Niamh Smyth
Ceist:780. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to expedite a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5938/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Appointments Status
Ceisteanna (780)
Freagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (781)
John Lahart
Ceist:781. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health for an update on the position of new elective hospitals, and specifically a new elective hospital for the Dublin region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5939/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have asked the HSE, as Sponsoring Agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the elective hospitals to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
Question No. 782 answered with Question No. 720.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (783)
Paul Donnelly
Ceist:783. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently on waiting lists for heart, lung or kidney transplants, in tabular form. [5975/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (784)
Pat Buckley
Ceist:784. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses in the east Cork area and the areas they cover; the current number of vacancies and the areas without a public health nurse service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5984/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (785)
Marie Sherlock
Ceist:785. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if BreastCheck will be extended to the 20-49 age group; the estimated cost to extend BreastCheck to the 20-49 age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5986/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am fully committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population. The current Programme for Government also commits to further extend the BreastCheck programme.
BreastCheck, the National Breast Screening Programme, currently invites women aged 50 to 69 years at regular periods to have a mammogram.
I would highlight that any decisions about further changes in cancer screening, including further extension of the age ranges, will be made on the advice of the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC). This independent expert group considers and assesses evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
In this regard, I am pleased to report that NSAC is already progressing work to consider the further expansion of our cancer screening programmes and has submitted a request to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to consider the evidence for a further expansion of the BreastCheck programme.
HIQA is currently focused on two Health Technology Assessment (HTA) processes underway to examine the expansion of the BowelScreen programme and the potential development of a population-based screening programme for Abdominal Aortic Aneurism (AAA). Work has already commenced in this regard and reports are expected to be submitted to NSAC for consideration later this year. The evidence review for the expansion of the BreastCheck programme remains a key priority for NSAC and is expected to commence once the ongoing HTAs have concluded.
HTAs facilitate the assessment of relevant evidence and knowledge on the effects and consequences of healthcare technologies to guide decisions regarding the appropriate use of technology and efficient allocation of resources. They involve a multi-disciplinary assessment of the clinical, economic, ethical, legal and societal perspectives that may be impacted by the introduction of a new technology. They are time intensive and rigorous processes.
It is not possible to provide an estimated cost of expanding the BreastCheck programme at this time, as the financial cost is but one factor that will be considered in the decision-making process. Due to the complex nature of the evaluation process and the criteria against which a decision is made, it would be impossible to accurately quantify the cost of expansion until a full evidential assessment is completed.
Finally, I would like to emphasise that population-based screening programmes are for people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms, or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact their medical professional.
Ambulance Service
Ceisteanna (786)
David Cullinane
Ceist:786. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of staff at the National Ambulance Service suspended with pay, by the year the suspension started, in tabular form; and the number suspended with pay where the length of suspension was longer than six months, one year, and two years. [5987/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As these are internal operational matters I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Pharmacy Services
Ceisteanna (787)
John Lahart
Ceist:787. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will address the 16-year-old dispensing fee pay-freeze to pharmacies by adjusting the community drug scheme dispensing fee to €6.50. [5997/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of healthcare service reform. Pharmacists play a crucial role delivering many important services to support the health of our communities, offering expert advice, ensuring the safe supply of medicines, and delivering vaccines to the public. They are also among the most accessible healthcare professionals nationwide.
There has been ongoing engagement between Department officials and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) regarding the potential to extend the scope of practice of community pharmacists and the enablers needed to implement that.
My Department has been carrying out a comprehensive review of the pharmacy fee structure in the context of this engagement and the intended expansion of the scope of pharmacy practice, following the recommendations of the Expert Taskforce to Support the Expansion of the Role of Pharmacy. The State invests a considerable amount of funding in community pharmacy each year.
Building on these strong foundations, I believe that pharmacists can do more for our health service and I want to see an expansion of the services offered by pharmacists. This ambition is reflected in the commitments and priorities set out in the new Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future.
I look forward to working closely with the sector in 2025, including advancing engagements between my Department and the HSE with the IPU, as the representative body for community pharmacists, in relation to the community pharmacy contract and associated enablers.
I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively to make a significant difference to patient outcomes. Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, deliver better patient outcomes, and provide better value for money.
