Written Answers Nos. 577-600
577. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of people in Donegal waiting for approved home support hours, by area; the length of time they are waiting; and reason for delay, in tabular form. [66641/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
578. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will include asthma to the long-term illness scheme; to ensure better supports and access to medications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66695/26]
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:
https://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.
579. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health to provide the current stage on the HSE assessment of a medication (details supplied); to confirm when the HSE's Drugs Group will issue their recommendation to the HSE Senior Management Team to progress the reimbursement decision on this medication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66640/26]
View answerUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines.
To commence this process, a pharmaceutical company must submit an application for a new medicine or a new use of an existing medicine, which has been granted European Medicines Agency (EMA) or Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) authorisation, to the HSE’s Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit.
Applicants must continue to engage throughout the process to ensure that the necessary evidence is available for the HSE to carry out its statutory role as a decision-maker with respect to the reimbursement of new medicines, in accordance with the Act. The Act specifies nine criteria which must be considered. These include the health needs of the public and the clinical need for the medicine. All these factors, taken together, allow the HSE to make an informed decision on new medicines.
The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. Pharmacoeconomic reports are reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group considers all of the evidence and makes a recommendation to the HSE Senior Management Team.
The decision-making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Management Team. The HSE Senior Management Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of fezolinetant (Veoza®):
- The HSE received an application for pricing / reimbursement on the 8th February 2024 from Astellas (the applicant) for fezolinetant (Veoza®) indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause.
- The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 9th February 2024.
- The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 12th March 2024. The NCPE advised the HSE that a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of fezolinetant (Veoza®) compared with the current standard of care.
- The HSE commissioned a full HTA on the 8th April 2024 as per agreed processes.
- The HTA was completed by the NCPE on the 17th April 2026. The NCPE recommends that fezolinetant be considered for reimbursement if cost effectiveness can be improved relative to existing treatments. HRT is expected to provide more benefits, than fezolinetant, in individuals who can take HRT. Thus, the HSE may wish to implement prescribing guidelines should a decision be made to reimburse fezolinetant: https://www.ncpe.ie/fezolinetant-veoza-hta-id-24005/
- The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
- The HSE CPU met with the applicant to discuss the application for fezolinetant (Veoza®) indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause. A proposal has been received from the applicant and is under review. The output of negotiations will be presented to the HSE Drugs Group for consideration.
The application remains under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
581. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the number of doctors who completed specialist training in public health medicine in 2026; the number currently employed in consultant public health medicine posts; whether a recruitment embargo is affecting the filling of such posts; and when any such restrictions will be lifted. [66638/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
582. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE specialist neurology nurses who are employed at Tallaght University Hospital in comparison with the national guidelines. [66715/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
583. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the average waiting times to see a consultant rheumatologist at St James's Hospital for a first appointment. [66714/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
584. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when approved home support will commence for an older person (details supplied) in County Donegal; if she is aware a community hospital bed is taken up because of the delay; and if recruitment or capacity within current HSE staff and other providers in the area is being considered. [66625/26]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
585. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her Department has commenced research into the development of a safe medical staffing framework; the work carried out to date; and the timeline she is working towards. [66621/26]
View answerThe Department of Health recently commenced a research programme with RCSI to explore the development of an evidence-informed framework for medical workforce staffing and skill mix to inform future policy.
The HRB Evidence for Policy (EFP) Programme is a collaborative initiative between the Health Research Board (HRB) and the Department of Health (DOH) to support research projects that aim to strengthen the evidence base for policy development and evaluation of policy implementation. It is aimed at research to address evidence gaps that are a priority for health and social care policy, to support high quality, internationally competitive research, and to support integrated knowledge translation and development of collaboration between the policy and research communities.
The HRB EFP process is a competitive process underpinned by international peer review, whereby research proposals are invited from multi- and inter- disciplinary research teams and collaborators. Following the HRB EFP application, review and assessment process, a research project to support and inform the Department’s work has recently commenced in 2026, led by a research team at RCSI working with the Department and relevant stakeholders, including HSE National Doctor Training and Planning (NDTP). The RCSI project commenced in Q2 2026 and is due to be completed in Q4 2028.
This work, which is at an early stage of development, aims to assist in the development of an evidence-based framework to inform strategic planning of medical workforce staffing needs, linked to quality of care and patient safety outcomes.
A Scoping Review has commenced which includes review of international and national evidence to inform this work. A high-level overview of the research programme was introduced at the HSE NDTP annual conference in May 2026. The Department of health will continue to progress this work with RCSI and key stakeholders in 2026 and beyond.
586. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health her views on a pre-budget submission (details supplied). [66719/26]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for his question regarding the Asthma Society's Pre Budget Submission.
Funding for all service developments is considered in the first instance as part of the annual estimates process, in the context of overall prioritisation of available funding. This is currently ongoing for 2027.
This process seeks to balance available funding across all service areas to achieve the best possible outcomes for the greatest number of service users and prioritise areas of greatest need.
587. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health the number of days per week CT scanning services are operational and fully facilitated for patients at Ennis hospital; the operating hours of the service on those days; and if there are any specific capital, staffing, or operational plans currently in place to increase the number of days or daily hours that CT scans are provided in Ennis hospital. [66707/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
588. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Health the reason tirzepatide (Mounjaro), despite being authorised for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, is not currently covered under the medical card, long-term illness scheme or drugs payment scheme; and if she will outline the current position regarding access to this medication through the State schemes. [66674/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to investing in new medicines. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated €158 million for new drugs. This has facilitated the introduction of 250 new medicines/ new uses for existing medicines, including 101 for oncology and 70 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 provided this for the medicines budget. This has enabled the funding of 40 new medicines/ new uses for existing medicines, including 17 for oncology and 9 for rare diseases, for the period from January 2026-3rd September 2026.
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.
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 considers the criteria set out in the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement.
The HSE CPU is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
The HSE CPU has met with Eli Lilly (the applicant) to discuss the applications for tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for the following indications:
- For the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise: as monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications, or in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes.
- As an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 to < 30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes mellitus).
A proposal has been received from the applicant and is under review. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
590. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of persons waiting for a first appointment to see a consultant neurosurgeon at Cork University Hospital; and the average waiting times to see the consultant neurosurgeon. [66733/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
591. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE registrar in anaesthetics posts filled at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital as of 1 September 2026; if she will provide the same figures as of 1 September 2023, in tabular form. [66732/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
592. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for approval to take up a nursing community post in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66724/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
593. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the details of approved posts which are unfilled, by location and grade for each region by service in tabular form; and the length of each vacancy. [66740/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
594. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the details of major hospital equipment stock which has a use in diagnostics, such as various scan or lab test machines, and the level of throughput for each for each public hospital, in tabular form; the difference between potential full capacity and actual throughput; and the rate of breakdown for each and equivalent days lost due to breakdown. [66739/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
595. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the extent of use of virtual ward technology across each public hospital, requested from each hospital, including the amount of units available, the average amount deployed at any time, and the equivalent to traditional capacity, for 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [66738/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
596. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and proportion of CAMHS consultations which are conducted in person and remotely for each year 2020-2026, by CAMHS team, in tabular form; and the extent of telemedicine across each CAMHS team. [66737/26]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond direct to the Deputy as soon as possible in relation to the detailed operational information sought.
597. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant psychiatrists working in each CAMHS team by contract type and tenure, in tabular form; the number of whole time equivalent; and the headcount. [66736/26]
View answerI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond direct to the Deputy as soon as possible in relation to the detailed operational information sought.
598. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health the number of opened and staffed high-dependency unit beds that are available in each model 4 hospital as of 14 September 2026, in tabular form. [66716/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
