Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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3306. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide details of evacuation processes in place for medical evacuees attempting to escape Gaza; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44567/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for her query on the medical evacuation to Ireland of paediatric patients from Gaza.

Ireland continues 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.

In September 2024, the Government approved Ireland’s participation in an initiative to evacuate up to 30 sick children from Gaza for treatment and care, accompanied by their carers, following an appeal from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

12 children have since arrived in Ireland to receive medical treatment, accompanied by 33 carers and family members. All are receiving medical attention through the HSE and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has the primary role of selecting patients for medical evacuation overseas. In consultation with WHO and other partners, the Ministry for Health has developed a strict set of criteria for selecting patients to be evacuated. WHO is present on the ground in Gaza and is coordinating evacuations of patients through Egypt to EU participating Member States.

The patients to be selected for treatment in Ireland must be minors, i.e. under 17 years of age, and must be on the WHO-approved list. Within these procedures, the HSE assesses requests and, where suitable, makes offers of medical evacuation to Ireland, subject to the available capacity. The offers are then required to be accepted by the patients/carers before the request is agreed.

Department officials and the HSE are receiving ongoing support from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to facilitate the next medical evacuation of children from Gaza which will be through Egypt, as was the case for the first two medical evacuations in December 2024 and May 2025.

Given the complex nature of medical evacuation operations, several Departments and agencies are working together to get the necessary arrangements in place to evacuate the paediatric patients and their accompanying family members.

My Department remains committed to facilitating the medical evacuation of 18 further child patients and their accompanying carers and family members and officials will continue to work closely with the HSE, CHI, WHO and the Ministry of Health in Gaza regarding selection criteria and complex logistical arrangements for the next and future medical evacuations. It is expected that this medical evacuation will take place in the Autumn.

My Department is also working with other Departments to explore viable evacuation options through third countries in addition to Egypt.