Written Answers Nos. 661-685
661. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the shortage of childcare places in the Citywest and Saggart area; and to set out what action her Department is taking to address it. [36088/25]
View answerImproving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government.
Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the Annual Early Years Sector Profile 2023/24 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by approximately 19% from the 2021/22 programme year. Core Funding application data shows that between Year 1 and Year 3 of the scheme, annual place hours increased by over 15%. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the numbers of registered early learning and childcare services in 2024. However, it appears that demand for early learning and childcare remains higher than available supply in certain parts of the country, particularly for younger children.
My Department continues to support the ongoing development and resourcing of Core Funding which has given rise to a significant expansion of places since the scheme was first introduced. Core Funding, which is in its third programme year, funds services based on the number of places available. This provides stability to services, and reduces the risk associated with opening a new service or expanding an already existing service.
The Government is also supporting the expansion of capacity through capital funding. The Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme is designed to increase capacity in the 1–3-year-old, pre–Early Childhood Care and Education, age range for full day care. Core Funding partner services could apply for capital funding to physically extend their premises or to construct or purchase new premises.
50 applications will be progressing to the next stage of the Building Blocks Extension Grant Scheme. These 50 applications come from a mix of Community Extension (24), Private Extension (7), Community Purchasing (4) and Community Construction (15) projects, which, when completed, will deliver 1,500 additional full time childcare places for 1-3 year olds. Three service in Dublin were approved for funding under the scheme. I look forward to seeing how these projects progress over the coming months.
A forward planning model is in development which will be central to my Department's plans to achieve the policy goals set out in the Programme for Government to build an affordable, high-quality, accessible early childhood education and care system, with State-led facilities adding capacity.
The forward planning model being developed draws on administrative data to map the child population and location of funded services, and GIS mapping tools to model the link between children and available services. This will enable the identification and comparison of areas of need with a consistent methodology.
The Programme for Government commits for the first time to provide capital investment to build or purchase state-owned early learning and childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists. State ownership of facilities is a very substantial and significant development and offers the potential for much greater scope to influence the nature and volume of provision available and to ensure better alignment with estimated demand.
The approach to capital investment in future years is being considered within the context of the Programme for Government commitments and the revision to the National Development Plan which is ongoing.
662. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current capacity of Oberstown Children Detention Campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36120/25]
View answer663. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current open staff vacancies of Oberstown Children Detention Campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36123/25]
View answer664. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the supports in place in Oberstown Children Detention Campus to alleviate pressure and support those working on the campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36124/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 662, 663 and 664 together.
Capacity in Oberstown 36120
Oberstown Children Detention Campus is the State’s sole detention centre for children. The maximum occupancy in Oberstown is set by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality by way of a certificate made under the Children Act 2001.
This certificate is currently set at 46 (40 boys and 6 girls). Places can be used to accommodate both children on detention orders and children on remand orders.
Current staff vacancies 36123
Oberstown is currently recruiting Residential Social Care Workers. This is a rolling recruitment campaign. The current campaign will run until 31.12.2025.
In 2025 to date, Oberstown has recruited 16 staff members to the roles of Residential Social Care Worker and Night Supervising Officer. A total of 15 of these staff members remain employed by Oberstown.
Supports in place in Oberstown Children Detention Campus to alleviate pressure and support those working on the campus 36124
Staff wellbeing and psychological resilience is a priority at Oberstown. The Management team in Oberstown is committed to the health and wellbeing of the staff, recognising the unique demands and opportunities of working in Oberstown Campus. The range of supports ensures employees have access to the resources they need to thrive personally and professionally.
Oberstown has an on-site chartered Organisational Psychologist, specialising in systemic psychotherapy and work and organisational psychology, who offers a tailored campus support service. This includes:
• Therapeutic interventions – confidential counselling, group support and therapeutic services to address personal and workplace challenges, fostering resilience and wellbeing.
• After-incident support – assistance following critical incidents, including a safe and confidential space to process events and structured reviews to ensure psychological safety and promote individual, team, and organisational learning.
• Professional coaching and group work – sessions to develop skills, address challenges, and support personal and professional growth.
