Written Answers Nos. 1217-1242
1217. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reason that a supplement (details supplied) has not been made available under the drugs payment scheme; the actions necessary for this supplement to be made eligible for reimbursement under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35192/26]
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.
1218. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the date at which the final evaluation of the 18-month pilot phase of the supervised injecting facility in Dublin will commence; the timeline being worked towards in completing that final evaluation;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35194/26]
View answerThe expansion of harm reduction was a significant accomplishment of the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, as assessed by an independent evaluation of the strategy. It found that harm reduction initiatives were a central component of the health-led approach to drug use, with a focus on reducing the adverse health and social impacts associated with drug use.
One significant harm reduction initiative is the establishment of a supervised injecting facility. In December 2024, the Department of Health granted a licence to operate Ireland's first supervised injecting facility to Merchants Quay Ireland for a pilot 18 month period. Over a 16 month period (to April 2026), 1,700 individual clients have attended the facility for a total of 19,700 visits. Crucially, there were over 300 successful interventions to prevent a fatal overdose.
The HSE is overseeing an evaluation of the 18-month pilot phase of the facility. The evaluation commenced in March 2025 and is ongoing. An interim evaluation was produced late last year. The final evaluation report is anticipated to be completed at the end of quarter 3 2026. I am considering a proposal to extend the licence for the 18 month pilot period to allow for the completion of the evaluation report, subject to the granting of permission to retain the facility by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
I look forward to receiving the evaluation of the 18 month pilot phase of the facility. The findings of the evaluation will inform future decisions on applications for licences for facilities in Dublin and elsewhere, depending on local need.
1219. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on efforts to resolve the access road issue identified at St. Stephen’s Hospital, the proposed site of the elective hospital for Cork; if an agreeable route for a new access road has been identified and agreed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35195/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1220. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if a site has been chosen for a new Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in the West North West Region; the date at which this service is expected to be operational; the proposed crewing arrangements at this new site; the services that will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35196/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1221. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health with respect to the proposed new Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in the West North West Region, if pilots and engineers have already been hired; if so, if these are internal or external appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35197/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1222. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE paediatric cardiologist registrars based at CHI Crumlin as of 6 May 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35208/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1223. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the bilateral meetings she has had with her EU counterparts in the past six months, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35209/26]
View answerIn the past six months, I have had 9 bilateral meetings with my EU counterparts. These are detailed in the table below.
|
Dates (up to 6 months ago) |
EU Counterpart Country |
Details |
|
07/11/2025 |
Germany |
Bilateral meeting with Minister Nina Warken on the margins of the Ministerial G20 Working Group on Health Ministers Meeting in South Africa |
|
02/12/2026 |
Spain |
Bilateral meeting with Minister Mónica García Gómez on the margins of the Formal EPSCO Health Council Meeting in Brussels |
|
26/02/2026 |
Commission |
Bilateral meeting with Commissioner Várhelyi on the margins of the Informal Meeting of Health Ministers in Nicosia, Cyprus |
|
26/02/2026 |
Sweden |
Bilateral meeting with Minister Elisabet Lann on the margins of the Informal Meeting of Health Ministers in Nicosia, Cyprus |
|
19/03/2026 |
Germany |
Joint Visit to Endometriosis Clinic, Universitätsfrauenklinik Charité, with German Federal Minister for Health, Nina Warken |
|
16/03/2026 |
Germany |
Joint visit with Bavarian Minister for Health, Judith Gerlach, to EI Company Luma Vision |
|
18/03/2026 |
Germany |
Meeting with North Rhine-Westphalia Minister for Health, Karl-Josef Laumann |
|
19/03/2026 |
Germany |
Meeting with Karin Prien, Federal Minister of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth |
|
07/05/2026 |
Belgium |
VTC with Belgian Health Minister, Frank Vandenbroucke
|
1224. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant respiratory medicine that are currently only treating and dealing with public patients at Tallaght University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35210/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1225. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on home support waiting lists at end of March 2026; to provide a progress update on the development of the statutory home support scheme; to provide an update on the Sláintecare 2025+ commitment to finalise design and operational aspects of the operating model for home support services by the end of the year, in order to ensure readiness to comply with new regulatory requirements; to provide figures of the proportion of home support hours delivered by directly employed HSE staff versus private providers in 2026 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35221/26]
View answer1226. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the commitment in Sláintecare 2025+ to conduct an exercise to map Meals on Wheels and day centre provision against population, by year end, including development of a strategic approach to address identified gaps in provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35222/26]
View answer1227. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the way in which implementation of the new AI in healthcare strategy, ‘AI for Care – The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy for Healthcare in Ireland’ will be monitored, evaluated and reported on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35223/26]
View answerThe purpose of AI for Care – The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy for Healthcare in Ireland (2026–2030) is to establish a clear policy intent for the application of AI across the health sector, recognising the potential for AI in clinical care, healthcare operations, research and innovation as well as public health.
