Written Answers Nos. 278-297
288. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to expand access to early intervention therapies for children with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66478/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
289. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children in Kildare awaiting assessments of need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66479/25]
View answerAs this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
290. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has reviewed the impact of its own ECCE guidance for late-December births, specifically where parents were advised they could defer entry in the child’s best interests; and if she will publish any internal analysis on cases where children were subsequently locked out of their second ECCE year as a result. [66575/25]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. A child must not reach 5 years and 6 months on or before June 30th of each programme year.
The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers.
The ECCE programme is governed by the ECCE rules, clearly setting out eligibility criteria related to birth dates and which ensures equal treatment for all eligible children. The advice referred to is not my Departments policy and does not form part of the ECCE rules.
An independent review of the ECCE Programme was completed last year with the final report published last October. This review examined how the Programme is currently functioning and identified enhancements that could be made based on comprehensive stakeholder engagement with children, parents, ECCE providers and educators. The current ECCE eligibility criteria and potential flexibility within these criteria were examined as part of this review.
On foot of the ECCE review and in line with the Programme for Government commitment to “evaluate options to amend the ECCE eligibility criteria”, Department officials are considering changes to the ECCE age criteria. Any change to the ECCE programme such as age eligibility criteria will require a thorough review of the evidence available and consideration of the impacts on the relevant children, parents and preschool providers.
291. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department will establish an exceptional review mechanism for children who miss the ECCE upper age limit by fewer than seven days due to guidance provided by the Department or by ECCE operators; and if she has assessed the financial and developmental impact of this situation on families. [66576/25]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is a universal two year preschool programme available to all children within the eligible age range of 2 years and 8 months to 5 years and 6 months. A child must not reach 5 years and 6 months on or before June 30th of each programme year.
The upper age limit of 5 years and 6 months for ECCE was set in consultation with the Department of Education and ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers.
The ECCE programme is governed by the ECCE rules, clearly setting out eligibility criteria related to birth dates and which ensures equal treatment for all eligible children. The advice referred to is not my Departments policy and does not form part of the ECCE rules.
An independent review of the ECCE Programme was completed last year with the final report published last October. This review examined how the Programme is currently functioning and identified enhancements that could be made based on comprehensive stakeholder engagement with children, parents, ECCE providers and educators. The current ECCE eligibility criteria and potential flexibility within these criteria were examined as part of this review.
On foot of the ECCE review and in line with the Programme for Government commitment to “evaluate options to amend the ECCE eligibility criteria”, Department officials are considering changes to the ECCE age criteria. Any change to the ECCE programme such as age eligibility criteria will require a thorough review of the evidence available and consideration of the impacts on the relevant children, parents and preschool providers.
292. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the number of home care support hours for older people provided in Louth in each of the years 2020 to 2024, inclusive; the target for 2025; the number provided to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66394/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible
293. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health whether consideration has been given to establishing a reimbursement mechanism for women who accessed private treatment for endometriosis due to the absence of public care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66396/25]
View answerIt is recognised that endometriosis is a significant health issue for women in Ireland today and the HSE acknowledges that it is a difficult condition to diagnose and treat because of the variation of presentations which can impact the physical and mental well-being of patients. Endometriosis is a chronic disease with high recurrence rates, for which there is no definitive cure.
On 18 October I launched the National Framework for the management of Endometriosis. The Framework sets out for the first time in Ireland a defined clinical pathway for women with endometriosis, which spans primary to secondary care to specialist complex care in tertiary settings.
Most women experiencing signs and symptoms of endometriosis present to their local GP in the community. In line with clinical guidelines GPs are encouraged to initiate treatment for suspected endometriosis and may refer women with suspected endometriosis to general gynaecology services in their local hospital.
Regional Specialist Centres for moderate cases have been established in the Rotunda, the Coombe, and Limerick, with clinics under further development in Galway and the National Maternity Hospital.
Two supra-regional specialist centres, in Tallaght and Cork, have been established for the management of complex endometriosis cases.
All endometriosis sites are operational and taking referrals. Treatment including surgical intervention is being provided across the network.
Additional funding has been provided this year to expand these services through the recruitment of more personnel to provide multidisciplinary care at both supra-regional and regional level.
The Framework was officially published in October of this year. Funding of over €5 million has already been invested in specialist endometriosis services since 2021. In addition, endometriosis surgeries have been and continue to be performed in other acute gynaecology services.
The HSE has carried out an analysis of the short term and medium-term requirements to build adequate capacity, improve clinical pathways and increase expertise within our endometriosis services. The HSE’s budget for 2026 will be €27.4 billion, an increase of 6.2% on 2025. This investment will enable expansion and improvement in our health services, including endometriosis.
The Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme commenced from the 18 October and will operate in addition to the existing treatment abroad pathways, including the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme, the EU Cross Border Directive and Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Schemes. The interim scheme will cover costs for the transport abroad and for healthcare provided, paid directly to the hospital.
Where a person accesses private healthcare in Ireland there is no facility for the cost of that care to be reimbursed by the public health system
294. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health to outline the immediate supports currently available to women with endometriosis, in addition to planned future measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66397/25]
View answerOn 18 October I launched the National Framework for the management of Endometriosis. The Framework sets out for the first time in Ireland a defined clinical pathway for women with endometriosis, which spans primary to secondary care to specialist complex care in tertiary settings.
Central to the Model of Care is the principle of presumed diagnosis, proposing that a woman presenting with symptoms should be treated on the presumption that she has endometriosis.
This model acknowledges that women are the most reliable narrators of their own symptoms and pain and reduces delays in the management of symptoms as well as the overall impact of this disease.
Two supra-regional specialist centres, in Tallaght and Cork, have been established for the management of complex endometriosis cases.
Regional Specialist Centres for moderate cases have been established in the Rotunda, the Coombe, and Limerick, with clinics under further development in Galway and the National Maternity Hospital.
All endometriosis sites are operational and taking referrals. Additional funding has been provided this year to expand these services through the recruitment of more personnel to provide multidisciplinary care at both supra-regional and regional level. This includes clinical nurse specialists, dietitians, physiotherapists and psychologists.
Funding of over €5 million has already been invested in endometriosis services since 2021.
The HSE has carried out an analysis of the short term and medium-term requirements to build adequate capacity, improve clinical pathways and increase expertise within our endometriosis services. The expansion of endometriosis services in 2026 will be supported through the National Service Plan.
In addition to the Framework, I also mandated several actions to expedite access to care for women impacted by endometriosis. Significant progress has already been made:
• The HSE will carry out more than 100 additional surgeries this year for women waiting for surgery.
• An additional colorectal surgeon is being actively recruited to increase capacity for more complex surgical treatments.
• The HSE Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme was opened on 18 October.
• I have written to all GPs, consultants and other clinicians to raise awareness of endometriosis.
• A national campaign is in development around menstrual health, including endometriosis.
• An Endometriosis Advisory Group has been established, which includes patient advocates. This group held their first meeting on 30 October and will meet monthly.
The HSE’s budget for 2026 will be €27.4 billion, an increase of 6.2% on 2025. This investment will enable expansion and improvement in our health services, including endometriosis. The National Endometriosis Framework is a positive start. It will be kept under review as our services expand and evolve
295. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of home care support hours for older people provided in Cork South Lee in each of the years 2020 to 2024, inclusive; the target for 2025; the number provided to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66399/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible
296. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will review the recent decision to remove melatonin from the long-term illness scheme; if he will consider reinstating coverage for melatonin for patients with epilepsy and other neurological conditions where it is clinically prescribed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66434/25]
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
297. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the measures her Department and the Health Insurance Authority are taking in response to ongoing premium increases by private health insurers, including recent price adjustments by a company (details supplied); if she will consider options to strengthen consumer protection and improve transparency in the regulation of private health insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66435/25]
View answerThe Minister for Health is responsible for the legal framework governing the health insurance market in Ireland. This is a voluntary market operating under the principles of community rating, open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefit. Community rating ensures that everyone can buy the same policy at the same price, regardless of age, gender or health status.
The Health Insurance Authority (HIA) regulates the market to ensure compliance with these principles and supports consumers through a range of measures, including:
• Monitoring the application of community rating and other statutory requirements.
• Operating a free, impartial product comparison tool on its website.
Private health insurance companies operate as commercial entities in a competitive market. The Minister does not have a role in the commercial decision-making of insurers and cannot direct pricing or coverage beyond prescribing minimum benefit requirements under the Health Insurance Acts. Premium setting is a matter for the insurers, who consider multiple factors including claims experience, benefit changes, and operating costs.
Under Section 7AB of the Health Insurance Act 1994, insurers must give at least 30 days’ notice of any changes to their plans to the HIA and cannot make changes to the same plan within 60 days of the last adjustment. In addition, the Central Bank of Ireland’s Consumer Protection Code requires insurers to provide renewal notices, including premium history information.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) plays an important role in enforcing consumer rights and addressing anti-competitive practices across all sectors, including health insurance. Consumers who have concerns about pricing practices or competition issues are encouraged contact the CCPC for advice and assistance
