Written Answers Nos. 161-181
161. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have been waiting to see an otolaryngologist at University Hospital Limerick for longer than 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months for 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [2570/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
162. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health her views on a fundraiser relevant to her Department where concerns have been realised (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2601/26]
View answerThe Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice.
This PQ Should be directed to the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht as the Charities Regulator is under the Aegis of this Department.
163. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the national number of dentists registered under the dental scheme for medical card holders; the number of dentists actually drawing down funds on it, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2603/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
164. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health her position on an initiative (details supplied); if she considers it feasible to implement a similar initiative in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2611/26]
View answerI appreciate how important it is to recognise and acknowledge pregnancy loss, and the devastating impact pregnancy loss can have on families.
The Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Act 2024, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Social Protection, has expanded access to the stillbirth register, and those who can request a certificate. Changes were made, through the Act, to the criteria for the registration of stillbirths with a reduction of the current weight and gestational age, as well as the changes to include multiple pregnancies. These changes mean that many babies will now be given the acknowledgement, recognition, and validation they deserve.
I note recent developments in the UK with respect to recognition, in line with processes in that jurisdiction. A range of further maternity reforms are currently being considered through the Programme for Government, including the development of a successor to the National Maternity Strategy.
165. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently assist in the case of a person (details supplied) and allow for an urgent transfer to a nursing home closer to their family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2620/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
166. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health if she intends taking measures to encourage more dental practices to join the dental treatment services scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2630/26]
View answerThe Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides oral healthcare, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. Services available annually and on demand include an examination including preventative elements, two fillings, extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures, additional fillings and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs and high-risk patients, are available subject to the approval of the local HSE Principal Dental Surgeon.
A package of measures was introduced in 2022 to expand the care available under the Scheme and significantly increase the fees paid to contractors . These measures are having an impact, with access to care continuing to increase each year since they were introduced. In 2025, over 241,000 additional treatments were provided under the DTSS, supporting over 50,000 extra patients compared with 2022.
Fees paid to dentists for DTSS care are now aligned with other European countries which provide comparable public dental care, noting that many European countries, especially in the southern and eastern regions, don’t have any scheme in place for adults, which is free at point of access.
In the longer term, the Government is committed to reforming oral healthcare services, including the DTSS, through the implementation of the service reforms set out in the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP), Smile Agus Sláinte. The Policy also contains a range of strategic workforce planning actions to increase national workforce capacity, in support of improving patient access to care. The Programme for Government contains commitments to implement the National Oral Health Policy, reform oral healthcare services for medical card holders and address workforce capacity.
The implementation plan for the first phase of the Policy is currently being finalised by my Department and the HSE. The plan includes reform of services for adult medical card holders among the initial priorities.
167. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to simplify the medical card application process for people with cancer; the measures taken by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2636/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
168. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the application process for higher scales for administrative grades below the grade of assistant principal operated in her Department (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2653/26]
View answerThe Department of Health administers a Higher Scales process for all grades below Assistant Principal, in accordance with the provisions outlined in Circular 24/1995 - Agreement in relation to grades represented by the Public Service Executive Union. Under this process, 50% of awards are allocated based on seniority, contingent upon satisfactory performance, while the remaining 50% are granted on merit. Merit-based applications are evaluated against agreed criteria and are also subject to satisfactory performance requirements.
In cases where an officer assigned to a higher scale transfers to a different department through mobility, the higher scales status is retained, as per guidance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
169. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if her Department will consider an extension to the special leave with pay scheme for healthcare workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2692/26]
View answerAfter a hearing in June, the Labor Court recommended that the Special Scheme would come to an end on the 31st of December 2025, therefore, the scheme has formally concluded. Importantly, this does not mean that supports will end. Employees who remain unfit to return to work will move seamlessly into the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, ensuring continuity of care and financial protection. 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.
170. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the maternity care changes planned for implementation in January 2026; the objectives of these changes; the assessment undertaken of their impact on choice, continuity of care and perinatal mental health supports; the consultation carried out with service users and staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2703/26]
View answerThe Government introduced the Public Only Consultant Contract (POCC) on the 8th of March 2023.
This Contract is a key step in the move towards universal, single-tier healthcare with public hospitals exclusively used for the treatment of public patients, as envisaged in the Sláintecare Report.
The Department of Health continues to implement the POCC in line with the Slaintecare vision. All consultants who switch to a POCC, regardless of specialty, are not permitted to conduct private practice in public hospitals beyond the conclusion of transitional arrangements stated within the terms of their contract. The HSE issued notice to all hospitals confirming this position in December 2025.
