Written Answers Nos. 942-966
942. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who were waiting for diagnostic imaging in Q4 2025 by imaging type (e.g. CT, MRI, CT, VUS) nationally, and by hospital, in tabular form. [14134/26]
View answerWaiting times for radiology and diagnostic services have been recognised as an issue for some time. This Government is committed to the implementation of the 2017 Sláintecare Report, which includes a maximum waiting time target of 10 days for a diagnostic test.
The roll out of National digital platforms such as the National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS) and the National Laboratory Information System (MedLIS) are reducing duplication, improving diagnostic accuracy, and enabling secure, rapid information sharing across all public hospitals. In 2026, the use of digital diagnostic tools will be further expanded under the Productivity and Savings Taskforce Action Plan to increase the number of diagnostic scans, alongside measures to improve the utilisation of diagnostic equipment supporting increased diagnostic capacity.
The NTPF is working to support access to radiology and in October 2024 it published a National Radiology Diagnostic Waiting List Management Protocol. As well as ensuring that patients seeking access to Radiology Diagnostic services are administratively managed in a safe, timely, fair, and equitable manner whilst waiting, the protocol will facilitate improved data collection and reporting about patients on Radiology Diagnostic waiting lists.
In the interim, the information that is currently being collected as part of a pilot project is being tested and validated at hospital, hospital region and national level and as such should not be used/reported without the context of the caveats set out below:
• Data is subject to inclusions and exclusions which are documented in the Data Profile Document. This document is available from Acute Operations and has been circulated to all Hospital Regions.
• Data contains urgent, routine and surveillance/planned activity which is currently not broken down in detail, as such this includes surveillance/planned activity which may not be exceeding planned date.
• Data is still undergoing validation at Hospital and Hospital Region level. Data does not take into account local nuances at site level (Site profile developed to support understanding of same).
• The purpose of this aggregate data is to provide a National Level overview of the number of patients waiting for modalities of CT, MRI and Ultrasound.
• This report is not intended to be used for the active management of hospital diagnostics waiting list, local reports and mechanisms should continue to be used for the management of diagnostics waiting lists at hospital level.
The NTPF provides my Department with quarterly reports which set out waiting list data for CT, MRI and Ultrasound by hospital and time band.
The most recent report available for the end of Quarter 4 2025, which is attached, indicates there was a total of 264,768 patients reported on the waiting list, this represents all outpatients waiting, urgent, semi urgent, routine and planned/surveillance (where diagnostic access is planned at particular time intervals).
The NTPF has advised my Department, that for Quarter 4 2025 they did not receive data from St Vincent’s Hospital or St Michael's Hospital as both hospitals were in the process of migrating their records to the NIMIS system. Further, no data was received from Bantry General Hospital, Mallow General Hospital, and Cork University Hospital due to system upgrades.
943. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether the Government has examined the feasibility of introducing in Ireland a "generational smoking ban" (that is a permanent prohibition on the sale of tobacco products to persons born on or after a specified year), similar to that proposed in the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill 2024-2025; whether she considers such a measure will be legally and constitutionally permissible in Ireland having regard to EU law (including Directive 2014/40/EU on tobacco products and relevant internal market rules) and domestic law; the legal advice or analysis that has been undertaken or commissioned by her Department; the legislative changes which will be required to give effect to such a measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14151/26]
View answerThe Tobacco Free Ireland policy is currently being reviewed. Consideration will be given to all possible measures to end the epidemic of harm caused by tobacco.
944. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health the measures currently in place across health services to support women who have experienced traumatic childbirth and who are presenting with post-natal mental health difficulties, including community-based specialist perinatal mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14158/26]
View answer945. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health the level of funding, staffing and referral pathways allocated nationally for specialist post-traumatic birth mental health support, including psychological therapies, psychiatric assessment and specialised midwifery support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14159/26]
View answer946. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health the current status of plans to establish a dedicated mother and baby unit, an inpatient specialist unit where a mother can be treated for severe perinatal mental health illness together with her baby, including projected timelines for design, planning approval and opening; the sites under consideration, and any published clinical model of care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14160/26]
View answerI propose to take Question Nos 944, 945 and 946 together.
The Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services (SPMHS) is now available in all 19 maternity hospitals nationwide, providing support to pregnant women and women with a baby up to one year old, with an existing or new mental health problem. Funding of €5 million annually has established 6 consultant led multidisciplinary teams across major maternity hospitals (Coombe, NMH, Rotunda, Galway, Cork, Limerick), and 13 spoke sites staffed by perinatal mental health midwife posts. There are now over 75 staff members working in SPMHS nationally.
Under Budget 2026, I secured an additional €640,000 to recruit two additional consultant psychiatrists for the Programme’s busiest sites, the Rotunda and Holles Street, to meet growing demand for the service.
The HSE are progressing a review of the Model of Care for SPMHS, with a Steering Group due to be established shortly and a refreshed model published later this year. The key objective of this refresh is the provision of equivalent service to the major hospital sites as for the other 13 spoke sites, and this will be the focus of this second phase of the Model of Care.
A key priority in the Model of Care is to develop a Perinatal Mother and Baby Unit (PMBU). Work is ongoing by the HSE to progress the development of an PMBU for Ireland, an inpatient mental health service with relevant maternity support to allow women to stay with their babies during their mental health treatment.
To meet the needs of new mothers with moderate to severe mental illness, the PMBU must be sited at a location with access to a maternity hospital as well as an acute mental health unit. This will ensure there is always mental health and maternity expertise available.
As such, it is envisaged that the PMBU will be developed on the grounds of St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, and a feasibility study is currently underway to determine a location within the campus, with the study due to conclude shortly. The outcome of the study will form the basis for the next key decisions on the project.
With reference to rest of the information requested as this is an operational issue, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.
947. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that a person (details supplied) has an urgent operation as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14162/26]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, 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 Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1038 of 20 January 2026, the total number of babies, from 2019-2025, who have been born alive after abortion procedures in cases where no major congenital anomaly was diagnosed; the gestation of the babies in these cases, broken down in categories (less than 16 weeks, 16-21 weeks, 22-27 weeks, 28-31 weeks, 32-36 weeks; 37 or more weeks; or similar categories); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14170/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
949. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide the HSE rehabilitation services lists and costs, on an in-patient basis and, separately, in an outpatient basis (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14179/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
950. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if her Department will reimburse the full cost of the treatment abroad scheme in-lieu of The National Rehabilitation Hospital being unable to provide for outpatient rehabilitation services in a timely manner, where the service is one that the HSE provides in Ireland and the fee charged is below the €194 cap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14180/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
951. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a breakdown of the sources of referrals to the National Rehabilitation Hospital including referrals from specific hospitals and units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14181/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
952. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if all patients that receive treatment abroad under the treatment abroad scheme are eligible for care packages such as assigned carers and other supports the same as those that received rehabilitation treatment through The National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14182/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
953. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on waiting lists for deep brain stimulation; the number of locations providing services; the equipment needs of the existing deep brain stimulation service to provide sufficient capacity to reduce waiting lists; the capacity which has been requested for this service in each of the past five years; the details of business cases submitted by the service; the number of staff working in this area, the number of filled unapproved posts, the number of unfilled approved posts; the number of posts needed for a full service, by wait times, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14184/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
954. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health whether she has examined the potential for developing a brain bank in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14185/26]
View answerThe establishment and maintenance of high-quality biobanking infrastructure is a key component of the government’s commitment to advancing health research and improving outcomes for patients including those with neurological conditions.
The Department of Health is aware of existing brain banks in the state, for example, the Dublin Brain Bank, a significant research resource located at the RCSI Smurfit Building in Beaumont Hospital. The Dublin Brain Bank is a collaboration between the Neuropathology Department of Beaumont Hospital and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Since its foundation in 2008, it has operated as a non-profit organisation dedicated to facilitating research into a range of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease.
My department continues to engage with our stakeholders and aegis bodies in terms of assessing how best to support the development of key biobanking infrastructure which can achieve the highest operating standards while also meeting the needs of the State in securing better patient outcomes.
955. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the capacity which exists for robot-assisted deep brain stimulation; whether additional capacity has been sought and considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14186/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
956. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the model of care for early onset Parkinson’s disease; the manner in which care is provided proactively; the manner in which it is different to Parkinson’s; if she considers a new EOPD model of care to be necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14187/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
957. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when she received the phase 1 nayagam review report; if she will publish it and if not, the reason; the reason she has not yet published it; whether she has sought legal advice on publishing it; if she will provide the reference code for relevant high court proceedings which relate to restrictions on the publication of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14188/26]
View answerOn the 28th of January I received a high-level brief from the HSE CEO on Phase 1 of the independent external review of the paediatric orthopaedic surgery service at CHI and Dublin Hospitals that is being led by Mr Nayagam. As part of this briefing, I received the Phase 1 Report.
I immediately requested a more detailed clinical briefing with the author of the report Mr Nayagam. For this to take place legal advice had to be sought given the significant legal constraints regarding this Report. The clinical briefing then took place on Friday the 6th of February.
Phase 2 of the Nayagam review continues. As per the terms of reference, the final report will be submitted to the review’s Commissioner (the HSE CCO) at the conclusion of the Independent Review and published thereafter.
I have sought legal advice from the Attorney General on this matter. In relation to the high court proceedings referenced, I was not party to those proceedings.
958. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the position of her Department and the HSE regarding purchase of residential properties on the private market that are being bid on by prospective buyers for use as a principal residence; the number of such properties in respect of which the HSE has placed a bid in each of the past five years and to-date in 2026; the number of properties, and addresses of same, purchased by the HSE in the same period, and whether they were residential properties or not, in tabular form [14194/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
959. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health the anticipated start date for the newly appointed neurologist (details supplied) to Bantry General Hospital. [14198/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
960. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total amount currently held by the HSE in patient private property accounts in respect of deceased or untraced former service users; the amount held for more than one year, five years and ten years respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14217/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
961. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total amount of funds held in patient private property accounts in each of the past ten years; the amount identified as belonging to deceased service users in each year; and the amount repaid to estates in each of those years. [14218/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
962. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the statutory or regulatory basis under which the HSE holds and administers patient private property accounts; the legislative provisions governing unclaimed funds in such accounts; and whether any time limit applies before such funds are transferred or extinguished. [14219/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
963. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the policy framework governing the identification and tracing of next-of-kin or legal representatives where funds remain in patient private property accounts following the death of a service user; whether a national tracing protocol exists; and if she will outline same. [14220/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
964. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the oversight arrangements in place within her Department in respect of the governance of patient private property accounts; whether these accounts are subject to regular internal audit and Comptroller and Auditor General review; and the date of the most recent audit. [14221/26]
View answerPatients’ Private Property Accounts (PPPAs) are administered by the HSE to support clients in managing their financial affairs and assisting them with their money management. The service operates across Older Persons, Disabilities and Mental Health Services.
The PPPA service is subject to significant oversight within the HSE and is independently audited every year by an external contracted company, followed by the statutory audit carried out by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).
The governance and reporting framework for PPPAs is set out in Section 18 of the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006. Under Section 18(2), the HSE must make the consolidated PPPA available for audit no later than six months after the end of the financial year. This statutory deadline provides an additional three months beyond the standard timeframe in the Department of Public Expenditure and Infrastructure Circular and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. The extended period is required to allow for the preparation and national audit of individual public care centres by the independent auditor before the C&AG undertakes its statutory audit.
The financial statements include the Governance Statement and Board Members’ Report, the Statement on Internal Control, the Independent Accountant’s and external auditors’ reports, and the Fund Account financial statements with associated notes and accounting policies. This suite of statements meets the statutory and technical reporting requirements for presentation to the Oireachtas.
Under section 18 (3) of the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006, the audited PPPA accounts must be submitted to the Minister for Health as soon as possible after the C&AG have completed its audit and are then laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The most recent accounts, for the year 2024, were laid before the houses of the Oireachtas on 11 February 2026.
965. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether interest accrues on funds held in patient private property accounts; if so, the amount of interest that is treated; and whether interest forms part of the estate upon repayment. [14222/26]
View answerThis question has been referred to the HSE in February for direct response, as it is an operational matter.
966. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE publishes an annual statement detailing the value of funds held in patient private property accounts; and whether she will consider introducing a publicly accessible register of unclaimed funds to assist families in identifying entitlements. [14223/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
