Written Answers Nos. 343-367
348. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2517 of 13 January 2026, the number of consultants on a public-only contract (details supplied) in hospitals within Children’s Health Ireland in each of the years from 2014 to 2025, by speciality and site, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38547/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
349. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently accessing schedule 1 and schedule 2 product treatment under the Medical Cannabis Access Programme; the number of schedule 1 applications approved since commencement; if her Department has undertaken any assessment of the extent to which patients are being prescribed schedule 2 medicinal products; if her Department has undertaken any assessment of patients seeking access to medicinal cannabis products privately outside the Medical Cannabis Access Programme due to limitations in the current scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38548/26]
View answerAll products available to patients on the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) are Schedule 2 controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, but are only Schedule 2 within the scope of the programme. The has been 75 successful applications to the MCAP. The are also patients being treated under the Ministerial Licence scheme which commenced in 2016.
The Department has not undertaken any assessment of patients seeking access to medicinal cannabis products privately outside the MCAP or Ministerial Licence scheme. It is important to emphasise that the MCAP and the Ministerial Licence scheme are the only lawful methods for patients to access cannabis-based products in Ireland for medical purposes.
350. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if affordability and reimbursement mechanisms for medicinal cannabis products form part of the current review of access to cannabis for medical use; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38549/26]
View answerIn the Medical Cannabis Access Programme reimbursement of the listed products prescribed by medical consultants and supplied through community pharmacies for a specified therapeutic indication as outlined in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs (Prescription and Control of Supply of Cannabis for Medical Use) Regulations 2019 (as amended), will be on an individual named patient basis aligned to the patient’s eligibility under the Community Drug Schemes.
To claim reimbursement, the top copy of the Unified Claim Form (UCF) is submitted for each dispensing with a copy of the Cannabis for Medical Use Prescription Form using form number format. The UCF needs to include patient name, Community Drug Scheme eligibility details (e.g. LTI number), administrative codes, name and quantities of products dispensed and dates of dispensing. Claims submitted for patients who are not approved will not be paid.
Reimbursement is only for treatment of the three stated conditions of the MCAP, refractory epilepsy, spasticity due to MS and nausea as a result of chemotherapy. Reimbursement decisions are a matter for the Primary Care Reimbursement Service and not the Department of Health.
As part of the Review Access to Cannabis for Medical Use the work will examine the current administration of MCAP, including the application process and practical operation of the scheme.
351. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if the review of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme will consider emerging international real-world evidence relating to medicinal cannabis therapies (detail supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38550/26]
View answerTo support the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use, my Department commissioned the Health Research Board (HRB) to undertake an international evidence review as a key input to the process.
The HRB subsequently published its review in 2024, entitled The Efficacy and Safety of Medicinal Cannabis in Adult Populations.
The Review group will consider the evidence included therein and will also engage with relevant expert stakeholders, including patients and/or their families, to inform the Review through consideration of lived experience.
352. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to a formal public consultation process as part of the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use, having regard to the growing international evidence base, evolving European practice and the importance of incorporating patient and clinician experience into future policy development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38551/26]
View answerThe purpose of the Review is to provide independent, evidence-informed advice to my Department and I on access to cannabis-based products for medical use in Ireland, including the operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) and the Ministerial Licence Scheme, and to make recommendations to inform long-term national policy.
The Review group is comprised of a range of medical specialists and experts. Patient input helps us design services that work better, are more person centred and meet the needs of people who use them. Therefore the Review group will also include patient representation. Consideration is also being given to including a formal public consultation process as part of the Review.
This will be agreed in collaboration with the Chair and the Review group.
353. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her Department has assessed the adequacy and continuity of medicinal cannabis product availability under the Medical Cannabis Access Programme; if consideration is being given to expanding the range of approved products available to patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38552/26]
View answerCannabis-based products used in the Medical Cannabis Access Programme are defined as "specified controlled drugs" in Statutory Instrument 262/2019, the Misuse Of Drugs (Prescription And Control Of Supply Of Cannabis For Medical Use) Regulations 2019 which also sets out the specifications in relation to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC ) content, the main psychoactive extract of cannabis.
Any manufacturer or wholesaler is free to submit to the Health Products Regulatory Authority a Cannabis-based product for assessment for inclusion as a "specified controlled drug" in Schedule 1 of the 2019 Regulations.
354. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to a campaign related to access to continuous glucose monitoring (details supplied); the actions she will take to engage with this campaign; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38555/26]
View answer355. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding any review of access to HSE supports for continuous glucose monitoring that would include those originally diagnosed with not being insulin dependent, but this diagnosis subsequently changing (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38556/26]
View answer356. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health her views on the fairness of the discrepancy in access to HSE supports for continuous glucose monitoring (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38557/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 354 to 356, inclusive, together.
The Government is committed to supporting new medicines. Budget 2026 has allocated €30 million of funding available for new drugs to be allocated from the overall additional €217 million in funding allocated for medicines.
