Written Answers Nos. 714-737
714. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the visit of the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health to Denmark and Sweden for St. Patrick's Day; the meetings she attended, the issues that were discussed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13403/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was pleased to represent Ireland in Denmark and Sweden as part of the St. Patrick’s Day 2025 Ministerial visits programme, with an opportunity to engage on trade, health policy and the diaspora. It was an opportunity to reinforce Ireland’s very positive bilateral relationship with Denmark and Sweden, underlining our government’s strong commitment to the region, as outlined in the Nordic-Baltic strategy.
My programme included mental health, trade, political and Irish community engagements and here is a summary of the engagements:
Denmark
• Reception with 25 Irish companies taking part in the UN International Procurement Seminar.
• Visit to UN City to formally launch Ireland’s participation in the UN International Procurement Seminar 2025.
• Meeting with Dr Ledia Lazeri, Regional Adviser for Mental Health, WHO Europe.
• Meeting with Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
• Meeting with Professor Merete Nordentoft, OPUS Mental Health services (clinical treatment and research).
• Dinner with members of the Irish community (including the newly established Irish Culture Association of Denmark)
Sweden
• Inaugural meeting of the Swedish-Irish Parliamentary Friendship Group at Riksdaghuset.
• Karlolinska Psychiatry Research Centre – meeting and presentations of research on mental health currently underway.
• Meeting with the clinical team at the Karolinska Institute ECMO Ward (which has provided treatment for Irish babies).
• Launch Ireland Nordic Forum and engagement with the business community.
• Meeting with Embassy, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia teams in Sweden, alongside Ireland Nordic Forum participants.
• Meeting with Sweden’s Minister for Health, Jakob Forssmed.
• Meeting with Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (the organisation for all municipalities and regions providing healthcare).
• Meeting with the Stockholm Region Psychiatry Committee.
My visit had a particular focus on mental health. It also provided an opportunity to highlight this government’s EU and international priorities, particularly at this time of rapidly shifting geopolitics.
715. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Health her views on correspondence received from a pharmacist (details supplied) regarding the wholesale cost of a drug; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13404/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
716. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Health the status of surgery for twins (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13435/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
717. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to introducing a rapid response vehicle in Tuam, County Galway, to be operated by an advanced paramedic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13436/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
718. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he plans to endorse the WHO resolution on chronic kidney disease, ‘Reducing the burden of noncommunicable diseases through promotion of kidney health and strengthening prevention and control of kidney disease’. [13462/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
719. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health for an update on the expected roll out of the free HRT scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13468/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra721. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health when free hormone replacement therapy will be available in Ireland; her plans to backdate payment to January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13480/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra797. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Health if women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will be reimbursed for costs incurred due to the delay of the free HRT scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13901/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 719, 721 and 797 together.
Menopause is an important health and wellbeing issue affecting many women in Ireland. Much important work has been done to expand awareness and treatment in this area, driven by the Women’s Health Taskforce and the Women’s Health Action Plans. The Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future continues to emphasise this important commitment to improving women’s health outcomes and experiences. It also commits to make HRT medicines available at no cost for the drug/product.
Budget 2025 announced the intention to fund the cost of HRT products prescribed to women to help manage the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause. This new HRT measure represents another step to widen access to and reduce costs associated with menopause related treatments and services and follows on from all the other developments that have taken place over several years. Legislation was passed in 2024 to enable the introduction of this new measure. It means that where a woman has been prescribed a HRT product by her healthcare provider to alleviate the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause, the cost of the HRT medications or products will be met by the State. For the purpose of this measure, menopause means, in relation to a woman, the various stages for the treatment of menopause symptoms and includes perimenopause, post menopause, early menopause, premature menopause and medically induced menopause. This measure will cover HRT medications and products which are reimbursable by the HSE, which have been prescribed for the purposes of alleviating the symptoms of menopause. Reimbursement support for this new measure will be available to participating pharmacies from the date of commencement.
It should also be noted that medical card holders already have access to all reimbursable HRT medicines/products, subject to payment of the statutory prescription charge. In addition, many women avail of the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) to reduce the cost they pay to access reimbursable HRT products. The current monthly DPS threshold is €80.
The Department and HSE, has engaged extensively with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) in relation to the practical rollout of this measure, which was intended to commence in January.
Last month I met with the IPU to discuss ambitions for expanding and reforming community pharmacy and on progressing the HRT initiative. The IPU committed to coming to back to me regarding the introduction of the HRT scheme. They have done so, and we remain actively engaged on the matter with the goal to introduce this measure as soon as possible.
720. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health for an update on a vacant post (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13474/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
722. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the details on the Prompt Payment Report for Q2 2024; the breakdown of total payments, late payments, penalties incurred, and disputed invoices; and if all required data fields were reported in full. [13510/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department published its Prompt Payments Report for Q2 2024 on 10/07/24. It can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/18815b-department-of-health-prompt-payment-reports/#2024
All required fields were completed.
723. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure respite services are provided to families in a care centre (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13530/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is not a matter for Department of Health. This question should be redirected to the Department of Disabilities, Children and Youth Affairs.
724. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Health the criteria, both medical and social, used in determining patient access to step-down or transitional beds in the community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13533/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
725. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to detail the total expenditure on public procurement by her Department and its agencies, including spending on goods, services and works acquired through public procurement processes, in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [13546/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a devolved procurement function whereby each business unit is responsible for the procurement of their own goods, services and any related contracts.
