Written Answers Nos. 142-163
142. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if her Department has any plans to reduce the five-day stay-at-home requirement for those with Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32886/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
143. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if she will meet members of the group who made a presentation on Duchenne muscular dystrophy on 11 June 2025 in Leinster House as they try to access a new drug called givinostat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32910/25]
View answerI have indicated to my officials that I would like to meet with some of the families of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy to hear their concerns about access to the new medicines. I would hope that a meeting can be organised soon.
As I outlined in the Dáil last week I am closely following the developments in relation to the medicine givinostat (Duvyzat®), which was authorised by the European Commission for the treatment of Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy on the 6th of June 2025.
The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and devices. As of the 17th of June 2025, the HSE has advised that it has not received a pricing and reimbursement application for givinostat (Duvyzat®) from Italfarmaco S.p.A., the Marketing Authorisation Holder. The national assessment and decision process for the medicine cannot commence in the absence of this application.
I encourage the company to submit a pricing and reimbursement application to the HSE, in early course, to allow the national assessment and decision process to commence. The HSE cannot assess any new medicine for reimbursement until an application is received.
144. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health when the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal will next conduct a clinic in the west of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32912/25]
View answerThis is not a matter for the Department of Health and should be redirected to the Department of Finance who have responsibility for Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal.
145. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health for a list of recognised asthma centres that specialise in severe asthma that have and do not have a leading advanced nurse practitioner in post. [32917/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
146. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the cost of ensuring an advanced nurse practitioner post at each recognised asthma centre that specialises in severe asthma. [32918/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
147. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health when funding announced in Budget 2025 for pulmonary fibrosis will be released. [32920/25]
View answer€500k funding was allocated for pulmonary fibrosis in budget 2025 and is available to the HSE.
The HSE have completed recruitment of an Interstitial Lung Disease Clinical Advisor, a role crucial to progressing work in this area. The successful candidate is due to start in the role on 19th June 2025, establishing the appropriate governance and leadership to drive work in this area. This will allow work on the planning and development of services for lung fibrosis to start in earnest and ensure this funding is fully utilised for the benefit of those living with lung fibrosis.
The HSE and the Department of Health have engaged with the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association on key priorities, and examined how this funding could be spent. Further engagement will take place in the coming weeks and months as work in this area begins to progress.
148. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health when a national lung fibrosis clinical programme will be available to deliver structured, standardised and equitable care to people living with lung fibrosis in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32921/25]
View answerThe establishment of a National Clinical Programme for Lung Fibrosis is primarily a matter for the HSE to consider in the course of its service planning activities. The HSE have completed recruitment of an Interstitial Lung Disease Clinical Advisor, with the successful candidate starting on 19th June 2025.
This role is essential to establishing the appropriate governance and leadership to drive work in this area and develop a wider understanding of the needs of those living with Lung Fibrosis which will further inform the develop of necessary and appropriate services.
The HSE and the Department of Health have engaged with the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association on key priorities, and to better understand the needs of those living with Lung fibrosis. Further engagement will take place in the coming weeks and months as work in this area is progressed.
149. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the plans for a national registry of lung fibrosis patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32922/25]
View answer€500k funding was allocated for pulmonary fibrosis in budget 2025 and is available to the HSE.
The HSE have completed recruitment of an Interstitial Lung Disease Clinical Advisor, a role crucial to progressing work in this area. The successful candidate is due to start in the role on 19th June 2025, establishing the appropriate governance and leadership to drive work in this area. This will allow work on the planning and development of services for lung fibrosis to start in earnest, including consideration of a national registry for Lung Fibrosis. However, this will require further scoping and engagement.
The HSE and the Department of Health have engaged with the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association on key priorities, and examined how this funding could be spent. Further engagement will take place in the coming weeks and months as work in this area begins to progress.
151. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of promised funding in Budget 2025 for lung fibrosis care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32933/25]
View answer€500k funding was allocated for pulmonary fibrosis in budget 2025 and is available to the HSE.
The HSE have completed recruitment of an Interstitial Lung Disease Clinical Advisor, a role crucial to progressing work in this area. The successful candidate is due to start in the role on 19th June 2025, establishing the appropriate governance and leadership to drive work in this area. This will allow work on the planning and development of services for lung fibrosis to start in earnest and ensure this funding is fully utilised for the benefit of those living with lung fibrosis.
The HSE and the Department of Health have engaged with the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association on key priorities, and examined how this funding could be spent. Further engagement will take place in the coming weeks and months as work in this area begins to progress.
152. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline her Department's plans for the delivery of a care strategy for those with lung fibrosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32934/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond.
153. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Health when all adults living with spinal muscular atrophy will be entitled to the same treatments as children living with spinal muscular atrophy in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32936/25]
View answerThe HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. Therefore, I have asked the HSE to provide an update in relation to treatments for SMA patients over 18 years of age.
The HSE has advised that once a medicine is approved by the European Medicines Agency, the HSE is dependent on a pharmaceutical company making an application to Ireland for its drug or new indication to be assessed for reimbursement. All medicines are considered for pricing of reimbursement in order of application.
While many companies engage proactively with the HSE, Ireland, by virtue of its size and market share, may not always be prioritised by some companies in the first stages of marketing a new medicine. Reports describing timelines for reimbursement from EMA approval to HSE reimbursement approval do not consider this important factor, as statutorily the HSE are not able to add a new medicine to the reimbursement list until an application is received.
The HSE has advised that it is committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available (provided) to it.
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. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds. 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.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of risdiplam (Evrysdi®):
Reimbursement approval is in place for risdiplam (Evrysdi®) for the treatment of 5q spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) under the High Tech arrangements from the 1st September 2023. Reimbursement support is for a subgroup of the licensed indication.
As a condition of reimbursement, an individual patient approval system has been put in place by the HSE, to enable reimbursement for patients who meet the pre-defined criteria as per a HSE devised managed access protocol.
If the manufacturer of Risdiplam(Evrysdi® (Roche) submits a de novo application for adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of SMA Type 1, Type 2 or Type 3, that application will be duly progressed through the formal processes governing the pricing and reimbursement of medicines.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma®):
In October 2021, onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma®) was approved for reimbursement in Ireland following joint assessment and negotiations under the Beneluxa initiative for the treatment of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with a bi-allelic mutation in the SMN1 gene and a clinical diagnosis of SMA type 1, or pre-symptomatic patients with 5q SMA with a bi-allelic mutation in the SMN1 gene and up to 3 copies of the SMN2 gene.
As a condition of reimbursement, an individual patient approval system has been put in place by the HSE, to enable reimbursement for patients who meet the pre-defined criteria as per a HSE devised managed access protocol.
www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/medicines-management/managed-access-protocols/onasemnogene-abeparvovec-zolgensma/managed-access-protocol-onasemnogene-abeparvovec-zolgensma.pdf
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of nusinersen (Spinraza®) for adult patients (>18 years):
The HSE approved funding of nusinersen (Spinraza®) effective 1st July 2019 for the treatment of 5q Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type I, Type II and Type III in children under 18 years.
The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 28th September 2020.
The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 29th October 2020. The NCPE advised the HSE that a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) was recommended for nusinersen (Spinraza®) to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness compared to the current standard of care for adult patients (>18 years).
www.ncpe.ie/nusinersen-spinraza-hta-id-20044/
The HSE commissioned a full Health Technology Assessment on the 9th November 2020 as per agreed processes.
The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications. The CPU met with Biogen regarding their application for Nusinersen (Spinraza®).
The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. The pharmacoeconomic report will be reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group will consider all of the evidence and make a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team.
The decision-making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
A completed HTA is required from the applicant (Biogen) to progress this application, as per the formal processes governing the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. In the absence of a completed HTA the pricing and reimbursement application cannot progress.
The application remains under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing assessment processes.
154. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will allow for payment of fair deal to a person (details supplied) as the family is very anxious that the person be placed in a Caherciveen hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32958/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
155. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to two letters dated 6 February 2025 and 3 June 2025 sent to her by a person (details supplied); the actions she will take to address the concerns raised in relation to the recruitment of radiographers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33005/25]
View answerReferred to the HSE for reply
157. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the action she is taking to ensure GPs follow a circular from the HSE regarding charging medical card holders for blood tests; if she agrees with this practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33020/25]
View answer166. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the action she is taking to ensure GPs follow a circular from the HSE regarding charging medical card holders for blood tests; if she agrees with this practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33078/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 166 together.
GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Under the terms of the current GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services.
The issue of GPs charging GMS patients for phlebotomy services (blood tests) is complex given the numerous reasons and circumstances under which blood tests are taken. Clinical determinations as to whether a blood test should be taken to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition are made by the GP concerned. There is no provision under the GMS GP contract for persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card to be charged for clinically necessary blood tests.
