Written Answers Nos. 468-488
468. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to provide a progress report in regard to the new Cahersiveen Primary Care Centre; when will this long-awaited project be delivered for the people of Cahersiveen, Iveragh and South Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52558/26]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
469. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to provide the necessary staff as a matter of urgency to allow the closed beds in Dingle, Cahersiveen and Kenmare Community Hospitals to open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52559/26]
View answer470. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if there are funding restrictions in place for surgeries at a hospital (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52561/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
471. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the way in which an individual can return unused medications or EpiPens without incurring a cost at a pharmacy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52562/26]
View answerThe appropriate disposal of unused or expired medicines is a significant matter, with potential health and safety impacts on the environment, antimicrobial resistance, and our society. Traditionally community pharmacists have facilitated patients in returning unused medicines to their pharmacy either on a good-will basis, or as a paid service. Additionally, there have been certain local or regional initiatives which aim to raise awareness among members of the public regarding appropriate ways to dispose of unused medicines and to encourage them to return their unused medication to their local pharmacies. These initiatives have been funded by the HSE on a time bound basis in certain areas but to date, no national programme has been established.
Enabling patients to return their unused medicines to their local community pharmacy restricts access to unused medicines, thereby reducing the risk of suicide, self-harm and accidental poisoning in children. Improperly disposing of medicines impacts on crops, biodiversity and contaminates our water system. Antimicrobial resistance is a significant health challenge and incorrect disposal of antibiotics adds to this problem.
I am pleased to outline that a new National Medicines Return Service will shortly commence in pharmacies across Ireland. This service will enable patients to return their unused medicines to their local community pharmacy for disposal, free of charge. This includes the disposal of injector devices, such as EpiPens, where the needles are retracted or removed.
My officials, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Irish Pharmacy Union are finalising preparations for this service. Onboarding of over 1,900 community pharmacies for the service will commence in the coming weeks and continue through the month of July. A campaign to raise public awareness will follow in August once onboarding is complete, with the service formally launching at that time.
472. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the reason the community midwife clinic for births after caesareans is being removed from Limerick Maternity Hospital; the plans to replace this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52563/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
473. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs providing early medical abortion by county, in tabular form. [52564/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
474. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the progress on support measures being provided to persons with Down syndrome and their families. [52571/26]
View answer475. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of people that have attended accident and emergency departments as a result of e-scooter-related incidents; and the breakdown of such incidents, by location where available. [52593/26]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
476. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the steps she will take to assist with the financial situation of healthcare workers, including a worker (details supplied), infected with long-Covid during the course of their work whose critical illness payment on full pay has recently ended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52597/26]
View answerThe Taoiseach met with health unions on Thursday, 30 April. Following that engagement, the Taoiseach has asked the HSE to ensure that management discretion under the Critical Illness Protocol is actively and compassionately applied in cases involving long COVID, so that staff continue to be supported while Government considers what further longer-term measures may be appropriate.
This matter remains under active consideration across Government, including by the Department of Health, the HSE and the Department of Social Protection, with the Minister for Health and the Minister for Social Protection having met in recent weeks to discuss ongoing supports; they welcomed the progress to date, noting that a significant number of staff have been supported in returning to work, with others continuing to receive support through the public service sick leave scheme.
477. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the measures currently in place to support persons presenting with suicidal ideation or experiencing a mental health crisis at University Hospital Kerry and across County Kerry, including staff training, assessment protocols and suicide prevention services; the additional measures that are planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52608/26]
View answer478. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Health the number of cases of cancers (details supplied) in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52610/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates, and timely access to treatments. Since the beginning of the current National Cancer Strategy in 2017, the Government has allocated €105 million to support cancer services and improve outcomes for patients.
The National Cancer Registry of Ireland collects, analyses, and disseminates comprehensive information on cancer in Ireland. This information is typically made available 2 to 3 years after the year of incidence, which is standard among population-based cancer registries internationally. The National Cancer Registry of Ireland's website provides specific cancer case numbers, annual reports, and survival trends across the Irish population, and is available at [www.ncri.ie].
