David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health the number of the 54 children who were waiting longer than four months for their paediatric spinal surgery at the end of December 2024 that were offered the opportunity to get their spinal surgery abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31839/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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752. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of children who have travelled abroad for spinal surgery since her appointment in January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31840/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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753. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of paediatric orthopaedic surgeons who carry out spinal procedures and are employed across CHI since 2020 to date, by year, by hospital and by total CHI number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31841/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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754. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of spinal surgeries performed by each orthopaedic surgeon who performs spinal surgery, to date this year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31842/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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755. To ask the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of the total number of outpatient clinics across all areas of paediatric orthopaedics provided by each of paediatric spinal surgeon, to date this year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31843/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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756. To ask the Minister for Health to confirm the total number of paediatric surgeries carried out in CHI to date this year versus the same period in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31844/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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757. To ask the Minister for Health the number of appointments available per year under the free contraception scheme. [31845/25]

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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758. To ask the Minister for Health whether an additional consultation is provided free of charge when a person needs to review her prescription under the free contraception scheme. [31846/25]

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 757 and 758 together.

The free contraception scheme was launched in September 2022, initially for those aged 17-25. It has been gradually expanded and now includes women aged 17-35 from July 1st, 2024. The scheme is open to women, girls and other people identifying as transgender or non-binary, who are ordinarily resident in Ireland and for whom prescription contraception is deemed suitable by their doctors.

The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the HSE Re-Imbursement List, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs: injections, intra-uterine devices and systems (coils) and implants) and emergency contraception in addition to the contraceptive Pill, patch and ring. LARC fittings, removals, injections and check-ups are also free of charge under the scheme.

Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted while eligible under the scheme remain eligible for subsequent checks and free removal of any devices inserted prior to reaching the eligibility limit (currently their 36th birthday), to ensure continuity of care.

The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, 2025, commits to continuing to extend access to free contraception.

The FCS works through GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and community pharmacies most of which are private sector and deliver services under contract with the HSE which are re-imbursed retrospectively via the Primary Care Re-Imbursement Service (PCRS). Approximately 2,400 GPs and 2,050 pharmacies have signed up to provide services and products under the scheme to date.

The availability of appointments are a matter for GPs and other services delivering the scheme. The HSE reports on these retrospectively. The Department, HSE, PSI, IPU and other key stakeholders are working to enable contraceptive prescribing by pharmacists, in order to extend or continue a prescription for contraception, as part of the work of the Community Pharmacy Expansion Implementation Oversight Group. The work on contraception is accompanying wider work to expand the role of community pharmacies to also deliver a common conditions service. More information about the group can be found here - www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/collections/community-pharmacy-expansion-implementation-oversight-group/#:~:text=The%20Minister%20for%20Health%20has%20established%20a%20Community,Support%20the%20Expansion%20of%20the%20Role%20of%20Pharmacy%E2%80%9D.

It should be noted that the number of appointments per individual per year is not limited; a contraception appointment should be free for women who fall within the eligible age range and are ordinarily resident in Ireland. Should an initially prescribed contraceptive method need to be changed or checked, for example as a result of side effects, women will be re-imbursed for subsequent appointments under the scheme.

In terms of the total number of appointments with GPs and other service providers delivered under the FCS in 2024 and previous years, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.