Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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874. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the patient survey report launched by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland in June 20255, which shows significant regional differences in access to neurological care services across the country, lengthy waiting times for services, with significant variation across the country, and high percentages of respondents reporting they had never had access to specific services (neurorehabilitation and specialist neurology nurses); if neurology resources will be increased in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37775/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In Europe, neurological disorders are the third leading cause of death and disability, and absolute numbers are expected to rise in line with our ageing population. In Ireland, around one in six people has a neurological condition. This Government is committed to working with relevant stakeholders, including the HSE, advocacy organisations and patient representatives, to strengthen key services and supports for people with neurological conditions. In March, I met with the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI), and a patient representative from their member organisations, to understand their priorities. Department of Health officials maintain regular engagement with the NAI and HSE National Clinical Programme for Neurology, working collaboratively to address priority areas.

The Government made significant investments for neurology services in Budget 2025. This contributed to realisation of the commitments in in the new Programme for Government specifically to complete the national rollout of HSE Community Neuro-rehabilitation Teams; to develop more regional inpatient rehabilitation beds; to implement community-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation services in every Region; to increase the number of neurology nurse specialists and to Increase the number of consultant neurologists. The Neurology Model of Care works towards increasing local and integrated neurology services and funding. Budget 2025 supported the expansion of services to parts of the country where patients currently face travelling long distances for neurology appointments.

Specifically, Budget 2025 provided €4 million for the recruitment of 5 consultant neurologists and an additional 25 whole-time positions to support the implementation of the Neurology Model of Care and the Hub and Spoke Model for neurology services. It is expected that this proposed Hub and Spoke model will enable a reduction in waiting lists, timely access to diagnosis and treatment and thus, improve quality of life and prognosis for people with neurological symptoms. The 25 whole-time equivalents, to support teams of nurses, and Health and Social Care professionals, are tasked with providing more care in an integrated way closer to people's homes. These posts will support the development of the Hub and Spoke model for Neurology services as well as disease specific pathways such as the first national Functional Neurological Disorder service at St. James Hospital in Dublin.

More broadly, the National Clinical Programme for Neurology is actively working on a Hub and Spoke model to guide equitable neurology services around the country to align with the new health regions and to tackle the gaps in neurology services nationally. and will deliver on the Sláintecare principle of delivering care closer to the patient's home. This model will include one model 4 hospital ‘Hub’ per Health Region, catering for the most complex neurological care. These sites will support model 3 hospital ‘Spoke’ sites who will provide services for people with less complex needs where efficient access to Hubs as required.

Many hospitals already have well developed neurology services, but funding received in Budget 2025 is an enabler towards delivery of Phase 1 of the Hub and Spoke model with new services to be developed at: Letterkenny University Hospital, Wexford General Hospital, Mayo University Hospital, Midlands Hospital, Portlaoise, and Kerry General Hospital.

I would like to acknowledge the role of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland for the work they do in representing patients across the country. The Alliance also works closely with the HSE in the development of services.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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875. To ask the Minister for Health the specific measures in place to reduce waiting times for dermatology out-patients; the steps being taken to achieve the KPIs of the national waiting list action plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37776/25]

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.

A multi-annual approach through a series of Waiting List Action Plans has been adopted to address this issue. Commencing in late 2021, these plans encompass short-term actions to increase capacity and activity in the short and immediate term, and longer-term reform measures to sustainably reduce both hospital waiting lists and waiting times.

I published the Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP) for 2025 on February 12th, representing the 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.

This year’s WLAP focuses on reducing waiting times for scheduled care and sets out four key targets aimed at achieving this objective, namely:

• Having 50% of patients waiting less than the Sláintecare wait time targets (i.e. 10 weeks for outpatients (OPD) and 12 weeks for inpatient and day case (IPDC)) by the end of 2025.
• Reducing the weighted average wait time for scheduled care to 5.5 months.
• Increasing the proportion of OPD patients waiting less than 12 months to 90% by the end of 2025.
• Reducing the proportion of patients waiting over 24 months, or at risk of waiting over 24 months by the end of 2025, by 90% this year.