Sorca Clarke
Question:710. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the workforce planning that has been done to estimate the number of additional mental health professionals needed by 2030. [35432/25]
View answerMental Health Services
Questions (710)
Written answers
The Department of Health leads on health and social care workforce planning activities, including working in collaboration with the education sector, HSE, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals across the entire health service. As part of this work, the Department considers the long-term workforce planning needs of the health and social care sector utilising a variety of workforce projections.
Department of Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health, disability and education sectors.
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. 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.
This government aims to enhance mental health services in local communities and to continue to recruit Mental Health staff both nationally and internationally.
For Health & Social Care Professionals, we need to continue on the recent expansion of this section of the workforce. Recent increases in student places will start to have an effect in the coming years and through enhanced funding and policy focus on areas such as community, mental health and disabilities, we will see a shift towards an integrated care model of care. The Programme for Government commits to doubling the number of college places for speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, psychologists and social workers.
Sharing the Vision (StV, 2020-2030) is Ireland’s ambitious, multifaceted national mental health policy to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and specialist mental health service delivery during the period 2020-2030.
Implementation of Sharing the Vision is guided by a detailed Implementation Plan, with regular policy implementation progress reports published on the Department of Health website. Implementation of the policy is overseen by an independently-chaired National Implementation and Monitoring Committee. The current Implementation Plan 2025-2027 for Sharing the Vision was published in April 2025.
The government is focused on achieving and maintaining optimum mental health in Ireland. WTE numbers in Mental Health increased by 7% between year-end 2019 and April 2025, with 97% of that increase relating to posts directly involved in patient care. The availability of suitably qualified workforce has been highlighted as a significant challenge at a time when there has been record levels of investment in mental health services with an increase of 43.7% over the lifetime of the last government and totaling almost €1.5 billion in Budget 2025.
Mental Health Services
Questions (711)
Sorca Clarke
Question:711. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average capital and operational cost of establishing a new community mental health hub including premises, equipment, IT and staffing. [35433/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (712)
Sorca Clarke
Question:712. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of establishing one 24-7 mental health crisis responses team per health region, including staffing, vehicles, premises and clinical support. [35434/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (713)
Sorca Clarke
Question:713. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number and location of existing youth mental health drop-in services such as Jigsaw; and the average cost per centre per year. [35435/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (714)
Sorca Clarke
Question:714. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the capital allocation currently provided under the NDP for mental health infrastructure, and the amount of it that remains unspent or uncommitted. [35443/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (715)
Sorca Clarke
Question:715. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of fully staffed CAMHS teams currently operational, per health region; and the number of additional teams that would be required to meet national guidelines, taking the increase in population into account. [35444/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (716)
Sorca Clarke
Question:716. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of hiring the full multidisciplinary CAMHS teams needed to ensure no child waits longer than eight weeks for an initial assessment. [35445/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (717)
Sorca Clarke
Question:717. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the annual operational cost of running a CAMHS inpatient unit; and the capital cost attached to opening a new one. [35446/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (718)
Sorca Clarke
Question:718. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current number of HSE-funded counselling hours delivered annually in primary care; and the average cost per session. [35447/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (719)
Sorca Clarke
Question:719. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of additional therapy hours or sessions that would be deliverable under a €25 million increase in the talk therapy budget. [35448/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (720)
Sorca Clarke
Question:720. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for CIPC and other primary mental health interventions, per health region. [35449/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (721)
Sorca Clarke
Question:721. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current per capita spend on mental health services in each health region. [35450/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (722)
Sorca Clarke
Question:722. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the counties that currently lack 24-7 crisis mental health cover; and the estimated cost to establish cover in each. [35451/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (723)
Sorca Clarke
Question:723. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the cost benefit analysis conducted by the Department on expanding community based mental health care, as opposed to inpatient models; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35465/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (724)
Sorca Clarke
Question:724. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if any spending evaluation tools have been applied to mental health programmes since 2020; what the outcomes were; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35466/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (725)
Sorca Clarke
Question:725. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the annual budget allocated to digital mental health services; the average cost per user interaction or session; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35467/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (726)
Sorca Clarke
Question:726. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of dual diagnosis teams currently in operation, by health region; and the estimated cost of ensuring at least one operational team, per health region. [35468/25]
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Dual diagnosis means a person experiences both a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as depression or an anxiety disorder.
