Written Answers Nos. 810-830
810. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of permanent full-time job offers that CHI Temple Street made to new graduate nursing posts in 2024 to work in this hospital; and of the jobs offered, the number that were accepted. [33973/25]
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.
811. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Health the number of pulmonary function laboratories nationwide; and the number of laboratories with vacancies for respiratory physiologists, per laboratory, in tabular form. [33974/25]
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.
812. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to examine a fair deal case in respect of a family in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33998/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMinisters are precluded by the provisions of Section 10B of the Health Act 2004 (as inserted by Section 6 of the Health Service Executive (Governance) Act 2013) from directing the Health Service Executive (HSE) as regards any function of the HSE relating to the provision of treatment or of a health or personal social service to any particular person, or as regards any decision whether or not a particular person is eligible for a particular health or personal social service or the extent to which and the manner in which a person is eligible for such a service.
Under the Health Act 2004, the day-to-day operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health services is a matter for the HSE.
As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
813. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and details of reports, by report type, procured by Children’s Health Ireland from a company (details supplied) in the period 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and the substance or subject area to which the reports relate. [34003/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the question asked by the Deputy requires operational detail to answer, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly, as soon as possible.
814. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the reason a child (details supplied) was refused by CAMHS for an ADHD assessment; if there is an appropriate service to provide the support required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34011/25]
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.
815. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to carry out a full review of HSE recruitment policies, pay grades and working conditions for our frontline medical workers; to ensure all beds are available for use, at all times in Community Hospitals, such as Dingle and Cahersiveen in County Kerry, along with many others; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34042/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraNational HR's role is to provide oversight on HR policies, manage the consolidated Health sector pay scales and provide guidance on pay Terms & Conditions for employees in the Health sector. National HR have no role in local staffing, numbers and vacancies and this is a matter for the service unit.
The Pay and Numbers Strategy is an annual staffing review carried out by the HSE with DoH oversight to ensure staffing levels are implemented in line with funding, head count and public pay policy.
Challenges can exist in recruiting staff to some of the more rural community hospital locations. Staff shortages can temporarily occur in community hospitals as a result of retirements, resignations and various other leave including flexible working time arrangements which are available to staff. Maternity leave and sick leave exacerbate the staffing issues in addition to the peninsula location.
There are currently 33 beds available at Cahersiveen Community Hospital, of the 33 beds 29 are operational at this time. Unfortunately there may be occasions where beds are not occupied to 100% capacity as a result of recruitment or staffing issues. To ensure the safety of both residents and staff, bed capacity is dependent on adequate staffing levels and requires an appropriate staff skill-mix to be in place.
There are currently 54 beds registered for use at West Kerry Community Hospital, of the 54 available 42 are operational at this time. The number of beds open at any time is dependent on safe staffing levels. West Kerry Community Hospital, in common with other health facilities, can experience staffing shortages and the HSE strive to mitigate deficits and ensure that safe staffing levels are maintained.
HSE South West is working to provide additional beds at West Kerry Community Hospital so that they can provide an enhanced service for the local community. However, plans to increase capacity are dependent on staffing levels and the outcome of ongoing recruitment campaigns. The HSE are continuing intensive efforts to recruit staff of all grades for West Kerry Community Hospital, and these efforts have encompassed local, national and international campaigns.
Multiple recruitment campaigns have been run in relation to West Kerry Community Hospital, but unfortunately these recruitment efforts have had limited success. Vigorous efforts are being made by the HSE in line with recruitment policies to attract candidates to roles at the hospital.
816. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to immediately introduce incentives to attract the required staff to such places as Cahersiveen Community Hospital on the Iveragh Peninsula in South Kerry, where the HSE has confirmed that beds remain unoccupied at the facility, including two palliative care beds due to staffing shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34043/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraReferred to the HSE for directly reply to the Deputy.
817. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to immediately introduce incentives to attract the required staff to such places as West Kerry Community Hospital on the Dingle Peninsula in South Kerry, where the HSE has confirmed that beds remain unoccupied at the facility, due to staffing shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34044/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
818. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the average length of time CORU takes to recognise professional qualifications for each of the professions it regulates where those qualifications are from outside the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34047/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe latest information provided by CORU on the average length of time to recognise professional qualifications for each of the professions it regulates is outlined below. It should be noted that the recognition process only applies to qualifications which are obtained outside the state.
Recognition Processing Times
The average processing timeframe for Recognition was 60 days across the professions for May.
Average Recognition Processing Times (in days)
Average processing timeframe CORU
Medical Scientists remain the outlier at 142 days. If Medical Scientists are excluded the average processing time for May would be 50 days.
