Tuesday, 25 Mar 2025

Mental Health Services

Questions (856)

Michael Cahill

Question:

856. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of people on waiting lists for Jigsaw in CHO 4 at the end of February 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14158/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (857)

Michael Cahill

Question:

857. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of doctors who successfully completed specialist training for general practitioners in 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14159/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff

Questions (858)

Michael Cahill

Question:

858. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of consultants in critical care employed by the HSE from February 2020 to February 2025 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14160/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

This PQ has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as it relates to an operational matter.

Hospital Procedures

Questions (859)

Michael Cahill

Question:

859. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of wrist surgeries performed at University Hospital Kerry in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14161/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill)

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Patient Transfers

Questions (860)

Michael Cahill

Question:

860. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to arrange a transfer of two patients (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14163/25]

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Reply not received from Department.

Health Service Executive

Questions (861)

Michael Cahill

Question:

861. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the amount of HSE land currently lying vacant in County Kerry; her plans for the development or otherwise of each parcel of land; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14177/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff

Questions (862)

George Lawlor

Question:

862. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE nurses working in Wexford General Hospital in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; if this number will be further increased later this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14180/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Questions (863)

George Lawlor

Question:

863. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the status of ophthalmology clinics in County Wexford; the days on which the services are operational; the locations of these clinics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14181/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Questions (864)

George Lawlor

Question:

864. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health her plans to establish a women's health hub in Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14182/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Questions (865)

George Lawlor

Question:

865. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE community intellectual disability nurses based in CHO5 in the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14183/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Home Care Packages

Questions (866)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

866. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for homecare in CHO 8 in the past five years. [14185/25]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Healthcare Policy

Questions (867)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

867. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if she plans to fully fund the implementation of the HSE digital health roadmap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14193/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

'Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030' has been developed to reflect the rapidly changing landscape of health and social care in Ireland. The framework sets out a clear roadmap for investment in digital health and delivery of digital health records.

www.gov.ie/en/publication/0d21e-digital-for-care-a-digital-health-framework-for-ireland-2024-2030/

In tandem, the HSE’s Digital Health Strategic Implementation Roadmap details out the specifics and sequencing of the roadmap and confirm the necessary support required to realise this intent.

bout.hse.ie/publications/digital-for-care/

The Programme for Government both underlines and commits to the ambition set out in the Framework and Roadmap to continue to work towards the full digitisation of Irish healthcare records and information systems, and to increase funding levels, through the National Development Plan (NDP), to achieve this.

The framework states that ' Through successive national service plans, capital and revenue funding has increased year on year. Delivery of this framework will require this incremental approach to continue through 2030 for the majority of projects, plus additional funding (capital and revenue) and staffing, specifically for the following key areas of investment: National EHRs deployed regionally, Cyber Resilience, National Shared care record, HSE Health App and Patient Engagement, Electronic Prescribing, Telehealth and Virtual Wards, Digital Identities, and Standards and Interoperability.'

Government has continued to support Digital Health in recent years by increasing both capital and revenue funding provided for ICT and digital health. Investment in Capital funding has increased from €60 million in 2018 to €190 million in 2025. (Capital funding for ICT was just €40m in 2012).

As part of the National Service Plan (NSP) for 2025, the ICT Capital Plan has been aligned with the framework and associated HSE roadmap. The initiatives described in the plan are closely coupled with the six principles contained within the strategy, and the priorities for digital health in the coming year. Whilst we will continue to invest in core systems, infrastructure and building cyber resilience, digital health initiatives in 2025 will place a particular emphasis on patient engagement and empowerment through the use of digital channels and services, building capacity by developing virtual care wards, and provide more options for patients to avail of telehealth services.

The Department of Health will continue to work closely with the HSE in developing costings for the major programmes of work required to deliver on the ambition of Digital for Care. The pace of delivery will ultimately be determined by the extent to which the Government choose to invest in digital, conscious of the other competing priorities for funding in health, as well as having the skills, resources and capacity for change and reform within the health service.