• Clinical supervision – regularly scheduled one-to-one or Group Supervision sessions. Led by the Organisational Psychologist, the campus rolled out practice supervision to frontline staff in 2024 and conducted 116 group and individual sessions in 2024. Supervision provides a space to discuss and process emotional reactions, dilemmas, and concerns in relation to work.
The campus support services include a structured, multilevel system including a team of 28 peer support workers (PSWs), trained in critical incident stress management (CISM) and mental health first aid. They provide immediate, frontline assistance to colleagues affected by critical or traumatic incidents. For additional support, employees can also access a confidential employee assistance programme (EAP), providing 24/7 counselling, advice, and resources for personal and professional concerns.
This tiered framework ensures that staff have access to appropriate support at every level – from internal peer-based assistance to professional psychological services and access to external support.
This holistic approach reflects the unwavering commitment of Oberstown to creating a supportive, proactive workplace that places employee wellbeing and personal growth at its core. By providing access to these resources, Oberstown aims to foster a resilient, healthy, and supportive work environment for all employees.
Additional resources
• On-site Medical Suite staffed by Clinical Nurse Manager and a team of qualified nurses.
• Access to medical screening and assessment, by Medmark, the campus occupational health provider.
• Award-winning "Working Well" framework – specifically designed for the demands of Oberstown, Working Well identifies health and wellbeing priorities and schedules initiatives across the year to support psychological resilience and workplace wellbeing. The Working Well framework is a whole-system approach to addressing psychosocial health and wellbeing. It features supports and resources around four pillars – Work Safe, Work Healthy, Work Well and Work Wise.
• Best practice – Oberstown is certified to international standards for Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO 9001:2015) and Psychological Health and Safety at Work (ISO 45003:2021).
• Oberstown is accredited to Ibec’s KeepWell Mark, has been listed among Ireland’s Top 100 Leaders in Wellbeing each year since 2021, won the Wellbeing Initiative of the Year 2020 at the Ibec KeepWell Awards, and was shortlisted in three categories in 2022.
• LifeSpeak online health and wellbeing resources for staff and family members.
• On-site facilities – access to restaurant and catering services with healthy eating options, a gym, free parking, and an electric vehicle charging point (EasyGo network).
• Staff can also avail of health insurance discounts, access to learning and development initiatives, and more.
665. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if there are financial supports available from the HSE, or other sources, for people who want to return to education to undertake a postgraduate conversion course as a therapist including occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, which would deliver additional therapists into our services more quickly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36156/25]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
666. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the overall percentage of the health budget currently allocated to mental health; and the increase in funding (as a percentage of GDP or GNI) that would result from a €500 million additional allocation.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35464/25]
View answer738. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the way in which Ireland’s current per capita spending on mental health compares with EU and OECD averages; and the estimated additional cost to bring spending to the EU average. [35514/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 666 and 738 together.
The total allocation for mental health services in 2025 is just under €1.5 billion, which is €143.5 million more than 2024 and the fifth year in a row that the mental health budget has been increased. Since 2020, funding for mental health has increased by nearly 44%.
The increase in funding for mental health services, under Budget 2025, represents a significant investment which will enable continued policy implementation and service improvement in line with our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. This year’s budget allocation builds on the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, and enabling us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2025.
As part of the funding allocated to mental health services, new development funding has been secured to advance initiatives on youth mental health, and around priority groups identified within our national suicide reduction strategy Connecting for Life. It will be focused on increased CAMHS staffing, a new CAMHS hub, enhancing the 'Single Point of Access' central referral mechanism for children's community services including CAMHS, opening 18 more beds in the National Forensic Mental Health Services in Portrane, increasing access to Counselling in Primary Care (CiPC), as well as the expansion of Suicide Bereavement Liaison Services and the Traveller Counselling Service.