Implementation of initiatives in each of these areas will be addressed through the forthcoming HSE Implementation Framework and associated projects and programmes that will range in scale and complexity.
All applications of AI across the health sector will require robust governance arrangements, ongoing monitoring, and structured evaluation to ensure that AI is deployed safely, responsibly, and delivers measurable benefits across the health system.
Implementation will be aligned with national and EU regulatory requirements, including the EU AI Act. It will also be supported by guidance currently being developed by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) on the responsible use of AI in health and social care, following public consultation.
Ongoing engagement with clinicians, patients and other stakeholders will support transparency, build public trust, and ensure that implementation remains focused on improving patient outcomes and service quality.
More broadly, recognising the rapid pace of technological development, AI for Care is designed as a living strategy. It will be subject to periodic review, and possibly further refinement, to reflect evolving nature of AI technology, emerging evidence and regulatory developments. AI for Care aligns closely with wider reforms under Digital for Care, including investment in data, digital systems and infrastructure.
1228. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the current number of dentists participating in the dental treatment services scheme in Offaly as of May 2026; the number of dentists who have joined the scheme in Offaly in each of the years 2024, 2025, and year to date 2026, the number of dentists who have exited the scheme during the same periods; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35262/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1229. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown of the number of dentists participating in the dental treatment services scheme in Offaly for each year from 2019 to 2025 inclusive and year to date 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35263/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1230. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health what assessment has been made of the impact of dentist participation rates in the dental treatment services scheme on medical card holders’ access to dental services in Offaly, including average waiting times for appointments and reported difficulties in securing treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35264/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1231. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the specific measures being undertaken by her Department and the Health Service Executive to encourage greater participation in the dental treatment services scheme in Offaly and nationally; the effectiveness of these measures to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35265/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1232. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health whether there is any further avenue available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35266/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1233. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health when the post of grade V senior registrar/marriage solemniser will be filled for the Tullamore Civil Registration Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35279/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1234. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the number of marriages registered with the Tullamore Civil Registration Office in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35280/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1235. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the number of civil marriage ceremonies performed by the Registrar/Marriage Solemniser attached to the Tullamore Civil Registration office in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35281/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1236. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health the number of attempted bookings for the marriage registration service in Tullamore which were unable to be accommodated since January 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35282/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1237. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health to provide clarification in relation to the recent reported pause on HSE recruitment (details supplied), in particular the way in which it will apply to the Dublin Midlands region and County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35283/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1238. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the average daily cost of running an inpatient bed in an acute hospital; and the average daily cost of running a community bed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35299/26]
View answer1239. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 338 of 11 February 2026, to provide the breakdown across all hospitals for subcategories of patient transport such as private taxi, minibus, private ambulance, local transport initiatives and all forms of patient transport. [35305/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1240. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether she is concerned about the promotion and sale of obesity medicines to under-18s for cosmetic weight-loss purposes by black-market actors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35309/26]
View answerObesity medications should only be promoted and provided to those who would receive health benefits from using them as identified by a healthcare professional. They should not be used by anybody for cosmetic purposes, particularly under 18’s and should only ever be sourced from licensed medical professionals. The HSE has responsibility for the distribution and reimbursement of a number of obesity medicines, such as GLP-1’s and has guidance for the process in applying to avail of these resources.
Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has sole statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes. HSE decisions on which medicines, including GLP-1 medicines, are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds, outlined in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
Reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation either by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Controls are in place within the HSE on claiming processes to ensure that only HSE approved indications are reimbursed across a range of medicines. Controls are currently in place for the Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists to restrict reimbursement support to the HSE approved indication of Diabetes. This includes Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Trulicity® (Dulaglutide). Therefore, these products are not reimbursed under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) and are confined to those persons with full General Medical Services (GMS/Medical Card) and Long-Term Illness (Diabetes Mellitus) eligibility.
