Parliamentary questions

Medical Cards

Michael Collins

569. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the reason persons diagnosed with life-term illnesses who have already been approved for a medical card are required to go to their local GP and hospital consultants for medical reports, which will not have a changed outcome on them, then go to their local pharmacy and ask for the cost of high-tech medicines and regular daily prescribed medicines to put in an assessment for a box to be reticked. [21347/24]

Health Services Staff

Neasa Hourigan

570. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on his Department's position on the embargo on recruitment to the health service, particularly its effects on acute hospital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21354/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Neasa Hourigan

571. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if consideration is under way to reduce wait times and update the paper-based system for the reimbursement scheme for oxygen provision systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21356/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Violet-Anne Wynne

572. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health what the intention is with Barrington's Hospital in Limerick; if the HSE intends on purchasing the property for use as a hospital in the mid-west region; if so, the future intended use of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21364/24]

Hospital Staff

Violet-Anne Wynne

573. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE staff, by job title, working in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick; the number of vacancies, by job title; when these vacancies will be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21366/24]

Mental Health Services

Violet-Anne Wynne

574. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health what services are available to a parent dealing with an adult child with obvious mental difficulties that are making engagement with mental health services difficult; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21367/24]

Hospital Services

Violet-Anne Wynne

575. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 586 of 5 December 2023, if all 182 additional beds, and 28 additional critical care beds committed to in the urgent and emergency care plan have been delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21368/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

576. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason it is taking so long for a person (details supplied) to receive an update on their application for a wheelchair. [21392/24]

Health Services

Eoin Ó Broin

577. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the options available to parents with concerns about their children's speech in the absence of a public health nurse providing developmental checks in their area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21393/24]

Hospital Staff

Sorca Clarke

578. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant dermatologists in each hospital part of Ireland East Hospital Group that are dealing with public-only patients in the years of 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21397/24]

Care of the Elderly

Sorca Clarke

579. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the locations where the community specialist teams for older persons have yet to be established; and the timeframe for when those teams will be established. [21398/24]

Hospital Staff

Sorca Clarke

580. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant spinal surgeons based at the Mater Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [21399/24]

Hospital Staff

Niamh Smyth

581. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will review the embargo on hiring health care assistants in Killarney Community Hospital, which is due to open in November 2024. [21421/24]

Pharmacy Services

Niamh Smyth

582. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if any analysis has been conducted by the Government on pharmacy fees per item between 2015 and 2023. [21422/24]

Hospital Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

583. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant neurologists with a special interest in migraine based at Beaumont Hospital in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21433/24]

Hospital Staff

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

584. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE secretaries attached to the consultant paediatric cardiologist at CHI Temple Street in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21434/24]

Departmental Data

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

585. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the number of persons seen in the endometriosis hub at the Rotunda Maternity Hospital in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21435/24]

Health Strategies

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

586. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the implementation steps being taken in 2024 to deliver the National Stroke Strategy; the additional budget allocated for this in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21436/24]

Health Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

587. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health when the HSE expects the integrated eye care team to be fully established in CHO 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21437/24]

Health Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

588. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health the status of progress in the progression of advanced optometry care in the community (details supplied); if there has been discussion regarding the fact that medical card scale of fees as optometrists has not been updated in 20 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21438/24]

Mental Health Services

Violet-Anne Wynne

589. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he will consider placing a youth mental health service for young people in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21459/24]

Hospital Staff

Violet-Anne Wynne

590. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Health if he will end the recruitment embargo at University Hospital Limerick to ensure safe staffing measures are implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21463/24]

Health Services

Sean Fleming

591. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health to respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21475/24]

Health Services Staff

Richard Bruton

592. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has signed off on a WRC deal to increase the pay of care assistant workers in section 38 and section 39 organisations; if he will outline the terms of that deal and the progress made in issuing payments; whether further discussions regard a claim for parity with those directly employed is progressing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21479/24]

Hospital Services

Niamh Smyth

593. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to review a matter (details supplied); if he will provide an update on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21481/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

James O'Connor

594. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health his plans to reverse the decision to cease funding of Dexcom g7 sensors for use by diabetics on insulin injections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21497/24]

Hospital Equipment

Matt Carthy

595. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to the failure of the HSE to answer Parliamentary Question No. 641 of 16 April 2024, and the subsequent failure of the HSE to answer Parliamentary Question No. 290 of 2 May 2024, if he will specify, in tabular form, the new MRI scanners that have been provided in each relevant Irish hospital since 1 January 2019; the cost associated with the provision of each; the instances therein when it was the first MRI scanner provided in a hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21506/24]