Medical Aids and Appliances

Questions (868)

Paul Murphy

Question:

868. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the change to HSE-supplied pull-ups and the concerns surrounding their reduced size, quality, absorbency, and suitability for children with disabilities; if she will instruct her Department to ensure that pull-ups provided are fit for the needs of the children that use them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14199/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Data

Questions (869)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

869. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of children with down syndrome born in Ireland for each of the past ten years. [14219/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Data

Questions (870)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

870. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of children with down syndrome aborted in Ireland for each of the past five years. [14220/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Deputy will be aware, the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 permits termination to be carried out in cases where there is a risk to the life, or of serious harm to the health, of the pregnant woman; where there is a condition present which is likely to lead to the death of the foetus either before or within 28 days of birth; and without restriction up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. There is no provision in the Act for termination on grounds of disability.

Prior to the Referendum on the 8th Amendment, the General Scheme of the Bill to regulate termination of pregnancy was published. The final legislation enacted is consistent with the published proposals.

Under the Act, certain data on termination of pregnancy is required to be collated by my Department via the notification procedure. However, to protect the privacy of the person seeking the termination, this information is limited to:

• The Medical Council registration number of the medical practitioner who carried out the termination of pregnancy;

• The section of the Act under which the termination was carried out, i.e., section 9, 10, 11 or 12;

• Medical Council registration number(s) of the medical practitioner(s) who made the certification concerned;

• The county of residence, or place of residence (where the woman resides outside of the State) of the woman concerned;

• The date on which the termination of pregnancy was carried out.

No additional information relating to the termination is captured.

Hospital Inspections

Questions (871)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

871. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if prior warning of her visit to University Hospital Limerick was given; and whether trollies and patients were hidden from sight during her visit. [14221/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) continues to manage high volumes of presentations for unscheduled and emergency care. ED presentations at UHL for the first two months of the year are at almost 14,500 and increase of 4% on the same time last year with admissions up 3%.

To meet the high demand in UHL there has been considerable investment in the region with the expansion of facilities in Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, a 96-bed block due for completion this year with plans for another block in the planning phase and there has been an increase in UHL’s workforce of over 1,060 whole-time equivalents since the end of 2019.

In line with the hospital avoidance pillar of the 2024-2026 UEC Operational plan, there has been a focus on alternative pathways for patient care to alleviate the pressure on emergency departments. Specifically, the Pathfinder programme and Alternative Pre-Hospital Pathway, a collaboration between the National Ambulance Service and allied health workers that support patients receiving care at home rather than in the emergency department.

Furthermore, the expansion of GP Out of Hours services, the standardisation Injury Unit opening hours and the expansion of Specialised Care in the Community teams provide viable alternatives to the emergency department where suitable.

Improvements with emergency departments operations, the second pillar of the UEC 2024-2026 Plan, are being enacted through the expansion of the POCC which provides for senior decision makers onsite improving discharges and patient flow for admitted patients.

Grant Payments

Questions (872)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

872. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will examine an issue with a UK bursary (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13895/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

I have asked my officials to pursue this with their Welsh counterparts and I will revert to you separately in due course.

Research and Development

Questions (873, 874)

Jen Cummins

Question:

873. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to continue the success of Ireland’s membership of the European Southern Observatory by expanding access or creating more opportunities such as postdoctoral research for Irish astronomers. [13321/25]

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Jen Cummins

Question:

874. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans for the implementation of support infrastructure for the European Southern Observatory for Irish astronomers similar to those announced following Irelands accession to CERN. [13322/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

I propose to take Questions Nos. 873 and 874 together.

Ireland joined the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in 2018 following a Government commitment to initiate discussions with four international research organisations – the ESO, LOFAR, ELIXIR and CERN. Ireland has joined three of these organisations and is finalising an Associate Membership Agreement with CERN.

A National Advisory Committee was established when Ireland joined ESO to maximise the benefits of membership to Ireland in the context of strategic priorities. The National Advisory Committee on ESO continues to review Ireland’s performance in ESO and considers future opportunities and appropriate supports. The National Advisory Committee is chaired by my Department and includes stakeholders across third level education, research and research funding.

Dedicated financial support for participation in specific initiatives is a necessary criterion for Ireland’s associate membership of CERN, which differs from other international research organisation memberships.

Under Impact 2030, Ireland has committed to optimise our membership of international research organisations, ensuring that our engagement reflects our existing and emerging strategic priorities. The last such review was undertaken in 2015 and led to the membership of the current organisations. Over the coming period my Department, in consultation with stakeholders, will give consideration to the appropriate scope and methodology of any review with a proposal coming to me in due course.

Question No. 874 answered with Question No. 873.