Written Answers Nos. 213-224
213. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure by the HSE and each Section 38 organisation on management consultancy and external professional services for each full year 2021 to 2025 and for the period 1 January to 31 August in 2025 and 2026, broken down by organisation, firm and service type and, for HSE expenditure, by HSE Health Region or national service where available, in tabular form. [67589/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
214. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if she will clarify whether a GP practice may charge a medical card or doctor visit card holder a “New Patient Appointment Fee” (details supplied) when registering with the practice; whether such a fee is permissible under the GMS scheme where the appointment is solely for registration; if the HSE has issued guidance to GPs on such charges; and if the HSE is investigating this matter, which has been raised by email on multiple occasions since July without a substantive response despite repeated requests for an update. [67669/26]
View answerGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.
Under the terms of the GMS contract, GPs are required to provide eligible patients, medical card and GP visit card holders, with ''all proper and necessary treatment of a kind usually undertaken by a general practitioner and not requiring special skill or experience of a degree or kind which general practitioners cannot reasonably be expected to possess". Persons who hold a medical card or a GP visit card are not subject to any co-payments or other charges in respect of such services.
Where a patient who holds a medical card or GP visit card believes they have been incorrectly by their GP for a service provided under the GMS contract, then that patient should report the matter to their HSE Local Health Office. The local management, upon being notified of potential inappropriate charging of a GMS patient, shall contact the GP concerned and carry out an investigation into the complaint and will, where appropriate, arrange for a refund of charges incorrectly applied by that GP.
As the specific question relates to service matters, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible with further information on the matters raised.
215. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of requests received for assistance with assignment to a GP or dentist from medical card holders, GP visit card holders and persons without such qualification, for each full year 2016 to 2025 and for the period 1 January to 31 August in 2025 and 2026, nationally, by HSE Health Region and by local area, broken down by GP and dentist requests and applicant category; and, for 2025 and 2026, the number which resulted in assignment to a provider, remained unresolved or were otherwise closed, in tabular form. [67587/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
216. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for access to dental treatment under sedation or general anaesthetic at 31 August 2025 and 31 August 2026, broken down by sedation or anaesthetic type, adult and child, patient category including patients with additional or special care needs, waiting-time band, HSE Health Region and Integrated Healthcare Area; and the average and longest waiting time in each area, in tabular form. [67586/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
217. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of newly qualified nurses who completed their internships in 2026 and subsequently applied for nursing positions within the HSE; the number offered temporary and permanent posts respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67585/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
218. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of children eligible and scheduled for school dental screening, the number actually screened, the number and percentage of eligible children not screened, the number receiving treatment following screening, and the school year or class cohort currently being called for screening in each local dental area, for the 2021/22 to 2025/26 school years and to date in the 2026/27 school year, in tabular form. [67584/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
219. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients assessed and waiting to commence orthodontic treatment at 31 August in each of the years 2022 to 2026, nationally, by HSE Health Region, Integrated Healthcare Area and local dental office, broken down by waiting-time band and treatment priority; the number of treatment commencements in each year and in the period 1 January to 31 August 2026; the average and longest wait, in tabular form. [67583/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
220. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for an orthodontic assessment at 31 August 2026, nationally, by HSE Health Region, Integrated Healthcare Area and local dental office, broken down by waiting-time band; and the average and longest waiting time in each area, in tabular form. [67581/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
221. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of adults and children awaiting assessment or treatment through HSE primary care dental services at 31 August 2026, nationally, by HSE Health Region, Integrated Healthcare Area and local dental office where available, broken down by patient category, treatment type and waiting-time band; and the average and longest waiting time in each area, in tabular form. [67580/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
222. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of funded or sanctioned posts for which recruitment, appointment or commencement has been paused, delayed, refused or otherwise restricted as a consequence of financial, employment or recruitment controls in 2026, nationally and by HSE Health Region, Integrated Healthcare Area, hospital and National Service, broken down by staff category and grade; the number of successful candidates who have accepted an offer but have not yet received a commencement date; and the average and longest period such appointments have been awaiting approval or commencement, in tabular form. [67611/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
223. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health what measures are being taken to ensure that nurses who successfully complete internship programmes within the HSE are provided with opportunities to continue their careers within the public health service, her plans to improve the retention of newly qualified nurses in view of ongoing recruitment and staffing pressures across hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67601/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
224. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to lift the effective freeze on the hiring of physician associates (PAs) within the public health service, given there are more than 40 qualified PAs whose education was funded by the HSE, who committed as part of their training to work for the HSE for three years following qualification and who cannot find employment due to the current delays on the approval of the national grade code (details supplied). [67285/26]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
