Thursday, 19 Jun 2025

Hospital Services

Questions (399)

John Brady

Question:

399. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the reason the number of respite beds in a hospital (details supplied) has decreased in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33299/25]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell)

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

Health Services

Questions (400)

Brendan Smith

Question:

400. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if she will give detailed consideration to a strategy document recently produced by a national organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33301/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I wish to acknowledge receipt of the Irish Lung Fibrosis Associations: ‘Achieving Equity: Innovating Lung Fibrosis Care in Ireland’ document. My Department will give this document due consideration as part of its ongoing and future engagements with both stakeholders and the HSE.

Funding of €500k was allocated for pulmonary fibrosis in budget 2025 this funding will be utilised to further develop services in this area. Stakeholder engagement, inclusive of considering the above submission, will form a vital part of further developing services for Lung Fibrosis.

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.

The Department of Health remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the best outcomes for people living with Lung Fibrosis.

Health Services

Questions (401)

Brendan Smith

Question:

401. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if she will give detailed consideration to the issues outlined in an awareness raising document, recently produced by a national organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33302/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

It is estimated that there are approx. 110 people in Ireland living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the majority are under 18 years of age. Children diagnosed with muscular dystrophy are under the care of a paediatric neurologist who specialises in neuromuscular conditions. There are specialist clinics based in Children’s Health Ireland, the CRC and at Enable Ireland Cork and Cork University Hospital who provide specialised and expert multidisciplinary care.

As the Deputy will be aware, a National Rare Disease Steering Group was established in December 2023 and have finished work their on the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030. I have approved the plan and it is currently waiting for cabinet approval. Historic funding of €1.5m has been provided for rare diseases in Budget 2025 with an additional €5m provided to support the implementation of this Strategy.

It is envisioned that a portion of this funding will be used to bolster Ireland's ERN involvement. Irish expert centres are part of the European Reference Network ERN-NMD. These networks allow the collective expertise in specific rare disease across the European Union to be utilised in the care of Irish people living with rare diseases. In this case ERN-NMD is a virtual network of healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the diagnosis, management and treatment of neuromuscular conditions.

Raising awareness about rare diseases is one of the core tenants of the new National Rare Disease Strategy. This includes increasing awareness amongst the public, people living with a rare disease and their families, healthcare professionals and policy makers about all rare diseases, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

As part of this, my Department will give consideration to the awareness supplied document, Understanding DMD.

Question No. 402 answered with Question No. 388.

Question No. 403 answered with Question No. 388.

Pharmacy Services

Questions (404)

Pádraig Rice

Question:

404. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of plans to have pharmacists prescribe for common conditions; the timeline she is working towards for implementing this recommendation from a group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33326/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I am a huge advocate for the reform and expansion of pharmacy services. 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 next key step in the reform of community pharmacy is the development and introduction of a Common Conditions Service. This service will be the first step in enabling full independent pharmacist prescribing. It will allow pharmacists in Ireland to treat the public for common conditions such as shingles, urinary tract infections, and conjunctivitis.

The development of the service is well under way, and the Community Pharmacy Expansion Implementation Oversight Group (IOG) continues to meet monthly to finalise the clinical protocols, education and training for pharmacists, a package of required regulations, and operational aspects of the service.

I am confident that we will see the beginning of this service available in Irish communities within 2025.

Health Services

Questions (405)

Pádraig Rice

Question:

405. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of each recommendation from a group (details supplied); the timeline for implementation of the remaining recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33327/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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.

Following completion and publication of the Expert Taskforce Report in August 2024, the Community Pharmacy Expansion Implementation Oversight Group (IOG) was established to implement recommendations from the “Expert Taskforce to Support the Expansion of the Role of Pharmacy”, specifically in relation to the establishment of a Common Conditions Service.

The IOG is made up of stakeholders from the PSI, IPU, HPRA, and the HSE, and is chaired by the Department of Health. It also contains practicing pharmacists and a patient advocate.

The IOG meets monthly and is currently working to finalise the clinical protocols, education and training for pharmacists, a package of required regulations, and operational aspects of the service. The group will continue to work together over the next few months to put the enablers in place to facilitate community pharmacies to establish common condition services within 2025.

As the work on the Common Conditions Service advances, my officials will subsequently progress a focused examination and scoping work on the remaining recommendations of the Taskforce with a view to establishing an approach to further phases of reform and the expansion of the role of pharmacists in all settings.

Further information on the work of the group can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/collections/community-pharmacy-expansion-implementation-oversight-group/.

