Written answers
Tuesday, 29 September 2026
- Ambulance Service
687. To ask the Minister for Health in light of ongoing concerns regarding ambulances being delayed in traffic approaching and leaving Letterkenny, what analysis has been carried out to determine... - Hospital Appointments Status
688. To ask the Minister for Health to review the case of a person (details supplied) awaiting a procedure in University Hospital Limerick. [68038/26] - Health Strategies
689. To ask the Minister for Health whether the Government will commission research into the relationship between Down syndrome and the development of Alzheimer’s disease; and whether... - Health Service Executive
691. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details on a matter (details supplied); and the actions taken by the HSE to address the matter. [68004/26] - Hospital Waiting Lists
692. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting times for appointments and operations in Cavan General Hospital broken down by category. [68002/26] - Departmental Data
693. To ask the Minister for Health the number of adverse events have occurred in Cavan General Hospital in each of past five years broken down in tabular form. [68000/26] - Hospital Facilities
694. To ask the Minister for Health the capital works projects that are currently ongoing at the Mater Hospital; and when each of those capital works projects will be completed, in tabular form.... - Health Services Staff
695. To ask the Minister for Health the staffing budget allocation to Bloomfield Hospital Rathfarnham in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [68052/26] - Hospital Waiting Lists
697. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons currently awaiting assessment for approval and implantation of deep brain stimulation therapy; the average waiting times at each stage of... - Medical Inquiries
698. To ask the Minister for Health the examination of the Health Products Regulatory Authority pharmacovigilance processes is being carried out in light of the recent British Medical Journal... - Health Services Staff
699. To ask the Minister for Health whether all memory care staff promised in 2023 have now been recruited; the current number; the number considered a full cohort; the number currently employed... - Health Services
701. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question 63241/26, the work that has been carried out by the Mid West specialist eating disorder team thus far to develop a clear... - Home Help Service
703. To ask the Minister for Health if she will increase the travel allowance for home help workers. [68113/26] - Health Services
705. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide clarity on podiatry services within County Westmeath; her views that there have been substantial cuts to this service in Westmeath over... - Health Services Staff
706. To ask the Minister for Health if she will clarify whether there are plans to offer permanent or fixed-term employment opportunities to persons currently on the HSE staff bank in County... - Health Strategies
707. To ask the Minister for Health in the context of proposals to withdraw private maternity services, the specific criteria that will be used to risk-stratify women as normal, medium or high... - Health Services Staff
708. To ask the Minister for Health to outline why there is currently a recruitment freeze on midwifery posts in University Hospital Galway (details supplied); and the rationale for not filling... - Legislative Measures
711. To ask the Minister for Health to consider bringing forward legislation to provide free universal access to blister packs for patients from pharmacies. [68183/26] - Health Services Staff
712. To ask the Minister for Health if she will engage with the HSE and relevant professional bodies to establish a timeline for reviewing accreditation requirements, rather than waiting for the... - Emergency Departments
717. To ask the Minister for Health the measures being taken to address prolonged waiting times in the emergency department at University Hospital Kerry; the current staffing and bed capacity... - Hospital Waiting Lists
719. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an orthopaedic appointment for Merlin Park University Hospital, Galway; and if the referral is... - Disease Management
720. To ask the Minister for Health if the provision for reimbursement support under the community drug scheme for a continuous glucose monitoring device will be extended beyond patients with... - Dental Services
721. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide details of the number of students who graduate each year in dentistry/orthodontics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68279/26] - Psychological Assessments
727. To ask the Minister for Health the current average waiting times for counselling and psychological services; the current waiting times for psychiatric assessment where such assessment is... - Hospital Facilities
728. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the plans to close unit 1 (dementia unit) and relocate patients from another ward in Sarsfield Court, whether she is aware that a similar unit... - Mental Health Services
730. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1184 of 16 September 2026, staffing in Nenagh CMHT, ongoing recruitment efforts for the Social Worker post, and with... - Disease Management
731. To ask the Minister for Health the services that are available to Parkinson’s patients in the South East; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68160/26] - Departmental Data
732. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a breakdown of the numbers of Parkinson’s disease sufferers known to the HSE in the South East, including specific breakdowns for... - Health Services Staff
733. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which her Department and the HSE are ensuring that statutory minimum rates of pay and other conditions of employment for workers employed in the... - Hospital Facilities
734. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to ensure that there are sufficient dementia care beds in Cork, if there are any planned closures and what alternatives will be put in place for... - Hospital Staff
735. To ask the Minister for Health the current staffing levels in hospital laboratory services, including haematology, microbiology and biochemistry departments, in each acute hospital; the... - Emergency Departments
736. To ask the Minister for Health whether the HSE has examined the introduction or expansion of routine blood sampling at patient triage in emergency departments to ensure laboratory results... - Hospital Facilities
740. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any plans to locate a Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy Unit at Cork University Hospital. [68296/26] - Medical Cards
741. To ask the Minister for Health if she intends to alter the income limit threshold for over 70 medical cards, that was last set in November 2020. [68287/26] - Health Services Staff
742. To ask the Minister for Health the number of corneal specialists who cover the north Dublin area; and if funding will be provided to increase this number. [68298/26] - Medical Aids and Appliances
743. To ask the Minister for Health the number of intra-operative neuromonitoring devices available to hospitals in the Dublin area; and if the Minister is aware of surgeries being postponed due... - Home Help Service
744. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people waiting for HSE home support in each month of 2025 and to date in 2026 in the east Clare HSE community health network. [68177/26] - Mental Health Services
748. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1184 of 15 September 2026, and staffing in Nenagh CMHT, for a further update on the mental health OT post; and if a date... - Planning Issues
749. To ask the Minister for Health to what extent her Department was consulted on the potential health effects of the Planning Design Standards for Apartments: Guidelines for Planning... - Hospital Facilities
750. To ask the Minister for Health the rationale for tender applicants for the shop-café at Louth County Hospital (details supplied) being advised that the minimum acceptable... - Pharmacy Services
751. To ask the Minister for Health the level of fees collected by pharmacies for services provided under the common conditions scheme, in tabular form; the number of consultations and other... - Hospital Staff
752. To ask the Minister for Health the number of newly qualified nurses and midwives who have been offered jobs in hospitals on completion of their studies this year; the number of newly... - Hospital Waiting Lists
753. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive an orthopaedic appointment in Galway University Hospital; and if the person is on the routine... - Hospital Staff
754. To ask the Minister for Health the number of vacant midwifery positions in University Maternity Hospital Limerick; and the timeframe for these vacancies to be filled. [68366/26] - Health Services
755. To ask the Minister for Health the number of referrals in child primary care psychology services since processing disabilities was introduced; and the number currently on waiting lists.... - Mental Health Services
758. To ask the Minister for Health the current average waiting times statewide for psychiatric assessment where clinically required; the reassessment or interim supports that are available to a... - National Children's Hospital
759. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a significant issue with the modular bathrooms in the new children's hospital; the total number of bathrooms affected; whether this issue is... - Departmental Funding
760. To ask the Minister for Health if there are funding streams within the palliative care sector for volunteer support and volunteer support programmes; and if she will make a statement on the... - Health Services
761. To ask the Minister for Health the timeframe for the publishing of the national plan for hearing care. [68468/26] - Nursing Education
763. To ask the Minister for Health if she will outline when the HSE will be providing a nursing practice programme for currently registered childcare nurses who have a gap in service and require... - Hospital Waiting Lists
764. To ask the Minister for Health the number of adult and paediatric patients with Type 1 diabetes currently on a waiting list to commence insulin pump therapy, specifically including hybrid... - Ambulance Service
765. To ask the Minister for Health whether a national policy governs specifically when a hospital should engage a private ambulance provider in place of the National Ambulance Service, as... - Hospital Appointments Status
769. To ask the Minister for Health when a hospital appointment will be made for a person (details supplied). [68505/26] - Nursing Education
770. To ask the Minister for Health if the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, is currently providing adaption-placement programmes for qualified paediatric nurses to return to service... - Eating Disorders
771. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3129 of 7 September 2026, if she will clarify a matter (details supplied). [68525/26] - Assisted Human Reproduction
774. To ask the Minister for Health if she will clarify the position, where children are conceived to a same sex couple through a qualifying DAHR procedure in an Irish clinic and are then born in... - Health Services
775. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 512 of 2 July 2026, to state whether she or the Health Service Executive has requested the Comptroller and Auditor... - Hospital Services
777. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide the total number of patients refused private maternity care in each of the 19 maternity units since January 2026; and if she will make a... - Hospital Waiting Lists
778. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide details of the waiting time between patients attending an MRI and getting the results of the scan in the Mater Private Hospital on referral... - Medicinal Products
