Written answers
Thursday, 2 October 2025
- Cancer Services
88. To ask the Minister for Health the immediate plans to increase the current resources at the Mater hospital to reduce the waiting time for those seeking an oncology appointment; and if she... - Medicinal Products
89. To ask the Minister for Health the status on a medication being available on the drugs payment scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52014/25] - Health Services
90. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of urgent care clinics (details supplied) and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51127/25] - National Children's Hospital
92. To ask the Minister for Health the handover date for the new children’s hospital; if there is a compliant programme of works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52531/25] - Coroners Service
93. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the decision by the HSE and University Hospital Waterford to discontinue the provision of coronial post-mortems at University Hospital... - Health Services
94. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the HIQA independent review to inform decision-making around the design and delivery of urgent and emergency healthcare services in the... - Ambulance Service
95. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the planned new ambulance base for Gorey, County Wexford. [52566/25] - General Practitioner Services
96. To ask the Minister for Health the progress on increasing the number of GPs and GP practices across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52210/25] - Commissions of Investigation
98. To ask the Minister for Health her views on a commission of investigation into the activities of a person (details supplied) in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; and if she will make a... - Primary Care Centres
99. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the development of the promised new primary care centre on Inisbofin, following the transfer of land on which the airstrip is located from the... - Disease Management
100. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to a 30% rise in the incidence of tuberculosis in the past year; if she will provide an update on the implementation of... - Medicinal Products
102. To ask the Minister for Health when Givinostat will be available to people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; if cross-border and early access programmes have been considered; and if she will... - Health Services Staff
103. To ask the Minister for Health the proportion of HSE staff currently employed in acute services and the proportion employed in community health services; the equivalent figures at the end of... - General Practitioner Services
104. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the number of GP posts currently vacant or unfilled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52352/25] - Healthcare Policy
105. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the development of a new model of care for transgender healthcare services; the current timeframe for competition of this work; if she will... - Hospital Staff
106. To ask the Minister for Health the plans she has to engage further with Mayo University Hospital in relation to staff shortages in the accident and emergency department; and if she will make... - Hospital Facilities
107. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the development of the new community nursing unit at Midleton Community Hospital, Midleton, County Cork; and if she will make a... - Hospital Equipment
108. To ask the Minister for Health if she will commission a feasibility study into the provision of MRI and CT scanners at Monaghan hospital. [52348/25] - Hospital Staff
109. To ask the Minister for Health if she has any concerns about Children's Health Ireland surgeons who may have performed unnecessary operations on children continuing to operate on them today;... - Cancer Services
110. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans, within the next year, to increase resources nationwide to address the wait times for those seeking an oncology appointment; and if she will... - Hospital Facilities
111. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the bed capacity across the hospitals in Cork; if she will provide an update on the commitment made in 2024 to provide an... - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
112. To ask the Minister for Health to provide a timeframe for the funding for the construction of the next phase of the extension of Mountmellick Community Nursing Home, County Laois (St... - Patient Transfers
113. To ask the Minister for Health the number of patients in Mayo University Hospital who have been clinically discharged but remain in hospital; and the length of time such patients have been... - Pharmacy Services
114. To ask the Minister for Health the number of pharmacies participating in the HRT scheme, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52209/25] - Patient Transport
115. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to resolve the issue of public patients in nursing home care being unable to access ambulance transfer to hospital appointments when... - Health Services Waiting Lists
116. To ask the Minister for Health whether her Department has in place a strategy to cut the waiting lists for speech and language therapy assessments; and if she will make a statement on the... - Hospital Waiting Lists
117. To ask the Minister for Health the measures being taken to reduce waiting lists for gynaecology outpatient and inpatient appointments and procedures. [52557/25] - General Practitioner Services
118. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the strategic review of general practice; and the bringing forward of a new, modern GP contract. [52362/25] - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
119. To ask the Minister for Health for an overview of the health capital projects currently in construction and in design across Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52194/25] - Medicinal Products
121. To ask the Minister for Health if she has engaged with the HSE on the recent approval of Belimumab for the treatment of lupus; if funding will be given in budget 2026 towards this treatment;... - Mental Health Services
122. To ask the Minister for Health whether the proposed 50-bedroom mental health facility on the grounds of St Stephen’s hospital, Glanmire, is compliant with the UNCRPD; and if she will... - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
123. To ask the Minister for Health for a status update on the funding required for the women's health unit in the Coombe Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52445/25] - Health Strategies
124. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made on developing a successor policy to the national cardiovascular policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52431/25] - Legislative Measures
125. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the legislation being drafted to further regulate nicotine inhaling products and single-use vapes; and if she will make a statement on the... - Health Services Staff
126. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical graduates at all clinical levels who graduated since 2020 and who are currently employed in the HSE; and if she will make a statement on... - Primary Care Centres