From the information available, the costs of public procurement tenders (over €25,000), where my Department acted as the contracting authority, and where the contract has been completed in each year since February 2020, are set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Services |
Goods |
Works |
|
2020 |
€1,619,871 |
€34,900 |
0 |
|
2021 |
€26,865,866 |
€299,590 |
0 |
|
2022 |
€25,077,447 |
€97,622 |
0 |
|
2023 |
€1,972,291 |
€49,900 |
0 |
|
2024 |
€2,047,940 |
€587,645 |
0 |
I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Details for other bodies under the aegis of my Department are operational matters for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
726. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to increase the out-of-hours crisis mental health service on the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13553/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
727. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Health when spinal muscular atrophy drug treatment will be made available to adults suffering with spinal muscular atrophy (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13563/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
728. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the recommendations outlined by PLACES in 2024 regarding pregnancy loss; if she will implement these recommendations; if so, to outline specific recommendations to be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13567/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is not a matter for Department of Health. This question should be redirected to the Department of Disabilities, Children and Youth Affairs.
729. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health to provide a list of regulatory, appeal or other bodies, either funded by or under the remit of her Department, which are quasi-judicial in nature. [13577/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available. My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
730. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health the level of funding provided, and scheduled to be provided to, the Community Access Support Team pilot project to fund the provision of a clinical nurse specialist, social care worker and senior social care practitioner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13587/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
731. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Health if HSE funding provided to the Community Access Support Tea pilot project comes from existing resources or from additional funding specific to the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13588/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
732. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the steps he will take to ensure that an organisation (details supplied) is provided with home base facilities in Shannon and in every area required, to enhance its work supporting the emergency services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13590/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is not a matter for Department of Health. This question should be redirected to the Department of Rural and Community Development.
733. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health to outline the criteria for the special scheme for healthcare workers impacted by long-Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13592/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe eligibility criteria set when the Special Scheme was first introduced were designed to ensure that employees supported by the Special Scheme included those working in a COVID exposed environment in the period before PPE and vaccinations were readily available, and before community transmission became more prevalent.
In the public health sector, a temporary Special Scheme was put in place for 12 months in July 2022 to support eligible staff who were impacted by Long-Covid. At the request of my Department, approval to extend the Special Scheme was granted by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform (DPENDPR) a number of times, most recently at the end of June 2024 when it was extended for a further 12 months on the existing terms for the existing cohort of employees already being supported by it. The Special scheme will end on the 30th of June 2025.
734. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health to outline the supports available to healthcare workers with long-Covid going forward, who did not qualify for the special scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13593/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraEmployees who did not qualify for the Special Scheme but are also impacted by Long-Covid may also utilise the supports of the sick leave scheme.
The sick leave scheme provides full pay for three months, followed by half pay for three months, and after that, Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration may be applied for, which, if granted, provides up to a further 547 days of paid leave. The Critical Illness Protocol that forms part of the sick leave scheme may also provide additional supports if granted.
735. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will consider the return visiting trip time of five hours for a family in west Kerry by transferring a Kerry patient (details supplied) from Kenmare Community Hospital to Dingle Community Hospital as a matter of extreme urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13594/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
736. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health why a transgender man and his wife are being treated as a same-sex couple for the purpose of fertility treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13604/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the final phase of the roll-out of the Model of Care for Fertility, referrals for publicly-funded, privately-provided assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment commenced in September 2023. Criteria prospective patients should meet in order to access fully-funded AHR services were agreed by the Department and the HSE and subsequently approved by Government in July 2023. More details on public fertility services, including information on the publicly-funded AHR treatment initiative, are available from the HSE at: www2.hse.ie/conditions/fertility-problems-treatments/fertility-treatment/
Over 2,000 couples have been referred to date by a Reproductive Specialist Consultant for AHR treatment – including IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) and IUI (intrauterine insemination) – following extensive investigations and/or secondary level treatment within one of the six Regional Fertility Hubs located across the country. Furthermore, the Hubs have successfully and directly managed numerous of patients presenting with fertility-related issues who have been referred by their GP. Not all couples experiencing fertility challenges actually require such advanced and invasive interventions as IVF.
Given the complex regulatory and clinical issues to be addressed in respect of certain categories of AHR treatment, including donor-assisted treatment, public funding of certain AHR services have been of necessity commenced on a structured and phased basis. While some regulation regarding the provision of AHR services involving donor gametes is currently provided for, there are a number of important clinically relevant issues which will be addressed by the commencement of both the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 and the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill, which is currently being drafted.
Regarding the type of case referred to in the Deputy’s question, I have been assured by the HSE that circumstances such as a prospective patient’s sexual orientation or gender identification have no bearing on the decision on whether a referral for specific AHR treatment is made . Rather, access to publicly-funded AHR treatment is assessed on relevant clinical factors, including whether the couple in question require the use of donated material. For those prospective patients who need to use donated gametes, their ineligibility for the public pathway is based solely on that requirement.
Decisions in respect of any proposed changes to the access criteria and/or the range of services provided through the publicly-funded scheme require further extensive consultation between Department of Health officials, colleagues in the HSE and also with relevant specialists in the field of reproductive medicine.
I want to reassure the Deputy that my Department and the Government are focused, through the full implementation of the Model of Care for Fertility, on ensuring that patients receive care at the appropriate level of clinical intervention and then those requiring, and eligible for, advanced AHR treatment such as IVF will be able to access same through the public health system.
737. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13620/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
