Parliamentary questions

Hospital Staff

Alan Kelly

278. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE registrars in emergency medicine at Tipperary University Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if this number will be further increased this year. [13343/24]

Hospital Facilities

Alan Kelly

279. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of theatres in use at University Hospital Limerick to date in 2024; and the hours that each theatre is available for procedures, in tabular form. [13344/24]

Hospital Staff

Alan Kelly

280. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant paediatric ENT surgeons at Cork University Hospital in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [13345/24]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

281. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the lack of developmental screening for children in the Dublin 8, 10, 12 and 20 areas, and that parents are being sent questionnaires in place of screenings; if he will acknowledge that this is not an appropriate replacement for face-to-face developmental screenings with trained professionals and that parents often feel unequipped to be able to administer and/or interpret these questionnaires; if he will further accept that early identification and intervention is crucial for addressing developmental issues and that the current situation may have serious implications for children who do not receive these important developmental checks; the issues in terms of recruitment of public health nurses; the steps being taken to address this; when parents in these areas will have these necessary developmental screenings by PHNs resumed for their children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13349/24]

Disability Services

Martin Kenny

282. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health why the children's disability network team have re-categorised a complex need in children and children with autism are no longer categorised as having a complex need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13356/24]

Medical Aids and Appliances

Claire Kerrane

283. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if he could advise as to avenues of funding available to a community group (details supplied) to replace and refurbish defibrillators in their area. [13360/24]

Disability Services

Steven Matthews

284. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to 30 children awaiting interventions through the disability teams (details supplied); if his Department can provide funding to provide parent training programmes for the families impacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13362/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

John McGuinness

285. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if an immediate date will be confirmed for scoliosis surgery for a person (details supplied); the number of people on the waiting list for this type of surgery and the timeframe involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13365/24]

Hospital Staff

Michael Lowry

286. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that funding is provided to allow for the employment of the required neurologist for the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise; if he will confirm that they have received correspondence from the Neurological Alliance of Ireland who is campaigning to have a neurologist situated in the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13370/24]

Health Services Staff

Paul Donnelly

287. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE chiropodists employed by the HSE working in CHO9 by location in 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [13373/24]

Primary Care Centres

Paul Kehoe

288. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of a primary care centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13375/24]

Primary Care Centres

Ged Nash

289. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions No. 1043 of 2 November 2021 and 1672 of 26 July 2022, when the HSE plans to develop a primary care centre at the site referred to in Ratoath, County Meath; if the plans are included in the HSE's current capital program; the overall cost and timeline for completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13376/24]

General Practitioner Services

James Lawless

290. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to increase the number of GPs in County Kildare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13378/24]

Health Services

Eoin Ó Broin

291. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if a review has been carried out into the impact of the cessation of child developmental checks under the national healthy childhood programme for children in areas of Dublin mid-west (details supplied) due to staff shortages in the public health nurse service; if so, if the report will be made available; and if not, if a review will be considered at the earliest opportunity in order to assess the real consequences of the lack of service provision in the area. [13379/24]

Health Services

Eoin Ó Broin

292. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if there is a process through which parents who have been unable to access developmental checks for their children due to staff shortages in their area, can access an appointment in an alternative location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13380/24]

Health Services

Ged Nash

293. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will provide its conclusions and its determination of a complaint (details supplied); if he will outline all of the actions taken at the facility since the complaint was made to address the shortfalls and risks detailed in the complaint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13397/24]

Health Services Staff

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

294. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to list the number of public health nurses covering the Dublin 8, 10 and 12 areas; the catchment population they cover; the length of time there has been a vacancy or absence of cover due to staff holidays, unfilled posts or illnesses in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13398/24]

Health Services Staff

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

295. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health what measures are taken in the case of a vacancy in a local public health nurse's position to address a backlog which has built up when the new person is put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13399/24]

Home Help Service

Imelda Munster

296. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for elderly home support services in counties Louth and Meath, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13402/24]

Mental Health Services

Imelda Munster

297. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the total number of children on a waiting list for their first appointment to CAMHS in CHO8, by county; the breakdown under the various lengths of time that they have been on the waiting list, in tabular form. [13403/24]

Mental Health Services

Imelda Munster

298. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the average length of treatment an individual receives in the CAMHS system in each of the CHOs. [13405/24]

Home Help Service

Imelda Munster

299. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of people that were on the waiting list for homecare packages in counties Louth and Meath, at the end of each year from 2018 to 2023, in tabular form. [13406/24]

Dental Services

Imelda Munster

300. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health for an update on negotiations in relation to the dental treatment service scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13407/24]

General Practitioner Services

Imelda Munster

301. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs currently practicing in the counties Louth and Meath, respectively; the number of new GPs who have taken up work in each of those counties in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13408/24]