Ozempic® does not have a licence in the EU for weight loss.
Mounjaro:
The HSE is committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available (provided) to it.
The HSE robustly assesses 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.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.
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.
The HSE considers the following criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement, in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013:
(1) The health needs of the public,
(2) The cost effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services,
(3) The availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement,
(4) The proposed costs, benefits, and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks,
(5) The potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item,
(6) The clinical need for the item or listed item,
(7) The appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety,
(8) The efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies) and,
(9) The resources available to the HSE.
The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. Pharmacoeconomic reports are reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group considers all of the evidence and makes a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team.
The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In terms of the specific details of the applications for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®):
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the 24th January 2024 from Eli Lilly (the applicant) for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise: as monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications, or in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes.
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 24th January 2024.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 6th February 2024. A full health technology assessment (HTA) was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) compared with the current standard of care.
• The HSE commissioned a full HTA on the 1st March 2024 as per agreed processes.
• The HTA was completed by the NCPE on the 9th February 2026. The NCPE recommends that tirzepatide for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise (i) as monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications; (ii) in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes; be considered for reimbursement if cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments: []www.ncpe.ie/tirzepatide-mounjaro-hta-id-24003/.
• The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications. A meeting invitation has been issued by the CPU to the applicant to discuss this application.
• Weight management
• The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the 24th June 2024 from Eli Lilly (the applicant) indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 to < 30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes mellitus).
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the NCPE for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 24th June 2024.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 30th July 2024. A full HTA was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) compared with the current standard of care.
• The HSE commissioned a full HTA on the 27th August 2024 as per agreed processes.
• The HTA was completed by the NCPE on the 3rd December 2025. The NCPE recommends that tirzepatide, as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial BMI of: 30kg/m2, or 27kg/m2 to < 30kg/m2 in the presence of at least one WRC be considered for reimbursement if cost-effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments: []
www.ncpe.ie/tirzepatide-mounjaro-hta-id-24024/.
• The HSE CPU is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications. The HSE CPU has met with the applicant to discuss this application.
Both applications remain under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
Saxenda:
The HSE follows statutory processes around the addition of medicines to the reimbursement list/schemes. Under those statutory processes, the HSE is legally required to consider a range of criteria which include unmet need, clinical evidence, economic evidence, budget impact and the resources available when making reimbursement decisions (i.e. add a medicine to the reimbursement list). The reimbursement decisions have to be in line with the relevant legislation, namely the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 (the legislation the HSE operates under for pricing and reimbursement of medicines).
In accordance with the legislation, a medicine must have a marketing authorisation (licence) to be included in the formal list of reimbursable items. A pharmaceutical company can apply to the HSE for reimbursement for a specific indication (use) of a specific licensed medicine. Medicines can have more than one licensed (market authorised) indication and each indication represents a separate application.
Semaglutide (Ozempic®) currently has an EU marketing authorisation for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise. Following EU marketing authorisation for this indication (use), the HSE approved the addition of Semaglutide (Ozempic®) to the list of reimbursable items in September 2018.
Ozempic® currently does not have an EU marketing authorisation for the treatment of weight loss or any condition other than type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Controls are in place within PCRS on claiming processes to ensure that only HSE approved indications are reimbursed across a range of medicines. Controls are currently in place for the Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists to restrict reimbursement support to the HSE approved indication of Diabetes. This includes Victoza® (liraglutide), Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Trulicity® (Dulaglutide).
Diabetes is one of the Long Term Illness (LTI) conditions for which eligible LTI persons can access their medicines to treat their Diabetes free of charge. Patients diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus are entitled to be registered under the LTI Scheme.
Liraglutide (Saxenda®) 6 mg/ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen is the only product currently approved under Community Drug Schemes (GMS/DPS) for weight management with a managed access system in place as outlined in Circular 002/23 (attached).
1241. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason Crumlin/CHI are not taking GP referrals for dermatology services for children outside of Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35325/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1242. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that the views outlined by an association (details supplied) will be adequately provided for in the next National Drugs Strategy; taking into account that similar views and requests have been expressed by other organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35326/26]
View answer