Hospital Equipment

Matt Carthy

596. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to the failure of the HSE to answer Parliamentary Question No. 642 of 16 April 2024, and the subsequent failure of the HSE to answer Parliamentary Question No. 291 of 2 May 2024, if he will specify, in tabular form, the new CT scanners that have been provided in each relevant Irish hospital since 1 January 2019; the cost associated with the provision of each; the instances therein when it was the first CT scanner provided in a hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21507/24]

Hospital Equipment

Matt Carthy

597. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the HSE to conduct a feasibility study relating to the provision of a CT scanner at Monaghan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21508/24]

Hospital Equipment

Matt Carthy

598. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will direct the HSE to conduct a feasibility study relating to the provision of an MRI scanner at Monaghan Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21509/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Michael Healy-Rae

599. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a physiotherapy appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21521/24]

Home Help Service

Pat Buckley

600. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if his Department is aware of a new shift work teams project in the Cork and Kerry home support services which is to begin in June this year and that this new initiative involves rotating five people within the teams over a four-week period (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21540/24]

Health Services

Ged Nash

601. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the overarching strategy of the national OPAT programme; if it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21545/24]

Health Services

Ged Nash

602. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health how many bed days have been saved in the past three years, as a result of the national OPAT programme. [21546/24]

Health Services

Ged Nash

603. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health how many patients have been treated over the past three years by the national OPAT programme; the breakdown of those figures in terms of home OPAT, community OPAT and self OPAT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21547/24]

Health Services

Ged Nash

604. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information on the future investment planned for the national OPAT programme; if there are plans within the special delivery unit of the HSE to expand the national OPAT and CIT service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21548/24]

Health Services

Peadar Tóibín

605. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the reason the CHI neonatal intensive care unit for the most vulnerable newborns is not being prioritised and progressed. [21553/24]

National Children's Hospital

Peadar Tóibín

606. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health his views on whether Dail Éireann was misled in the decision to proceed with locating the children's hospital on the constrained site at St. James’s, given that many of the major concerns raised in opposition to the project have already come to pass and the advocates for an alternative site have already been vindicated; and if he will hold an Inquiry into the original flawed decision-making process. [21554/24]

Health Services Waiting Lists

Seán Canney

607. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health how many patients are on the podiatry waiting list in Galway; how long the current waiting time is; if the interval between appointments has changed in the past year; if there are currently any unfilled clinical positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21624/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Cathal Crowe

608. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has any plans for reducing bureaucracy and paperwork in the oxygen provision reimbursement system (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21635/24]

Mental Health Services

Holly Cairns

609. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1356 of 9 April 2024, for a breakdown, in tabular form, of the exact wait times of children and adolescents identified in the previous response as waiting in excess of 12 months for the north Lee, south Lee, north Cork, west Cork and Kerry primary care psychology services, that is, the number of clients waiting two years, three years, four years and so on. [21636/24]

Mental Health Services

Holly Cairns

610. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the total number of children and adolescents waiting for an appointment with the CHO 4 primary care psychology service for the years ending 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [21637/24]

Mental Health Services

Holly Cairns

611. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1356 of 9 April 2024, if the 4,785 children and adolescents on the waiting list for the Cork-Kerry primary care psychology services is a typical statistic of primary care services nationally; and if he can provide comparative data with two other CHOs. [21638/24]

Nursing Homes

Holly Cairns

612. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the total number of HIQA inspectors; the area to which they are assigned; the number of facilities they are overseeing, from 2021 to date, in tabular form. [21639/24]

Disability Services

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

613. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health what services are available for adults with ADHD seeking treatment in CHO 5; if a person (details supplied) can receive such service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21641/24]

Dental Services

Seán Canney

614. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health what assistance is available to a child with molar incisor hypo mineralisation which requires root canal treatment, extraction, braces and aligners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21646/24]

Health Services Staff

Duncan Smith

615. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline the impact of the recruitment embargo on nurses in relation to the ability of hospitals to provide services, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21657/24]

Hospital Staff

Matt Shanahan

616. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health the number of new positions to be filled as part of a new seven-day service delivery at University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); the stage recruitment is at; the final deadline proposed to achieve the full recruitment number; the target date to begin the seven-day service; if he will confirm that funding has been authorised and released to University Hospital Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21660/24]

Hospital Facilities

Matt Shanahan

617. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Health how a new cardiac day ward at University Hospital Waterford is proposed to be delivered (details supplied); where it will be located; where the project plan exists on a capital or estates project list; the stage recruitment is at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21661/24]

Hospital Staff

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

618. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the loss of the suicide crisis assessment nurse within Waterford mental health services; how the HSE plans to fill this role, given the current recruitment embargo; the length of time it is expected that service users in Waterford are to be without this vital service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21663/24]