Written Answers Nos. 421-439
421. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Health if she or the HSE has any plans on making thyroid disease a long-term illness further to matters raised (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33427/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 covered by the Scheme. These are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.
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.
There has been a significant focus on improving access to and the affordability of healthcare services over the last few years. This includes reductions in the Drugs Payment Scheme threshold, expansion of access to free GP care, and the abolition of all public in-patient hospital charges for children and adults. These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare.
People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE.
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 DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of their medical expenses, including medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is at the standard tax rate of 20%.
422. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if her Department has any plans to purchase an available near Crofton Road in Dún Laoghaire, adjacent to St. Michael’s Hospital, to help alleviate parking issues at St. Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33445/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare estate, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
424. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the expected wait-time for parliamentary questions replies to be returned by the HSE to TDs. [33453/25]
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.
425. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown, by regional health area, of primary care child and adolescent service waiting-lists for occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy and psychology; for a breakdown, in years and months, for those young people waiting over 52 weeks; and the longest wait time for each discipline in each regional health area. [33455/25]
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.
426. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health if nursing-homes (details supplied) will be investigated by her Department. [33456/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraReply awaited from the Department.
427. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists employed by the HSE, per local health area, per grade, from the years 2018 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33474/25]
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.
428. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists contracted to the dental treatment services scheme, per local health area, from the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33475/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
429. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the status of the proposed primary care centre at a location (details supplied), including a timeline for when the project will progress to completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33486/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare estate, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
430. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health the number of people working full-time and part-time in her Department and bodies under the aegis of the Department in roles that are fully on-site, hybrid, or fully remote from 2022 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33504/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrently 90% of the staff are availing of the Departments blending working policy which is a minimum of 2 days working onsite. Blended working is available to all staff except those whose presence is required onsite due to the nature of their role. A small cohort of staff have not applied for a variety of reasons including Leaves of Absence, New Hires & Maternity Leave. A further small cohort of staff have declined to apply for blended working.
The Department have requested the information from the NCSAs under our aegis and will respond to the Deputy in due course. The HSE have also been asked to respond directly to the Deputy.
431. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has plans to intervene or offer supports to dozens of Brazilian students left in limbo following the sudden closure of an agency (details supplied) at the end of May 2025, which mediates between students and schools, colleges, and universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33256/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTravel agencies, such as the one referred to by the Deputy, are privately owned and primarily operate in other jurisdictions. These agencies arrange study and travel options for prospective international higher education (HE) and English language education (ELE) students to many countries including Ireland. These agencies act as intermediaries between prospective students and predominantly private ELE and HE providers, who secure payments for courses and assist students with travel, accommodation, and visa requirements.
As this is principally a private sector activity and a matter of private contract between the parties involved, my Department does not have a role in these matters. There is presently no national regulation of such agencies as many entities of this type are based in other jurisdictions and operate outside of the State. If issues arise with such agencies, these should be reported to the appropriate authorities within the relevant jurisdiction, where there may be routes for those affected to pursue the matter.
It is vitally important for those students who choose to use an agent when travelling to Ireland to study, that they ensure that the agent is reputable and has a relationship in place with their prospective ELE provider.
Education providers in Ireland wishing to recruit non-EEA students are currently required to be listed on the ILEP (the Interim List of Eligible Programmes - the list of education programmes considered to justify the granting of permission to students to live and work in Ireland). The ILEP is managed by the Department of Justice in conjunction with my Department.
A condition of an ILEP listing is a requirement for education providers to operate an 'escrow' type account with a bank or financial institution regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Providers are required to hold funds on behalf of prospective students pending the outcome of their application for a visa. Where the visa decision is positive the funds are transferred to the provider. If the visa application is refused the funds (less any pre-agreed charges) are refunded to the student.
The ILEP regulations concerning international payments holding service or a separate client visa account are not applicable in the case where a student engages the services of an agent and where advanced payment(s) are paid to that agent.
TrustEd Ireland - a new international education quality mark - is a key pillar of the Government’s policy for international education, as set out in Global Citizens 2030: Ireland’s International Talent and Innovation Strategy to 2030. The TrustEd Ireland mark will be awarded by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners. The new TrustEd Ireland scheme will establish, for the first time, a formal quality assurance process for the English language education sector in Ireland and will provide QQI with statutory powers to regulate this sector.