127. To ask the Minister for Health the number of primary care centres planned to be delivered in Offaly; the means by which the centres are helping to achieve the aims of Sláintecare; and... - Health Services Waiting Lists
128. To ask the Minister for Health the plans in place to address the large number of people in County Donegal on waiting lists for occupational therapy; and if she will make a statement on the... - Primary Care Centres
129. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52296/25] - Hospital Services
130. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the current status of maternity services at Portiuncula University Hospital, Ballinasloe; and to outline the measures being... - Primary Care Centres
131. To ask the Minister for Health the plans to open more primary care centres and expedite the delivery of the existing pipeline to construction. [52384/25] - Departmental Inquiries
132. To ask the Minister for Health if she will agree to a statutory inquiry into possible malpractice at Children's Health Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52559/25] - Disease Management
133. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to expand specialist services in endometriosis. [52387/25] - Vaccination Programme
134. To ask the Minister for Health if she will consider the introduction of a free shingles vaccine for older people, in particular those over 66 years-of-age, in line with best practice in... - Health Services Waiting Lists
135. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on her review of the use by the health service of third-party insourcing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52366/25] - Pharmacy Services
136. To ask the Minister for Health when she will introduce a proper disposal of unused medicines scheme as required by EU law since 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52119/25] - Care Services
137. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the delivery of a daycare centre for Macroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52015/25] - Ambulance Service
138. To ask the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that the current ambulance dispatch system ensures timely and equitable emergency response across all regions; and if she will make a... - Home Care Packages
139. To ask the Minister for Health the number of home care support hours provided for older people in Roscommon in 2024; the target for same in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the... - Official Engagements
140. To ask the Minister for Health the number of times she has visited hospitals in Meath and Louth since she took office; if she will list the hospitals she has visited in those counties; and... - Mortality Rates
141. To ask the Minister for Health the steps she will take to reduce premature mortality among men; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52533/25] - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
142. To ask the Minister for Health her Department's plans for a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52297/25] - Disabilities Assessments
143. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which a child who has a waiting time of 60 months for an autism assessment with the primary care autism assessment team can have the cost of a... - Health Services Staff
144. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the recruitment plan for public health nurses in Dublin mid west; if P2 and P3 services will be available in all parts of the constituency in... - General Practitioner Services
145. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to provide additional supports for GP practices in rural areas and areas of increased need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52378/25] - Health Services Waiting Lists
146. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to reduce waiting times for treatment for rheumatoid arthritis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52365/25] - Nursing Homes
147. To ask the Minister for Health the total bed capacity of a community nursing unit in Carraroe (details supplied); the number of beds currently in use in the unit; the number of beds... - Hospital Services
148. To ask the Minister for Health the plans to reopen the lymphedema clinic in St. James’s Hospital to support patients with this debilitating condition and which is closed over a year... - General Practitioner Services
149. To ask the Minister for Health for a report on plans to increase the number of GPs through a combination of international recruitment and increased training places. [52367/25] - Primary Care Centres
150. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the planned new primary care centre for Gorey, County Wexford. [52565/25] - Health Services
152. To ask the Minister for Health the plans in place for a neurorehabilitation unit in Cork to include 20 post-acute inpatient neurorehabilitation beds, in 2026, in line with HSE proposals in... - Medical Records
153. To ask the Minister for Health the progress on the digitalisation of the health service overall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52246/25] - General Practitioner Services
154. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the provision of a comprehensive women's health programme in general practice. [52386/25] - Emergency Services
155. To ask the Minister for Health if she has ensured a permanent solution to the helicopter emergency medical services crewing model safety concerns raised by paramedics who resigned from the... - General Practitioner Services
156. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which she is expanding GP access to community diagnostics schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52379/25] - Ambulance Service
157. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulance call-outs received in 2025 that were unable to provide an eircode. [51604/25] - Vaccination Programme
158. To ask the Minister for Health when she will extend public immunisation schemes to provide free RSV and shingles cover; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52530/25] - Medical Aids and Appliances
161. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the restrictions the HSE is placing on diabetics getting access to CGM (continuous glucose monitoring); if she will be raising the matter of... - Hospital Waiting Lists
162. To ask the Minister for Health if a dermatology consultant has been appointed to deal with the enormous waiting list in Sligo University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the... - Disease Management
164. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any plans to include COPD and asthma in the long-term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52353/25] - Suicide Prevention
165. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the development of the next suicide reduction strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51261/25] - Ambulance Service
166. To ask the Minister for Health the strategies in place to reduce response times for ambulances in the Dublin metropolitan area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52176/25] - Health Services
167. To ask the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that current recruitment and retention strategies are sufficient to address staffing shortages across the health service; and if she will... - Dental Services