Vaccination Programme

Questions (406)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

406. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will examine the implementation of an RSV Immunisation Pathfinder Programme for older adults in 2025 to protect vulnerable older adults, including those living in long term care facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33328/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

A Health Technology Assessment on RSV immunisation for infants and adults is currently being undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

The primary objective of this HTA is to provide advice to my Department to inform a policy decision on the most appropriate RSV immunisation strategy for infants and adults aged 65 and older. HIQA’s assessment will assess the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and budget impact of alternative strategies for the immunisation of infants and adults aged 65 years and older against RSV. This HTA will also consider the organisational, resource, ethical, patient and social implications associated with these alternative strategies.

A draft report will be made available in due course for public consultation prior to being finalised and submitted as advice to inform decision-making by my Department.

The outcome of the HTA will inform the development of any longer-term programme and future decision making on the matter of RSV immunisation in Ireland.

Health Services Staff

Questions (407)

Naoise Ó Muirí

Question:

407. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the process through which people availing of the special long-Covid sick pay scheme for healthcare workers will be supported as they transition to the public service sick leave scheme; the way in which these people may be eligible for ill health retirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33335/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

The supports available under the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme include:

Full pay sick leave for three months. Followed by half pay sick leave for three months, and after that, Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration. TRR is an additional payment that is designed to support people recovering from longer-term illness or injury. The rate of TRR is 37.5% of the remuneration you would otherwise receive, were you not on sick leave. This rate is inclusive of any Illness Benefit that may be payable to an individual. In order to qualify for TRR, an individual must have accrued at least two years’ service in the Public Service, and there must be a reasonable prospect of them returning to work to deliver regular and effective service. If approved, TRR is available for 547 days on TRR in a rolling four-year period.

The Critical Illness Protocol will also provide further supports if granted. If an employee is deemed to have a “critical illness”, the duration of sick pay can be extended under certain circumstances. The employee should ordinarily be under the current or recent ongoing clinical care of a hospital consultant. The employee must have been deemed medically unfit for work by an Occupational Physician, and the medical condition must have at least one or more of the following characteristics:

• Acute life threatening physical illness.

• Chronic progressive illness, with well-established potential to reduce life expectancy.

• Acute major physical trauma ordinarily requiring corrective acute operative surgical treatment.

• In-patient or day hospital care of 10 consecutive days or greater, 2 days or greater of inpatient care if pregnancy related illness.

The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme also provides for reasonable accommodations to assist those returning to the workplace by permitting them to perform modified duties or to work an amended pattern where necessary while rehabilitating.

Retirement on ill health is dealt with on a case by case basis.

Health Services Staff

Questions (408)

Michael Cahill

Question:

408. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 321 of 11 June 2025 to outline, of the new approved maximum whole time equivalent (WTE) staff figure of 129,753 for the HSE and Section 38 agencies, the number of those that will be available to the HSE Kerry/Cork region; the number of WTE staff currently employed in the region; what increase will the new approved maximum allow for this region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33342/25]

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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 (409)

Conor D McGuinness

Question:

409. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health her Department’s position is regarding pension entitlements for staff employed under HSE-funded Roma and intercultural health projects operated by area partnerships; if her Department or HSE intends to fund employer pension contributions for these workers; the plans in place to address this matter upon the introduction of pension auto-enrolment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33355/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

PQ has been referred to the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.

Mental Health Services

Questions (410)

Conor D McGuinness

Question:

410. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health to detail all applications made in the past five years with respect to the establishment of a Jigsaw youth mental health service in Waterford, including the date of the application, by whom it was made, by whom it was received, the consideration given to the application, the outcome, date of decision, and the rationale for that decision, in tabular form. [33368/25]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

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

Health Services

Questions (411)

Michael Cahill

Question:

411. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she is fully satisfied with the proposed location for a facility in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33372/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare estate, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Question No. 412 answered with Question No. 388.

Health Services

Questions (413)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

413. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if she will meet with families of children living with a medical condition (details supplied). [33381/25]

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Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill)

I 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 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.

Health Service Executive

Significant progress has been made working with the Higher Education Sector and Professional Bodies to increase the number of student training places to ensure that we have enough healthcare professionals to meet future demand for health services.

As part of Budget 2023, the Department of Health secured recurring funding to support the training and education of counselling psychologists on PhD programmes. As part of this initiative, the HSE offered 10 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) funded places to first year students on the doctoral training programme in Counselling Psychology, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), commencing in September 2023. This funding package covered salary in addition to 60% of course fees and was commensurate with paid training schemes offered by the HSE to Psychology Trainees in other specialisms (Clinical Psychology and Educational Psychology). Places on the training programme will continue to be funded under this scheme for the coming college term in September 2025.

Further work is underway with DFHERIS and other relevant Government Departments and the Higher Education Authority to increase the number of student places across all health and social care professions.

Health Services

Questions (420)

James Geoghegan

Question:

420. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33426/25]

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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.