Written Answers Nos. 884-907
884. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken by her Department to encourage the provision of bilingual labelling on food packaging, which would promote the Irish language; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32547/25]
View answerThis is not a matter for the Department of Health and should be redirected to the Department of Culture.
885. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health her plans to make eylea or aflibercept, available to suitable patients in Irish hospitals for the treatment of the wet form of age-related macular degeneration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32555/25]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
886. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the services available nationally to support those who have suffered from child loss. [32556/25]
View answerI thank the Deputy for the question. The government is committed to the delivery of services that support people who have experienced the loss of a child.
Responsibility for bereavement counselling and associated services are assigned across a number of service areas. The HSE National Counselling Service is an essential part of HSE mental health provision and provides a professional, confidential, counselling and psychotherapy service. The service is available in all HSE Community Health areas and operates from over 240 locations throughout Ireland.
The HSE provide a range of bereavement supports while also working in partnership with the voluntary and community sector. The Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid is a framework to guide those working with and supporting bereaved people across the country. It was developed through a national collaborative process, managed by the Irish Hospice Foundation and supported by the HSE. Support is provided in line with the Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid which highlights four levels of support that people may require following a bereavement. Levels of support range from Level 1 (community support, self-help resources) to Level 4 (specialist counselling). For adults requiring Level 3 and 4 supports, the HSE provides bereavement counselling through Counselling in Primary Care across the country.
The voluntary organisation First Light provides therapeutic services to suddenly bereaved parents and family members across Ireland. Anam Cara is a charity founded by bereaved parents to ensure all bereaved families have access to information and support. They provide a wide range of bereavement support services and peer support which are available to all parents regardless of the age or circumstances of their child’s death.
Both organisations have been allocated recurrent funding of €75,000 each since the HSE National Service Plan in 2023. This funding will further enhance bereavement supports for parents after the death of a child.
The Irish Hospice Foundation in partnership with the HSE provide a bereavement support helpline which is available to the general public. It provides a confidential safe space for individuals who have lost a loved one, friend or colleague, to talk about their loss and grief.
Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice provides bereavement counselling on a national basis to families in need. The hospice receives core funding from the HSE. In 2023, €800,000 was provided in additional recurrent funding to Laura Lynn increasing their base funding to €2.3 million per year. An additional €0.5 million was provided in 2025, increasing Laura Lynn state funding to €3.3 million.
The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network provide information and resources for coping with grief in children, adolescents and families. Rainbows and Barnardos also provide bereavement supports for children and young people.
887. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if she plans to change capacity laws in cases where a person has a dual mental health diagnosis as many family members are watching on helplessly as their loved ones who lack capacity are not given necessary mental health treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32559/25]
View answerBefore treatment can be administered to a person, the person must consent to that treatment, except in very limited circumstances.
Where a person is accessing mental health services in the community, they cannot be forced to accept treatment if they do not want. Instead, people must be encouraged to access treatment with the support of their multidisciplinary team.
The Mental Health Act 2001 provides for the involuntary admission and treatment to acute mental health settings (known as 'approved centres' under the Act) for treatment for a person's 'mental disorder'.
The 2001 Act includes a number of provisions in relation to consent to treatment for involuntary patients only, and does not legislative for consent to treatment for voluntary patients or anyone accessing mental health services outside of approved centres.
The 2001 Act only permits treatment being administered to a person without their consent in very limited circumstances, namely where 'the treatment is necessary to safeguard the life of the patient, to restore his or her health, to alleviate his or her condition, or to relieve his or her suffering, and by reason of his or her mental disorder the patient concerned is incapable of giving such consent.'
An involuntary patient under the 2001 Act cannot be treated without consent if the person has the capacity to consent to or refuse treatment.
The Mental Health Bill 2024, which is currently before Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann, retains this position. The Bill, as being amended at Committee Stage, will continue provide for treatment without consent for a defined period of time where a person has been assessed as lacking capacity, where a person does not have a relevant, valid substitute decision-making arrangement under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and where the person continues to meet the criteria for involuntary admission in the Bill.
The Bill also provides for involuntary treatment to be provided in very limited circumstances where a person is a risk of serious and immediate harm to another person and refuses to consent to treatment, or a relevant substitute decision-maker refuses to consent to treatment. In such cases, an application for a treatment order to the High Court must be made to determine whether the limited criteria have been met.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, and any changes to capacity legislation generally would be within the policy remit of her Department.
In relation to dual diagnosis services more generally, the Government is committed to a more integrated and holistic approach to the development of mental health, dual diagnosis and primary care services.