However, it must be made clear that private maternity care is and will remain available in public hospitals beyond 31st of December 2025 via consultants who continue to work on older contracts. There is no requirement for these consultants to switch to a POCC and their contractual arrangements provide for private practice in public hospitals up to retirement. The last of these contracts were issued prior to March 2023.
The POCC is a key step in delivering universal healthcare, ensuring public hospitals are used for public patients and that care is based on medical need, not ability to pay.
Over time as more consultants are recruited to or switch to the new contract, the level of private activity in the public system will decline. The transition applies to all private care, including maternity. This will occur gradually over time and therefore, the immediate impact on private maternity care will be minimal, reflecting the fact that most serving consultants who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology hold contracts that allow them to engage in on-site private practice.
While maternity care is not currently available in private hospitals, all consultants who hold the contract, including those who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology, will be entitled to treat private patients off-site in their own time, subject to the primacy of their public contract and meeting their commitments under it.
Since the launch of the National Maternity Strategy in 2016, significant progress has been made in the development and improvement of public maternity services. Since 2016, €28 million has been invested in new development funding through the National Maternity Strategy, transforming our maternity services for women, infants and families. The investment is improving the infrastructure of our maternity services by providing additional home-from-home birthing suites, upgrades to theatres and wards, as well as additional training and supports for our maternity staff. Women across the country now have access to a standardised Model of Care, with enhanced access to midwife-led care supported by Directors of Midwifery in every unit and hospital. Under this model of care, all women on the Specialised Care Pathway (women who are at higher levels of risk) receive care led by a named consultant in the public system as part of a multidisciplinary team, ensuring individualised care for complex needs.
The current Programme for Government contains commitments to double the number of multidisciplinary perinatal mental health teams and increase the number of perinatal mental health midwife posts, and these commitments will be pursued over the lifetime of the government.
Additional funding was provided in Budget 2026, for more posts for this Programme. A key element of the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service (SPMHS) and associated Model of Care is the development of a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), to enable women to stay with their babies, in the event that they require inpatient psychiatric supports.
Work is ongoing by the HSE to progress the development of an Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) for Ireland, an inpatient mental health service with relevant maternity support to allow women to stay with their babies during their mental health treatment.
This Government will continue to listen to women and drive improvements across maternity services, building on the significant progress and investment to date driven through the National Maternity Strategy.
171. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the locations within CHO9 where community intervention teams are located; and the areas that each CIT covers, in tabular form. [2706/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
172. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant urologist and transplant surgeons based at Beaumont Hospital in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2707/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
173. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the hours and days of the week where CT scans, MRI scans and so on, are carried out at Beaumont Hospital; the average wait time for consultants to get results back from each type of scan carried out at this hospital, especially after hours or at the weekends; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2708/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
174. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current WTE staffing complement at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the National Health Protection Office with responsibility for surveillance, risk assessment and screening protocol development, by grade and speciality, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2709/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
175. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of premises inspected pursuant to the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2002, as amended, and under S.I. No. 271/2016, in each year since commencement, by type of premises inspected, in tabular form. [2717/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
176. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of inspections of vape shops and other retail outlets which sell vaping products in each year 2021 to 2025, by type of premises inspected, in tabular form. [2718/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
177. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of her plan to standardise the opening hours of all injury units to provide a seven-day service from 8am to 8pm, including bank holidays; the injury units which are still not operating these standardised hours; the current opening hours of each site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2721/26]
View answerIn 2023, the HSE undertook a National Injury Unit (IU) Review to examine the existing level of service and put forward recommendations to improve coverage, including:
* To standardise and expand the opening hours of all existing IUs to operate from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week;
The lack of consistency in IU operating times nationally was identified as a barrier to patients attending IUs at local level. Work progressed in 2025 on the standardisation of opening hours.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
178. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of maternity units that currently meet the WHO/UNICEF baby friendly hospital initiative standards; the number of lactation consultants WTE employed in each maternity unit in the past five years; and if she will publish a timeline to ensure all maternity units meet best international practice in breastfeeding support. [2727/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
179. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the way in which the latest national data on breastfeeding initiation and continuation at three and six months compares with targets set out in the National Breastfeeding Action Plan. [2728/26]
View answerReply not received from the Department.
180. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1080 of 18 November 2025, the status of the HSE’s engagements with Cork City Council with respect to the road access issue identified at the St. Stephen’s Hospital site; the proposed location for the elective hospital in Cork (details supplied); if a solution has been found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2729/26]
View answerI have asked the HSE, as sponsoring agency with day-to-day responsibility for the delivery of the new elective treatment centres to respond to you directly in relation to the matters raised.
181. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a medical card application will be approved (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2730/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