The table below outlines the budget allocation for HSE Mental Health Services since 2020:
|
NSP Allocation |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
|
Mental Health |
987 |
1,031 |
1,114 |
1,159 |
1,227 |
1,338 |
1,458 |
The OECD does not provide an average spend per capita on mental health. The document New Benchmark for Mental Health Systems: tackling the social and economic costs of mental ill-health provides some estimates of mental health expenditure relative to total health expenditure. This document notes the methodological challenges that exist in collecting and comparing mental health spending across countries. One significant issue when trying to make comparisons is the scope of services that are included. Dementia services in Ireland, for example, do not fall under the mental health budget, while they do in other countries. In addition some countries include only government expenditure, while others include all expenditure in their estimates. These challenges make it exceptionally difficult to meaningfully compare Irish spending on mental health with that in other OECD countries.
Notwithstanding these methodological challenges, the OECD note a range of levels in mental health spending, from 4% to 15% of health spending, with only five countries spending more than 10% of their budget on mental health.
In response to the Deputy's question regarding the percentage of the overall health budget currently allocated to mental health in Ireland, Budget 2025 brought the mental health allocation to 6.17% of the total allocated health budget.
Currently, focusing solely on funding allocated to mental health under the health budget, mental health expenditure as a proportion of GDP is 0.27% and as a proportion of GNI is 0.45%. In response to the Deputy's question, if the mental health budget received an additional allocation of €500 million, then mental health expenditure would increase to 0.36% of GDP and 0.6% of GNI.
However, it should be noted that this is an underestimate of overall Government expenditure on mental health. This is because funding for mental health supports is dispersed across many areas of Government, and there is no single funding figure to reflect this. For example, the figure of just under €1.5 billion does not include funding for other parts of the health service that provide mental health supports, such as Primary Care, Disability services, liaison mental health in acute hospitals, some dual diagnosis (addiction and mental health) services, and mental health and well-being promotion.
It also does not include either spending by other Departments on services that incorporate psychological or mental health supports, such as Tusla, the Department of Education, the Prison and Probation Services, Youth Justice, or Social Protection.
667. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 754 of 24 June 2025, the position regarding frontline workers who are suffering from long-Covid; if he proposes to extend the current deadline of 30 June 2025 for support payments to those in this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35559/25]
View answerIn the public health sector, a temporary Special Scheme was put in place for 12 months in July 2022 to support eligible staff who were impacted by Long-Covid. At the request of my Department, approval to extend the Special Scheme was granted by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation a number of times, on the existing terms for the existing cohort of employees already being supported by it. The Special Scheme was due to conclude on 30th June 2025.
After a hearing in the Labor Court in June, it was recommended that a final extension of the current Special Scheme to the 31st of December 2025, at which point anyone remaining on the scheme should transition to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme.
Any employee of the public health sector remaining unwell beyond that date, may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support. Employees who did not qualify for the Special Scheme but are also impacted by Long-Covid may also utilise the supports of the sick leave scheme. The sick leave scheme provides full pay for three months, followed by half pay for three months, and after that, Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration may be applied for, which, if granted, provides up to a further 547 days of paid leave. The Critical Illness Protocol that forms part of the sick leave scheme may also provide additional supports if granted.
668. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health since Government approval was secured in September 2024 for Ireland to evacuate a number of sick children from Gaza for treatment and care, following an appeal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to address the current health needs of people from Gaza, the number that have been treated to date in 2025; and the number that remain outstanding at this time. [35913/25]
View answerI thank the Deputies for their queries in relation to the medical evacuations to Ireland of paediatric patients from Gaza.
I can advise the Deputies that as an EU Member State, Ireland responded to a request from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist in addressing the current health needs in Gaza.
On 18 September 2024, the Minister for Health announced that Ireland would receive up to 30 paediatric patients through Egypt, in response to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) request to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The patients selected by the HSE and CHI, from the WHO medevac approved list, for treatment in Ireland are minors i.e. under 17 years of age, and must be in Egypt awaiting medical evacuation. The health needs are categorised under cancer, haemodialysis and patients with other severe medical conditions.
Ireland opts into this response on a case-by-case basis for children who require treatment, subject to the availability of necessary treatment capacity in the HSE and CHI. Many of the patients on the WHO medevac approved list, had arrived to Egypt before the Rafah crossing closure in May 2024.