The table below outlines the number of people diagnosed with specific cancer types, as requested by the Deputy up to 2023, which is the most recent complete incidence data available.
|
Year |
Bowel |
Brain |
(of which Glioblastoma) |
Breast -Female |
Pancreas |
Prostate |
|
2015 |
2,674 |
362 |
(188) |
3,124 |
572 |
3,299 |
|
2016 |
2,654 |
350 |
(202) |
3,240 |
568 |
3,501 |
|
2017 |
2,613 |
375 |
(207) |
3,357 |
579 |
3,786 |
|
2018 |
2,683 |
405 |
(229) |
3,551 |
615 |
3,982 |
|
2019 |
2,729 |
423 |
(259) |
3,556 |
639 |
4,204 |
|
2020 |
2,277 |
428 |
(260) |
2,944 |
700 |
3,799 |
|
2021 |
2,777 |
415 |
(264) |
3,805 |
630 |
4,107 |
|
2022 |
2,856 |
399 |
(227) |
4,083 |
705 |
4,629 |
|
2023 |
3,018 |
429 |
(255) |
4,245 |
695 |
4,862 |
479. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the SUSI assessment process for applicants who receive little or no financial support from their parents but are unable to qualify as formally estranged and therefore continue to be assessed on parental income; whether alternative pathways to establish financial independence are being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52378/26]
View answerFor student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.
A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1st October. Otherwise, he/she would be assessed as a dependent student, i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address.
A student’s status for grant purposes is defined at their first point of entry to an approved further or higher education course or at their point of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and continues to apply for the duration of their studies.
However, there are points at which a student may reclassify from a dependent student to an independent student. These are where he/she:
• Progresses from further education to higher education.
• Is returning following a 3 year break in studies.
• Is returning as a "second chance" student after a five year break in studies.
The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).
Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student.
The Deputy will appreciate that the funding allocation for the Student Grant Scheme is determined in the context of the overall estimates and budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. All proposals made in relation to SUSI grant expenditure can only be considered in the context of the budgetary allocation, having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the further and higher education sector.
480. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the reasons for the refusal of a grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52328/26]
View answerThe Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) is targeted towards supporting communities that are impacted by disadvantage, as identified in the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) of the relevant local authority. It provides small capital grants to community and voluntary groups for the improvement/refurbishment of their facilities and/or the purchase of equipment. In general, support under the LEP is available to, for example, Parish Halls, Community Centres, Social Clubs, Men’s and Women’s Sheds.
The Local Enhancement Programme is administered locally on behalf of my Department by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their local authority. Each LCDC decides the projects that are funded under LEP 2026.
I have been advised by Limerick City & County Council that it received applications totalling €776,302.62 for LEP 2026 funding. The local authority was allocated funding of €278,643.81 so this resulted in a competitive assessment process requiring difficult decisions. The result was that a significant number of projects were not approved for funding at this time.
My department issued LEP eligibility guidance to local authorities as part of the LEP application process. This guidance advised that schools could only apply for funding under the Local Enhancement Programme for projects that would be available to any member of the community. I have been advised by Limerick City & County Council that the application by the named organisation was not approved because the project was primarily for the benefit of the school's pupils and not available to the wider community.
481. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the amount allocated by his Department to women’s and men’s sheds, over the past five years, in tabular form. [52367/26]
View answerI recognise the important work carried out by both Men’s and Women’s Sheds and remain committed to supporting their valuable work in communities across the country.
My Department provides a number of supports, which can be accessed by Men's and Women's Sheds.
These supports include -
• The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP);
• The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2024 - 2028; and
• The LEADER programme.
Men’s and Women's Sheds can apply individually for all of these schemes.
To date, over €4.5 million has been allocated to over 2000 Men’s and Women’s Sheds projects, over the past five years.
Ring-fenced funding has been provided to the Irish Men’s Shed Association (IMSA) to support Men’s Sheds - these funds were distributed by the IMSA towards operational costs.
My Department also provides funding directly to the IMSA under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). The SSNO provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations. The current iteration of the SSNO commenced on 1 July 2026, with funding of €297,766 over the three-years and 6 month period being provided to the IMSA.
In addition to these supports, a number of other funds administered by my Department including CLÁR, the Community Centres Investment Fund (CCIF) and the Community Recognition Fund (CRF) provide funding to all Community and Voluntary groups including Men’s Sheds and Women’s Sheds. Details of all projects funded though my Department can be located on my Department’s website, www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/.
