Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
1009. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health who holds ultimate decision-making authority for approving funding under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, including whether this rests with individual consultants, HSE management, or a defined approval panel. [32562/26]
View answer1011. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or HSE has conducted any audit or review of approval decisions under the Treatment Abroad Scheme since 2020; if so, to provide dates and findings. [32564/26]
View answer1024. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the title, scope, date, reporting line, and final report reference of the 2022 Comptroller and Auditor General audit of the Treatment Abroad Scheme referred to by the HSE in correspondence to this Deputy; whether the report is publicly available; and if not, whether she will arrange for a copy to be provided. [32588/26]
View answer1026. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any recommendations, observations, management letters, internal control issues, expenditure concerns, or governance issues arose from the 2022 Comptroller and Auditor General audit of the Treatment Abroad Scheme; and if she will provide a summary of each such matter and the action taken. [32590/26]
View answer1027. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal audit, external audit, Comptroller and Auditor General review, value-for-money review, or expenditure-control review of the Treatment Abroad Scheme has been completed since the 2022 audit; and if so, the date, scope, findings, and recommendations of each review. [32591/26]
View answer1030. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal audit, external audit, or review by the Comptroller and Auditor General has examined the financial recording, traceability, and year attribution of expenditure under the Treatment Abroad Scheme since 2020; if so, to provide the findings; and if not, whether such an audit will now be commissioned. [32599/26]
View answer1031. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE maintains a patient-level dataset under the Treatment Abroad Scheme that links each individual approval to associated expenditure, treatment dates, and payment dates; and if not, how financial accountability and verification of expenditure is ensured. [32600/26]
View answer1052. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to identify the specific grade, title, and role of the individual or body within the HSE that has final authority to approve or refuse applications under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; and whether this authority is exercised by a single decision-maker or a panel-based process. [32631/26]
View answer1053. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out the formal governance structure underpinning decision-making under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, including any documented approval hierarchy, escalation pathways, or oversight committees. [32632/26]
View answer1054. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether decisions to approve funding under the Treatment Abroad Scheme are subject to any form of independent clinical review, secondary validation, or administrative appeal prior to authorisation of expenditure. [32633/26]
View answer1055. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the process by which independent medical advisors engaged by the HSE in respect of Treatment Abroad Scheme applications are selected, governed, and assessed for independence; and whether their advice is binding or advisory. [32634/26]
View answer1056. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal audit, external audit, or examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General has been conducted on the decision-making and approval processes under the Treatment Abroad Scheme since 2020; and if so, to provide details and findings. [32635/26]
View answer1058. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a standardised cost range or expected cost per patient is applied when approving applications under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; if not, how value for money is assessed at approval stage. [32650/26]
View answer1062. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal or external audit has been carried out specifically on expenditure under the Treatment Abroad Scheme for gender affirmation procedures. [32654/26]
View answer1063. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any independent clinical validation, separate from the referring consultant and MDT, is carried out by the HSE prior to approval of applications under the Treatment Abroad Scheme for surgical procedures not provided in the State. [32655/26]
View answer1065. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audit or review has been conducted on approvals granted under the Treatment Abroad Scheme for gender-related surgical procedures since 2020. [32657/26]
View answer1066. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether post-operative outcomes, complications, or follow-up care requirements are tracked for patients funded under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; if not, the rationale for the absence of such data. [32658/26]
View answer1067. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has conducted any value-for-money or clinical effectiveness assessment in respect of gender-related surgical procedures funded under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. [32659/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1009, 1011, 1024, 1026, 1027, 1030, 1031, 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055, 1056, 1058, 1062, 1063, 1065, 1066 and 1067 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
