Written Answers Nos. 739-757
739. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Health the reason the stroke service in Naas General Hospital ended a few years ago; if replacement services are available to patients in the hospital since its removal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52834/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
740. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health whether she has received or would support proposals to retrofit the National Rehabilitation Hospital's paediatric rooms with proper overnight beds for parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52835/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
741. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the €11.62 million direct pay surplus recorded in primary care within CHO 4 in 2024 reflects unfilled permanent posts; the primary care vacancy rate in CHO 4 for 2024; if her Department will confirm whether there is any assessed correlation between unfilled primary care posts and the agency and overtime deficits recorded in mental health and older persons within the same CHO in the same year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52837/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
742. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health whether she has considered the matter of the European Commission's common training framework for physiotherapists; the engagements she has had on this matter; the submissions she has or will make on this matter; whether she intends to participate; whether she considers it important that Irish professional regulatory bodies such as CORU retain the final say in a person's qualification to practise in the Irish system and the level at which they are qualified to practise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52840/26]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, work on establishing an EU Common Training Framework (CTF) for physiotherapists is ongoing. Officials in my department are actively engaged in this work, including as members of the Subgroup on Common Training Frameworks where they have worked to actively inform and shape the proposed CTF.
Officials have ensured that stakeholders, including the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and higher education institutions, have had the opportunity to engage with work on the CTF and engagement will continue as this work progresses. Officials recently met with the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists regarding the CTF.
I understand that Commission adoption is planned for Q3 this year and Ireland will then indicate whether it will participate in the CTF.
No decision has been made in relation to Ireland’s participation in the CTF; however I am of the view that a CTF would be beneficial and that in the context of Ireland’s workforce requirements there is a need to adapt and ensure professionals can work safely in our healthcare system. A CTF would reduce the barriers to EU/EEA trained physiotherapists registering in Ireland while safeguarding a consistent standard of competence.
It is important to be clear that a CTF would only apply to those who are already fully qualified to access the regulated profession in the Member State where they qualified, and only in cases where their training meets the agreed common standards. The general recognition pathway, which allows for a requirement to complete compensation measures, will remain for those who are not trained to CTF level.
CORU currently oversees the registration of 12 health and social care professions. This involves robust verification of eligibility to practice the profession in the home state if applying as an international applicant. Applicants must also demonstrate that they are fit and proper to join the register and possess the necessary language proficiency before they can be considered eligible for registration with CORU.
743. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the reason there is no mechanism in place for funding access to cancer therapies which are available at the North West Cancer Centre in Altnagelvin but which are not yet reimbursed in this State (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52843/26]
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.
744. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No.1011 of 16 June 2026, in which the HSE confirmed that full costing of the National Model of Care for Obesity is dependent on the forthcoming Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP): the expected publication date for OPAP; whether a costed implementation plan will be developed and published before or only after OPAP is finalised; whether the HSE holds any internal or working estimate, published or unpublished, of the total cost of full implementation of the Model of Care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52844/26]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
745. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1091 of 19 May 2026, in which her Department confirmed that no HSE national guidance currently exists on appropriate intervals for repeat lipid profile testing, and that an advice note on lipid profile testing is planned by the Laboratory Services Reform Programme, the timeline for publication of this advice note; whether any interim guidance is being issued to GPs and primary care practitioners in the intervening period; whether her Department or the HSE has conducted or plans to conduct any review of the cost or clinical necessity of inconsistent repeat lipid testing nationally in the absence of standard guidance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52845/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
746. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health if there is a specific policy within her Department that seeks to preclude those elected to local authorities from any boards that she may appoint; the rationale behind any such policy; the way in which it aligns with encouraging participation in local government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52857/26]
View answerThere is no policy that prevents local authority members from being appointed to boards under the Department of Health. Appointments are made in line with the relevant legislation and the Government’s Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards.
Candidates are assessed on the skills, experience and competencies required for the role. Membership of a local authority does not disqualify a person from appointment, and councilors may also serve where legislation or nomination arrangements provide for this, including on boards such as St. James’s and Beaumont Hospital.
747. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health to commit to preparing legislation to not automatically exclude members of local authorities from consideration for appointment to State boards; and to set out the reasons such persons would be excluded. [52875/26]
View answerThis PQ is not for the Department of Health. We respectfully request that this Parliamentary Question be redirected to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as the matters raised fall under their remit.
748. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the reason a drug (details supplied) is not accessible in Ireland to cancer patients despite approval by the European Medicines Agency and its accessibility in many other parts of the EU and in the North of Ireland, if she will examine this and make the drug available for cancer patients where their oncology team has recommended it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52886/26]
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.
749. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2415 of 9 June 2026, the reason this data was not provided; when this data will be provided; and the most common reasons recorded for claim adjustment in each year from 2020 to date (details supplied) [52892/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
750. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health her views on extending publicly funded access to continuous glucose monitoring to all women with type 2 diabetes during pregnancy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52893/26]
View answer752. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if she will consider widening access to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for women with type 2 diabetes during pregnancy (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52895/26]
View answer753. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if the ongoing review of the preferred continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors evaluation will encompass a consideration of ensuring that all patients with type one diabetes have access to CGM; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52898/26]
View answer754. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether the ongoing review of the preferred continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors evaluation will lead to a HTA of CGM sensors for patients with type 2 diabetes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52899/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 750 and 752 to 754, inclusive, together.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems provide an alternative approach to self-monitoring of blood glucose (using blood glucose test strips with an associated blood glucose meter). These CGM systems comprise of sensors, transmitters and a mechanism to display the results (readers/receivers or smart device application).
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. The HSE has advised that the HIQA Rapid HTA of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus was published on 29th September 2023.
The HTA recommended the establishment of a single managed access programme for all CGM systems for all individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus regardless of age, noting that such a system would need clearly defined criteria for access. Following on from the recommendations in this HTA, the HSE-MMP, in conjunction with the HSE-PCRS, and with the support of the HSE Chief Clinical Officer, introduced an online reimbursement application system for all CGM sensors on 1st December 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.
To date, a HTA of CGM sensors for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus or other types of diabetes has not been undertaken in Ireland. Therefore, there is limited information to support the extension of reimbursement to these patient groups, including cost-effectiveness assessment and budget impact of same.
The HSE has identified preferred CGM products based on cost-effectiveness to manage this expenditure. A second review of CGMs is taking place which will include an update of the preferred CGM sensors evaluation.
On the 21st of May, The Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A Strategy for Better Care was launched by the Minister for Health.
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.
751. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of people with a clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes who are currently ineligible for publicly funded continuous glucose monitoring access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52894/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
755. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the reimbursement arrangements under the community drugs schemes will be reviewed to ensure that patients are not financially disadvantaged when unlicensed medicines must be supplied as a result of shortages of licensed products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52900/26]
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.
756. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the financial impact of medicine shortages on residents of private nursing homes supported under the fair deal scheme, particularly where unlicensed medicines attract additional costs that are not fully covered under existing reimbursement arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52901/26]
View answerMy Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, therefore mitigating medicine shortages and strengthening security of supply is the subject of several workstreams in my Department, the wider health service and across Europe. Unfortunately, medicine shortages are a feature of modern health systems worldwide. There are a multitude of reasons why a medicine may not be available including: shortages of raw materials; manufacturing difficulties; or product recalls due to potential quality issues.
Ireland has a multi-stakeholder Medicines Shortages Framework in place operated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) on behalf of the Department of Health. This framework aims to help prevent potential shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact of shortages. Stakeholders include the HPRA, the Department, the HSE, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, wholesalers, patient representative groups and marketing authorisation holders. Details of this framework can be found at Medicines shortages on the HPRA website (www.hpra.ie/regulation/human-medicine/patients-and-healthcare-professionals/medicines-shortages). The HPRA maintains a list of current and resolved shortages on its website. The webpage is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information.
In many instances a shortage of a particular medicine is effectively addressed to ensure continuity of care for a patient including through the substitution for a generic version (in the case of a branded medicine short supply) or a generic version from a different manufacturer (in the case of a generic medicine in short supply). Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 medicines which are deemed to be interchangeable can be directly substituted for one another by a pharmacist.
