Written Answers Nos. 438-458
438. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the total number of health care assistants employed, by CHO area under the home support service for older people; the number of vacancies, by CHO area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68581/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
439. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the range of State supports available to persons with haemochromatosis; and if she will consider running a public information campaign on the condition. [68582/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
440. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if she plans to extend funding through the community primary care service to include battery packs for CPAP devices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68606/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
441. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68610/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
442. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health the role and responsibility of the dental service at a location (details supplied); the services they offer and if they are taking children for all appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68615/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
445. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if an application has been received for a homeless day centre in Cork city. [68624/25]
View answerThe HSE Capital Plan 2025 provided €1.33 billion for healthcare building and equipment that will deliver benefits all over the country. This significant investment in health infrastructure underlines this Government’s commitment to providing quality healthcare in an equitable way to all who need it. In particular, the plan commits to provide funding to expand addiction care facilities for people experiencing homelessness.
The integrated inclusion health hub in Cork City is a joint initiative between HSE South West and Cork City Council aimed at addressing the health and social needs of the growing number of people who are homelessness in Cork.
I recently met with HSE Estates to progress the proposal for an inclusion health hub in Cork city. I am informed that the 2026 HSE Capital Plan will contain a commitment to complete the Inclusion health Hub. HSE Estates has recently published an e-tender for an expression of interest from potential accommodation providers as the first step in that process. HSE Estates will liaise with the Department of Health as the project develops.
I am strongly committed to strengthening integrated care pathways to meet the chronic health needs of people who are homeless in Cork and on a nationwide basis.
446. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the amount spent on taxis and minibuses by the HSE (details supplied) in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [68659/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
447. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 339 of 26 November 2025, the date which she received a report (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68660/25]
View answerThe Department received a draft report from the HSE National Vaginal Mesh Implant Oversight Group in October 2023. Officials in the Department engaged with the HSE and sought clarification on a number of points. An updated report was received in February 2025.
449. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if regulations currently being drafted under section 13 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 in relation to ‘content of advertisements’ will apply to online, digital, and social media marketing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68666/25]
View answer450. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been brought to an increase in youth alcohol consumption rates in the past decade (details supplied); if her Department intends on conducting research into the role of digital and social media marketing of alcohol products in relation to this increase in youth drinking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68667/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 450 together.
My Department continuously monitors alcohol consumption including each year through our national Healthy Ireland survey.
The Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 was developed to address the harms caused by alcohol consumption in Ireland. The Act contains a suite of measures aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and harm generally and specifically delaying the age of initiation of alcohol use and reducing consumption among young people.
The Act is designed to achieve those objective by protecting children from exposure to alcohol products and alcohol advertising. Measures already in operation include restrictions on alcohol advertising on public transport, near schools, creches and playgrounds. In addition advertising has been restricted on television and radio and at events aimed at children. Alcohol products and advertising are also separated from other groceries in mixed retail outlets in order to reduce the likelihood that children will be exposed to them.
Regulations relating to advertisements under Section 13 of the Act are currently being developed in conjunction with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.
The regulation of social media and digital marketing is a complex area. Given its cross-jurisdictional nature, it can be addressed more effectively at EU level rather than at national level and aspects of such regulation are appropriate to the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport.
451. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 817 of 14 October 2025, if radiation therapists are excluded from the recognition of agency work for incremental credit purposes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68669/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter we have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
452. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reason for the HSE app only being available to people with a verified MyGovID account; if she is aware that this is contrary to the Data Protection Commission’s determination in 2019 that such conditional access to services provided by public bodies is unlawful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68677/25]
View answerThe HSE Health App is available to anyone who wants to download it from the Apple App or Google Play stores. However, only people who can categorically prove their own digital identify can access their health data within the App. This is because Health data is categorised as a ‘special category of personal data’ under GDPR and as such, is afforded additional protections under the regulation.
The most cost effective way for the HSE to provide the means for people to prove their digital identify during the ramp up phase of the App is to leverage existing assets that the state has at its disposal. Many people have already gone through the process to prove their physical identify in order to receive MyGov accounts, and the additional steps thereafter to receive a digital identity and understandably would now have an expectation that we use that digital identity wherever and whenever it makes sense to do so.
It is also worth noting that during the development of the Health App, patients expressed the desire to access all of their important health information, regardless of where they were treated. This means the data in the App needs to be able to source data from public bodies (HSE) as well as the voluntary sector (section 38’s and 39’s) and private healthcare providers such as private hospitals, private diagnostic centres, a GPs and community pharmacy. We therefore suggest comparisons with the case in 2019 are not directly comparable and indeed the we have engaged with the Data Protection Commissioners office throughout the development of the Health App to keep them appraised of developments and specifically plans to use MyGovID as a simple means for people to access their health data within the App with the certainty that they – and only they can access it.
We believe this is an approach, of inviting people to use an existing, robust form of digital ID, is sensible and entirely reasonable, cost effective and valid. There is nothing to prevent us from considering other options to complement this approach in the future, especially if individuals object, but would only consider that when the number of users ramps up significantly. It would also require the support of additional state funding.
453. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding her Department has allocated to drug addiction prevention initiatives in 2024, and to date in 2025. [68684/25]
View answerThe previous National Drugs Strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery 2017-2025 contained the following strategic goal in relation to the prevention of drug use
Strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and young people.
Under the previous National Drugs Strategy, significant funding was invested in evidence based drug prevention. In 2023, a first of its kind funding programme to support evidence based drug prevention programmes across the country was launched, providing €1.5 million over years to 5 projects. In 2024, €500,000 was provided, with each of the 5 projects receiving €100,000 each. In 2025, €400,000 was provided to 4 of the projects.
In order to inform the successor National Drugs Strategy, the Dept. of Health is working with the Health Research Board and The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to implement the UNODC 'Review of Prevention Systems' in Ireland. Funding of €95,473 was awarded to the HRB to support this work, which will deliver its final report in early 2026.
454. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 134 of 20 November 2025, and 943 of 25 November 2025, the current status of the review to assess the resources required to change the final check-in time at the minor injuries unit at Monaghan Hospital to 8pm; when this review will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68697/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
455. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE have issued any internal guidance, instructions or circulars to deciding officers and medical officers on the treatment of older applicants whose modest pension increases place them marginally above the medical card income threshold, specifically in relation to high medical needs and essential living costs such as heating, utilities and housing; and to outline the date of issue, the content, and the operational purpose of any such guidance. [68699/25]
View answerUnder the Health Act 1970, eligibility for a medical card is based primarily on means. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure. In doing this, the HSE assesses each medical card application on a qualifying financial threshold. However, 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.
Where a person's sole income is derived from a Social Protection payment, he/she will be awarded a medical card.
In response to the query raised by the Deputy, my Department has not issued any recent specific guidance or circulars to deciding officers and medical officers regarding the assessment of older applicants as part of the medical card assessment process.
As part of the question is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
456. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultants delivering chronic pain services in each hospital group; the number of vacant posts in these services in Q4 2025; and the actions her Department is taking to expand consultant capacity in line with population need. [68700/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
457. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for first-time chronic pain appointments in each hospital group; the number of people aged over 65 on each waiting list; and the measures being introduced to reduce these waiting times. [68701/25]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
458. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to chronic pain services in 2023, 2024 and 2025; the planned allocation for 2026; and whether additional funding will be ring-fenced to support older adults identified as having untreated chronic pain. [68702/25]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have referred this question to HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
