Services 
 774. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people who travelled abroad under the EU cross-border directive for treatment for endometriosis in 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if she...
- Ambulance Service 
 775. To ask the Minister for Health the national average ambulance response time; the Carlow ambulance average response time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5914/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 776. To ask the Minister for Health when the diabetic nurses and podiatrist will be replaced in the primary care unit in Mullingar. [5918/25]
- Alcohol Advertising 
 777. To ask the Minister for Health if she is concerned by the advertising of 0.0 versions of alcoholic drinks being advertised at major sporting events which is in breach of restrictions in...
- Mental Health Services 
 778. To ask the Minister for Health when a vacancy for CNS in crisis intervention in mental health for Kerry mental health services, which was placed on a recruitment hold, will be filled; and if...
- Departmental Correspondence 
 779. To ask the Minister for Health her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5937/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status 
 780. To ask the Minister for Health to expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5938/25]
- Hospital Services 
 781. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the position of new elective hospitals, and specifically a new elective hospital for the Dublin region; and if she will make a statement on...
- Hospital Waiting Lists 
 783. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons currently on waiting lists for heart, lung or kidney transplants, in tabular form. [5975/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 784. To ask the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses in the east Cork area and the areas they cover; the current number of vacancies and the areas without a public health nurse...
- Healthcare Policy 
 785. To ask the Minister for Health if BreastCheck will be extended to the 20-49 age group; the estimated cost to extend BreastCheck to the 20-49 age group; and if she will make a statement on...
- Ambulance Service 
 786. To ask the Minister for Health the number of staff at the National Ambulance Service suspended with pay, by the year the suspension started, in tabular form; and the number suspended with...
- Pharmacy Services 
 787. To ask the Minister for Health if she will address the 16-year-old dispensing fee pay-freeze to pharmacies by adjusting the community drug scheme dispensing fee to €6.50. [5997/25]
- Medicinal Products 
 788. To ask the Minister for Health if she will streamline HSE reimbursement processes and reduce administrative burdens to provide for a nationwide programme for safe and appropriate medicine...
- Departmental Policies 
 790. To ask the Minister for Health if she will fully implement the expert taskforce recommendations. [6000/25]
- Health Services 
 792. To ask the Minister for Health for a detailed progress report in regard to construction works to Killarney community nursing unit; when works will be completed; how soon patients will be...
- Hospital Facilities 
 793. To ask the Minister for Health whether the new 96 bed block being built in University Hospital Limerick will be opened as promised in July 2025. [6052/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 794. To ask the Minister for Health if she will respond to correspondence received (details supplied) regarding radiation therapy students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6054/25]
- Eating Disorders 
 796. To ask the Minister for Health the number of beds currently available for patients diagnosed with eating disorders nationwide, and in County Dublin; the number of beds that have been...
- Health Service Executive 
 797. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a site map of the Weir Home for nurses in Dublin 8 which is managed by the HSE, with site boundaries outlined in red; the list of parties...
- Medicinal Products 
 798. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the recommendation arising from the inquest of a person (details supplied) for the putting in place of a national policy to oversee the...
- Hospital Facilities 
 799. To ask the Minister for Health the capital works projects that were carried out at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Dublin 5 in the years of 2023 and 2024; the future capital works projects that are...
- Mental Health Services 
 800. To ask the Minister for Health if she will address the matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to interim funding for SOSAD Ireland; and if she will make a statement...
- Ambulance Service 
 802. To ask the Minister for Health the number of advanced paramedics working in the HSE National Ambulance Service; the number of vacant posts in the service currently; the plans in place to...
- Disabilities Assessments 
 803. To ask the Minister for Health the current process arrangements on applying for a primary medical certificate; the specific criteria required for these applications; if consideration is...
- Hospital Appointments Status 
 804. To ask the Minister for Health if she will ensure that a person (details supplied) receives an urgent procedure at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; and if she will make a statement on...