Treatment options must address both issues, and as such the HSE have developed a Model of Care which recommends the development of 12 Adult Specialist Dual Diagnosis Teams nationally, 4 Adolescent Hub Teams, and a National Dual Diagnosis Rehabilitation Centre. To date investment of over €3 million has resulted in 2 Adult teams and 2 Adolescent teams being operational, with 2 further teams and additional posts funded for 2025.
With reference to the information requested, as this is an operational issue, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.
Mental Health Services
Questions (727)
Sorca Clarke
Question:727. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average cost of treating individuals with a dual diagnosis in community settings versus inpatient units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35469/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Mental Health Services
Questions (728)
Sorca Clarke
Question:728. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if translation and interpretation costs are ringfenced in mental health services for those with limited English; and the average cost per health region for accessible communication supports. [35472/25]
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (729)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:729. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health to list all the public services contracts worth €10 million or more, which have been granted by herself or the forerunner for her Department, or other State bodies in the past five years; the value of each contract; the length of term of each; the expiration date of each contract; and whether any contract was discontinued during its term and for what reason. [35487/25]
View answerWritten answers
The following table details the requested information.
|
Contract Title |
Supplier Name |
Contract value (Ex-VAT) |
Effective Date |
Expiry Date |
Length of Term |
Details |
|
Provision of Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Services |
Tifco Ltd |
22,560,820 |
16/03/2021 |
31/10/2021 |
8 Months |
Contract ran for length required |
|
Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) call-center technology and services to assist with the roll-out of the EU Digital COVID Certificates (DCC) cross-Government project |
Accenture ESC |
16,721,278 |
18/07/2021 |
17/07/2022 |
1 Year |
Contract ran for length required |
|
Provision of Patient Advocacy Service |
The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities |
21,226,947* |
01/11/2022 |
31/10/2027 |
5 Years |
Contract is ongoing |
*The contract value is an estimated indication of the expected value of work at the time the contract was awarded.
I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Details for other bodies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
Pharmacy Services
Questions (730)
Paul McAuliffe
Question:730. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of discrepancies in the application of prescriptions by pharmacies (details supplied); and her plans to ensure that all pharmacies adhere to the same guidelines. [35494/25]
View answerWritten answers
I am not in a position to comment on or intervene in individual cases, patient’s prescriptions, or decisions made by individual pharmacists in the exercise of their professional judgement. However, I set out below the current position with regards to the validity of prescriptions.
Under current legislation, a prescription issued by a registered medical practitioner may be valid for up to 12 months from the date of issue (with some exceptions), unless otherwise indicated by the prescriber. However, while the legislation may permit dispensing from a prescription for up to 12 months, on every occasion this prescription is dispensed, there is a legal requirement for the pharmacist to review the prescription and consider its pharmaceutical and therapeutic appropriateness for the safety of a patient. In addition, the pharmacist must offer to counsel the patient on the correct use and storage of the medicine, on every occasion it is supplied.
Pharmacists have a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that each dispensing is safe, appropriate, and in the best interests of the patient. These responsibilities are reflected in the PSI Code of Conduct for Pharmacists (www.psi.ie/sites/default/files/2024-06/PSI's%20Code%20of%20Conduct%202019.pdf), which sets out the principles of professional practice expected of all pharmacists in Ireland. In particular, Principle 2 of the Code outlines the obligation to “provide safe and effective care,” and Principle 5 emphasises the need to “exercise professional judgment in the best interests of patients.”
These principles require pharmacists to consider, at each dispensing, not only the legal validity of the prescription, but also whether the continued supply of the medicine is clinically appropriate. This includes situations where the full 12-month supply may not be dispensed if, in the pharmacist’s judgement, further assessment is needed, or where clarity from the prescriber may be required.
Where a member of the public believes that a pharmacist has not acted appropriately or has not complied with their legal or professional obligations, they are entitled to make a complaint to the PSI. All complaints received are considered in accordance with the provisions of the Pharmacy Act 2007. A decision not to progress a complaint does not suggest that the concerns were not considered seriously, but rather that the statutory threshold for further action under section 36(1) of the Act was not met.
Alternatively, outside of the statutory complaints process, anyone can raise a concern with the PSI about the behaviour, conduct or practice of a pharmacist, or the service they have received in a pharmacy. All concerns are formally reviewed by the PSI to consider whether further action is needed. In these situations, those raising the concern are not kept informed of the outcomes of the internal reviews/actions taken by PSI. Further information is available on the PSI’s website (www.psi.ie/complaints-and-concerns/differences-between-complaint-and-concern).
Health Services Staff
Questions (731)
Ann Graves
Question:731. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapists based at Donabate health centre in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [35497/25]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.