Medicinal Products
Ceisteanna (788)
John Lahart
Ceist:788. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will streamline HSE reimbursement processes and reduce administrative burdens to provide for a nationwide programme for safe and appropriate medicine disposal. [5998/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medicinal Products
Ceisteanna (789)
John Lahart
Ceist:789. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will adopt a more proactive approach to managing medicine shortages. [5999/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Dear Deputy,
Thank you for your question on the important issue of medicine shortages.
My Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, thusly mitigating medicine shortages and strengthening security of supply is the subject of several workstreams in my Department, the wider health service and across Europe.
However, medicine shortages are, unfortunately, a feature of modern health systems worldwide and a global health problem. Issues surrounding security of medicines supply have been increasingly well characterised, both nationally and internationally, in recent years. The causes of such supply issues are multifaceted, ranging from supply chain issues, perennial shortages of raw materials, increases in demand and manufacturing delays.
To give an overview of national initiatives for the management of shortages:
• Ireland has a multi-stakeholder Medicines Shortages Framework in place, operated by our medicines regulator, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) on behalf of the Department of Health. The framework aims to help prevent potential shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact of shortages on patients by coordinating the management of potential or actual shortages as they arise. Stakeholders in this framework include the HPRA, the Department, the HSE, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, wholesalers, patient representative groups and marketing authorisation holders.
• The Medicines Criticality Assessment Group (MCAG) is convened by the Department of Health and chaired by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to facilitate rapid assembly of relevant government and agency bodies to assess, address and resolve emerging medicinal product supply issues. Consequent to its deliberations, and where the MCAG deems it necessary, the MCAG membership issue communication(s), to healthcare professionals and patients, among other actions.
• Officials in my Department are also progressing secondary legislation to underpin shortages management initiatives introduced via the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024, including Medicine Substitution Protocols and reporting requirements for actors in the medicine supply chain.
• The HPRA maintains a list of current and resolved shortages on its website. The webpage is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information.
My Officials are also engaged with a variety of work at a European level, including via membership of the Critical Medicines Alliance. The work of this Critical Medicines Alliance will inform the content of a European Critical Medicines Act, which aims to address shortages of medicines seen across Europe.
Departmental Policies
Ceisteanna (790, 791)
John Lahart
Ceist:790. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will fully implement the expert taskforce recommendations. [6000/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraJohn Lahart
Ceist:791. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she will develop a national pharmaceutical care strategy led by a chief pharmaceutical officer within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6001/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 790 and 791 together.
Pharmacists play a crucial role delivering many important services to support the health of our communities, offering expert advice on illness, ensuring the safe supply of medicines, and delivering vaccines to the public. Pharmacists are trusted and are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals.
Building on these strong foundations, I believe that pharmacists can do more for our health service and I am a huge advocate for the reform and expansion of pharmacy services. My ambition and that of Government’s is reflected in the commitments and priorities set out in the Programme for Government.
The findings and recommendations from the Expert Taskforce to Support the Expansion of the Role of Pharmacy provide an important framework to inform the reforms and developments required to deliver expanded pharmacy services. My vision for the future includes pharmacists playing a much larger role in our health service, and I’m happy to see the progress being made by my Department to facilitate this.
The overarching recommendations from the Taskforce call for independent, autonomous prescriptive authority within and related to the individual pharmacist’s scope of practice and competence, implemented in a stepwise manner, commencing with the introduction of a common conditions service.
In line with the Taskforce's recommendations, my Department is prioritising delivery of all the regulatory enablers to facilitate community pharmacies to establish Common Conditions Services. I want to see this service established in 2025. This priority work is facilitated and supported by a multi-disciplinary group, including pharmacists, clinicians and regulatory experts, supported by pharmacists working in my Department.
As the work on the Common Conditions Service advances, my officials will progress a focused examination and scoping work on the remaining recommendations of the Taskforce, including consideration of recommendations regarding the role of a Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, with a view to establishing an approach to further phases of reform and the expansion of the role of pharmacists. I also recently met the Irish Pharmacy Union to discuss expanding and reforming community pharmacy, and I look forward to working with the sector to support community pharmacy to play an even greater role in the delivery of healthcare into the future.
