Written Answers Nos. 594-614
594. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether all non-statutory bodies in receipt of direct HSE funding, including those in receipt of less than €3 million annually, are subject to a structured governance review cycle; and if not, the criteria used to determine inclusion or exclusion. [15986/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
596. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the total funding allocated in Budget 2026 for the provision of eating disorder services; the breakdown of this allocation, including funding for existing specialist eating disorder teams, funding for the development of new teams, funding for training and professional development of staff, and funding for inpatient and community-based services; the number of whole-time equivalent staff currently funded under this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15988/26]
View answer597. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of persons under 18 years-of-age admitted to adult approved psychiatric centres in 2025 for the treatment of eating disorders due to the unavailability of age-appropriate inpatient CAMHS beds; the average and longest duration of such admissions; whether the Department or the HSE has undertaken any review, audit, or impact assessment of the psycho-social or clinical effects of such admissions on minors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15989/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 597 together.
The National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders has progressed well with all of the 16 teams envisaged by the Model of Care now funded. The HSE spends over €14 million on eating disorders services annually.
As a result, access to eating disorder services is increasing, with 25% more assessments conducted in 2024 compared to 2023 (562 vs 449). Approximately over 100 dedicated eating disorder clinicians from the National Clinical Programme are now working on the teams across the country, treating people with eating disorders every day. Enhancement for specialist mental health services including eating disorders is a key priority for myself as Minister, the Government as a whole, and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Our current focus is on completing and implementing the existing Model of Care and supporting the rollout of additional teams. Once this is complete, an evaluation will be undertaken, after which the Model of Care will be reviewed by the HSE.
More recently, the HSE report on inpatient bed capacity required for eating disorders was forwarded to the Department for consideration in July 2025. Accordingly the recommendations for enhanced bed capacity for eating disorders has been included in the National Development Plan.
With reference to the specific information requested on the National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders as this is an operational issue, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.
598. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of deaths recorded in 2024 and 2025 in which an eating disorder, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or other specified feeding or eating disorders, was listed as the primary or contributory cause of death; the source of this data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15990/26]
View answerThe roll-out of the National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders is progressing well with the 16 eating disorder teams specified in the Model of Care now fully funded. This includes 11 teams which are operational, a further three teams in recruitment and two teams in development. I have doubled investment on dedicated eating disorders services to €14m annually, compared to just €1.6m in 2016 and €6m when I assumed my role as Minister for Mental Health six budgets ago.
Approximately 110 dedicated eating disorder clinicians from the Programme are now working on specialist teams across the country, treating people with eating disorders every day.
In addition, I have prioritised the development of three new regional inpatient centres for adults with eating disorders in the HSE Capital Plan which will be built using an unprecedented €470m in NDP funding for mental health for the period 2026-2032.
This will add 19 new public beds, bringing to a total of 22, to ensure adults with eating disorders have more equitable, regional access to specialist inpatient support.
This is an area I have consistently prioritised for investment, and last week I received data on the activity of these vital services from the HSE. Key points include:
• Increases in activity across referrals, assessments, diagnoses and access to treatment. Over 900 referrals were received, and 600 assessments completed
• A total of 475 children, adolescents and adults with eating disorders were attending teams at the end of 2025
• There was a 13% increase in the number of people starting treatment for an eating disorder.
• Of the 600 assessments completed;
• 90% were female
• 1 in 3 were aged 15-17 years
• 78% were under 25 years
• 75% of referrals were assessed within 8 weeks
• Of the 534 eating disorder diagnoses provided by the Programme, anorexia nervosa was the most common at 56%, or 303 people.