Ireland has a strong tradition of providing humanitarian assistance, including through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Aid humanitarian and development assistance programme, and the HSE Global Health Programme.
12 WHO paediatric patients have been medical evacuated to Ireland so far, along with 12 mother/carers and 21 accompanying family members. Including the 12 WHO patients, all 45 family group members are receiving treatment for illnesses incurred as a result of living conditions in Gaza.
|
Date of medical evacuation |
WHO paediatric patients arrived in Ireland |
Accompanying carers arrived |
Immediate family members arrived |
|
19 December 2024 |
8 |
8 |
11 |
|
5 May 2025 |
4 |
4 |
10 |
|
Remaining Ireland medevac capacity |
18 |
My Department is grateful to several Departments and agencies for their significant engagement for the successful medical evacuation including:
• Department of Justice in relation to visas for entry to Ireland, border control and registration for permission to stay in the State;
• The Department of Foreign Affairs, particularly the Irish Embassy in Egypt who facilitate the processing of Department of Justice visa applications for each patient and accompanying family members;
• HSE and CHI in relation to the selection of patients and provision of healthcare treatment services;
• Department of Social Protection in relation to registration and social protection payments to the parent or guardian;
• Irish Red Cross who have been contracted for provision of accommodation and ongoing case work support including translation services;
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage who communicate evacuation offers for patients, on behalf of Ireland, via the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).
My Department and the HSE also engage with the World Health Organisation in Egypt, the Ministry of Health in Egypt, and the Umerto Primo Hospital in Cairo to assess and prepare the patients.
Planning is ongoing with the HSE for the next medical evacuation operation aiming to reach the 30 WHO patients as per Ireland’s commitment, taking into account of lessons learned from the first two evacuation operations.
669. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health when the community mothers scheme will be reintroduced.. [36165/25]
View answerThe Community Families Programme (formerly know as Community Mothers) is an HSE supported, home-visiting service. It aims to empower parents from pregnancy until their child's third birthday. It provides information and support and it builds friendships and connectivity in local communities.
As your query regards an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
670. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health the actions her Department is taking to increase the availability of GPs in the Dublin 13 area. [35192/25]
View answerGPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. As of the 1st of June, there are 2,558 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme and a further 629 GPs do not hold a GMS contract but hold at least one other contract with the HSE for the provision of health services.
Measures have been taken to increase the number of GPs practising throughout the country, thereby improving access to services for all patients.
Significant increases in investment in general practice have been provided under the 2019 and 2023 GP Agreements. Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice was increased by €211.6m. This provided for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, new fees for additional services and increased practice supports, including the introduction of a support for practices in urban areas of social deprivation.
The GP Agreement 2023 further increased GP capitation fees, increased the existing subsidy rates for practice staff, and introduced a grant support for additional staff capacity as well a practice staff maternity leave support.
Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant training places made available from 2024. As a result, the number of GP graduates has increased in recent years and will continue to increase in the coming years.
Furthermore, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 118 IMG doctors are currently in practice here with a further 18 having completed the new 2-year programme. The placement of IMG GPs is targeted to rural and underserved areas.
Lastly, a Strategic Review of General Practice is underway. The review, with input from key stakeholders, is examining the broad range of issues affecting general practice including issues related to GP capacity and will consider possible mechanisms to attract GPs to rural and underserved areas. Following its completion, a final report will be presented to me outlining the findings of the review and setting out recommended actions for a more sustainable general practice.
671. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to increase facilities for adults suffering with eating disorders; if she is aware that there are only three adult beds in Ireland and that they are for the catchment area of St. Vincent’s Hospital; if she agrees that this is wholly insufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35196/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
672. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the details and dates of correspondence received from the HSE or Children’s Health Ireland regarding a report (details supplied); and if she will provide Dáil Éireann or the Committee on Health with a copy of the report. [35198/25]
View answer673. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the details of a report (details supplied); whether she has sought or received this report from Children’s Health Ireland; and if she will provide Dáil Éireann or the Committee on Health with a copy of the report. [35199/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together.