- Health Services Staff 
 805. To ask the Minister for Health the average wait time for a qualification to be recognised in Ireland through the CORU system. [6207/25]
- Medical Qualifications 
 806. To ask the Minister for Health the number of the applications for recognition by CORU received in 2024 waiting three to six months, six to nine months, and more than 12 months. [6208/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 807. To ask the Minister for Health if CORU evaluates on a weekly basis new applications or if it is dealing with applications in bulk. [6209/25]
- Hospital Appointments Status 
 809. To ask the Minister for Health if enquiries will be made in relation to the case of a person (details supplied) whose operation was cancelled due to the fact that they were placed on the...
- Departmental Properties 
 810. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the empty buildings, by county, in her Department’s portfolio; the value of the property; the length of time they have lain empty;...
- Medical Cards 
 812. To ask the Minister for Health if she will review the chronic illnesses that provide people with a medical card and a GP visit card to include those suffering from chronic heart failure; and...
- Hospital Staff 
 814. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant vascular surgeons based in Cork University Hospital in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [6279/25]
- Mental Health Services 
 815. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dual diagnosis teams across CHO3; the number of staff in those teams. [6280/25]
- Health Services 
 816. To ask the Minister for Health for a breakdown of the chiropody services available in the public health service, including to those with a medical card. [6281/25]
- Tobacco Control Measures 
 817. To ask the Minister for Health the number of test purchase inspections on the sale of tobacco and vaping products carried out, in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [6282/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 818. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated full-year cost to recruit one WTE staff grade optician and one senior grade optician to work within the public health service. [6283/25]
- Disability Services 
 819. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to open an adult ADHD treatment clinic in the South Tipperary catchment area; when the clinical pathways regarding ADHD treatment changed in...
- Medicinal Products 
 820. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the total annual medicines budget for each year from 2020 to 2024. [6304/25]
- Covid-19 Pandemic Supports 
 822. To ask the Minister for Health when it is proposed that the frontline staff in the Irish Blood Transfusion Service will receive their pandemic payment; the reason for the delay [6310/25]
- State Bodies 
 823. To ask the Minister for Health to provide the full membership of the Sláintecare programme board; the dates at which it has met since its inception; the date at which the next meeting...
- Legislative Programme 
 825. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the Health Information Bill 2024; the timeline for proceeding to Committee Stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6317/25]
- Health Services 
 826. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on implementation of “Digital for Care—A Digital Health Framework for Ireland”, published in May 2024; if she intends...
- Ministerial Responsibilities 
 827. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a copy of the Departmental brief presented to her upon her appointment. [6321/25]
- Vaccination Programme 
 828. To ask the Minister for Health if she will commit to reinstating the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme; if her Department has considered this proposal; the steps her...
- Legislative Programme 
 829. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline she is working towards in introducing legislation to further restrict vaping products; to outline her plans in respect of flavours and disposable...
- Nursing Homes 
 830. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the case of a nursing home facing closure in Kerry (details supplied); the steps her Department has taken to find an...
- Mental Health Services 
 831. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details in respect of the policies in place to ensure that people with autism are not discriminated against in mental health services; if she will...
- Health Services 
 832. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on free HRT scheme. [6330/25]
- Artificial Intelligence 
 833. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within her Department in 2024 and to date in 2025; if any section of...
- Men's Sheds 
 834. To ask the Minister for Health to provide funding to Nenagh’s Men’s Shed to source a location and building for their work. [6355/25]
- Departmental Projects 
 835. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the development of a building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6371/25]
- Medical Cards 
 836. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical card applications received each year since 2020; the number of medical cards total issued each year since 2020; the number of...
- Health Services 
 837. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a nurse helpline operated by the rheumatology department at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown no longer provides medical appointments with nurses...
- Primary Care Centres 
 838. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1329 of 5 February 2025, if the Health Service Executive could respond to this Deputy; and if she will make a statement...
- Hospital Services 
 839. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the rehabilitation unit to be developed at Roscommon University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6395/25]
- Ambulance Service 
 840. To ask the Minister for Health when the advanced paramedic roster will be filled with advanced paramedics on the rapid response vehicle at Roscommon; and if she will make a statement on the...
- Departmental Reviews 
 842. To ask the Minister for Health when the review of the national clinical programme for ophthalmology will commence; if private community optometrists will have an opportunity to make...
- Health Service Executive 
 843. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6417/25]
- Health Services Staff 
 844. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the neurology consultant appointment for a child (details supplied). [6424/25]
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