168. To ask the Minister for Health if she will report on the provision of orthodontal services in the north-east region; the reasons for delays in accessing services; and her proposals to ensure... - Home Help Service
170. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the number of individuals on the waiting list for home help in County Mayo; the plans in place to reduce this list; and if she will make a... - Alcohol Advertising
171. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the merits of amending the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 to remove the loophole that allows alcohol companies to advertise 0.0% versions of... - Health Services Waiting Lists
172. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE speech and language therapists, by grade, based in County Laois, for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; the current average... - Medical Cards
173. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the medical card scheme does not cover the cost of providing a GP medical cert, which is a requirement for over 70-year-old applicants to a renew a... - Health Services
175. To ask the Minister for Health the plans in place to expand the provision of health services in the Iveragh Peninsula; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52238/25] - Primary Care Centres
176. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the development of primary care centres for Millstreet and Kanturk towns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52408/25] - Ambulance Service
177. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which her Department, along with the national ambulance service, proposes to increase the availability of ambulances and skilled paramedics in... - Emergency Departments
178. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the new emergency department at Beaumont Hospital. [52389/25] - Disease Management
179. To ask the Minister for Health her plans for the expansion of the Chronic Disease Management Plan to include other conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52185/25] - Patient Safety
180. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the Nayagam report, including when and whether it will be published; the reasons it is taking so long to complete; and if she will make a... - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
181. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the timeline and delivery of the new elective hospital for Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52195/25] - Hospital Staff
182. To ask the Minister for Health when interviews for the recently advertised post for a radiographer clinical specialist at the Louth County Hospital, Dundalk, will take place; when the... - Disease Management
183. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the development of standard protocols for the identification and management of PANS/PANDAS in paediatric hospitals given that PANS/PANDAS... - Emergency Departments
184. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on safe staffing levels in the emergency department at Mayo University Hospital; the plans to address recruitment and retention at the emergency... - Health Strategies
186. To ask the Minister for Health the measures being taken to implement the Men’s Health Action Plan 2024 to 2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52432/25] - Nursing Homes
187. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to increase the number of community nursing home beds in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51260/25] - Health Strategies
188. To ask the Minister for Health the progress to date in developing a new national drugs strategy; if she will ensure that adequate financial support is provided for family support services;... - National Treatment Purchase Fund
189. To ask the Minister for Health the number of procedures that have been carried out in Northern Ireland under the National Treatment Purchase Fund; and if she will make a statement on the... - Mental Health Services
190. To ask the Minister for Health the interim measures being put in place to support mothers experiencing severe perinatal mental health difficulties while the dedicated mother and baby unit is... - Pharmacy Services
191. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the drastic impact that the ending of reason one and reason four for phased dispensing in the recent community pharmacy deal will have on... - Alcohol Advertising
192. To ask the Minister for Health her views on the advertising of zero-alcohol products in locations where alcohol advertising is prohibited under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 (details... - Health Services Staff
193. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department will provide funding for a multiple sclerosis community worker for Sligo and Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52012/25] - Hospital Facilities
194. To ask the Minister for Health if she is confident that the 4,000 to 4,500 new and refurbished inpatient hospital beds across the country that have been committed to in the programme for... - Emergency Departments
195. To ask the Minister for Health the measures in place to alleviate staff shortages in the accident and emergency department in Mayo University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on... - Hospital Facilities
196. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the development for 24 new inpatient beds in Mallow General Hospital, which received €7.5 million in capital funding during 2025; and... - Health Services Staff
198. To ask the Minister for Health the staffing benchmarks she is aiming to implement in primary care services for young people where waiting lists across disciplines are in crisis; if she will... - Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
199. To ask the Minister for Health the plans for a new acute hospital in north Dublin. [52390/25] - Ambulance Service
200. To ask the Minister for Health if she will engage with the National Ambulance Service regarding the need for a rapid response vehicle at Tuam ambulance base, County Galway; and if she will... - Mental Health Services
201. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on CAMHS services in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52237/25] - Primary Care Centres
202. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the proposed new primary health care centre for Rowlagh; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52506/25] - Hospital Services
203. To ask the Minister for Health the plans in place to enhance and expand services at Louth County Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52345/25] - General Practitioner Services
205. To ask the Minister for Health the initiatives she is putting in place to increase the number of GPs in County Laois; the timeline; the funding allocated for this; and if she will make a... - Home Help Service
206. To ask the Minister for Health the plans the Government has in place to address the large number of people in County Donegal on waiting lists for home support; and if she will make a... - Medical Cards
207. To ask the Minister for Health to consider automatic qualification (removal of means test) for a medical card for lung fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
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