Under 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, I have asked the HSE for an update on this matter.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Rapid Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus was published on 29th September 2023. The published document can be found at: www.hiqa.ie/reports-and-publications/health-technology-assessment/rapid-health-technology-assessment-continuous
In line with the advice from HIQA and due to the budget impact associated with CGM sensors, the HSE established a single national reimbursement application system for all CGM sensors on the reimbursement list on 01/12/2023.
Reimbursement support for CGM sensors at this point in time is based on the HIQA HTA and is for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus regardless of age, who have required insulin from the outset. Reimbursement does not extend to other cohorts such as people with type 2 diabetes who require insulin, or patients previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes which is now classified as type 1 diabetes based on laboratory investigations such as C-peptide measurement or diabetes-specific autoantibodies. To date, a HTA of CGM sensors for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus or other types of diabetes excluded from the HTA referenced above, such as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), type 3c diabetes, monogenic forms of diabetes etc. has not been undertaken. Therefore, there is limited information to support the extension of reimbursement to this cohort, including cost-effectiveness assessment and budget impact of same.
An application for reimbursement support of CGM sensors can be submitted for any patient, and each application is reviewed centrally by the HSE-Medicines Management Programme (MMP) on a case-by-case basis.
On the 21st of May 2026, The Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A Strategy for Better Care was launched.
This is Ireland’s first national strategy for diabetes. It sets out recommendations for action in relation to type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy and paediatric diabetes. The strategy marks a major milestone in diabetes care in Ireland, representing the development of a unified approach to the delivery of diabetes care.
357. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to ensure that the HSE urgently prioritises a conclusion to the skyclarys reimbursement negotiations (details supplied); her views on whether the current delay aligns with the 'equitable access' promised in the newly launched National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38564/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to investing in new medicines. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated an additional €158 million for new drugs, which has facilitated the introduction of 263 new medicines, to date. 72 of these new medicines were for rare diseases. Budget 2026 allocated €30 million of funding available for new drugs to be allocated from the overall additional €217 million in funding allocated for medicines.
This level of investment is unprecedented in supporting patients through the availability of new and innovative medicines.
The Year 1 cost of a new drug comes from the allocation for new medicines, but it should be noted that once these medicines are approved for reimbursement the full cost of providing them can reach multiples of this initial cost as their uptake increases.
The National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030, was launched last year. The strategy outlines a comprehensive framework designed to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and support for people living with rare diseases, aiming to improve quality of life, promote equitable access to healthcare, and foster innovation in rare disease research and treatment. It also emphasises the importance of access to orphan medicines among its key recommendations. An Implementation Oversight Group has been launched and met in February to begin work planning for the 11 recommendations.
There is a suite of measures, that have been implemented and are to be implemented to shorten the timeframe from the issue of a Marketing Authorisation on foot of a positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency to a decision on whether to reimburse the medicine by the HSE's Senior Leadership Team.
These measures include:
• Funding by the Government to an almost doubling of capacity in the HSE’s pricing and reimbursement system with 34 additional staff.
• New Framework Agreements on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines with Medicines for Ireland (MFI) and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) which provide commitments towards achieving a 180-day timeline for completing health technology assessments (HTA) and reimbursement decisions following application by the Marketing Authorisation Holder. The Agreements outline a structured process towards achieving the 180-day timeline for reimbursement decisions by Q1 2029, accelerating patient access to new treatments.
• A commitment from IPHA member companies to aim to shorten the timeline to submit reimbursement applications in Ireland to within six months of marketing authorisation of medicines by the European Commission.
• An Agreement between the State and IPHA and MFI to establish a strategic partnership on the development of a sandboxed early access programme for rare diseases. This will be a proof-of-concept initiative, aligned with the commitments in the Programme for Government and recommendations in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030. The Department of Health are examining early access mechanisms across the EU for the Minister for Health’s further consideration.
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 is the statutory decision maker for the pricing and reimbursement of new medicines under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE considers the criteria set out in the Act.
As the HSE is the statutory decision maker for the pricing and reimbursement of new medicines I have asked them for an update on omaveloxolone (Skyclarys®).
A HTA Report from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics was received by the HSE on the 16th December 2025, including submissions made by patient organisations. These submissions will form part of the data that the HSE considers.
The HSE invited the Marketing Authorisation Holder, Biogen (Idec) Ireland Limited, to commence price negotiations and offered a range of dates to the company. The HSE have advised this meeting took place on the 12th February 2026, and as of May 15th a commercial proposal from the company remains outstanding.
This application remains under consideration with the HSE and cannot proceed until a commercial proposal is received from Biogen (Idec) Ireland Limited.