On 26 May, the 2022 internal examination was provided to the Department from the HSE. On the same day, I wrote to the Board of CHI requesting a full response to the Report. I received responses from CHI on this matter. CHI advised that the review was conducted in response to concerns and issues raised. The report was accepted by the CHI Board. CHI developed an Action Plan to implement the recommendations, and the majority of actions are complete, with work ongoing on remaining actions.
I have been advised by the Attorney General that I do not have any legal basis to publish this report, and that any publication must be made by CHI. On 16 June, CHI published a summary of findings, recommendations and updates regarding the examination of a particular clinical department in Children’s Health Ireland.
Subsequent to my letter on 26 May requesting a response from the CHI Board to the report, on 18 June I wrote to the CHI Board requesting assurance that the recommendations have been addressed in full. I also emphasised the priority I place on child patient safety issues and asked the Board to report directly to me on the status of the children that may have been impacted.
I have moved to strengthen governance and oversight structures at CHI. This was done via the appointment of two members of the HSE Board to the Board of CHI on 28 May.
The Service Level Agreement between CHI and the HSE has also been strengthened, and there is increased involvement from the Dublin Midlands Regional Executive Officer. Recognising the need to co-ordinate oversight of the range of matters of focus in CHI in a cohesive fashion, the HSE CEO has established the HSE CHI Improvement Steering Group.
These actions are designed to support the new CEO in CHI and enable her to continue with the transformation programme she has started.
674. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if the funding for podiatry services has been discontinued for people with type 2 diabetes (details supplied); if so, the date this was discontinued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35204/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
675. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of home help agencies registered in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35218/25]
View answerThere is currently no requirement to be registered as a home support provider in Ireland. However, this is about to change through a planned amendment to the Health Act of 2007.
The Department of Health has been focused on the development and implementation of a regulatory framework for providers of home support services. This will ensure that all service users are provided with high-quality, regulated home support services.
The Health (Amendment) (Licensing of Professional Home Support Providers) Bill will regulate home support services in Ireland by establishing a registration system for providers of home support services. It will be an offence to operate a service without being registered. Under the legislation, HIQA’s Chief Inspector for Social Services will be the authority with responsibility for monitoring and assessing compliance with regulations and HIQA national standards.
The Bill will confer on HIQA, the authority to grant, amend and ultimately revoke a registration if home support providers fail to meet minimum requirements. The objective of the proposed registration system is to improve the safety and quality of home support services by ensuring that registered home support providers do not operate below the standard set by Ministerial regulations. Those regulations are to be applied in a consistent and systematic way.
The key aim of the new regulatory framework for providers of home support services is that all service users will be provided with high quality care, focused on the same minimum standards wherever and however they are provided.
The General Scheme is currently with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel for final drafting. Department officials are working closely with counterparts in OPC to finalise the Bill.
676. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health when urgent care and procedures will be conducted for a person (details supplied). [35219/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter regarding an individual case, I have asked the HSE to look into the matter and reply to the Deputy directly. I have also been advised that Children's Health Ireland has contacted the Deputy directly regarding this case to say that they are liaising with key colleagues for assistance and a response will be issued via the HSE system in due course.
677. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the number of pain management specialists currently employed in University Hospital Waterford; the number of hours they are contracted to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35220/25]
View answer“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
678. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of her plans to replace the Dentists Act 1985 with modern and fit-for-purpose legislation; the timeline she is working towards; if she will commit to bringing forward amendments to the 1985 Act in the interim to enhance patient safety, provide for the maintenance of professional competence, and to urgently enhance the powers of an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35253/25]
View answerThe Department of Health is committed to reviewing the Dentists Act 1985. The review and updating of the legislation is directly related to the wider implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, which envisages a fundamental reform of oral health services. As such, any new legislation will also be informed by this work. The implementation plan for the first phase of the National Oral Health Policy implementation, to end-2027, is currently being finalised by my Department and the HSE, and includes the updating of the Dentists Act 1985 as one of a number of priority actions.
