Tuesday, 30 Jun 2026

Written Answers Nos. 852-873

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Primary Care Services

Questions (852)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

852. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total financial value of rejected PCRS claims for respiratory medicines that remained unpaid in each of the years 2020 t0 2025, and to date in 2026, broken down by year; the reason such a high proportion of rejected claims are never subsequently corrected or reclaimed; whether an assessment has been carried out into the impact of these unrecovered claims on patient access to respiratory medicines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49282/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Healthcare Policy

Questions (853)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

853. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific decision-making process by which the HSE determines that a drinking water exceedance constitutes a potential danger to human health requiring public-health intervention; the named office or role responsible for making that determination; and whether a documented threshold, beyond the WHO guideline value, triggers mandatory intervention. [49288/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 854 answered with Question No. 771.

Question No. 855 answered with Question No. 771.

Health Service Executive

Questions (856)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

856. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1117 of 19 May 2026, whether the HSE maintains a centralised database recording referrals abroad for gender-related care under the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, which HSE division is responsible for its governance and oversight (details supplied). [49298/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Healthcare Policy

Questions (857)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

857. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 996 of 19 May 2026, to explain the basis for the 2024 figures provided in reply, which show zero applications and zero approvals for paediatric gender-related treatment abroad scheme referrals in that year alongside 13 S2 authorisations issued and expenditure of €62,127.47; and to clarify whether this reflects multi-year processing of prior approvals or some other explanation. [49299/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services Staff

Questions (858)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

858. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the HSE intends to introduce a national system for recording and tracking staff grievances and complaints, including time to resolution and referrals to the Workplace Relations Commission; if a timeline has been set for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49303/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (859)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

859. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 774, 784, 785, 786 and 789 of 21 April 2026, to provide the definition of "clinical necessity" or "medical necessity" applied in approvals under the treatment abroad scheme, given that the reply to PQ23198/26 and related questions did not provide one. [49305/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill)

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Primary Care Services

Questions (860)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

860. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 773 of 21 April 2026, to confirm whether the HSE maintains any database recording clinical outcomes for patients treated under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, given that the data referenced in the reply to PQ28074/26 relates only to activity and expenditure, not outcomes. [49306/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Primary Care Services

Questions (861)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

861. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No's 774,784,785,786,789 of 21 April 2026, to identify the body or unit with national responsibility for clinical outcomes oversight under the Treatment Abroad Scheme, given that this was not addressed in the reply to PQ28106/26. [49307/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Primary Care Services

Questions (862)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

862. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No's 774,784,785,786,789 and 788 of 21 April 2026, the mechanisms that exist to monitor follow-up care for patients returning to the State after Treatment Abroad Scheme procedures, given that the reply to PQ28076/26 and PQ28105/26 described only the application process, not post-treatment monitoring. [49308/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Questions (863)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

863. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that confirmation of no clinical audits since 2020 represents a governance gap in the Treatment Abroad Scheme; and the steps she will take to close it. [49309/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Healthcare Policy

Questions (864)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

864. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the absence of a national definition of clinical necessity has been assessed for risk to patient safety or consistency of approvals across the State. [49310/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Mental Health Services

Questions (865)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

865. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of children and young people currently awaiting access to CAMHS in each county, at the end of May 2026; the average waiting time for first-time appointments in each county; and the longest wait time, in tabular form. [49321/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (866)

David Cullinane

Question:

866. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the spend in each year of the GP access to diagnostics scheme, by provider, in tabular form. [49322/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

General Practitioner Services

Questions (867)

David Cullinane

Question:

867. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the volume of referrals to each provider under the GP access to diagnostics scheme, in tabular form; the number which were urgent and which were routine; and the performance against key performance indicators for each. [49323/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Assisted Decision-Making

Questions (868)

Barry Heneghan

Question:

868. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of cases which Part 5 applications for the making of Decision Making Representation Orders under the Assisted Decision Making Acts have been provided with independent advocacy support from the following organisations /and services, in tabular form (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49333/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Dental Services

Questions (869)

Maurice Quinlivan

Question:

869. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health to review the case of a child (details supplied) awaiting an orthodontist procedure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49334/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Departmental Funding

Questions (870)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

870. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if she will allocate an additional €30,000 in funding to a centre (details supplied) in line with the request by an organisation in their Pre-Budget Submission 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49353/26]

Reply not received from Department.

Health Services

Questions (871)

Michael Murphy

Question:

871. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the multidisciplinary working group established to address the absence of community ophthalmology services in south Tipperary; the date on which the group was established; its membership; the number of meetings held to date; the recommendations made by the group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49358/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (872)

Michael Murphy

Question:

872. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health for an update on the engagement between the HSE and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin regarding support for ophthalmology services in south Tipperary; the nature of the support sought; the arrangements agreed; the number of patients referred or treated under such arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49359/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Health Services

Questions (873)

Michael Murphy

Question:

873. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health for an update on the discussions undertaken by the HSE with a private provider regarding ophthalmology services for south Tipperary; whether the scoping exercise referred to in replies to Dáil Éireann has been completed; the findings of that exercise; whether any contractual arrangements have been entered into; the anticipated cost of any such arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49360/26]

Written answers

Minister for Health

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

• Written Answers Nos. 832-851
• Written Answers Nos. 874-893