Written Answers Nos. 937-956
937. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the percentage of patients that presented at the accident and emergency department of the Mater Hospital that were liable to the €100 fee in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [3736/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
938. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the number of liver function scans performed at St. James's Hospital in 2025; the average waiting time for results of these scans. [3737/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
939. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the number of recruitment campaigns Beaumont Hospital were involved with in the UK during 2025 seeking to encourage Irish trained nurses, physios, doctors, radiographers an so on, to return home and work in the hospital; and the number of persons which indicated they were willing to return home per recruitment campaign in 2025, in tabular form. [3738/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
940. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that have been admitted to Tallaght University Hospital for 90 or more consecutive days in 2025, in tabular form. [3739/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
941. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health her plans to upgrade a health centre (details supplied) where a GP currently operates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3800/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
942. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if she will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3811/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
943. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients whose scans have been delayed despite capacity available in facility (details supplied); the approximate waiting time for appointments for these patients, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3812/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
944. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health the number of public patients referred to a provider (details supplied) for scans, for each year 2020-2025, in tabular form; the total amount paid to the provider in this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3813/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
945. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health to list the locations where the HSE run low vision clinics; the number of persons that attended each of those clinics in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3839/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
946. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of children in Clare awaiting HSE public dental services including special needs dentistry as of 12 January 2026, to provide waiting times and staffing levels, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3840/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
947. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant urologists based at University Hospital Limerick that are currently only dealing and treating public only patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3841/26]
View answer“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
948. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health to provide an up-to-date contact list for queries from Oireachtas members to agencies under her Department, in tabular form. [3874/26]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his query. I can confirm there are twenty agencies under the remit of my Department. The following table is the most up-to-date contact list for queries from Oireachtas members for agencies under my Department.
949. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 991 of 16 December 2025, if matters raised previously will be subject to a review in due course (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3889/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
950. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand the list of accepted providers under the ESAIS to include centres in Greece and Romania. [3892/26]
View answerThe list of approved centres abroad for the Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme (ESAIS) has been developed by the HSE's National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP).
NWIHP has advised that patient safety and provision of high-quality care is a priority consideration. The selection process focused on identifying centres which meet international standards of clinical excellence.
The HSE has established a Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) that will include international expertise. One of the roles of the CAG is to assess clinics for possible inclusion to extend the list of approved centres under the Scheme.
The CAG has an agreed decision matrix to be used for assessing other centres for suitability to be added to the list of approved centres. This matrix aligns with international accreditation requirements such as those required for recognition by the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) or the awarding of a Euro EndoCert by the European Endometriosis League (EELs), based in Germany.
Centres in Romania and Greece are being assessed under this process. A centre may be considered if it achieves the quality and safety requirements of BSGE or EELs even if it has not received formal international accreditation standards.
951. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the average cost to the State for the supply of one homecare hour from the supply companies. [3909/26]
View answerAs these are operational matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
952. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if there is an assignment paid for carers travel; and if so, the way it is paid and the rate. [3910/26]
View answerAs these are operational matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
953. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the way unpresented homecare hours are dealt with; the number that are short homecare hours; if the company is paid on homecare hours allotted by HSE, or actual hours supplied; and, if hours drop for the client, if this is reflected in the payment by the state. [3911/26]
View answerAs these are operational matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
954. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies for public health nurses in both Galway and Roscommon, by county, in tabular form; the plans to address this shortage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3915/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
955. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of children whose developmental checks were not received on time in Galway and Roscommon, by county, for the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3916/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
956. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the steps taken to date to implement the guidance issued by an organisation (details supplied) on transparency of medicines pricing and pharmacy service fees, which took effect from 1 December 2025; and to provide an update on early compliance levels, including any monitoring data available to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3928/26]
View answerThe PSI – the Pharmacy Regulator is the statutory body responsible for regulating pharmacists and pharmacies in the public interest. One of the roles of the PSI is to promote professional practice by pharmacists. This is done in a variety of ways, including the issuing of statutory guidelines and sharing information for the benefit of patients and the wider health system.
The PSI issued Guidance to Support Transparency of Medicines Pricing and Fees for Pharmacy Services in October 2025, subsequent to a Ministerial request issued to the PSI in April 2025. The guidance was developed following input received from a range of stakeholders, including targeted patient participation, and feedback received during a public consultation. Implementation of the guidance is supported by engagement with stakeholders, including the IPU, and resources for pharmacists and the public are available on the PSI website
PSI recognised the need for a lead-in time for implementation, including the development of appropriate software and is collaborating with the sector to support and arrive at best practices for transparency. Engagement with stakeholders and management of queries is ongoing. The guidance is being implemented on a phased basis. Since 1 December 2025, pharmacies are required to display information about the cost of all professional services provided in the pharmacy, on a clear notice in a conspicuous place where a patient can see it. Work is currently ongoing to support pharmacies in offering a detailed receipt for each transaction.
PSI derives inspection authority from the provisions of Part 7 of the Pharmacy Act, which provides the spectrum and range of actions used for the purposes of ascertaining whether any offence under a relevant enactment, any breach of a code of conduct or any professional misconduct has been committed. Differing formats of inspections are utilised, and visits may be focused on a particular area or the general operation of the pharmacy, including inspection/compliance history, and may include systems inspections, focused/thematic inspections or re-inspections to a pharmacy where required. Since the introduction of the guidance in December, compliance has been assessed during 27 inspection visits, with 19 pharmacies displaying a pricing transparency notice for patients and the public. Pharmacies found to be non-compliant are required to and asked to confirm compliance within a specified timeframe.