All data will be made available on the HSE website shortly.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
599. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of apprentices employed by the Health Service Executive in 2025 and projected for 2026 in (a) social work, (b) social care work, and (c) dietetics; and if she will provide a breakdown by programme and year of intake. [16010/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
600. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total gross expenditure incurred by the Health Service Executive in 2025 and the projected expenditure for 2026 in respect of apprenticeship programmes in social work, social care work, and dietetics, including salary costs, academic costs, employer PRSI, and any grant income received from the National Apprenticeship Office; and if she will provide a programme-level breakdown. [16011/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
601. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has approved any workforce planning model or projection which quantifies the projected staffing shortfall to 2030 in social work, social care work, and dietetics; if so, to provide the projected shortfall figures by year; and how current apprenticeship intake levels align with those projections. [16012/26]
View answerIreland’s Future Health and Social Care Workforce paper published in December 2025 sets out an evidence-based strategic direction for the health and social care workforce for the next 15 years. The paper focuses on the long-term demand and supply of health and social care workers out to 2040, using outputs from a planning projection model developed as part of a European Commission Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project Further information is available here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-for-health-publishes-paper-on-irelands-future-health-and-social-care-workforce/ The paper notes that demand for Social Workers is projected to increase by 35% due to the projected rise in the population and given the prominent role that they play across society working with people of all ages. The stock of Social Workers (WTEs) is projected to increase from 4,348 in 2023 to 4,745 in 2040, if student places from 2023 of 238 are maintained. To meet the future projected demand, student places would need to increase by 72 places to 310 places by 2030 and that includes the apprenticeship pathway and tertiary programmes as increases to the domestic supply of Social Workers. Demand and supply projections for Social Care Workers and Dietitians are not currently available but future work will look to expand the number of Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs) modelled. The Department of Health is currently working with CORU to enhance data collection for workforce planning purposes. As part of the Government’s broader strategy to expand higher education capacity in health and social care disciplines, in June 2025 the Government announced major expansion in Health and Social Care Profession Training Places, with 461 new places to be delivered in nine priority HSCP disciplines by 2028. The expansion will see up to 315 additional student places created in 2025, up to 123 additional places in 2026, and the remainder in subsequent years, in disciplines critical to disability, health, and education services. This includes approximately 59 additional student places in Dietetics, 43 of which commenced in 2025, and approximately 85 additional student places in social work, 50 of which commenced in 2025. Further student places have been provided in Northern Ireland for Dietetics across the academic years 2023 and 2024. Student expansion is being delivered alongside coordinated workforce planning across Government and ongoing engagement with the health sector to ensure clinical placement capacity can support sustainable growth in student training. A new expression of interest process which will be undertaken by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in early 2026 will continue targeted expansion and new programme development for disability, health and social care graduates and educational psychologists. The HSE Apprentice in Social Work, is an innovative new career pathway for social workers to train on the job and earn a salary whilst doing so. The 2-year ‘Apprentice in Social Work’ programme aims to attract graduates by providing them employment in the HSE while they undertake a QQI level 9 Masters or Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work in UCC. Social Care Workers are newly regulated by CORU and represent one of the largest HSCP professions, with 5,000+ working between the HSE and Tusla. As part of efforts to increase the supply of qualified social care workers, an apprenticeship model is currently under development and will be piloted as a Work Based Learning programme leading to a BA in Social Care within Tusla and Oberstown from 2025. The availability of highly trained health and social care professionals (including social workers, social care workers, and dietitians) is essential to improving access to care and ensures our workforce keeps pace with population and demographic changes. The Department of Health, working closely with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Science, and the Higher Education Sector, the HSE and other partners, remains focused on expanding domestic training capacity as a mechanism to build a sustainable health and social care workforce to meet future population need for health and social care services.
602. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal policy decision has been taken to fund apprenticeship expansion in the health and social care professions without a dedicated subhead or ring-fenced allocation within the Vote for the Health Service Executive; and the governance rationale for funding apprenticeship costs from within existing service budgets. [16013/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
603. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any evaluation has been undertaken by her Department to assess the value-for-money and workforce impact of the Level 9 Social Work apprenticeship programme since its commencement; if so, to provide details of the methodology and findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16014/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
604. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a current hospital-by-hospital list of all publicly funded chronic pain management services; to specify in respect of each hospital whether a dedicated multidisciplinary chronic pain service is in operation; to detail the disciplines available within each service, including pain medicine consultants, psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16015/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
605. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide, by HSE Health Region, the average waiting time and the longest waiting time for a first outpatient appointment in a publicly funded chronic pain service as of the most recent available date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16016/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
606. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients, by Health Region, referred outside their region of residence in the past 24-months due to the absence of a local chronic pain service or insufficient local capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16017/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
607. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of approved consultant posts in the specialty of Pain Medicine and Consultant Anaesthesiologist with a special interest in Pain Medicine; the number currently filled on a whole-time equivalent basis; the number vacant; the duration of each vacancy; and the recruitment measures in place to address same. [16018/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
608. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether all publicly funded chronic pain services operate in accordance with a nationally approved clinical model mandating multidisciplinary care; if not, to identify which services do not meet such standards; and the timeframe for compliance. [16019/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
609. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether, following publication of the final Cass Review into gender identity services for children and young people in the United Kingdom, her Department conducted any formal policy review of the continued referral of minors from Ireland to NHS gender identity services under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; if so, to provide the date, terms of reference, and outcome of that review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16025/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
610. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department sought or obtained independent clinical advice, evidence appraisal, or risk assessment regarding the appropriateness of continuing referrals of minors to NHS gender identity services following the Cass Review; and if she will outline the governance framework under which such advice was considered. [16026/26]
View answerThe provision of proper, appropriate, and integrated gender healthcare services is something that I want to ensure is in place for those who are questioning their gender identity or are experiencing gender incongruence or dysphoria.
As the Deputy will be aware and as set out in the Programme for Government 2025, this Government is committed to ensuring a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion.
It is in this context that the HSE has established a National Clinical Programme for Gender Healthcare to develop an updated clinical Model of Care with the aim of designing clinical pathways to deliver safe and effective health and social care for those seeking gender affirming healthcare services. This work will also inform an implementation plan for its delivery.
