Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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254. To ask the Minister for Health if she has concluded her review of the 2017 Dickson Report regarding Paediatric Urology; her views on same; if she intends to publish this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38323/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Reply not received from Department.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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255. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the Children's Health Ireland Oncology Risk Assessment (2021); if she has received a copy of this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38324/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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On Monday 26 May, the internal examination (2022) was provided to the Department from the HSE. I wrote to Children’s Health Ireland's (CHI) on 26 May, requesting a full response to the report. I received responses advising that CHI has developed an Action Plan to implement the recommendations, and the majority of actions are complete, with work ongoing on remaining actions. I note CHI's publication of a summary of findings, recommendations and updates regarding the internal examination (2022) on 16 June.

I wrote to the Board again on 18 June requesting assurance that the recommendations identified in the examination have been addressed in full. Additionally, I asked the Board to report directly on the status of children that may have been impacted. I am awaiting a response to this letter. 

A succession of extant and pending reports have raised corporate and clinical governance concerns at CHI. In response to these, I have moved to strengthen governance and oversight structures at CHI by appointing two members of the HSE Board to the Board of CHI.

The service level agreement between CHI and the HSE has been strengthened in relation to operational oversight. There has also been increased involvement and support from the HSE's Dublin Midlands regional executive officer and senior management. This includes the establishment of the HSE CHI Improvement Steering Group to coordinate oversight of a range of matters of focus at CHI.

It is important that CHI is given the support and the time to continue the significant reform underway across both current services and in preparation for the new children’s hospital.