779. To ask the Minister for Health To the current status of HSE pricing and reimbursement negotiations for a drug (details supplied); the expected timeline for concluding these negotiations and... - Hospital Services
780. To ask the Minister for Health to respond to matters raised regarding a medical procedure for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [68589/26] - Medical Cards
782. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which the additional costs associated with cancer, including travel, accommodation, parking, medication and loss of income, are taken into... - Mental Health Services
784. To ask the Minister for Health if she can give an update on establishment of the adult ADHD team for the Integrated Health Areas of DNC and DNCW which is due to be in place by Q3 2026; and... - Hospital Services
785. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the current bed capacity at Cahersiveen Community Hospital; the total number of beds available at the facility; the number currently... - Disability Services
786. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department will address the ongoing exclusion of counties Sligo and Leitrim as the only remaining counties in the Republic of Ireland without a... - Hospital Facilities
787. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the removal of an ATM for a hospital (details supplied); and if her Department is aware of plans for a replacement ATM... - Nursing Homes
788. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to approval that has been granted for additional nursing home beds at a nursing home (details supplied) ; the reason these... - Hospital Staff
789. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant vascular surgeons based at a hospital (details supplied), as of 22 September 2026, in tabular form. [68647/26] - Disability Services
790. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be enrolled in an ASD unit, near their home. [68676/26] - Hospital Staff
791. To ask the Minister for Health the number of nurses that informed the HSE they intended to return from an approved career break; the number of nurses returning from a career break who were... - Health Services Staff
792. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3895 of 7 September 2026, and given that approximately 200 HSE staff are members of an organisation (details supplied),... - Health Services
794. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3875 and 3877 of 7 September 2026, to identify the HSE working groups, guideline development groups or advisory bodies... - Health Services Staff
795. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3848 of 7 September 2026, whether the HSE independently verified the content of the presentations delivered at the... - Pension Provisions
799. To ask the Minister for Health her views on a matter (details supplied). [68634/26] - Medicinal Products
800. To ask the Minister for Health to clarify the arrangements governing the provision of medication blister packs, also known as monitored dosage systems, by community pharmacies; the... - Hospital Staff
801. To ask the Minister for Health What steps are being taken to ensure newly qualified midwives can transition directly into employment within the public health service. [68757/26] - Hospital Appointments Status
802. To ask the Minister for Health why a constituent (details supplied) is waiting on a hip replacement; can the Minister confirm getting her an appointment as soon as possible, given that she... - Hospital Staff
803. To ask the Minister for Health whether recruitment controls are affecting midwifery posts in the HSE West and North-West region. [68755/26] - Home Care Packages
808. To ask the Minister for Health the reason Louth Meath HSE Integrated Health Area has one of the highest waiting lists in the country for home care support. [68716/26] - Health Services Staff
811. To ask the Minister for Health the number of consultant posts advertised in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 which remained unfilled at the close of the recruitment campaign,... - Home Help Service
812. To ask the Minister for Health to introduce a national mileage payment scheme for all home care workers. [68710/26] - Health Services Staff
813. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 63083/26, the number of consultant appointments made in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 where the... - Healthcare Policy
815. To ask the Minister for Health the progress being made towards making the drugs enhertu, zongertinib and sevabertinib, which are used to treat HER2 cancers, available for use in Ireland; her... - Health Services Staff
816. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2282 of 9 June 2026, which reported that 1% of 2,216 applicants stated they saw the advertisement in a journal, and the... - Primary Care Services
821. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on HSE plans for primary care accommodation in Lismore and west Waterford; whether the HSE has completed its review of current and future service... - Health Services
822. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline of reinstating psychology services for older persons in Ballina, county Mayo, which were withdrawn by the HSE; the measures being taken to restore... - Healthcare Policy
825. To ask the Minister for Health the total number of patients travelling from county Longford to a hospital (details supplied) for appointments weekly in each of the years 2023 to 2025 and to... - Hospital Waiting Lists
827. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on a case (details supplied). [68736/26] - Hospital Charges
828. To ask the Minister for Health the recommendations of the 2018 review on hospital car parking charges; and which of these have been actioned since that time. [68823/26] - Hospital Waiting Lists
832. To ask the Minister for Health to provide details of the current estimated waiting time between a first referral to the National Gender Service made in September 2026 and a first appointment... - Medicinal Products
836. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to expand the medical cannabis access programme to include chronic pain conditions, including endometriosis; and if she will make a statement on the... - Healthcare Policy
837. To ask the Minister for Health to provide detail on the arrangements in place to provide relief cover for nursing care on Cape Clear island in cases of leave or other absences. [68855/26] - General Practitioner Services
843. To ask the Minister for Health to provide the number of GP visits to Cape Clear, from 2024 to date in 2026; and to detail the efforts being undertaken by her Department to expand GP access... - Healthcare Policy
844. To ask the Minister for Health whether she will consider providing full time public health nursing cover on Cape Clear, in line with the Government's commitment in the Our Living Islands... - Health Services Staff
845. To ask the Minister for Health the number of clinical training placements, supervised clinical training posts, teaching clinics, training chairs and other placement capacity available for... - Healthcare Policy
847. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 66423/26 whether action will be taken against a social media company (details supplied) which continues to have multiple... - Health Services Staff
849. To ask the Minister for Health the measures available to prevent a practitioner, located outside of the State but providing a service to the State, who is the subject of concerns from... - Healthcare Policy
854. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 60224/26 and 60228/26 of 7 September 2026, whether a formal mechanism exists to record instances of non-compliance by... - Health Services Staff
858. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant neonatologist posts filled at Cork University Maternity Hospital in the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form.... - Hospital Equipment
860. To ask the Minister for Health the number of CT, MRI and PET scanners that are currently available for use in each hospital within Cork as of 18 September 2026; and the hours per week each... - Health Services Staff
861. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for full implementation of the recommendations of the HSE internal audit of non-EU doctor recruitment; whether a follow-up audit will be conducted... - Hospital Staff
864. To ask the Minister for Health whether the HSE plans to extend the internal audit of non-EU doctor recruitment to hospitals in the HSE South West region, including Cork University Hospital,... - Health Services Staff
866. To ask the Minister for Health further to the HSE internal audit finding that English-language competency evidence was available for only 27 of 40 doctors examined, the number of cases in... - Legislative Measures
867. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on her Department's progression of the sunbeds working group recommendation to ban commercial sunbeds; the engagement her Department has had with... - Departmental Schemes
868. To ask the Minister for Health if she will ensure a cross border reimbursement application (details supplied) is processed without further delay. [68934/26] - Departmental Correspondence
869. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 66553/26 of 22 September 2026, the reason Ireland did not submit an objection, observation, comment or reservation... - Health Services Staff
870. To ask the Minister for Health the steps the HSE has taken since the completion of its internal audit of non-EU doctor recruitment to obtain the missing garda vetting and overseas police... - Health Service Executive
874. To ask the Minister for Health the number of HSE employees placed on administrative leave, suspended or dismissed following allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment in each of the... - Vaccination Programme
876. To ask the Minister for Health further to PQ45807/26, if further progress has been made to expand access to the shingles vaccine, given that cost-effectiveness is a concern; if there has... - Health Service Executive
877. To ask the Minister for Health the plans the HSE have to increase the capacity of spaces for car parking at Merlin Park Hospital in Galway. [68877/26] - Disability Services
879. To ask the Minister for Health to examine the lack of transitional and long term community rehabilitation pathways for young people experiencing functional neurological disorder or other... - Health Service Executive
880. To ask the Minister for Health whether the HSE maintains a central record of allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment arising in HSE-run or HSE-funded facilities; if not, the reason;... - Hospital Services
881. To ask the Minister for Health the current status of the feasibility process for Ireland’s first specialist psychiatric mother and baby unit at St. Vincent’s University... - Health Services Staff
882. To ask the Minister for Health the current WTE staffing in post, by discipline, in each specialist perinatal mental health team nationally; the recommended WTE staffing by discipline under... - Medicinal Products
883. To ask the Minister for Health if the Government is currently reviewing the reimbursement status of testosterone products prescribed to women. [68963/26] - Departmental Funding
887. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of money paid out under the transitional care fund for each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and the amount of money paid to private... - Hospital Services
888. To ask the Minister for Health the number of clinical incidents recorded at Bloomfield Hospital in each of 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 relating to choking, aspiration, dysphagia, modified... - Mental Health Services
894. To ask the Minister for Health the planned date for the opening by CORU of the register for psychotherapists and counsellors. [68902/26]
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