General Practitioner Services

Imelda Munster

302. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Health the number of people in the counties Louth and Meath, respectively who are without a GP and are currently on a waiting list for one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13409/24]

Health Services

Pádraig O'Sullivan

303. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the impact on current drug reimbursement waiting times that he expects to see as a result of the recruitment of 36 new staff within the decision-making reimbursement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13410/24]

Hospital Staff

Ivana Bacik

304. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the status of the independent review of the radiation therapist profession, which was agreed between the HSE, his Department and an organisation (details supplied) under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Committee, which has been underway since December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13433/24]

Vaccination Programme

Ivana Bacik

305. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of people who have participated in the Laura Brennan HPV vaccination catch-up programme to date; the targets set for the programme; if he will report on the programme extension review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13434/24]

Health Promotion

Ivana Bacik

306. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding to date which has been allocated to the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023 - 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13435/24]

Prescriptions Charges

Ivana Bacik

307. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of abolishing prescription charges for all medical card holders. [13436/24]

Health Services

Ivana Bacik

308. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of reducing the drugs payment scheme to a €60 threshold per month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13437/24]

Health Promotion

Ivana Bacik

309. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the amount of annual funding budgeted for the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026 to conduct its annual activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13438/24]

Public Procurement Contracts

John McGuinness

310. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the minimum value for the supply of goods or services to the HSE that requires the HSE to seek tenders via a public procurement process; if he is satisfied that the HSE is compliant with all Government regulations and policy relative to procurement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13450/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

311. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the amounts paid to each of the private diagnostics providers under the GP access to the community diagnostics scheme in each of the years since its launch in 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13465/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Steven Matthews

312. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to significant waiting lists for orthodontic treatment in the national maxillofacial unit in St. James's Hospital; if staffing levels are at the required level in all positions in this unit; what processes are in place to attempt to reduce wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13477/24]

Hospital Services

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

313. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that a dedicated outpatient neurology service is provided by a consultant neurologist at Letterkenny University Hospital to avoid the need for neurology patients in Donegal to have to travel long distances for care. [13481/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Michael Healy-Rae

314. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13508/24]

Health Services Staff

Cian O'Callaghan

315. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress update on the HSE recruitment freeze; when this recruitment freeze is likely to be lifted; if he will provide data, in tabular form, on waiting lists across adult mental health services compared to before the freeze was implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13512/24]

Home Help Service

Richard Bruton

316. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the number of man hours allocated to provide home help and homecare services; and the number of persons receiving those services in 2000, 2010, 2020 and allocated for 2024. [13524/24]

Home Help Service

Richard Bruton

317. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the steps necessary to be taken to put in place a national statutory homecare scheme; and the date on which he hopes to reach each milestone. [13525/24]

Home Help Service

Richard Bruton

318. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has carried out an audit of the assistive technology that is now available to support care in the home; if he has assessed the feasibility in each case of supporting their use to better manage care in the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13526/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

319. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the estimated proportion of consultations with GPs, with medical consultants, with nurse practitioners and with therapists which were conducted at their peak during Covid; the extent to which this has been sustained as practices have returned to normal; if he has undertaken a review to see whether such approaches should take a more prominent position in future care; and the barriers which may need to be overcome to achieve that. [13527/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

320. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has conducted any census of carers to identify the circumstances of their care, their access to information and support, their age profile, and their capacity to continue; if he will indicate where the findings may be obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13528/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

321. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the performance reports which he receives on the HSE's enhanced community care initiatives and its component elements to illustrate its reach, its intensity and its impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13529/24]

Health Promotion

Richard Bruton

322. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health whether he has received reports on the evolution of the indicators in the Healthy Ireland Outcomes Framework instituted in 2018 to date; and whether the impact of Covid and the return to more normal conditions illustrates challenges for public policy in this area. [13530/24]

Health Services

Richard Bruton

323. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the scale of the social prescribing initiative undertaken by the HSE in terms of resources deployed, people reached and impact of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13531/24]

Health Strategies

Richard Bruton

324. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the actions outlined in the Positive Ageing Strategy of 2013 were achieved; the areas where achievement fell short of expectations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13532/24]

Care Services

Richard Bruton

325. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has undertaken a manpower review of current and upcoming needs for care assistants who could support nursing home care or homecare; the predicted needs over the next ten years; the capacity to meet those needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13554/24]

Legislative Measures

Richard Bruton

326. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has considered amending health insurance legislation to encourage more insurers into the support of preventative health measures and improved management of continuing health vulnerabilities among their members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13555/24]

Vaccination Programme

Róisín Shortall

327. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 304 of 29 February 2024, in relation to the vaccine damage scheme, if he will give an assurance that the two-year statute of limitations rule will not adversely impact those who will likely have a claim under this scheme, due to delays in the introduction of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13557/24]