Question No. 791 answered with Question No. 790.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (792)
Michael Cahill
Ceist:792. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health for a detailed progress report in regard to construction works to Killarney community nursing unit; when works will be completed; how soon patients will be moved from Killarney community hospital and St. Columbanus home; what plans the HSE has for Killarney District Hospital and St. Columbanus home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6021/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Facilities
Ceisteanna (793)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:793. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health whether the new 96 bed block being built in University Hospital Limerick will be opened as promised in July 2025. [6052/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (794)
Paula Butterly
Ceist:794. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health if she will respond to correspondence received (details supplied) regarding radiation therapy students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6054/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Practice education placements are essential to support clinical skills development and the application of theory to patient care and attainment of regulatory required standards of proficiency where applicable. It is acknowledged that building and growing the student pipeline is dependent on having an appropriate practice education placement infrastructure, including physical accommodation and the appropriate staffing. Student radiation therapists are not employees, and the nature of the placement is in a learning capacity under supervision, meaning their status as students is protected.
Across health and social care disciplines, there are many students on placement in hospital and healthcare settings, approximately a third of which are final year students. The length of placements and the activities performed during these placements vary between the disciplines. These students are not employees, therefore not paid, and in many cases the nature of the placement can, in the main, be limited to participation in an observing and a learning capacity.
In general, there are no allowances or payments for HSCP students while completing placement hours in the health service. Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Radiation Therapy, Dietetics and Radiography students do not receive an allowance to support time spent on clinical placements as part of their training.
Uniquely for student nurses and midwives there is, in the final year, a paid salary when they are specifically employed on an internship placement. Student nurses and midwives’ final year internship placement consists of a continual 36-week rostered clinical placement, including annual leave. The internship placement is a paid placement as the student nurses and midwives take a reduced caseload. During these placements, students are under supervision and are considered as 0.5 WTE of the workforce. In addition, Intern students can be allocated across all shift patterns including nights, weekends and 12-hour days.
There are a number of student grants and other financial supports available to students in further and higher education. Budget 2025 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost-of-living measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students who are eligible for Free Fees.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science provides Student Grants to eligible applicants attending approved full time Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses. Grants include Maintenance Grants, Fee Grants and Student Contribution Grants. Budget 2024 increased the value of all Maintenance Grants and for the 2024/2025 values range between €612 - €7,586. Students who are not eligible for a maintenance grant may still be eligible for a student contribution grant which can cover your full student contribution charge, 50% of the charge or provide a €500 grant towards same. The income thresholds to qualify for a grant were increased in Budget 2025 and the higher thresholds will come into effect in September 2025. In addition, students experiencing exceptional financial need, may be eligible to apply for supports under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) which has been supplemented by a further €10m under the Government’s cost of education supports in Budget 2025. Applications for support can be made in confidence to the Access Office in the higher education institution attended. This Fund can be used to meet costs such as childcare, rent, transport costs, books/class materials etc.
Question No. 795 answered with Question No. 702.
Eating Disorders
Ceisteanna (796)
Máire Devine
Ceist:796. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Health the number of beds currently available for patients diagnosed with eating disorders nationwide, and in County Dublin; the number of beds that have been available for each year from 2014 to 2024 inclusive; the monthly rate of occupancy of these beds, from 2014 through February 2025; the services or facilities patients are referred to when one of these designated beds is not available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6113/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Service Executive
Ceisteanna (797)
Máire Devine
Ceist:797. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a site map of the Weir Home for nurses in Dublin 8 which is managed by the HSE, with site boundaries outlined in red; the list of parties that have submitted a formal expression of interest in purchasing Weir Home to date; the list of interested parties that have been granted access for examination of the property; and if permission to access the property as a possible interested party will be given to this Deputy. [6114/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Medicinal Products
Ceisteanna (798)
Michael Collins
Ceist:798. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the recommendation arising from the inquest of a person (details supplied) for the putting in place of a national policy to oversee the administration of unlicensed medicines in Ireland, which would be referred to as Ava's Protocol; the details of the process and the expected date when this protocol will be enacted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6119/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Regulation 7 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017 (Statutory Instrument 173/2017) provides the statutory guidelines for the administration of controlled drugs to patients and only applies to those controlled drugs with a marketing authorisation as a medicine.
Departmental officials are currently examining the recommendations of the Cork City Coroner’s office in relation to the administration of controlled drugs which are not medicines with a marketing authorisation.
Officials are not currently in a position to put a date on this process as requested.
Hospital Facilities
Ceisteanna (799)
Tom Brabazon
Ceist:799. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health the capital works projects that were carried out at Saint Joseph's Hospital, Dublin 5 in the years of 2023 and 2024; the future capital works projects that are scheduled to be carried out at this hospital over the next 18 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6128/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.