David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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812. To ask the Minister for Health further to Government approval in September 2024 for Ireland to evacuate a number of sick children from Gaza for treatment and care, following an appeal from the World Health Organization to address the current health needs of people from Gaza, the number of children from Gaza received and treated to date in 2025; and the number which remain outstanding at this time, in tabular form. [35941/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies for their queries in relation to the medical evacuations to Ireland of paediatric patients from Gaza.

I can advise the Deputies that as an EU Member State, Ireland responded to a request from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist in addressing the current health needs in Gaza.

On 18 September 2024, the Minister for Health announced that Ireland would receive up to 30 paediatric patients through Egypt, in response to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) request to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The patients selected by the HSE and CHI, from the WHO medevac approved list, for treatment in Ireland are minors i.e. under 17 years of age, and must be in Egypt awaiting medical evacuation. The health needs are categorised under cancer, haemodialysis and patients with other severe medical conditions.

Ireland opts into this response on a case-by-case basis for children who require treatment, subject to the availability of necessary treatment capacity in the HSE and CHI. Many of the patients on the WHO medevac approved list, had arrived to Egypt before the Rafah crossing closure in May 2024.

Ireland has a strong tradition of providing humanitarian assistance, including through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Aid humanitarian and development assistance programme, and the HSE Global Health Programme.

12 WHO paediatric patients have been medical evacuated to Ireland so far, along with 12 mother/carers and 21 accompanying family members. Including the 12 WHO patients, all 45 family group members are receiving treatment for illnesses incurred as a result of living conditions in Gaza.

My Department is grateful to several Departments and agencies for their significant engagement for the successful medical evacuation including:

• Department of Justice in relation to visas for entry to Ireland, border control and registration for permission to stay in the State;
• The Department of Foreign Affairs, particularly the Irish Embassy in Egypt who facilitate the processing of Department of Justice visa applications for each patient and accompanying family members;
• HSE and CHI in relation to the selection of patients and provision of healthcare treatment services;
• Department of Social Protection in relation to registration and social protection payments to the parent or guardian;
• Irish Red Cross who have been contracted for provision of accommodation and ongoing case work support including translation services;
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage who communicate evacuation offers for patients, on behalf of Ireland, via the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).