Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2916. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the reintroduction of vaginal mesh surgeries; the timeline for same; the consultation that has been carried out with campaign groups (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42614/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In July 2018, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) asked the HSE to pause all vaginal mesh surgical procedures where clinically safe to do so, pending implementation of recommendations as set out in his report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures. The report contains a number of recommendations regarding the safe and effective provision of mesh procedures in uro-gynaecology and an appropriate response to women who suffer complications as a result of undergoing such procedures.

In terms of any future decision to re-introduce mesh surgical procedures, my Department has recently received a report from the HSE’s National Vaginal Mesh Implant Oversight Group detailing progress made on implementation of the CMO’s recommendations. My officials are currently examining the report and liaising with their counterparts in the HSE. The pause on mesh surgeries remains in place pending confirmation of comprehensive implementation of the CMO’s recommendations.

Officials in my Department regularly engage with two stakeholder groups, Mesh Ireland and Mesh Survivors Ireland, to understand their views and experiences of accessing supports and services for mesh complications.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2917. To ask the Minister for Health her views on introducing a scheme to fund vaginal mesh removal surgery in other jurisdictions (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42615/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I understand that complications from a mesh implant are very distressing and painful for those women involved and since the emergence of this matter, the ongoing priority focus for the Department of Health has been to ensure that all women experiencing mesh related complications receive high-quality, multidisciplinary and patient-centred care.

Multidisciplinary specialist services for women suffering from mesh complications are available via the HSE National Mesh Complications Service, based at Cork University Hospital (CUMH) and the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) Dublin. Both services offer full mesh removal.

The HSE have advised me that women with certain defined clinical complexities can apply to the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS). The TAS is a consultant-led scheme that allows an Irish-based public consultant to refer a public patient normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland. The scheme provides for the cost of approved public treatment.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2918. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 559 of 29 May 2025, if a contingent liability is now in place for potential compensation claims related to the clinical audit into developmental dysplasia of the hip surgery on children in Children’s Health Ireland and National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh; if so, the amount set aside; if not, the work her Department has done with regard to potential compensation claims thus far; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42616/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Following the publication of the final report of the clinical audit into Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip surgery on children in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) and National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC), the immediate priority, however, is the clinical follow-up and care of children who have undergone pelvic osteotomy surgery. This process is now underway.

A separate and additional process, involving a panel of independent external experts, will be established for the purport of a retrospective review to determine, in so far as possible, the appropriateness of the original decision making for performing the pelvic osteotomy. The detailed Terms of this External Expert Review Panel will be finalised with the panel once appointed.

It is important that we establish a clear process for dealing with the recommendations and issues arising from the report including liability. I am currently working through all these processes with the relevant stakeholders.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2919. To ask the Minister for Health the expenditure on contracting out radiotherapy treatment for public patients to private providers in each of the years 2020 to 2024, by hospital, in tabular form. [42617/25]

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

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2920. To ask the Minister for Health the total expenditure on contracting out radiotherapy treatment for public patients to private providers to date in 2025, by hospital, in tabular form. [42618/25]

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