Parliamentary questions

General Practitioner Services

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1333. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the provision of an out-of-hours CareDoc facility in Athy, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14222/24]

Health Services

Colm Burke

1334. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what steps he will take to address delays in diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases in light of the fact that more than a third of people with such conditions go for more than five years without a diagnosis and in recognition of the 300,00 people living with such diseases in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14226/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Colm Burke

1335. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will provide the up-to-date position regarding the location for the new genetics and genomics laboratory in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14227/24]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Colm Burke

1336. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm if the new genetics and genomics laboratory will be located at the new National Children’s Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14228/24]

Hospital Services

Colm Burke

1337. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm what interim measures are in place, if any, to ensure genetics testing continues to be carried out during relocation from its current home in CHI Crumlin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14229/24]

Hospital Services

Colm Burke

1338. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the addition of screening for SMA and SCID to the newborn bloodspot screening programme will commence given the fact that screening for SMA and SCID is not scheduled to take place at the current lab in Temple Street, but rather at the new National Children’s Hospital. As the new NCH is not due to open until at least Q2 2025, and an interim location has not been announced, this has led to confusion around when implementation will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14230/24]

Hospital Services

Colm Burke

1339. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm when newborn babies will be screened for SMA and SCID as part of the newborn bloodspot screening programme; and where the testing for these conditions will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14231/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1340. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will give due consideration to the establishment of an infant feeding communication forum across departments that is, with responsibility for children, health, and marketing of commercial formula milks and the Health Service Executive to align government policy, funding and Health Service Executive practices for the purposes of increasing breastfeeding initiation rates and the duration of breastfeeding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14232/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1341. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to standardise breastfeeding education for healthcare professionals in maternity units and support in-service, role-specific breastfeeding education and training to enable implementation of the Baby Friendly Initiative in all 19 maternity units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14233/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1342. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to fully implement the World Health Organization Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and its subsequent World Health Assembly Resolutions in legislation and ensure that this legislation is monitored and enforced in a transparent manner independent of industry, with particular attention paid to advertising and marketing online via baby clubs and social media influencers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14234/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1343. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide independent, evidence-based breastfeeding-related education and training to all healthcare professionals likely to encounter breastfeeding mothers or infants/young children in their clinical practice (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14236/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1344. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to provide for greater availability of breastfeeding preparation classes and breastfeeding support groups, and modes of delivery of same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14237/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1345. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will develop effective strategies for increasing awareness of infant and young child feeding materials within other sectors outside of the health service, for example, workplace settings, county councils, and allocate resources as required by the Health Service Executive to implement breastfeeding campaigns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14238/24]

Healthcare Policy

Colm Burke

1346. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will develop an up-to-date infant feeding policy for those with HIV in Ireland, in line with recent British HIV Association guidance, that would facilitate shared decision-making between healthcare professionals and service users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14239/24]

Health Promotion

Colm Burke

1347. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will develop an infant and young child feeding in emergencies preparedness plan specific to the Irish context in line with international guidance, incorporating and building on the operational guidance prepared by the Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group of the Emergency Nutrition Network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14240/24]

Departmental Data

Colm Burke

1348. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will take the necessary steps to develop an electronic child health record to collect and report on breastfeeding metrics (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14241/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Niamh Smyth

1349. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if an appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14243/24]

Hospital Facilities

Thomas Pringle

1350. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health the number of long-term beds which are open in each of the community hospitals in County Donegal, for each of the years from 2019 to 2024, in tabular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14247/24]

Hospital Services

Alan Kelly

1351. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if he directed the HSE to temporarily use the new unopened Nenagh Community Nursing Home as a step down facility for acute care based on the overcrowding in UHL; if he was asked by any member of the Houses of the Oireachtas to do the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14255/24]

Mental Health Services

Mark Ward

1352. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 347 of 7 March 2024, if he can publish the legal advice given to the Minister for Mental Health in relation to regulating CAMHS under section 34 of the Mental Health Act, 2001; the person or body that gave this legal advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14279/24]

Hospital Services

Catherine Connolly

1353. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1397 of 18 April 2023, his plans to allocate additional funding and resources to genetics services in Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, in light of the ongoing delays in waiting times for diagnosis; the details of his plans to reduce the waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14284/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Robert Troy

1354. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the case of a planned surgery, which did not go ahead, and ensure a new appointment is issued to the person (details supplied) as soon as possible.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14285/24]