Average Recognition Processing Times by Profession (in days)
|
Profession |
Dec 2024 |
Jan |
Feb |
March |
April |
May |
|
Dietitian |
- |
17 |
23 |
252 |
131 |
68 |
|
Dispensing Optician |
-- |
56 |
11 |
16 |
31 |
32 |
|
Medical Scientist |
143 |
127 |
99 |
135 |
320 |
142 |
|
Occupational Therapist |
11 |
29 |
11 |
37 |
37 |
20 |
|
Optometrist |
64 |
154 |
11 |
149 |
42 |
|
|
Physiotherapist |
143 |
52 |
72 |
58 |
45 |
40 |
|
Podiatrist |
48 |
34 |
51 |
9 |
5 |
|
|
Radiographer |
142 |
41 |
44 |
42 |
40 |
31 |
|
Radiation Therapist |
65 |
55 |
28 |
59 |
||
|
Social Worker |
93 |
78 |
32 |
57 |
60 |
58 |
|
Speech & Language Therapist |
210 |
53 |
111 |
36 |
25 |
51 |
CORU has reviewed its processes and identified areas where, working with its registration boards, it could utilise the potential of its legislation to improve both the recognition of international qualifications process and the registration process. Increased delegations from the registration boards to the executive have been put in place and include:
· matters considered low risk;
· qualifications assessed as meeting the standards to practise in the profession in Ireland;
· increase in the frequency of board meetings, and
· increase in the frequency of the registrar’s review of applications for registration decision to a weekly basis.
In 2024 CORU achieved a:
· 33% reduction (24 day) in timelines for recognition of international qualifications to an average of 63 days;
· 42 % reduction (39 days) for registration applications to an average 52 days.
The most significant impact was on:
· Applicants who hold a qualification from the United Kingdom (recognition) due in large part to expedited pathways for commonly aligned standards (CAS). This pathway currently includes UK (including NI) qualifications but will be extended in 2025 to countries that have commonly aligned standards with Ireland.
· Graduates of CORU approved programmes (registration).
In 2025 to end Q1, CORU has been experiencing its fastest rate in growth of numbers of registrants being added to the register month on month and hopes to achieve the following KPIs in 2025:
· 50 days for recognition of international qualifications;
· 30 days for registration applications;
· 14 days for new graduates of CORU’s approved programmes.
The most recent expansion of the CAS project is its extension to Australia and New Zealand for physiotherapists. The CAS project will continue to look at countries and professions that commonly align with Irish Standards of Proficiency.
A major achievement in the past six months has been the implementation of CORU’s new Registrant Management System which allows greater visibility of the applicant journey and removes duplicate steps across both processes.
CORU has also engaged with the HSE in collaborative webinars to provide guidance and support to anyone considering working as a Health and Social Care Professional in the Irish Public Health Service. The recognition team have also produced a summary leaflet for international applicants, similar to the graduate leaflet available on the CORU website. CORU has also taken measures to improve its customer service resource.
819. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the status of the application for CORU recognition of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34048/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in my Department have been in touch with CORU and have asked that a response to the question raised be communicated directly to the Deputy.
820. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health for a breakdown of the total number of individuals, by grade and/or profession, employed by the HSE for each of the years 2015 to 2024, in tabular form. [34049/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
821. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the progress in increasing the number of clinical trials across the health sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34050/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is continuing its efforts to transform the clinical trials landscape in Ireland including measures to increase the number of clinical trials taking place. The National Clinical Trials Oversight Group (NCTOG) was established in July 2024 to investigate the challenges of undertaking clinical trials in Ireland, and to formulate solutions to meet those challenges. The Group published its interim recommendations www.assets.gov.ie/static/documents/national-clinical-trials-oversight-group-interim-recommendations.pdf in October 2024, and these were noted by Government on 7th November 2024.
The NCTOG's Interim Recommendations directly address some of the core administrative barriers which have been hindering the wider roll out of clinical trials in Ireland. Improvements in areas such as contracts, costings, and data protection are already evident, signaling that we are on the right track in looking to boost our competitiveness as a premier destination for high-quality clinical trials.
In the area of streamlining clinical trials agreements, a revised Clinical Trial Agreement contract template has been created by the HSE in partnership with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). This is now in use at HSE hospitals, and thanks to the efforts of the NCTOG, discussions are underway to implement these contracts more widely across our healthcare system. These solutions are being applied in real-world settings, and users are reporting that it is improving the speed at which contracted parties can reach agreement to undertake clinical trials and thus provide the potential for better patient outcomes.
This measurable progress has also been noted by the recent "Clinical Trials Activity Comparison Report" published by the IPHA in May 2025 which highlighted encouraging trends across Ireland's clinical trial landscape.
The NCTOG has also established sub-groups to work on costings and workforce planning, with the aim of developing recommendations that can assist in establishing a standardised model of clinical trials costing, increase predictability and help ease the process of setting up trials, as well as supporting clinicians and research staff through supportive frameworks that will improve recruitment, reduce attrition rates, and support career pathways for researchers.
Notwithstanding the progress that has been made, challenges remain. The Group is currently deliberating on their final recommendations which will build on the success to date achieved with the publication of the Interim Recommendations. I hope to be in position shortly to bring the final recommendations to Government for approval and continuing this journey in seeking to transform the clinical trials landscape in Ireland for the benefit of Irish society.
822. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the financial cost to date of the May 2021 cyberattack on the HSE; the measures now in place to address the exposed vulnerabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34051/25]
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.
823. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the date on which she will meet with a group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34064/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Office has been in touch with the Organisation for Anticonvulsant Syndrome Ireland (OACS Ireland) to accept their request for a meeting.