Government policies, including Sharing the Vision and Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, set out clear commitments to improving services for people with a dual diagnosis. Sharing the Vision recommends several actions for Dual Diagnosis, with the with the implementation process led by the National Implementation Monitoring Committee and the HSE, and recognising that people with a dual diagnosis should have access to appropriate mental health services and supports.
An integral part of the HSE’s Dual Diagnosis Programme has been the development of a Model of Care which describes a clear clinical pathway for all adolescents and adults suspected of having a dual diagnosis covering integration across primary care, substance misuse, community mental health and acute services.
The Model of Care, which was endorsed by the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and I launched in May 2023, recommends the development of 12 Adult Specialist Dual Diagnosis Teams nationally, and 4 Adolescent Hub Teams.
One of the key components of the Model of Care is the establishment of specialist teams to support individuals with dual diagnosis, and funding of over €3 million has been provided to support recruitment in this area, to date.
Since the launch of the Model of Care, the development of specialist Dual Diagnosis services has been progressing. It is planned to develop two adolescent and two adult Dual Diagnosis teams. The roll out of the Dual Diagnosis teams is progressing with adult teams starting in Cork and Limerick in 2024, with two other adolescent teams currently being developed for Dublin. Under Budget 2025, two further teams and additional posts have been funded for 2025.
In the meantime, individuals who do require treatment for dual diagnosis are being supported by the relevant HSE social inclusion addiction services in their community. For hospital admissions, people with dual diagnosis are treated through Emergency Departments.
This continued investment highlights this Government’s commitment not only to mental health, but to ensuring that the mental health services that we develop and deliver are reflective of the needs of modern society.
888. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the number of hours of specifically family carer in-home respite hours only the HSE has delivered, by CHO, via the tender authorisation scheme for the year 2024; and the number of overnight hours (details supplied) only the HSE has delivered, by CHO, via the tender authorisation scheme for the year 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32560/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
889. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if she was made aware of any reports which cited concerns regarding sub-optimal care for children with spina bifida at CHI Crumlin; if she will name the report; if she will ensure that the children are identified and parents notified of the findings of such a report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32580/25]
View answerI note Children’s Health Ireland's (CHI) publication of a summary of the internal examination (2022) on 16 June. This is available at: www.childrenshealthireland.ie/news/summary-of-findings-recommendations-and-updates-regarding-the-examination-of-a-particular-clinical-department-in-childrens-health-ireland-chi/.
A succession of extant and pending reports have raised corporate and clinical governance concerns at CHI. In response to these, I have moved to strengthen governance and oversight structures at CHI by appointing two members of the HSE Board to the Board of CHI.
The service level agreement between CHI and the HSE has been strengthened in relation to operational oversight. There has also been increased involvement and support from the HSE's Dublin Midlands regional executive officer and senior management.
CHI's CEO is restructuring the Clinical Directorate, the recruitment of clinical speciality leads is underway, and centralised referral is now being mandated across all CHI surgical services.
It is important that CHI is given the support and the time to continue the significant reform underway across both current services and in preparation for the new children’s hospital.
890. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if a CHI oncology risk assessment completed on 27 August 2021 identified concerns in the oncology general surgery service at CHI; the risk score outlined in the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32581/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
891. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if any insourcing agreement with the NTPF and urology clinics at CHI did not adhere to a memorandum of understanding as set out by the NTPF; the dates of the clinics and the number of patients seen at each clinic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32582/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
892. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if she was provided with any reports which cited a toxic and siloed culture at CHI; the date she received such a report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32583/25]
View answerOn Monday 26 May, the internal CHI report referred in the media was provided to the Department from the HSE. I note Children’s Health Ireland's (CHI) publication of a summary of the internal examination (2022) on 16 June.
A succession of extant and pending reports have raised corporate and clinical governance concerns at CHI. In response to these, I have moved to strengthen governance and oversight structures at CHI by appointing two members of the HSE Board to the Board of CHI.
The service level agreement between CHI and the HSE has been strengthened in relation to operational oversight. There has also been increased involvement and support from the HSE's Dublin Midlands regional executive officer and senior management.
CHI's CEO is restructuring the Clinical Directorate, the recruitment of clinical speciality leads is underway, and centralised referral is now being mandated across all CHI surgical services.
It is important that CHI is given the support and the time to continue the significant reform underway across both current services and in preparation for the new children’s hospital.
893. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the reason fillings are not being installed in a HSE local dental clinic (details supplied); if the failure to provide this service is contributing to the lengthy waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32584/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
895. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if staff in private nursing homes are entitled to the recent section 39 pay deal. [32599/25]
View answerAs this is an administrative matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Minister directly.
896. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will run an international recruitment campaign to recruit a suitably qualified senior dental surgeon, with a special interest in special needs, for the CHO3 area. [32603/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
897. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health the number of applications that were received for ceiling hoists within CHO3 in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [32604/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
898. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE dental nurses based in each primary care centre and health centre within county Clare in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [32605/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
899. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the training provided to haemodialysis patients to carry out their own haemodialysis at home; whether self-administered homecare is best international practice. [32606/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
900. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the NTPF suspending all insourcing work with a public hospital since 11 April 2025; the name of the hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32618/25]
View answerThis Government remains committed to increasing capacity in the public system and until that capacity is in place to meet the increased levels of demand, it’s appropriate that we make use of all available additional capacity in the public and private systems to ensure that patients have access to the care they need.
Accordingly, the Waiting List Action Plan which I published on February 12th, includes targeting the delivery of additional capacity for patients in the public and private systems, through a coordinated approach by the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
NTPF Insourcing initiatives are governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NTPF and the relevant public hospital. Under the MOU, the public hospital confirms that any such work is additional work over and above core hospital activity and is specifically carried out to reduce waiting lists. All governance for insourcing remains with the public hospital, based on specific treatment plans where a need is identified and a solution available. All work is approved at the appropriate senior level.
On the evening of Friday, 11th April, the Department was advised by the NTPF that there was an issue in relation to NTPF funded initiatives at Beaumont Hospital. All insourcing initiatives were suspended at the hospital and the matter has been referred to HSE Internal Audit who are undertaking a full review of the matters raised. The results of this audit are expected shortly.
In early April at my request, the HSE CEO initiated a detailed survey of all insourcing activity within the HSE, which will be assisted by Finance, Internal Audit, HR and Access/Integration functions. Insourcing can be funded either directly by the HSE/hospital concerned, or by the NTPF. The outcome of this review is expected shortly.
901. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that there are 3,000 patients waiting for dermatology appointment in Sligo University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32619/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
902. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that no orthopaedic surgeries have taken place in Sligo University Hospital since January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32620/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
903. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if he will extend the special leave with pay for people who continue to suffer from long Covid and cannot return to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32625/25]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform (DPENDPR) have been very clear that this was the final extension that would be granted, and as such, the Special Scheme will conclude on 30th June 2025.
As this is an on going Industrial Relations matter it would be inappropriate to comment any further.
904. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if HIQA gives advance notice to nursing homes and residential care centres prior to a visit and inspection.. [32631/25]
View answerReply awaited from the Department.
905. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the costs incurred by her Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in 2024; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32642/25]
View answerReply awaited from the Department.
906. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Health to examine the case of a person requiring a new leg prosthesis fitting (details supplied); to advise when they will be supplied with same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32662/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
907. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if she will consider running a pilot orphan drug early-access programme in order that children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy can access givinostat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32665/25]
View answer938. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health her plans to improve policy in relation to orphan medicines; her plans to fulfil Programme for Government commitments in relation to access to new and innovative treatments; her views on the need to provide access to givinostat, in particular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32797/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 907 and 938 together.
The recently published Programme for Government (Securing Ireland's Future) contains a suite of measures on medicines which my officials will seek to progress over the lifetime of this government.
In relation to the pricing and reimbursement status of Givinostat (Duvyzat®), under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and devices; therefore, I have asked the HSE for an update in this matter.
The HSE has advised that there is a National Application, Assessment & Decision Process for new medicines which is underpinned by Primary Legislation (Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013) put in place by the Oireachtas. The HSE must comply with the relevant legislation when considering investment decisions around new medicines.
The HSE must robustly assess applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.
Pharmaceutical companies are required to submit formal applications to the HSE if they wish for their medicines to be added to the list of reimbursable items / funded via hospitals. The decision of pharmaceutical companies to market licensed medicines i.e. whether or not to submit a formal application, is outside the control of the HSE.
In terms of the specific details of an application for pricing and reimbursement of Givinostat (Duvyzat®):
On 25th April 2025, the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation for Givinostat (Duvyzat®) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in ambulant patients, aged 6 years and older, and with concomitant corticosteroid treatment.On the 6th June 2025 the European Commission granted EU conditional marketing authorisation for Givinostat (Duvyzat®) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
A pricing and reimbursement application has not yet been received by the HSE for Givinostat (Duvyzat®).
As outlined above, the national assessment and decision process cannot commence in the absence of a pricing and reimbursement application submission to the HSE.
