Written Answers Nos. 327-335
327. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health her views on whether audiology services in the south east are inadequate; when an audiologist will be appointed (details supplied); her views on whether repairs to hearing aids should only take place in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6822/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
328. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health the status and progress of the national endometriosis framework. [6827/25]
View answerThe HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) has advised that the development of the National Framework for Endometriosis is nearing completion with final stakeholder engagement in progress to address issues identified during the consultation phase. The HSE continues to actively engage on these issues with a view to finalising and publishing the Framework as soon as possible.
This Framework sets out a defined clinical care pathway for women with endometriosis with the care pathway spanning primary care to local hospital care to specialist complex care through multidisciplinary teams.
The Model of Care will ensure that women receive timely, and effective treatment through two supra-regional specialist centres in Dublin (Tallaght) and Cork (Cork University Maternity Hospital), supported by five regional endometriosis hubs in the Rotunda, the Coombe Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Galway. NWIHP has advised that work to implement the five structured regional hub services has begun with some sites already taking referrals and providing treatment pathways for women affected by this condition. The two supra-regional services are designed to offer specialised care to severe and complex cases of endometriosis, which may incorporate surgery for deeply invasive endometriosis including outside of the pelvis. It is envisaged that each of the five hubs will be positioned to provide interdisciplinary care to women experiencing endometriosis up to a moderate stage i.e. the cohort whose symptoms cannot be managed appropriately in primary care or in their local gynaecology service but who do not require the expanse of highly specialist services within the supra-regional services. Additional funding is being provided this year to expand these services. To support the implementation of the Framework, the HSE has established an Endometriosis Professional Network to help drive a standardised approach to endometriosis service delivery and care.
329. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will outline, in tabular form, the specific results of the public consultation about future regulation of e-cigarettes or vapes, which was launched in November 2023 by the then Minister for Health and the then Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy, relating to the following three elements: the number and percentage of responses from adults vapers to the consultation process; the number and percentage of these responses from adult vapers who were not in favour of regulation of flavours; and the number and percentage of responses from adult vapers who indicated to the Department consultation that they used flavour vapes to stop smoking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6834/25]
View answerA summary report on the Public Consultation on Further Regulation of Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products was published on August 23rd 2024. This report provides an overview of the 15,821 submissions received, including the views of respondents on further regulation of flavours in nicotine inhaling products.
The report is available at the link below:www.gov.ie/en/publication/4c916-further-regulation-of-tobacco-and-nicotine-inhaling-products-public-consultation-report/
330. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6842/25]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
331. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Health when the proposed statutory scheme for home support will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6846/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government 2025 commits to "Design a Statutory Homecare Scheme to allow people to stay in their own home for as long as possible." Achieving this commitment will require focused effort across several different workstreams, all contributing towards developing the statutory framework and improving the experiences of those receiving home support.
The first element that is being legislated for relates to the licensing and registration of home support providers. The Health (Amendment) (Licensing of Professional Home Support Providers) Bill 2024 General Scheme to establish a licensing framework for professional home support services delivered in the State was approved by Government on 14 May 2024 and is published on the Department of Health’s website. The Joint Committee for Health began pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme in June with a report published by them on 14 October 2024. My officials are currently reviewing the recommendations included in the Committee’s report. The General Scheme has now been referred to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for final drafting with a view to presenting the Bill to Cabinet in Q2 2025.
This Bill will provide for the regulation of the sector by HIQA. Final amendments have been made to draft regulations for home support providers following a public consultation and engagement with stakeholder groups. The Department has been working closely with HIQA, which has prepared draft quality standards that went out for public consultation in December 2024.
As well as delivering on the legislative elements of this commitment, the Department is working to address the future financing of home care, the reform of the model of service delivery and the breadth of issues relating to recruitment and retention in this sector; all in the context of unprecedented expansion of the State-funded home support service, nationally.
Currently, home support services are fully exchequer funded. The Department is researching different funding models which will form an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home care services and has commissioned several reports from the ESRI and the European Observatory on Health Systems. This research is being examined, as it forms an important part of the evidence base for the development of a sustainable funding model for home support services in the context of our ageing population. No final decision on future funding has been made and further research is currently underway to enhance the evidence base.
332. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE dental nurses based in each primary care centre in CHO7 as of 31 January 2025, in tabular form. [6853/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
333. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE audiologists, by grade, employed by the HSE within older persons’ services in CHO7 in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [6854/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
334. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health for a detailed report regarding the number of claims against the maternity department at University Hospital Kerry for each of the past five years; the amount of payouts in each case; the reason for the payouts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6862/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
335. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health for a detailed report regarding the number of claims against University Hospital Kerry for each of the past five years; the amount of payouts in each case; the reason for the payouts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6863/25]
View answerThe State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of State Authorities including the Health Service Executive.
The SCA has advised me that while it publishes aggregate information on claims, it does not publish a breakdown by individual hospital as to do so would effectively create a ‘league table’, which could lead to an unwarranted comparison, in the absence of proper context, between hospitals in relation to the provision of health services.
