Written Answers Nos. 1238-1258
1238. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); her plans to expand access to dendritic cell therapy and other personalised cancer treatments in Ireland; if expanding the treatment abroad scheme will be examined to ensure that patients are not forced to repeatedly fundraise to access life-extending treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33257/26]
View answerThe Minister for Health cannot intervene in individual cases, As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1239. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if she will assist in establishing the reason a former HSE employee has yet to receive his gratuity payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33333/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1240. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if a neurologist and multi-disciplinary team will be allocated to Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore or to another hospital in the wider Midlands area as there is currently no neurologist or multi-disciplinary team to support people with Parkinson's disease in the Midlands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33343/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1241. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of people who are living with Parkinson's Disease in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33344/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1242. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of people who are living with Parkinson's Disease in Laois/Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33345/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1243. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health further to HSE's commitment on 17 October 2025, that the National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology would consider the requirements and feasibility of implementing an audit; whether this work has commenced; the potential audit approaches being examined; when priority areas for further exploration and implementation will be determined; and the expected timeline for progressing such audits in the interest of patient safety. [33351/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1244. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure by the Irish Medical Council in the years 2022-2025 and projected spending for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33357/26]
View answerThe total expenditure by the Medical Council in the years 2022 to 2025 and the projected spending for 2026 is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Expenditure |
|
2022 – Audited and published |
€17,648,692 |
|
2023 – Audited and published |
€22,398,168 |
|
2024 – Audited and published |
€22,827,554 |
|
2025 – Draft (pending completion of the annual audit process by the Office of the C&AG) |
€22,770,461 |
|
2026 – budgeted expenditure |
€29,697,140 |
1245. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if an alternative fee structure was considered by the Medical Council on the basis of grade or income when formulating their new annual retention fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33358/26]
View answerThe Medical Council has not increased its fees since 2015. Despite this, the Council has continued to invest in service improvements. In recent times, registration processing times have reduced, and legislative reforms to the complaints process have introduced more timely resolution mechanisms. The Council remains committed to using doctors’ fees responsibly, transparently, and in a manner that ensures regulation is effective, proportionate, and aligned with the public interest.
In late 2024, the Medical Council instigated an assessment of its financial position and long-term financial viability given the challenges of a growing register coupled with increasingly complex complaints and fitness to practise matters.
A number of options on the structure of the retention fee increase were examined. Ultimately, the Medical Council approved a 10% increase in 2026 and an additional 10% increase in 2027, for all doctors renewing their registration. To support newly qualified doctors at the start of their careers, there will be no increase for newly qualified doctors with less than three years on the register in 2026 and 2027. Doctors over 70 years of age will see an increase of €5 in 2026 with no increase in 2027, bringing their annual retention to €75 in 2026 and again in 2027. This reflects the contribution that many retired and skilled doctors make to the continued training and development of medical students and trainees.
These phased fee adjustments are designed to maintain an effective, robust and sustainable regulatory framework while continuing to improve services for both doctors and the public. They will enable the Medical Council to continue to deliver the regulatory framework that underpins public confidence in the medical profession, while reflecting the real cost pressures that have built over a decade.
In addition, there are a number of reductions in annual retention fees in order to support doctors and their families. The Medical Council continues to provide a 50% refund of retention fees for doctors on maternity leave, adoptive leave, surrogacy leave or sick leave. Doctors in Ireland with international protection or refugee status will continue to benefit from a nominal registration fee of €5 for their first year of registration. A tax deduction may be granted in respect of costs incurred on the annual statutory registration fee paid to the Medical Council and is provided for by way of a flat rate expense for employed practitioners. More details are available on the website of the Revenue Commissioners.
1246. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed breakdown of all gifts received in her capacity as Minister; the nature of these gifts and potential monetary value; the procedures followed in accepting gifts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33383/26]
View answer1247. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on plans to add further condition to the heal prick test for newborn babies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33391/26]
View answerAs Minister for Health, I am committed to supporting Ireland's screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health outcomes of our population.
Currently, all babies (between 3 and 5 days old) are offered newborn bloodspot screening (generally known as the ‘heel prick’ test), which tests for 11 rare but serious conditions that are treatable if detected early in life. The Programme for Government commits to continually reviewing the number of conditions babies are screened for.
Incremental progress continues to be made on the expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP). In April 2026, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) were successfully added to the NNBSP.
I would note that any proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes are facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols. The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is the independent expert group that provides advice to me, as Minister for Health. The rigorous processes utilised by NSAC are critical to ensure that our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards.
NSAC considers and assesses the evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria. It is important that we have rigorous processes in place to ensure our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
In 2025, at the request of NSAC, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) commenced a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to consider the addition of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia to the NNBSP. NSAC are scheduled to make a recommendation to me in this regard before the end of 2026.
