Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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713. To ask the Minister for Health the financial supports are available towards the cost of tongue-tie surgery for a child, who has undergone a private assessment due to waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13393/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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It is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.

I published the Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP) for 2025 on February 12th, representing this Government’s commitment to reducing waiting times for patients and improving access to hospital care.

In keeping with this commitment, significant funding of €420m is being allocated to the Waiting List Action Plan for 2025, €190m for the HSE and €230m for the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).

With the 2025 plan, we will continue to build upon the progress delivered to date under the multi annual action plan approach, progressing towards the ultimate vision of a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it.

As part of its operational remit, to help reduce waiting times for treatment in public hospitals, the HSE funds schemes for treatment outside of the State – the Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS) and the Cross Border Directive (CBD).

The HSE also works with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an Inpatient/Day case or Outpatient waiting list in a public hospital.

Details on these options are available on the HSE website at the following link:

www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/options-while-on-a-waiting-list/

Treatment accessed in a private hospital or clinic within the State and paid for privately by the patient, is not eligible for reimbursement by the HSE or the Department of Health.