A meeting has been scheduled for 14th July.
824. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the infrastructure projects being built or commissioned by her Department that are currently late in their delivery; and the infrastructure projects currently over budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34094/25]
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.
825. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department considered ethical objections, including those grounded in secular or non-religious bioethics, to the presumption of consent for organ donation introduced under the Human Tissue Act 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34111/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 was enacted in February 2024. The Act is a composite piece of legislation that includes provisions around donation and transplantation of organs, tissues, and cells, post-mortem practice and procedures, anatomical examination, and public display of bodies after death. Crucially, it embeds in legislation the idea that consent is the defining principle across all these sensitive areas.
Part 2 of the Act which provides, for the first time, a national legislative framework for organ donation and transplant services in Ireland, commenced on 17 June 2025.
Under the legislation, all adults in Ireland are considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate on the Relevant Organ Donation Opt-Out Register or are in one of the excluded groups. It is important to reassure people that family members will always be consulted before any action is taken. This is commonly referred to as a soft opt-out system of organ donation.
The Act was drafted following extensive consultation with stakeholders including two public consultations.
Most people in Ireland are in favour of organ donation, and the new system changes the default assumption to one that matches the prevailing public attitude regarding organ donation. Meanwhile, the Register is intended to ensure that a person’s right to autonomy, self-determination and bodily integrity is respected.
Adopting an opt-out system of consent for organ donation will bring Ireland in line with international best practice and aims to save lives by increasing the donor pool in Ireland.
826. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the means by which the Department intends to monitor and evaluate the impact of the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 on trust in the healthcare system, particularly among minority religious or ethical communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34112/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra827. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the safeguards in place under the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 to ensure the religious beliefs of a deceased individual, particularly where such beliefs prohibit or strongly discourage post-mortem organ removal, are respected, even in the absence of an opt-out registration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34113/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra828. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if there is a mechanism under the Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 to allow individuals to object to the presumption of consent model on ethical or philosophical grounds while still indicating a willingness to donate organs voluntarily; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34114/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra829. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the procedures in place to ensure next-of-kin consent is not used to override the known religious or ethical objections of the deceased, where the individual has not registered on the organ donor opt-out register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34115/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra830. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if any exemptions exist under the Human Tissue Act 2024 for individuals or communities whose cultural or religious beliefs prohibit posthumous organ donation, even if they have not formally opted out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34116/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 826, 827, 828, 829 and 830 together.
The Human Tissue (Transplantation, Post-Mortem, Anatomical Examination and Public Display) Act 2024 was enacted in February 2024. The Act is a composite piece of legislation that includes provisions around donation and transplantation of organs, tissues, and cells, post-mortem practice and procedures, anatomical examination, and public display of bodies after death. Crucially, it embeds in legislation the idea that consent is the defining principle across all these sensitive areas.
Part 2 of the Act, which commenced on 17 June 2025, provides for the first time a national legislative framework for organ donation and transplant services in Ireland.
Under the legislation, all adults in Ireland are considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate on an Opt-Out Register or are in one of the excluded groups. It is important to reassure people that family members will always be consulted before any action is taken. This is commonly referred to as a soft opt-out organ donation system. Under this system, organ donation remains voluntary.
This system does not include an exemption for persons as a result of their cultural or religious beliefs, or other ethical or philosophical grounds. The excluded groups include:
• Children under the age of 18.
• People who don’t normally live in Ireland or who have lived here for less than a year.
• People who may not have had the capacity to make a decision to opt-out of organ donation before they died.
• People whose family members can’t be contacted in time to confirm that they don’t object to the donation of their loved one’s organs.
Outside of the excluded groups, those who object to organ donation, for whatever reason, can record their objection on the Register. The wishes of those on the Register will be respected in full, and their family will not be approached on the issue of organ donation. This objection applies to the relevant organs under the Act, namely, the liver, lung, pancreas, heart or kidney.
Regarding the individuals that have not registered an objection on the Register, I want to reassure people that organs will not be automatically donated, and family members will always be consulted before any action is taken. In instances where families object to organ donation, the donation will not proceed.
For this reason, everyone is encouraged to discuss their wishes around donation with their family to make sure that their choices will be known and respected. The wishes of the deceased, where known, should be central to the decision making of the family.
All the major religions are supportive of organ donation. The new system changes the default assumption to one that matches the prevailing public attitude regarding organ donation. Meanwhile, the Register is intended to ensure that a person’s right to autonomy, self-determination and bodily integrity is respected. Consent is at the heart of these changes. It will still be for people to choose if they want to be an organ donor.
It is important to note that not everyone dies in circumstances that make organ donation possible. Medical criteria and other conditions must also be met. A potential donor must be in a hospital and maintained on a life support machine before they can become an organ donor and only a small number of people meet these criteria every year.
Finally, I intend, in line with section 17 of the Act, to carry out a review of the operation of the Relevant Organ Donation Opt-Out Register 3 years following the commencement of this Part. I believe that this timeframe will allow for the new system including the Register to become established, and at that point we will have a clearer picture of how the Register is operating and the effect it has had on the organ donation and transplantation landscape.
