Written Answers Nos. 995-1017
995. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the details of the level of National Ambulance Service cover that there has been across the past six months at each ambulance based in Clare and the wider mid-west region (details supplied); if at any times shifts were not covered at certain bases; the way in which she plans to remedy this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45723/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
996. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant otolaryngologist and cochlear implant surgeons based at Beaumont Hospital as of 10 June 2026, in tabular form. [45750/26]
View answer“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
997. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health her plans to improve trauma services at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. [45751/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
998. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of bone marrow samples sent to Germany for specialist testing in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, by referring hospital; the median turnaround time for results to be returned and the annual expenditure on same for those same years, in tabular form. [45776/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
999. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health to review an application for a primary medical cert (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45779/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1000. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if a medication (details supplied) is a reimbursable medication under the drugs payment scheme; the qualifying criteria a patient must meet in order to be approved for reimbursement of this medication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45780/26]
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.
1001. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of mobile and temporary blood donation clinics that have been held each year for the past five years and to the end of May 2026, in tabular form. [45781/26]
View answerThe IBTS advise that the following table sets out the numbers of mobile and temporary blood donation clinics held during each of the last 5 years, and from January to May 2026. This table does not include the numbers of fixed centre clinics or platelet clinics.
|
2026 |
January – May |
503 |
|
2025 |
January – December |
1,233 |
|
2024 |
January – December |
1,224 |
|
2023 |
January – December |
1,222 |
|
2022 |
January – December |
1,240 |
|
2021 |
January – December |
1,217 |
1002. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health for an update on her Department's legislative and policy reform agenda as regards medicinal cannabis. [45783/26]
View answerThe purpose of the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use 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 Group will:
• Review the current operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme and the availability of Schedule 2 Cannabis products.
• Examine the appropriateness to expand the range of conditions covered by the programme, where sufficient evidence exists that cannabis may prove beneficial.
• Review the current access to Schedule 1 Cannabis products and the current operation of the ministerial licence.
• Develop a national policy on access to, and the administration of cannabis products that are subject to ministerial licence.
The Review Group is comprised of a range of medical specialists and experts and patient representation.
To 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. 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.
1003. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health if she will commit to investment to deliver a neurology service for Tipperary University Hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45787/26]
View answerAs of 2026, decisions on the utilisation, prioritisation and reprioritisation of resources are at the discretion of the HSE Regional Executive Officers in alignment with the priorities set out in the HSE 2026 National Service Plan. This is within an overarching framework to remain within both budget and WTE limit. In that regard I have referred your question to the HSE for consideration and direct response to
1004. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the actions her Department has undertaken to examine the feasibility of expanding access to the shingles vaccine to over 65s; the timeline for the rollout of such a programme; if a phased rollout has been considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45807/26]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is informed by the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC considers the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland as well as international best practice in relation to immunisation when developing its advice
The current NIAC guidelines state that the shingles vaccine may be considered for those aged 65 years and older, due to the greater burden and severity of disease in this age group and in those aged 18 years and older at increased risk of shingles.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has carried out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology. HIQA’s HTA examined the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and safety of shingles vaccines. The cost effectiveness and budget impact were also reviewed, along with the ethical, social and organisational implications of including the vaccine in the adult immunisation schedule.
HIQA published this HTA on 19 July 2024. The HTA found that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule, at the vaccine price at the time, for all adults aged 65 years and over would not be cost effective and would be associated with a substantial budget impact.
While the vaccine is considered safe and effective, its protective effect diminishes over time. HIQA also noted the substantial budget impact associated with vaccination. If made available to everyone aged 65 and older, vaccination would cost €218 million over five years.
Whilst the HTA found that the introduction of the shingles vaccine was not cost effective based on the cost of the vaccine, it found that it could be cost effective for vaccination of those at 75 years and 80 years if the cost of the vaccine was reduced by 80%.
Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process.
My Department considered the findings of this HTA in 2024 and determined that the introduction of the vaccine could be reconsidered when the cost effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable
I can confirm that the introduction of the shingles vaccine to the immunisation schedule in Ireland is again being actively considered for a cohort of immunocompromised individuals, in line with NIAC advice and cognisant of the cost effectiveness of market pricing and available funding.