Where an interchangeable product is not available in Ireland, a pharmacist, in consultation with the prescriber, can source a medicine containing the same active ingredient in order to ensure that continuity of patient care is maintained, wherever possible. Such medicines may be sourced in another European Member State, or by a specialist wholesaler in a third country, and are known as exempt medicinal products (EMPs). EMPs have not been granted a marketing authorisation in Ireland by the HPRA but are sourced in response to a bona fide unsolicited order in order to fulfil the special needs of a patient. These medicines will however have undergone an evaluation of their safety, quality, and efficacy for the granting of their marketing authorisation in another EU Member State or third country by the respective competent authority for medicines.
In other instances, where a medicine shortage occurs due to a more global issue affecting multiple countries, a patient may be directed to return to their clinician to consider prescribing an alternative medicine for the treatment of their condition.
Where there is a shortage of a product from the Reimbursement List, the dispensing pharmacy can contact the Primary Care Reimbursement Service to query reimbursement of alternate products on the Community Drug Schemes. Exempt Medicinal Products may be supported for the period of the shortage under Discretionary Hardship Arrangements for individuals with a medical card and under Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) for those with established DPS eligibility.
The Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal) provides financial support towards the cost of long-term residential care. The NHSS covers the cost of the standard components of long-term residential care which are:
Nursing and personal care appropriate to the level of care needs of the person;
Bed and board;
Basic aids and appliances necessary to assist a person with the activities of daily living; and
Laundry service.
The scheme is designed to support nursing home care costs and does not determine the reimbursement arrangements that apply to individual medicines or medicinal products.
Matters relating to the availability of medicines, the use of unlicensed medicines and the reimbursement of such products are governed through the separate medicines and community drugs arrangements. A person's eligibility for other schemes, such as the medical card scheme or the drugs payment scheme, is unaffected by participation in the NHSS or residence in a nursing home.
757. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures that are being taken by her Department and the HSE to minimise the impact of shortages of essential medicines, including medicines used in the treatment of heart failure and cardiovascular disease, and to ensure continuity of treatment for patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52902/26]
View answerMy Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, thusly mitigating medicine shortages and strengthening security of supply is the subject of several workstreams in my Department, the wider health service and across Europe.
Ireland has a multi-stakeholder Medicines Shortages Framework in place, operated by our medicines regulator, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) on behalf of the Department of Health. The framework aims to help prevent potential shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact of shortages on patients by coordinating the management of potential or actual shortages as they arise. Stakeholders in this framework include the HPRA, the Department, the HSE, healthcare professionals, manufacturers, wholesalers, patient representative groups and marketing authorisation holders.
In European law, pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers should ensure an appropriate and continuous supply of the medicines they market. Companies are required to notify the HPRA of medicines shortages or potential shortages impacting the Irish market. The HPRA maintains a list of current and resolved shortages on its website and is in regular contact with suppliers in relation to these shortages with a view to minimising their duration and impact on patients. The webpage is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information.
The Medicines Criticality Assessment Group (MCAG) is convened by the Department of Health and chaired by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to facilitate rapid assembly of relevant government and agency bodies to assess, address and resolve emerging medicinal product supply issues. Consequent to its deliberations and where the MCAG deems it necessary, the MCAG membership shall issue communication(s), to healthcare professionals and patients, among other actions.
In many instances a shortage of a particular medicine is effectively addressed to ensure continuity of care for a patient including through the substitution for a generic version (in the case of a branded medicine short supply) or a generic version from a different manufacturer (in the case of a generic medicine in short supply). Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 medicines which are deemed to be interchangeable can be directly substituted for one another by a pharmacist.
Where an interchangeable product is not available in Ireland, a pharmacist, in consultation with the prescriber, can source a medicine containing the same active ingredient in order to ensure that continuity of patient care is maintained, wherever possible. Such medicines may be sourced in another European Member State, or by a specialist wholesaler in a third country, and are known as exempt medicinal products (EMPs). EMPs have not been granted a marketing authorisation in Ireland by the HPRA but are sourced in response to a bona fide unsolicited order in order to fulfil the special needs of a patient. These medicines will however have undergone an evaluation of their safety, quality, and efficacy for the granting of their marketing authorisation in another EU Member State or third country by the respective competent authority for medicines.
In other instances, where a medicine shortage occurs due to a more global issue affecting multiple countries, a patient may be directed to return to their clinician to consider prescribing an alternative medicine for the treatment of their condition.
