Tuesday, 4 Nov 2025

Primary Care Centres

Questions (1757)

Ryan O'Meara

Question:

1757. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health if the new primary care centre in Nenagh has been fully staffed yet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58299/25]

View answer

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.

Medicinal Products

Questions (1758)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

1758. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the approval of linzagolix by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics for the public prescription of this particular drug; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58304/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, I have asked the HSE for an update in this matter.

The HSE has advised that there is a National Application, Assessment & Decision Process for new medicines which is underpinned by Primary Legislation (Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013) put in place by the Oireachtas. The HSE must comply with the relevant legislation when considering investment decisions around new medicines.

The HSE robustly assesses applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.

There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.

Pharmaceutical companies are required to submit formal applications to the HSE if they wish for their medicines to be added to the list of reimbursable items / funded via hospitals.

As of the 31st October 2025, a pricing and reimbursement application has not been received by the HSE for linzagolix choline(Yselty®) from the marketing authorisation holder.

As per the processes outlined above, the HSE will process and assess any pricing and reimbursement application received from a company as efficiently as possible within the resources available to the HSE.

Emigrant Support Services

Questions (1759)

Paul Murphy

Question:

1759. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the way in which injured Gazans will be assisted given the Taoiseach remarks indicated in a report (details supplied).; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58319/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

Ireland continues a strong tradition of providing humanitarian assistance, including through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Aid humanitarian and development assistance programme and the HSE Global Health Programme.

In September 2024, a Government decision was made that Ireland would evacuate up to 30 paediatric patients from Gaza (under 17 years of age) and their carers out of Egypt, in response to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) request to activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) to assist in addressing the Gaza healthcare needs through medical evacuation.

In July 2025, the Government amended the scope of the Gaza Medevac Initiative to allow family members of paediatric patients—parents, minor siblings, or adult dependent siblings of the patient —to obtain visas and permission to enter the State. The Government also agreed to examine other options in addition to Egypt for evacuation of paediatric patients from Gaza.

Since September 2024, Ireland has evacuated 19 paediatric patients and 84 accompanying family members in evacuations from Egypt in December 2024 and May 2025 and from Gaza via Jordan in October 2025.

Such medical evacuations are highly complex, and many factors are subject to challenging, shifting external circumstances. Considerable cooperation among a variety of international stakeholders is necessary to ensure safe and successful operations.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has the primary role of selecting patients for overseas medical evacuation. In consultation with WHO and other partners, the Ministry for Health in Gaza follows a strict set of criteria for selecting patients to be evacuated.

Only paediatric patients are considered for the Irish Gaza Medevac Initiative. Paediatric patients are selected by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) from the WHO medevac-approved list, strictly subject to treatment capacity in the HSE and CHI.

Once CHI has confirmed that the selection criteria are met, offers of medical evacuation are made. If accepted, relevant authorities work to secure all required documentation and permits to allow the patient and their family members to be evacuated. Plans are drawn up to carry out the complex medical evacuation in cooperation with key organisations on the ground and in Ireland.

This is the process that has been followed in all medical evacuations to date and which will inform all future medical evacuations carried out by Ireland under the Gaza Medevac Initiative. In addition, there are many elements of an evacuation that are not within the control of the WHO or the participating European countries.

My Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Irish Red Cross, the HSE, CHI and international organisations will continue to work closely to deliver on the Government's commitment of evacuating up to 30 paediatric patients from Gaza and their families.

Medical Cards

Questions (1760)

Eoin Hayes

Question:

1760. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Health the average annual cost of providing a Health (Amendment) Act 2020 (HAA) card, per person; the number of people who have the HAA card as of the latest data available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58325/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, this PQ has been referred to the HSE to respond.

Medical Cards

Questions (1761)

Eoin Hayes

Question:

1761. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Health the average annual cost of providing a medical card, per person; the number of people who have a medical card, as of latest data available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58326/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is an operational matter, this PQ has been referred to the HSE to respond.

Medical Cards

Questions (1762)

Michael Cahill

Question:

1762. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if a discretionary medical card can be awarded to all polio survivors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58331/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

Medical card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn per week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.

People under 70 are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after deduction of tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. People aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high medical costs. Detailed guidelines are available at: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/applying/assessment/

The issue of granting medical or GP visit cards on the basis of illness or a disability was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card or GP visit card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card or GP visit card.

Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.

The HSE also has a compassionate system in place for the efficient provision of medical cards in response to emergency situations i.e., where persons are in need of urgent ongoing medical care or when a patient is receiving end of life treatment. In these cases, a medical card is issued within 24 hours of receipt of the required patient details and completed medical report by a healthcare professional. In addition, since March 2021, persons who have been certified by their treating Consultant as having a prognosis of 24 months or less are now also awarded a medical card on an administrative basis.

I can assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any changes are considered in the context of Government policy and other issues which may be relevant.

Departmental Schemes

Questions (1763)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

1763. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if the treatment abroad scheme is available to patients who have been referred to a private hospital abroad for urgent treatment. [58338/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE operates the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled under EU Regulation 883/04. The TAS is a consultant led scheme and allows for an Ireland-based public consultant to refer a public patient who is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved public treatments in another EU/EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland through the issue of form S2 (IE) where the treatment is:

• among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation;

• not available in Ireland;

• not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease;

• medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs;

• a proven form of medical treatment and not experimental or test treatment;

• provided in a recognised public hospital or other institution that will accept EU/EEA form S2 (IE) and;

• is under the control of a registered medical practitioner.

The HSE provides further information for patients on the HSE TAS website:

www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/treatment-abroad-scheme/

Patients are advised to contact the HSE TAS office directly, for advice on making an application for treatment abroad, in advance of travel;ing abroad. Contact details are available on the TAS Website.

Departmental Schemes

Questions (1764)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

1764. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when a person is entitled to avail of the treatment abroad scheme for treatment in a private hospital. [58339/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

The HSE operates the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled under EU Regulation 883/04. The TAS is a consultant led scheme and allows for an Ireland-based public consultant to refer a public patient who is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved public treatments in another EU/EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland through the issue of form S2 (IE) where the treatment is:

• among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation;

• not available in Ireland;

• not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease;

• medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs;

• a proven form of medical treatment and not experimental or test treatment;

• provided in a recognised public hospital or other institution that will accept EU/EEA form S2 (IE) and;

• is under the control of a registered medical practitioner.

The HSE provides further information for patients on the HSE TAS website:

www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/treatment-abroad-scheme/

Patients are advised to contact the HSE TAS office directly, for advice on making an application for treatment abroad, in advance of travelling abroad. Contact details are available on the TAS Website.

Departmental Data

Questions (1765)

Pádraig Rice

Question:

1765. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of patients of Children's Health Ireland who received spinal surgeries through outsourcing arrangements in a private hospital (details supplied), each year since 2019, by the public hospital from which they were referred, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58376/25]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Health

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