To obtain the TrustEd Ireland mark providers will have to demonstrate compliance with requirements on corporate fitness, quality assurance and the protection of enrolled learners, alongside key criteria and practices surrounding the recruitment and admission of international students, information provision, student welfare, cultural awareness and academic support provisions.
In addition, providers must also demonstrate compliance with an associated Code of Practice. The ELE Code of Practice includes provisions in relation to partnerships with recruitment agents, including adherence to the London Statement - an internationally recognised statement of principles for the ethical recruitment of international students by education agents and consultants. It is also expected that ELE providers perform due diligence, in the form of three reference checks, to verify the track record of prospective education agents, recruitment partners and consultants in relation to learner protection issues, prior to entering into a contractual agreement.
QQI opened the first application window for providers seeking to obtain the TrustEd Ireland mark on 14 October 2024. The assessments of these applications are currently taking place. It is expected that the first cohort of providers will be authorised to use the mark in late 2025. It is anticipated that the second TrustEd Ireland application window will also open in the latter part of this year.
When fully operational, and following a transitionary period, TrustEd Ireland will replace the ILEP for student immigration purposes. This means that providers wishing to recruit non-EU/EEA learners on programmes that require immigration permissions or study visas will be required to apply to QQI for authorisation to use the mark.
432. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount raised in each of the past ten years via the annual student contribution (previously called the student services charge) at third level, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33271/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Free Fees Initiative, the State provides funding towards the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students exclusive of the student contribution.
The student contribution was introduced in the 2011/12 academic year. The student contribution replaced the student services charge levied by higher education institutions (HEIs), which were up to €1,500 in the 2010/11 academic year. The student contribution is currently set at €3,000 per annum.
Student contributions are collected by the higher education institutions (HEIs) and form part of their overall income each year. My Department does not collect information on the income generated by HEIs. Therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is not available.
HEIs publish their financial statements each year. These are available to view on the website of each HEI. Within these financial statements, HEIs provide details of their various income sources, including information regarding fee income. However, HEIs do not distinguish between the various types of academic fee income generated. Such fee income can include the student contribution, post-graduate fee income, international fee income etc.
In terms of estimated costs, the Deputy may be aware that my Department published an Options Paper in 2024 where the potential costs of reducing the student contribution in a single academic year were set out. In the paper it was estimated that removal of the €3,000 student contribution may cost in the order of €288.9m. These were the estimated additional costs to the State after allowing for savings of circa €149m that would accrue on the SUSI scheme.
Based on the above figures, the estimated fee income generated by the student contribution is in the region of €438m per annum.
433. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an estimate of the average annual cost per student of delivering one year of full-time university education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33272/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the development of relevant curriculum and student numbers on individual courses.
I understand that costs of individual courses can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the type of course and the method of provision. Costs also vary by institution. HEIs work with various regulatory bodies (e.g. the Medical Council, CORU, the Teaching Council, etc.) who play a role in setting, promoting and enforcing high standards of professional education, training and competence in their relevant spheres. Meeting these professional standards can in turn impact of the cost of provision.
My Department does not maintain a schedule of costs that each autonomous HEI may incur. Therefore, an average annual cost per student of delivering one year of full-time university education is not available.
434. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the funding under the Strategic Infrastructure Fund to build a new Youthreach facility on the site of the existing college site (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33311/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department announced the Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund (SIUF) programme call, in February 2022, to support the upgrade of Further Education and Training (FET) infrastructure for Education and Training Boards (ETBs). Its purpose is to provide for high-quality teaching and learning environments, aligned with the principles of the FET College of the Future.
A total of 19 projects were approved under this programme including a project for Cork Education and Training Board, Mallow Youthreach. The project proposes the delivery of a new facility on the site of the existing Mallow College of Further Education site, allowing for the consolidation of FET services onto one site and to provide fit for purpose premises for the Youthreach provision in the area.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the ETB's Design Team has completed the Stage 1 report for the project. The report was reviewed by SOLAS and submitted to my Department earlier this month for consideration.
435. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost per annum of the scheme to attract academics from the United States by co-funding their salaries which was announced in May 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33329/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 13 May, the Government agreed to my proposals to establish a Global Talent Initiative to bring international research talent to Ireland. My Department is working with Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland to design a call, which will be launched this summer.