In addition, blood tests undertaken in the context of the GP Chronic Disease Management programme are covered by the fees paid to GPs by the HSE for this care.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly charged for routine phlebotomy services (i.e. a blood test to either assist in the diagnosis of illness or the treatment of a condition) by their GP, or has been charged for a blood test provided under the Chronic Disease Management programme, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of a GMS patient, shall contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into the complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by that GP.
Fees charged by GPs outside the terms of the GMS contracts (and other HSE GP held contracts) are a matter of private contract between the clinician and their patient.
158. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists in the State today who provide services to medical card patients under the scheme for free; if she is concerned as to the significant drop in dentists providing these services; if she will re-engage to try and bring more dentists back into the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33021/25]
View answerThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides oral healthcare, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, additional fillings and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients, are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.
A package of measures was introduced in 2022 to expand the care available under the Scheme and significantly increase the fees paid to contractors. These measures have improved access to care: payments for contractor claims in 2024 show 227,691 additional treatments were provided nationally under the DTSS, with over 44,208 extra patients treated when compared with 2022. Access to care has continued to improve, an additional 2,463 patients have been treated, and a further 7,836 treatments provided in the January-May 2025 period compared to the same period in 2024.
In the longer term, the Government is committed to reforming oral healthcare services, including the DTSS, through the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP), Smile Agus Sláinte. The new Programme for Government contains commitments to implement the National Oral Health Policy and to reform oral healthcare services for medical card holders.
The implementation plan for the first phase of policy implementation, to end-2027, is currently being finalised by my Department and the HSE, following targeted consultation in Q3 last year, and includes reform of services for medical card holders as one of several priority actions.
The Policy also contains a range of strategic workforce planning actions to increase national workforce capacity, in support of improving patient access to care. The Department of Health has recently finalised a workforce census framework for oral healthcare and work is progressing on a scoping project for a mid-level professional grade for oral healthcare, as an additional measure to increase capacity in the workforce. A programme to encourage the redistribution of oral healthcare professionals to underserved areas is also a key action in the Policy. For oral healthcare professionals working in isolated rural areas far away from centres of education, it will be essential to provide support in the form of mentoring programmes as well as by introducing long-distance and accessible continuing development education programmes.
I have asked the HSE to forward the requested data, the number of dentists in the State today who provide services to medical card patients under the scheme for free, to the Deputy as soon as possible.
159. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide further details in relation to the work of the online health taskforce established in September 2024; the date on which she expects the interim report to be finalised and published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33061/25]
View answerThe Online Health Taskforce (OHT) was established in September 2024, in recognition of the growing body of evidence, from Ireland and internationally, showing the link between certain types of online activity and physical and mental health harms to children and young people. The Taskforce is developing a strategic public health response to these harms and will bring forward evidence-informed recommendations. The Final Report of the Taskforce is due in October 2025.
The OHT Interim Report was published on Friday, 13 June 2025.
Link to Interim Report - www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/publications/interim-report-of-the-online-health-taskforce/
160. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will respond to correspondence (details supplied); the steps she has taken since receiving said correspondence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33062/25]
View answer161. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to outline the postnatal supports and services available to new mothers in the community; the steps being taken to ensure that there is a coordinated approach to support postnatal women; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33064/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
162. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of the four additional postnatal hubs, which would bring the national network to 13; the timeline for completion and operation of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33065/25]
View answerPostnatal Hubs are intended to create a model of support in the community for mothers, babies and families in the weeks after birth. The National Maternity Experience Survey, first conducted in 2020, has shown that improving postnatal care in the community is a priority for women. That is why, since 2022 significant investment has been directed into the establishment of a national network of Postnatal Hubs.
A total of five pilot Postnatal Hubs were established in Cork, Kerry, Portiuncula, Sligo and Carlow-Kilkenny. €0.4 million was allocated in 2024 (with a full year cost of €1.9 million) to establish four more Postnatal Hubs. These Hubs are currently under development in the Dublin maternity hospitals and at Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda. New development funding of €2.0 million through the National Maternity Strategy in 2025 will initiate four further Postnatal Hubs, bringing the national network to 13. An Expression of Interest process has recently been conducted within the HSE for this third phase, and the location of the remaining 4 sites will be announced once letters of approval have been issued.
163. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if any research has been conducted to assess the prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse following birth in Ireland; the steps being taken to ensure that there is a comprehensive and coordinated system of postnatal care for this condition, both in the community and acute settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33066/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