The tables below provide details of funding allocated to Men’s and Women’s Sheds over the past five years
I would encourage all Men's Sheds and Women's Sheds to check my Department’s website www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/. , and to engage with their Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), Local Development Companies and Public Participation Networks (PPN), to ensure they are aware of relevant funding opportunities as they become available.
|
|
|
|
Funding for Men's Sheds over the past five years |
|
Programme Year |
Programme / Scheme |
Amount Allocated to Men’s Sheds € |
No of Men’s Sheds projects supported |
|
2022 |
SICAP |
€65,237.80 |
59 |
|
2022 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€206,026.23 |
109 |
|
2022 |
IMSA |
€800,000 |
347 |
|
2023 |
SICAP |
€48,159.74 |
47 |
|
2023 |
IMSA |
€1,000,000 |
378 |
|
2024 |
SICAP |
€61,944.21 |
54 |
|
2024 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€118,078.41 |
76 |
|
2025 |
SICAP |
€47,759.98 |
51 |
|
2025 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€246,659.01 |
240 |
|
2025 |
IMSA |
€1,000,000 |
369 |
|
2026 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€189,496.40 |
117 |
|
2026 (to date) |
SICAP |
€12,933 |
12 |
|
2022 - 2026 |
SSNO |
€324,211 |
|
|
2026 - 2029 |
SSNO |
€297,766 |
|
|
Total |
|
€4,418,271.78 |
1859 |
|
|
|
|
Funding for Women's Sheds over the past five years |
|
Programme Year |
Programme / Scheme |
Amount Allocated to Women’s Sheds € |
No of Women’s Sheds projects supported |
|
2022 |
SICAP |
€4,574.00 |
4 |
|
2022 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€96,069.79 |
67 |
|
2023 |
SICAP |
€4,556.00 |
6 |
|
2024 |
SICAP |
€10,553.04 |
13 |
|
2024 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€176,610.66 |
88 |
|
2025 |
SICAP |
€15,436.83 |
20 |
|
2025 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€63,982.12 |
67 |
|
2026 |
Local Enhancement Programme |
€47,142.32 |
41 |
|
2026 (to date) |
SICAP |
€7,850.00 |
7 |
|
Total |
|
€426,774.76 |
313 |
482. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the amount allocated by his Department and the dormant accounts fund for the seniors alert scheme, over the past five years, in tabular form. [52368/26]
View answerMy Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind.
Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase, by a registered community-based organisation, of a personal alarm or pendant and one year of monitoring.
The scheme has an allocation of €3.2million in 2026, with additional support from the 2026 Dormant Accounts Fund. Expenditure to date under SAS initiative during 2026 has been approximately €2 million.
The table below shows the allocation and expenditure over the past five years.
|
|
Vote Allocation €m |
Dormant Accounts Fund Allocation €m |
Expenditure €m |
|
2022 |
2.3 |
3 |
4.9 |
|
2023 |
2.3 |
3 |
6.2 |
|
2024 |
2.3 |
2.7 |
6.3 |
|
2025 |
3.2 |
2.1 |
5.2 |
|
2026 |
3.2 |
2.1 |
2* |
*expenditure to date in 2026
Since the scheme was launched in 2015, almost 168,000 participants have been approved for the alarms, including over 17,700 in 2025. As it is a demand led scheme, it is kept under continuous review to ensure funding can be made available to meet the requirements of all qualifying applicants. To date, every applicant that has applied to the scheme, and who meets the eligibility criteria, has been approved.
483. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures his Department has in places to tackle rural loneliness. [52369/26]
View answerRural loneliness and social isolation are complex issues that can arise from a range of social, economic, and demographic factors and therefore relate to policy areas across many Departments. My Department works closely with colleagues across Government to ensure that in particular rural and Gaeltacht communities are not left behind in the provision of services. The challenges, particularly for individuals living in remote and disadvantaged communities, include access to transport, addressing disadvantage and tackling social exclusion.
With regard to my own Department, both the 'Our Rural Future' and the 'Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities' policies recognise the importance of addressing loneliness and isolation. The next iteration of both policies will continue to focus on this important area in terms of both rural development and wider community development issues in both rural and urban areas.
There are schemes and programmes operated by my Department which help to address this issue. Of particular importance on capital funding is the Community Centre Investment Fund, LEADER, CLÁR and the Local Enhancement Programme which provides small grants to local community groups. With regard to current supports, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), Community Services Programme (CSP), and the Senior Alerts Scheme all help support the engagement of specific groups with their communities. My Department also supports Men's and Women's Sheds, Tidy Towns groups, Agricultural Shows and Public Libraries, all of which help to reduce rural loneliness and social isolation by providing outlets for people to engage with their communities.
484. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on whether the level of funding made available to the tidy towns by his Department is sufficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52370/26]
View answerThe Supervalu TidyTowns competition is a unique volunteer-led programme that makes a hugely positive contribution in communities across Ireland. It is abundantly clear that our support for the TidyTowns competition has delivered very tangible and visible benefits in towns and villages all over the country.
I am very conscious of the work undertaken by our TidyTowns groups and direct financial supports are in place for these groups to support the costs which can arise. Last year, I announced funding of €1.5 million to support groups in their initiatives for the 2026 competition. This brings the total allocation by my Department to over €12.5 million in funding to over 1,000 TidyTowns groups since 2017.
Depending on the population of each group’s town, funding of between €1,000 and €4,000 per annum is available. This is intended to assist groups in preparing for entry to the competition, as well as focussing on projects with a sustainability and biodiversity focus.
Further financial support is available to TidyTowns groups through the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) of my Department. This programme is targeted towards supporting communities that are impacted by disadvantage, as identified in the Local Economic and Community Plan of the relevant local authority. It provides small capital grants to community and voluntary groups for the improvement/refurbishment of their facilities and/or the purchase of equipment. In general, support under the LEP is available to groups including Parish Halls, Community Centres, Local Development Associations, TidyTowns groups, and Men’s and Women’s Sheds.
I also encourage TidyTowns groups to engage with their local authority or local development company to explore what other funding sources may be available to support the valuable voluntary work they are providing for their local communities.
485. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the supports provided by his Department to agricultural shows. [52371/26]
View answerMy department acknowledges the important role agricultural shows play in rural Ireland. Since 2017, my department has provided a dedicated fund to support these shows with operational costs.
This fund is administered by the Irish Shows Association (ISA) and since 2017 funding of over €6.3 million has been provided. This year I allocated over €1 million to support 126 shows nationwide. The funding is used to defray some of the operational costs associated with running the shows.
The current LEADER programme, which covers the period from 2023 to 2027, has for many years provided support to community initiatives such as agricultural shows.
In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, the proposed activity must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved LEADER Local Development Strategy and it must comply with the EU Regulations and Operating Rules for the programme.
Prospective applicants that are located in an eligible LEADER area should, in the first instance, contact their Local Action Group through its Implementing Partner to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. Contact details are available on Gov.ie/LEADER.
486. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if local authorities have requested increases in ORIS funding; and if so, the amount [52372/26]
View answerThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, or ORIS, is funded by my Department as part of the Rural Development Investment Programme.
It is an important contributor to “Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors”, our national outdoor recreation strategy. The scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways, blue ways, mountain access routes and open water facilities at rivers, lakes and beaches.
Since the scheme was established, funding of over €154 million has been approved for more than 2,000 outdoor amenities across the country. These new and improved facilities are a vital outlet for both residents and tourists.
The level of funding provided in the estimates process for ORIS has increased from €12 million in 2021 to €17 million this year.
In terms of the level of funding for individual projects, approvals are in the form of maximum allocation amounts for each project. Any cost overruns beyond the allocated amount must be met by the applicant or through project modifications that reduce the costs without significantly impacting the project.
487. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the percentage share of LEADER spending allocated for capital and current expenditure. [52374/26]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas.
It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development.
The 2023-2027 LEADER programme has total funding of €180 million, with 75% or €135 million available to support projects being completed by rural groups and businesses, and 25% or €45 million available to support the administration costs of the LAGs involved in running the programme and the animation costs which are incurred at local level to work within local communities to identify, develop and deliver projects. This is in line with the provisions of the EU regulations governing the programme.
488. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to significantly increase the funding allocation for local improvement schemes (private roads), to allow local authorities such as Kerry County Council to clear priority lists that include hundreds of roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52529/26]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme provides for the upgrading of non-public rural roads and laneways that are typically not maintained by local authorities. It was reintroduced by my Department in 2017. Since then, funding of over €200 million has been allocated to local authorities, with over 5,500 roads improved under the scheme.
In February I was pleased to launch the 2026 scheme with overall funding of €17.55 million. Kerry County Council has been allocated €1.13 million, an increase on the initial base funding allocated in 2025. This funding announcement brings the total allocated to Kerry County Council since 2017 to almost €12.7 million.
My officials have engaged with local authorities who have submitted their priority road lists for 2026 and have now received approval to undertake works. I have directed that scheme spending be monitored closely to ensure that funding is fully utilised and that as many road improvements as possible are completed under the scheme this year.
I will also closely monitor spend across the Department in the coming months with a view to redistributing any savings that emerge to schemes such as the Local Improvement Scheme.
