Written answers
Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Department of Health
Health Services Staff
Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3150. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to introduce specialist public health nurses; if so, the number and the cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43492/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Public Health Nursing service is delivered by the HSE with a combination of Public Health Nurses (PHN) and Community Registered General Nurses (CRGN). The PHN service provides care across the entire lifespan to individuals, families and communities.
PHNs manage caseloads, defined as the number of patients admitted to the PHN service who require continuing care, in defined geographical areas within the Primary Care Team. The services provided by PHNs vary based on patient need and they act as a point of access for other community care services.
CRGNs work alongside PHNs with a primary focus on individual patients and care of the older person. All PHNs are registered general nurses with a specialist level 9 post graduate nursing qualification and are registered in the Public Health Nurse Division of the NMBI register. This specialist post graduate qualification uniquely qualifies the PHN to carry out the developmental screening of children under the NHCP. In some areas, there are PHN posts specialising in traveller health, child protection & welfare, international protection applicants’ health and for people experiencing homelessness.
As of May 2025, there are 1,492 PHNs employed by the HSE and an additional 26.7 whole time equivalent PNH posts were provided for in Budget 2025.
Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3151. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the positions unfilled in primary care and the number on waiting lists in each county, broken down by team and by length of time, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43493/25]
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.
Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3152. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the positions unfilled in CAMHS; the number on waiting lists in each county, broken down by team and by length of time, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43494/25]
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.
Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3153. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the positions unfilled in CAMHS intellectual disability, ID, teams broken down by county, team and by length of time, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43495/25]
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.
Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3154. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the plan and timeline in Louth to have a fully populated CAMHS-ID multi-disciplinary team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43496/25]
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.
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