1005. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national register, exclusion list, restriction mechanism or equivalent system exists to prevent agency or locum healthcare workers who have been removed from an HSE-funded site due to performance, conduct, safeguarding or patient safety concerns from being placed at another HSE-funded site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45832/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1006. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of agency or locum healthcare workers who were removed from assignments within HSE-funded services due to performance, conduct, safeguarding or patient safety concerns in each of the years from 2020 to 2025; the number that were subsequently permitted to undertake assignments elsewhere within HSE-funded services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45833/26]
View answer“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
1007. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she can assist in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45841/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1008. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health when she expects the HSE to confirm urgent access to givinostat for boys living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45878/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1009. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department intends to establish national targets for reducing obesity-attributable type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease incidence; the timeline for doing so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45885/26]
View answerThe current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025).
OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
The new OPAP is currently in development and is expected to be completed and published by the end of this year. The development of national targets will be considered as part of the deliberation process for actions within the next version of OPAP.
1010. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the performance indicators that are currently used to measure the effectiveness of national obesity policy and obesity treatment services; and if she will provide the most recent results available for each indicator. [45886/26]
View answerThe current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025).
OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
The Department publishes an annual report detailing the progress made under each action point of OPAP, which is developed in collaboration with the members of the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group. The most recent published progress report is the “Obesity Policy and Action Plan (2016-2025) Progress Report 2024” and can be found at: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/67879fff/J636_DoH_OPAP_2024_070825_V3_Final_2.pdf
As part of this question also pertains to the HSE, I have referred it to them to complete the response.
1011. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a costed implementation plan exists for the National Model of Care for Obesity; the estimated funding required for full implementation; the funding allocated to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45887/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1012. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department, the HSE or any agency under their remit has estimated the annual cost of medicines wastage to the State in each year from 2020 to 2026; if so, the methodology used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45890/26]
View answer1013. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the nationwide unused medicines return and disposal service recently announced will include the collection and publication of data on the quantity, type and estimated value of medicines returned annually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45891/26]
View answer1014. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any value-for-money review, audit, assessment or research has been undertaken since 2020 regarding medicines wastage, over-prescribing, non-adherence to treatment, repeat prescribing or unused medicines; and if they will provide details of any such work. [45892/26]
View answer1016. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national targets, key performance indicators or reduction objectives have been established in relation to medicines wastage; if not, whether consideration is being given to introducing such targets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45894/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1012, 1013, 1014 and 1016 together.
For the first time the national medicines disposal service under the 2025 Community Pharmacy Agreement will provide a structured, nationwide basis to track activity, volumes of medicines returned and the related costs over time.
This will be a tangible way to build a clear evidence base on the scale of unused and expired medicines and on the financial implications for the health service. Over time, the disposal service will provide evidence on the types and volumes of medicines being returned, which will inform better prescribing practice, dispensing practice and public awareness measures. It will also support a more targeted approach to reducing medicines waste, while also improving value for money, patient safety and environmental protection.
Improper disposal of unused or expired medicines leads to environmental and health risks including antimicrobial resistance and contamination of ecosystems. While a range of factors, including over-prescribing, non-adherence to treatment and repeat prescribing can influence the accumulation of unused medicines, medicines waste is a multifactorial challenge requiring a system-wide response involving prescribers, pharmacists, and patients.
Pharmacists are well-positioned to facilitate safe medicine returns due to their accessibility and expertise. Under the 2025 Community Pharmacy Agreement a yearly allocation of €4,500,000 is being made available to provide for the provision of a new national medicine disposal campaign. This service will be available at community pharmacies in the coming months and will provide a convenient and accessible system for the safe disposal of unused medication.
Under the Health Act 2004, the day-to-day operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health services is a matter for HSE. The parts of this query which relate to whether the HSE or any agency under their remit has estimated the annual cost of medicines wastage to the State (in each year from 2020 to 2026; and if so, the methodology used )have therefore been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
1015. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE maintains any national dataset recording medicines returned for disposal through community pharmacies; if not, whether such a dataset will be established under the new nationwide medicines return scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45893/26]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the day-to-day operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health services is a matter for HSE. This query has therefore been referred to the HSE for direct reply.