Additionally, NSAC have referred a group of organic acidaemia disorders to HIQA for evidence review, these include:
• Methylmalonic Acidaemia (MMA)
• Propionic Acidaemia (PA)
• Isovaleric Acidaemia (IVA)
The three conditions will be considered in a single HTA, which will commence once the review of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia has concluded.
I am acutely aware of how difficult it is for parents, families and children who have received a diagnosis of a rare disease, and how challenging daily life can be for them. This is why I remain committed to the further expansion of screening in Ireland in accordance with internationally accepted criteria and best practice.
1248. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if there are national policies or additional resources being considered to support towns like Clonmel experiencing a rise in visible drug activity; if there is scope for legislative or policy changes to better address persistent public drug use and protect residential areas; if there are examples of successful interventions in other towns that could be applied here. [33431/26]
View answerThis PQ is not for the Department of Health. We respectfully request that this Parliamentary Question be redirected to the Department of Justice as the matters raised fall under their remit.
1249. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health to clarify whether AEDs are covered under the drugs payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33443/26]
View answerUnder 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; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1250. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which a young self-employed landscaper can become a fully qualified arborist (details supplied) ; if they can be allowed to avail of the State-funded grants and training pathways such as Solas/ETB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33270/26]
View answerApprenticeships are employment-based education and training programmes. As such, apprentices would need to enter into an apprentice employment arrangement with a registered apprenticeship employer in order to participate. The Arborist Apprenticeship is a national programme designed to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to work professionally in the arboriculture sector, including tree care, management and maintenance in both urban and rural environments. As a consortia-led apprenticeship, there are no craft apprenticeship training allowances available, however there are measures in place to support underrepresented groups to access apprenticeships such as those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and the Travelling community.
The apprenticeship is a two-year, earn-while-you-learn programme that combines on-the-job training with off-the-job education. On successful completion, participants are awarded a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Arboriculture.
Further details on available apprenticeship programmes, including the Arborist Apprenticeship, are available on the Apprenticeship.ie website. A national freephone apprenticeship helpline is also available at 1800 794 487. This helpline can provide information and answer practical questions for apprentices, employers and other interested parties in relation to apprenticeships.
Outside of apprenticeships, there are other educational pathways available to those with an interest in arboriculture and related areas such as forestry, including a four-year Level 8 BSc (Honours) in Forestry at South East Technological University.
1251. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the annual cost of the Speak Out Programme in third level institutions for each of the years from 2022 to 2025 to date in 2026; his views on whether the cost reflects its value as a reporting tool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31872/26]
View answer1252. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is of the view that the Speak Out data is accurate and reliable considering only 784 reports were made in the two-year period from 2022 to 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31873/26]
View answer1253. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether the Speak Out data is reflective of the prevalence of hate crime and discrimination on Irish third level campuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31874/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1251, 1252 and 1253 together.
The Speak Out Anonymous Reporting Tool was established by the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education in Ireland (PCHEI) and initially received €121,820 in funding for the period 2020–2022 from the Department’s allocation of additional funding for student mental health and wellbeing supports. There was no separate annual allocation in 2022, with costs covered under the earlier funding envelope.
In 2023–2024, €51,825 was provided to Dundalk Institute of Technology to support the continued operation of Speak Out and to facilitate an expression of interest process, following a Higher Education Authority (HEA)-commissioned independent evaluation of the tool in 2023. That evaluation recommended the establishment of a sustainable governance, funding and operational model, including a national office.
Following the conclusion of an HEA-led expression of interest process in 2024, Trinity College Dublin established the Speak Out National Office. Funding of €213,000 was provided in 2024 to support its establishment, and €284,000 per annum was allocated in 2025 in line with the approved national model. Funding in 2026 to date continues within this agreed annual framework.
The National Office supports the implementation of Speak Out across 17 higher education institutions, ensuring consistency in governance, reporting standards and trauma-informed institutional responses. The programme contributes directly to the implementation of the national policy framework Safe, Respectful, Supportive and Positive: Ending Sexual Harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions.
In relation to usage, in the two academic years from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2024, 1,011 individuals made anonymous reports through Speak Out to 16 higher education institutions. The majority of reports were made by students.
Further details and evaluation reports of the Speak Out reporting tool are available at hea.ie/policy/gender/ending-sexual-violence-and-harassment-in-irish-higher-education-institutions/speak-out/.
The data captured through Speak Out is considered accurate and reliable in reflecting the experiences of those who chose to report via the tool, based on standardised reporting categories and oversight arrangements. However, the data should not be interpreted as a measure of prevalence of sexual violence, harassment, bullying, hate crime or discrimination in the higher education sector. As with similar anonymous reporting mechanisms internationally, reporting volumes are influenced by factors such as awareness, trust, and willingness to disclose.