The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
358. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the status of the review of the long-term illness scheme; if she will consider the inclusion of myasthenia gravis on the list of qualifying conditions; if her Department has assessed the financial and medical impact on older and vulnerable patients who require ongoing treatment such as mestinon up to four times daily; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38566/26]
View answerThe Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975, prescribing 16 conditions to be covered by the Scheme. Further information, including the list of conditions, can be found at:
www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/lti/about/
Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge. While there are currently no plans to extend the list of conditions, it is important to remember that the LTI Scheme exists within a wider eligibility framework.
Individuals and families in Ireland may be entitled to the following schemes:
• General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme (medical card). Eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, in accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness.
• In circumstances where an applicant is still over the income limit for a medical card, they are then assessed for a GP visit card, which entitles the applicant to GP visits without charge.
• Under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS), no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland.
The issue of granting medical card eligibility based on having a particular disability or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.
359. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to outline details of all vacant HSE properties in Killarney; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38568/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
360. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the reason a cancer patient (details supplied) has not been granted a discretionary medical card and has been repeatedly asked for the same information; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38571/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
361. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of presentations linked to domestic abuse recorded by emergency departments in each of the past five years and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [38588/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
362. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE operates a national referral pathway for victims of domestic abuse presenting through primary care, emergency departments or mental health services. [38589/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible
363. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has undertaken any assessment of the mental health impact of domestic abuse on children residing in households where domestic abuse incidents have been reported. [38590/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
364. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the strike action being taken by organisations (details supplied) regarding issues surrounding the implementation of the 2023 Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, agreement; if she will engage with the HSE regarding the steps the organisation is taking to ensure the fulfilment of the agreement in a funded body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38592/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
365. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to ensure that the HSE urgently prioritises a conclusion to the skyclarys reimbursement negotiations (details supplied); her views on whether the current delay aligns with the "equitable access" promised in the newly launched National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38593/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to investing in new medicines. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated an additional €158 million for new drugs, which has facilitated the introduction of 263 new medicines, to date. 72 of these new medicines were for rare diseases. Budget 2026 allocated €30 million of funding available for new drugs to be allocated from the overall additional €217 million in funding allocated for medicines.
This level of investment is unprecedented in supporting patients through the availability of new and innovative medicines.
The Year 1 cost of a new drug comes from the allocation for new medicines, but it should be noted that once these medicines are approved for reimbursement the full cost of providing them can reach multiples of this initial cost as their uptake increases.
The National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030, was launched last year. The strategy outlines a comprehensive framework designed to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and support for people living with rare diseases, aiming to improve quality of life, promote equitable access to healthcare, and foster innovation in rare disease research and treatment. It also emphasises the importance of access to orphan medicines among its key recommendations. An Implementation Oversight Group has been launched and met in February to begin work planning for the 11 recommendations.
There is a suite of measures, that have been implemented and are to be implemented to shorten the timeframe from the issue of a Marketing Authorisation on foot of a positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency to a decision on whether to reimburse the medicine by the HSE's Senior Leadership Team.
These measures include:
• Funding by the Government to an almost doubling of capacity in the HSE’s pricing and reimbursement system with 34 additional staff.
• New Framework Agreements on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines with Medicines for Ireland (MFI) and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) which provide commitments towards achieving a 180-day timeline for completing health technology assessments (HTA) and reimbursement decisions following application by the Marketing Authorisation Holder. The Agreements outline a structured process towards achieving the 180-day timeline for reimbursement decisions by Q1 2029, accelerating patient access to new treatments.
• A commitment from IPHA member companies to aim to shorten the timeline to submit reimbursement applications in Ireland to within six months of marketing authorisation of medicines by the European Commission.
• An Agreement between the State and IPHA and MFI to establish a strategic partnership on the development of a sandboxed early access programme for rare diseases. This will be a proof-of-concept initiative, aligned with the commitments in the Programme for Government and recommendations in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030. The Department of Health are examining early access mechanisms across the EU for the Minister for Health’s further consideration.
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 is the statutory decision maker for the pricing and reimbursement of new medicines under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE considers the criteria set out in the Act.
As the HSE is the statutory decision maker for the pricing and reimbursement of new medicines I have asked them for an update on omaveloxolone (Skyclarys®).
A HTA Report from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics was received by the HSE on the 16th December 2025, including submissions made by patient organisations. These submissions will form part of the data that the HSE considers.
The HSE invited the Marketing Authorisation Holder, Biogen (Idec) Ireland Limited, to commence price negotiations and offered a range of dates to the company. The HSE have advised this meeting took place on the 12th February 2026, and as of May 15th a commercial proposal from the company remains outstanding.
This application remains under consideration with the HSE and cannot proceed until a commercial proposal is received from Biogen (Idec) Ireland Limited.
The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
366. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE posts that remain unfilled across all aspects of the health service in County Kerry; what are these posts; the locations of same; the impact of these unfilled posts; the measures being taken to fill them and the length of time it will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38594/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
367. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE posts that remain unfilled in Cahersiveen Community Hospital, County Kerry; what are these posts; the impact of these unfilled posts; the measures being taken to fill them; the length of time this will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38595/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