During 2025, the Department will be undertaking a two-strand approach to the review and updating of the Dentists Act 1985. Ahead of the revision of the wider Dentists Act 1985, a priority is to consider the development of a small number of interim enhancements to the Dentist Act in areas identified as a priority by the Dental Council and to proceed with these amendments where appropriate. This will include providing a statutory basis for the Dental Council to develop a scheme for Continuous Professional Development for registered dentists in line with those provided for other regulated health professionals.
In order to inform the wider review of the Dentists Act 1985, a series of thematic engagements on legislative matters between the Department and the Dental Council has taken place. These are important inputs to the overall regulatory reform programme that the Department is developing, with the objective of introducing a new modern regulatory framework for all relevant aspects of dentistry.
Any legislative change will ultimately be a decision for the Oireachtas.
679. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if the anti-sickness drug akynzeo can be made available on the GMS as it is the only effective anti-sickness medication for many cancer patients, including those with a brain tumour; if she is aware that the cost of buying this medical monthly is placing financial strain on families already dealing with illness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35269/25]
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.
680. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health for an update on an appointment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35270/25]
View answer“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
681. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the measures that can be taken to ensure a person (details supplied) receives the medical test results she requires promptly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35271/25]
View answer“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
682. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health to request that the HSE revisits the way in which a complaint was addressed at a hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35278/25]
View answerThe Department of Health is committed to improving patient services and having patient-centred care. However, while noting the complaints as detailed in the details supplied, I must advise that it is more appropriate that the Health Service Executive (HSE) are contacted directly, as there are rigorous processes in place for any individual who wishes to raise a concern regarding their treatment in our health service.
In that context I would like to highlight the options open to individuals and their families to make a complaint about care they have received in the public health system. Under Part 9 of the Health Act 2004 you have the right to complain about any action of the HSE or a service provider that you believe was not fair or had an adverse effect on you. The HSE has appointed designated Complaints Officers to ensure the effective management of complaints throughout their relevant areas of responsibility. Further information is available at www.hse.ie/yoursay or via telephone on LoCall number: 1890 424 555. If you are still unhappy with the outcome of this process, you can request an independent review of the complaint from the Office of the Ombudsman. Further information can be found here www.ombudsman.ie/contact/ or they can be contacted by phone on 01 639 5600.
I would also like to highlight the Patient Advocacy Service. This service is aimed at supporting patients who wish to make a complaint about care received in a public hospital. The service offers a confidential helpline with experienced advocates on-hand to provide information and support to patients who want to make a formal complaint to the HSE about the care they experienced. The Patient Advocacy Service has a team of patient advocacy officers, advocacy team leads and a service manager providing information and support to patients across Ireland by phone, email and through online information and in person. Further information on the service can be found by ringing 0818 – 293 003 between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday or by visiting www.patientadvocacyservice.ie/.
In this regard officials in my Department have arranged for the correspondence to be referred to the HSE and this will then be forwarded to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital for investigation and direct reply to you.
683. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health for an urgent update on a referral (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35280/25]
View answerUnder 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.
684. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to outline the process in relation to the section 39 funding process; to outline the process if an application is refused; the means by which an organisation can appeal such a decision; the oversight there is over such decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35281/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
685. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given by her Department for the inclusion of vape devices (details supplied) in the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023, in view that although the devices are marketed as rechargeable and replaceable because of supplementary pods they remain fundamentally environmentally wasteful; are attractive to young consumers owing to their low cost; contain significantly more vape liquid allowing 6,000 puffs compared with 600 puffs in a regular vape; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35295/25]
View answer686. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of vape devices (details supplied); if her Department will legislate for them in the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35296/25]
View answer687. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if her Department has analysed the research that is available re the dangers of vape devices (details supplied); the action proposed to be taken in order to restrict their use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35297/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 685, 686 and 687 together.
These products are already regulated under the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023. All of the provisions such as age of sale, licensing, restrictions on sales outlets and additional advertising restrictions apply to them.
These products are also regulated by the EU Tobacco Products Directive. Regulations regarding tank, pod and refill container size for such products is governed by this EU law.
It is intended that the proposed legislation on nicotine inhaling product flavours, packaging, point of sale display and the prohibition on single-use vapes will also apply to these products.
