Tuesday, 27 Jan 2026

Departmental Inquiries

Questions (1136)

Naoise Ó Muirí

Question:

1136. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health if her Department has engaged with a service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6492/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I would like to acknowledge the very important role that Health Care Assistants play in delivering home care services to older persons and persons with disabilities in our communities.

It is very disappointing that Health Care Assistants employed by this home care organisation felt they had to commence strike action in recent days.

It is important to note that the organisation not a public body. Terms and conditions are set by the organisations themselves. The terms and conditions of employment of their staff, once in line with employment legislation, is strictly between the employer and the employee.

I understand this dispute relates to terms and conditions which differ from those that staff in section 39, grant funded, organisations are benefitting from because of the WRC agreement reached between ICTU and relevant Government Departments in March last year.

This agreement was to fund Health and Social Care, and Homeless sector employers for a 9.25% increase, equivalent to the Public Sector Agreement 2024-2026, and applied only to organisations funded under section 39, 56, 10 and 40 arrangements.

The organisation to which the Deputy refers are primarily funded through a tender arrangement for home care and, as such, are not encompassed within this agreement

The organisation is in receipt of a separate, smaller amount of grant funding under Section 39, in relation to a meals-on-wheels service they provide and workers within this service may be eligible. The HSE have reached out to the organisation in respect of this cohort.

I appreciate that workers and organisations not encompassed by the WRC Agreement may be disappointed. However, the agreement reached applies only those aforementioned, grant-funded organisations.

The maintenance of industrial peace is vital to safeguarding patient safety and ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of essential services, and I would strongly encourage the employer and its employees to engage with the State’s established industrial relations machinery to work towards a resolution.

Health Service Executive

Questions (1137)

Ryan O'Meara

Question:

1137. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health if a pricing and reimbursement application has been received by the HSE for zolbetuximab (Vyloy); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6494/26]

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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 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 the 2013 Act. The HSE must comply with the relevant legislation when considering investment decisions around new medicines.

The HSE must robustly assess 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. The decision of pharmaceutical companies to market licensed medicines i.e. whether or not to submit a formal application, is outside the control of the HSE.

The HSE have advised as of 22 January 2026, a pricing and reimbursement application has not been received for Zolbetuximab (Vyloy®).

As outlined above, the national assessment and decision process cannot commence in the absence of a pricing and reimbursement application submission to the HSE.

Question No. 1138 answered with Question No. 1128.

Departmental Data

Questions (1139)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1139. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of asthma patients affected by the non-reimbursement of salbutamol nebules or equivalent substitute products under the medical card in each of the past two years; and the steps being taken to ensure uninterrupted access to essential asthma medication. [6500/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter and 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, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Health Service Executive

Questions (1140)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1140. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE and Primary Care Reimbursement Service have contingency arrangements in place to automatically reimburse clinically equivalent substitute medicines where supply chain disruption affects a reimbursable product; and if not, whether she will introduce such arrangements as a matter of urgency. [6501/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter and 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, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Question No. 1141 answered with Question No. 1128.

Question No. 1142 answered with Question No. 1128.

Health Services

Questions (1143)

Michael Cahill

Question:

1143. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to provide blood glucose monitors to type 2 diabetes patients, with particular emergency cases (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6521/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter and 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, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Health Services Staff

Questions (1144)

Pádraig Rice

Question:

1144. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her Department will provide pharmacists with direction regarding eligibility for the free HRT scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6526/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

Under the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) measure, which came into effect on 1 June 2025, where a woman has been prescribed HRT by her healthcare provider for the purpose of alleviating the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, the cost of the HRT medications or products, and the pharmacy dispensing fees will be met by the State.

This measure is intended to support the management of the symptoms of menopause and, therefore, relates to the provision of treatment for the symptoms of a specific medical condition/life stage i.e. menopause. HRT is the most commonly used treatment for managing symptoms of menopause and has shown to be the most effective intervention.

Menopause has been highlighted as a key priority area by the Women’s Health Taskforce. It is a key action in the Women’s Health Action Plans. Several measures have been implemented in recent years to improve the experience of menopause for women in Ireland, including this HRT arrangement.

I am aware that HRT is used in the treatment of other medical conditions/circumstances, including gender-affirming healthcare, hypogonadism, IVF, and some cancer treatments. However, the current provision of the Free HRT Arrangement, legislated for under the Health Insurance (Amendment) and Health (Provision of Menopause Products) Act 2024, limits eligibility to those whose healthcare provider has prescribed HRT to alleviate the symptoms of menopause. The legislation does not make amendments to what must be included in a prescription for it to be considered valid.

Health Services

Questions (1145)

Pa Daly

Question:

1145. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the current HSE policy regarding the provision of continence products under the free nappy scheme; if pull-up style nappies are provided for a three-year-old child with severe and complex needs (details supplied); if there has been any recent change to this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6527/26]

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Reply not received from Department.

Departmental Data

Questions (1146)

Pa Daly

Question:

1146. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the total amount spent under the treatment purchase scheme since 2021 to date in 2026, by year; the amount of this expenditure paid to each individual Bons Secours hospital over the same period, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6534/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

In relation to patient care expenditure in total, and in respect of each of the Bons Secours Hospitals, the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has provided my Department with the data contained in the attached tables.

Question:

1153. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the assessment which has been carried out by her Department regarding the effectiveness, performance, and accountability of the board and senior executive management of Children’s Health Ireland; whether any findings of underperformance or governance failure were identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6562/26]

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Ken O'Flynn

Question:

1154. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department considers that the repeated governance and oversight failures at Children’s Health Ireland constitute a systemic risk to patient safety; the risk mitigation measures which have been implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6563/26]

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Question:

1155. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the instructions or guidance which have been issued by her Department to Children’s Health Ireland regarding transparency, cooperation with parliamentary scrutiny, and disclosure of information to Oireachtas Members; the way compliance with these obligations is monitored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6564/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1152 and 1155 together.

As per Standing Order 104, Oireachtas Committees have the power to:

• require that the Chairperson designate of a body or agency under the aegis of a Department shall, prior to his or her appointment, attend before the Select Committee to discuss his or her strategic priorities for the role

• require that principal office-holders of a? (a) State body within the responsibility of a Government Department, or (b) non-State body, which is partly funded by the State, shall attend meetings of the Select Committee, as appropriate, to discuss issues for which they are officially responsible.

In fulfilment of these relevant powers, Children's Health Ireland has appeared before Public Accounts Committee three times and the Joint Committee on Health twice between 2023 and 2025. Further, the Chairperson of Children's Health Ireland also appeared before the Joint Committee on Health in 2025 to discuss her proposed appointment to the role.

Question No. 1153 answered with Question No. 1151.

Question No. 1154 answered with Question No. 1151.

Question No. 1155 answered with Question No. 1152.

Question No. 1156 answered with Question No. 1151.

Hospital Services

Questions (1157)

Malcolm Byrne

Question:

1157. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health for an update on the provision of psychiatric services at Wexford General Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6578/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.

Home Help Service

Questions (1158)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

1158. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health to provide the current waiting list for the Home Support Service in Donegal. [6609/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Home Help Service

Questions (1159)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

1159. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when the HSE will allow the Home Support Service in Donegal to resume recruitment for health care assistants, which has been curtailed; and if the outsourcing of these services to private providers in Donegal has been curtailed. [6610/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.