Speak Out is one of several reporting and disclosure options available within higher education institutions. Its purpose is to facilitate disclosure, support those affected, provide appropriate signposting to supports, and inform institutional and sector-wide responses. The ongoing work of the National Speak Out Office reflects the shared commitment of higher education institutions to providing safe, respectful learning and working environments and to addressing sexual violence, harassment, bullying and related behaviours across the sector.
1254. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered extending eligibility for Springboard courses to those not currently in employment who are not in receipt of State supports, such as those who have retired early. [32081/26]
View answerSpringboard+ is a targeted initiative which began in 2011 as part of the Government’s Jobs Initiative. Its aim is to provide free and heavily subsidised upskilling and reskilling opportunities through higher education in areas where there is an identified skills need. A particular emphasis of the initiative is upskilling people who are unemployed or in receipt of a social welfare payment, with a view to enhancing their employability and progression in the labour force.
Under the current eligibility criteria, applicants must fall within one of the published categories, such as employed, unemployed and in receipt of a qualifying Department of Social Protection payment, formerly self-employed, or returners to the workforce. Further information on the eligibility criteria is available at: HEA - Springboard+
Springboard+ is managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department, and the terms and conditions of the scheme apply to all applicants. There are currently no plans to change the eligibility criteria.
Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland offers a vast and diverse range of part-time and full-time options for learners, including people who are retired, which are designed to provide practical skills for employment or pathways to higher education. Further information on the range of courses on offer is available at: https://www.fetchcourses.ie/courses/about.
1255. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether minors in the international protection process, including unaccompanied minors, aged 15+ need a labour market access permit to access ETB Youth Reach programmes and CTC Youth Reach programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32256/26]
View answerThe Youthreach Programme supports young people who leave school with limited qualifications by helping them gain the skills and confidence needed to move on to further education, training, or work.
Youthreach is delivered through Youthreach Centres, which are run by Education and Training Boards (ETBs), and independent Community Training Centres (CTCs).
Youthreach mainly serves young people over the age of 16. In exceptional cases, 15-year-olds may be accepted if they have left school and cannot return.
Department of Education and Science guidance dating from 2001 allows International Protection Applicants to access Youthreach where attending a mainstream school is not a viable option. According to this guidance, a Labour Market Access Permit is not required.
While Youthreach is a valuable and effective programme, it is in line with government policy that learners remain in mainstream secondary schools wherever possible.
1256. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of protected disclosures that have gone missing or have been compromised that have been submitted to his Department or State bodies that are responsible to his Department. [32289/26]
View answerMy Department maintains formal channels and established procedures for the submission of reports concerning wrongdoing, in strict adherence to the Protected Disclosures Act. Upon receipt, such reports are managed in compliance with both the Act and internal policy frameworks, ensuring the preservation of confidentiality and the integrity of the process.
Prior to 2022, reports submitted to the Department were administered by the Department of Education and Youth under a Memorandum of Understanding. Since that time, the Department has established dedicated internal personnel and protocols to manage these matters directly.
The Department operates with administrative oversight to safeguard the security and processing of all protected disclosures. Accordingly, all reports received through designated channels are subject to record-keeping standards to ensure they remain secure and fully accounted for throughout the process.
Upon the transmission of a report of wrongdoing to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner, all obligations on the Minister under the Act have been discharged.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my department. These state bodies have been provided with the question and have been advised to respond directly to the Deputy.
1257. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of staff that are currently inactively employed by his Department or any organisation with responsibility to his Department. [32309/26]
View answerThe number of staff currently inactively employed by my Department at the end of March 2026 is 9. The number includes staff who are on long sick leave and career break. This figure excludes staff who are on maternity leave.
Information in respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by the Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
1258. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department engaged with any firms in the private sector in the development of his Department's new national AI skilling platform, 'AIReady.ie'; if so, if he will list those firms. [32395/26]
View answer1259. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost of establishing his Department's new national AI skilling platform, 'AIReady.ie'; the annual cost he expects to incur on a per annum basis moving forward; the length of time he expects the 'AIReady.ie' initiative to remain in existence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32396/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1258 and 1259 together.
AIready.ie was developed by the Government of Ireland, through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, in partnership with the National Skills Council and SOLAS.
The National Skills Council represents the voice of enterprise in Ireland’s skills system, with a membership drawn from across industry, including the Chairperson of the Council, Dr Kevin Marshall, who is the Head of Future Skilling at Microsoft Ireland. Part of the Council’s advice to Government last year was the creation of such a resource. Following consideration of that advice, AIready.ie was developed.
Phase one of the initiative was funded from my Department’s allocation to SOLAS as the training agency of the state. The initiative is envisaged to run for six months to gather information and assess participation.
Subject to the standard Estimates process, a proposal will be developed for subsequent phases to allow for increased user profiles, progression pathways and more specialised skills targeting. In this way, the Minister’s ambition of achieving one million learners will be progressed, and our skills system will contribute to achieving national economic targets.