The programme will have an initial budget of €8m per annum. It is anticipated that this figure will support up to 15 researchers per year. In addition to salary, there will be other significant costs associated with the programme that will also have to be factored in. These would include, for example, the wider research team that would be associated with a particular individual, research equipment, laboratory space, overheads such as administration, infrastructure, work related travel and other ancillary costs. There is potential scope for additional funding to be sought as the programme scales up.
The investment required to attract established researchers as well as rising stars will not only facilitate the projects they are investigating, it will also attract further high-calibre talent and add to the knowledge and skills base within the Irish higher education landscape, adding a significant multiplier effect.
436. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of people working full-time and part-time in his Department and bodies under the aegis of the Department in roles that are fully on-site, hybrid, or fully remote from 2022 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33503/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) is committed to embracing opportunities for remote and blended working.
The DFHERIS Blended Working Policy was introduced at the end of 2023 and allows staff members to make applications to work remotely for up to three days per week subject to business needs. Fully remote work patterns are not permitted.
The Department continues to accept applications from staff members to formalise their blended working arrangements and work is ongoing to promote this.
As at 31st May 2025,
- 62% of the staff in Department have made formal applications for hybrid working with 42% of these fully approved.
-6.5% of employees are on a work-share pattern.
The information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
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Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
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Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
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Higher Education Authority |
Oireachtas@hea.ie |
Trevor Purtill |
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Grangegorman Development Agency |
Communications@ggda.ie |
nora.rahill@ggda.ie |
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SOLAS |
oireachtasinfo@solas.ie |
Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie |
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Skillnets Ireland |
oireachtasmembers@skillnetireland.ie |
tracey.donnery@skillnetireland.ie |
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Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
ceo@qqi.ie |
ceo@qqi.ie |
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Léargas – The Exchange Bureau |
oireachtas@leargas.ie |
fbroughan@leargas.ie |
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Research Ireland |
oireachtasqueries@researchireland.ie |
Donna McCabe |
437. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to outline all of the grant opportunities available to meals on wheels programmes in addition to the funding available from the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33373/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department recognises the importance of meals on wheels service providers to our communities and supports such organisations through the CLÁR Programme and the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP).
The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period.
Measure 2 of the 2025 CLÁR programme includes a provision supporting vehicles for Meals on Wheels organisations. The 2025 CLÁR programme is now closed for applications and I look forward to announcing the successful projects later this year.
The LEP provides small scale funding to community groups and organisations across Ireland, with a focus on areas of disadvantage. The fund is administered on behalf of my Department locally by Local Community Development Committees across the country, with support from their local authority. Meals on Wheels groups may be eligible under the LEP once they meet the criteria of the scheme. They have been facilitated under the fund in previous years. The LEP 2025 is now closed for applications. Any further iterations of the fund will be considered in due course.
In addition to the above, a range of community focused facilities are funded under schemes administered by my Department such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Community Centre Investment Fund and LEADER. I am aware that these facilities can in many instances be used by Meals on Wheels groups in delivering their very valuable services in their communities.
438. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the amount of funding provided by the Tha Boord o Ulster Scotch to the Royal Landing Festival on 14 June 2025; what was the Ulster Scots language component, if any, of the festival; and whether the advertising or marketing of the event sponsored by Tha Boord o Ulster Scotch include text in any language other than English. [33482/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand from the Ulster-Scots Agency that the organisation provided a grant of £5,650 to the Royal Landing community festival. This award supported a range of Ulster-Scots cultural programming including Ulster-Scots musical displays across a range of genres, a display of highland dancing, historical re-enactors, historical talks, an exhibition and associated logistical arrangements. The application was assessed and the award made in line with the Agency's NSMC-approved Financial Assistance Scheme.
The Ulster-Scots Agency's primary responsibility is to promote the Ulster-Scots language and culture within Northern Ireland and throughout the island of Ireland. While Ulster-Scots language content is desirable, it is not compulsory and I understand that there was no specific language element to the Royal Landing. The organisers did, as required, use the Ulster-Scots Agency's logo, which is bilingual, on all promotional materials.
439. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the number of people working full-time and part-time in his Department and bodies under the aegis of the Department in roles that are fully on-site, hybrid, or fully remote from 2022 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33508/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe majority of staff in my Department and its agencies work a hybrid pattern. There are eight bodies under the aegis of my Department - Pobal, the Western Development Commission, the Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. The figures provided are inclusive of Gaeltacht staff who recently transferred into my Department. I have listed the breakdown of information as requested in the tables below.