Mental Health Services

Holly Cairns

1355. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the psychology waiting-list numbers and exact wait-times in months for children and adolescents in the North Lee, South Lee, North Cork and Kerry primary care services, in tabular form. [14286/24]

Mental Health Services

Holly Cairns

1356. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the psychology waiting-list numbers and exact wait-times in months for children and adolescents in the North Lee, South Lee, North Cork and Kerry CAMHS services, in tabular form. [14287/24]

Health Services Staff

Holly Cairns

1357. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the number of grievance and dignity at work cases currently under consideration by management within the South West Regional Health Area; and the duration of time between submission of each case by the complainant, the arrangement of hearings and the issuing of decisions. [14289/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Richard Boyd Barrett

1358. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that there are consistent scheduling issues at St. Vincent's Hospital where patient appointments are being delayed for significant lengths of time due to a lack of interdepartmental co-ordination leading to scheduling overlaps and delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14291/24]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Peadar Tóibín

1359. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of children, per county, who are waiting on scoliosis treatment; and if he will provide a breakdown of the time spent on the waiting lists, per county. [14292/24]

Departmental Communications

Róisín Shortall

1360. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason the Secretary General of his Department met with an alcohol industry representative body (details supplied); the discussions that took place at this meeting; the reason this was not disclosed in an FOI request; the reason no minutes were kept; to provide any available records of this meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14299/24]

Social Welfare Schemes

Denise Mitchell

1361. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Health if he plans to amend section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970, to extend the long-term illness scheme to encompass sufferers of mitochondria disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14308/24]

Health Services Staff

Mark Ward

1362. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health how many positions have been offered to individuals in the HSE that cannot be taken up as a result of the recruitment freeze; the breakdown of same, by CHO area; when the recruitment freeze will be lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14313/24]

Nursing Homes

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1363. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will review a situation (details supplied) regarding a contracted bed provided by the HSE as part of the nursing home subvention scheme; if the new rental income change to the fair deal scheme of 1 February 2024 will apply in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14315/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

1364. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to receive a date for an operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14322/24]

Health Services

Róisín Shortall

1365. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied), particularly concerns regarding financial stability when the current scheme concludes on 31 March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14328/24]

Nursing Homes

Chris Andrews

1366. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Health the number of people, within the past five years, that have been discharged from nursing homes who are recipients of fair deal support (details supplied); and the reasons for these discharges. [14332/24]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Paul Kehoe

1367. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health when a review (details supplied) will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14337/24]

Food Safety

Cathal Crowe

1368. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1369 of 18 April 2023, for an update on plans to address the issue of carcinogenic substances present in oranges (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14345/24]

Medical Cards

Éamon Ó Cuív

1369. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Health if a hard copy of the breakdown of a means assessment as part of a medical card application can be provided to a person (details supplied) as they did not receive one following multiple requests; if they will be granted a time extension to request a review and an appeal as they await the provision of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14346/24]

Health Services

Réada Cronin

1370. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if his Department will guarantee that the financial supports for women with breast cancer, proposed to be cut with the proposals now reversed, will in fact remain without further threat to funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14348/24]

Primary Care Centres

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1371. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health for an update on proposals for an enhanced community care facility in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14349/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Robert Troy

1372. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a surgery appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [14389/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Alan Dillon

1373. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will be paid the pandemic special recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14392/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Marian Harkin

1374. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health when a person will receive a medical appointment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14397/24]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Róisín Shortall

1375. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on a report (details supplied) about dying, death and bereavement during Covid-19; his plans in respect of the four recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14405/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Pearse Doherty

1376. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal can expect to receive an appointment with the orthopaedic department in Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14411/24]

Medical Cards

Bernard Durkan

1377. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a full medical card will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied) who has eight dependent children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14416/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Bernard Durkan

1378. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when provision can be made for a person (details supplied); if adequate facilities remain available to meet such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14427/24]

Medical Cards

Bernard Durkan

1379. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14431/24]

Medical Cards

Bernard Durkan

1380. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when a medical card will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14432/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Bernard Durkan

1381. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health if and when appropriate knee surgery will be offered in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14435/24]

Hospital Appointments Status

Barry Cowen

1382. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the status of the case of a person (details supplied); and when they can expect an appointment with the haematology department, Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14439/24]