In the context of current services, there is no specialist gender service for children and young people (under the age of 16), the current pathway for children and young people is to attend their GP who may refer the patient to their local CAMHS service.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE National Clinical Programme for Gender Healthcare is developing an updated model of care, due to be completed in 2026, which will include a clinical framework for the clinical support and management of children and young people in primary, secondary and specialist care settings.
The Cass Report has been reviewed by clinical experts within the HSE at the request of the Chief Clinical Officer and the review is currently under consideration by the HSE. This review was a specific and defined piece of work that was independent of the planned update of the HSE Clinical Model of Care for Gender Healthcare. It is the Model of Care that will ultimately make recommendations on the delivery of gender healthcare services in the HSE, for both adults and young people.
Developing a Model of Care for Gender Healthcare Services is expected to be a complex process and the HSE and my department will work closely together to support the process, ensure transparency and keep the patient at the centre of the process. It is important that the HSE is given time to develop a Model of Care that is based on the best clinical evidence and that will deliver the best outcomes for persons with gender incongruence or dysphoria.
611. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any revised safeguarding guidance, policy circular, or written direction has been issued by her Department to the HSE concerning referral pathways for children and young people to gender identity services abroad since publication of the Cass Review; and if she will provide details of any such direction. [16027/26]
View answerThe provision of proper, appropriate, and integrated gender healthcare services is something that I want to ensure is in place for those who are questioning their gender identity or are experiencing gender incongruence or dysphoria.
As the Deputy will be aware and as set out in the Programme for Government 2025, this Government is committed to ensuring a transgender healthcare service that is based on clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion.
It is in this context that the HSE has established a National Clinical Programme for Gender Healthcare to develop an updated clinical Model of Care with the aim of designing clinical pathways to deliver safe and effective health and social care for those seeking gender affirming healthcare services. This work will also inform an implementation plan for its delivery.
In the context of current services, there is no specialist gender service for children and young people (under the age of 16), the current pathway for children and young people is to attend their GP who may refer the patient to their local CAMHS service.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE National Clinical Programme for Gender Healthcare is developing an updated model of care, due to be completed in 2026, which will include a clinical framework for the clinical support and management of children and young people in primary, secondary and specialist care settings.
The Cass Report has been reviewed by clinical experts within the HSE at the request of the Chief Clinical Officer and the review is currently under consideration by the HSE. This review was a specific and defined piece of work that was independent of the planned update of the HSE Clinical Model of Care for Gender Healthcare. It is the Model of Care that will ultimately make recommendations on the delivery of gender healthcare services in the HSE, for both adults and young people.
Developing a Model of Care for Gender Healthcare Services is expected to be a complex process and the HSE and my department will work closely together to support the process, ensure transparency and keep the patient at the centre of the process. It is important that the HSE is given time to develop a Model of Care that is based on the best clinical evidence and that will deliver the best outcomes for persons with gender incongruence or dysphoria.
613. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of minors referred from Ireland to NHS gender identity services under the Treatment Abroad Scheme in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the total expenditure incurred in each year; and the policy basis upon which such referrals continue to be authorised. [16029/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
614. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the evaluation of the iPain Centre pilot at Beaumont Hospital has been completed; the date on which it was finalised; whether the evaluation has been submitted to her Department; whether she will publish the evaluation report in full; the total Sláintecare Integration Innovation Fund allocation provided to the project over its three-year pilot period; the current annualised cost of the service; and the policy decision taken, if any, regarding the continuation, mainstreaming, or national rollout of community-based chronic pain programmes arising from that pilot. [16030/26]
View answerThe National Clinical Programme for Anaesthetics was funded under the Sláintecare Integration Innovation Fund (SIIF) to deliver the ‘Beaumont Integrated Pain Management Centre’ pilot project, i.e. the iPainCentre. This project involved the placement of a multidisciplinary team experienced in chronic pain management into the community/primary care setting under the governance of Beaumont Hospital. Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes (e.g., low back pain (LBP), fibromyalgia) or lumbosacral radicular pain (e.g., sciatica) could be directly referred to this pilot.
The iPainCentre project was initially funded under SIIF over a 2-year period from 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2024 and subsequently further extended to 31st December 2025. A final report of the pilot project, incorporating year 3 of the project, is currently being finalised and has not been submitted to the Department. The total SIIF allocation provided to the project over its three-year pilot period is €1,737,354.27.
Under the new Regional structures with the HSE, the Regional Executive Officers (REOs) have a key leadership role to increase access to care across the health service. Under this more devolved approach, each Health Region will receive a core current funding allocation for the needs of its population, with the flexibility to invest where it will have the greatest impact. With effect from 2026, the management of total staff allocations and payroll budget within the various Health Regions has devolved to the REOs.
This will enable the Regions to deliver integrated, responsive care, to achieve better health outcomes.
In light of this increased regional autonomy in service planning, the HSE would be best placed to provide information in relation to the implementation of any community-based chronic pain programmes arising from the iPainCentre pilot. For this reason, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
