Written Answers Nos. 831-853
831. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health the number of people availing of ozempic under long term illness payments, by county, in tabular form; the cost, per county, for 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34119/25]
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.
833. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the services currently provided for adult patients with epilepsy at a hospital (details supplied); the number and grade of staff that are currently attached to this service at this site; the number of staff vacancies within this service; the number of epilepsy patients currently registered with this service; the number of patients currently awaiting first consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34146/25]
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.
834. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the services currently provided for paediatric patients with epilepsy at a hospital (details supplied); the number and grade of staff that are currently attached to this service at this site; the number of staff vacancies within this service; the number of epilepsy patients currently registered with this service; the number of patients currently awaiting first consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34147/25]
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.
835. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be provided with HSE nappy provision given the fact he has extremely complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34156/25]
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.
836. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health for an update on the business case presented to her for an integrated services hub for Cork provided by Cork City Council, HSE and Mercy Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34157/25]
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.
837. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health if she has had regard to the matter of banning of single-use lithium battery-based nicotine delivery products; if she is aware of the fire risk, as well as public health risk posed by such products; if her officials have had regard to Parliamentary Question No. 12 of 21 May 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34159/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary focus of policy and action in relation to e-cigarettes is to reduce uptake by children and young people.
The proposed measures in the Public Health (Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill take into consideration the population-level impact of vaping and the need for a high level of health protection for young people. The proposals include a review structure to monitor the impact of any restrictions on e-cigarette use and smoking among both young people and adults, as well as provisions to amend the list of allowed flavours as new evidence presents.
The Bill will contain a range of measures to reduce youth use of nicotine inhaling products such as vapes. This includes:
- a ban on point-of-sale display and advertising of these products in most shops,
- restrictions on the colours and imagery used on nicotine inhaling products and their packaging,
- a ban on devices resembling toys or games,
- restrictions on flavours for sale and requirements for only basic flavour names to be used, and
- a complete ban on disposable vapes.
Once completed, the draft legislation will require notification at EU level under the Technical Standards Directive (Directive 2015/1535).
Ultimately, a ban on single-use vapes provides the best remedy for the issues caused by the incorrect disposal of these materials.
838. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the services currently provided for adult patients with epilepsy at Cork University Hospital; the number and grade of staff that are currently attached to this service at this site; the number of current staff vacancies within this service; the number of epilepsy patients currently registered with this service; the number of patients currently awaiting first consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34160/25]
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.
839. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the services currently provided for paediatric patients with epilepsy at Cork University Hospital; the number and grade of staff that are currently attached to this service at this site; the number of current staff vacancies within this service; the number of epilepsy patients currently registered with this service; the number of patients currently awaiting first consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34161/25]
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.
840. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health to provide details on how often KPI data from the National Cancer Control Programme online portal is updated; its intended use; who the KPI data is shared with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34193/25]
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.
841. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE psychologists, by grade, based at Carrick-On-Suir primary care centre in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [34194/25]
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.
842. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical nurse specialists working in the urodynamics department of Cork University Hospital in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [34195/25]
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.
843. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE radiographers, by grade, working in Tipperary University Hospital in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [34196/25]
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.
844. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE social workers in place in CHO5 older persons services in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [34197/25]
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.
845. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE public health nurses based at Cahir primary care centre in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [34198/25]
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.
846. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the services currently provided for paediatric patients with epilepsy at a hospital (details supplied); the number and grade of staff that are currently attached to this service at this site; the number of current staff vacancies within this service; the number of epilepsy patients currently registered with this service; the number of patients currently awaiting first consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34212/25]
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.
847. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health whether it is normal procedure to transfer a public patient in a public hospital to a private hospital for care (details supplied). [34220/25]
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.
848. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health whether it is normal procedure to transfer public health patients into private hospital care; and the annual cost of such transfer of care. [34221/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE’s Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Framework involves funding private hospital beds to address capacity issues and surges in demand. The UEC Framework allows access for up to 150 private beds at a cost of €1,400 per day.
Under a Ministerial agreement between the Department of Health and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPENDR) an additional €1.5 billion was provided for 2024 and €1.2 billion for Existing Level of Service (ELS) in 2025.
The HSE is also working to expand community and primary care capacity to reduce reliance on acute hospital beds. I will refer to the HSE on the matter of the details of the procedure to transfer public health patients to private hospital care.
For further insight into the procedures around public to private hospital care and the cost of transfer, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy directly.
849. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 297 of 11 June 2025, to provide the requested email and phone lines available for Oireachtas members to raise queries in her Department and the bodies under its aegis, in tabular form. [34224/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraRequested information in table below:
|
- |
Email address |
Landline |
Constituency Office |
|
Minister for Health |
ministers_office@health.gov.ie |
01 635 4000 |
087 925 7559 |
|
Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health |
ministerbutler_office@health.gov.ie |
01 635 4000 |
058 434 99 |
|
Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy |
Minister_MurnaneOConnor_Office@health.gov.ie |
01 635 4000 |
059 917 0754 |
|
Minister of State with responsibility for Older People |
minister_odonnell_office@health.gov.ie |
01 635 4000 |
061 204 040 |
Each of the bodies under the aegis of my Department has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members to raise queries which can be found below.
|
Health and Social Care Professionals Council |
oireachtasquery@coru.ie |
|
Health Research Board |
Oireachtasqueries@hrb.ie |
|
Irish Blood Transfusion Service |
oireachtas@ibts.ie |
|
Medical Council |
oireachtasqueries@mcirl.ie |
|
National Cancer Registry Board |
oireachtasqueries@ncri.ie |
|
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland |
oireachtas@nmbi.ie |
|
Dental Council |
info@dentalcouncil.ie |
|
Food Safety Authority of Ireland |
parliamentaryquestions@fsai.ie |
|
Food Safety Promotion Board – Safefood |
parliamentary-questions@safefood.net |
|
Health Insurance Authority |
oireachtas@hia.ie |
|
Health Information and Quality Authority |
PQ@hiqa.ie |
|
Health Products Regulatory Authority |
pqsandbriefings@hpra.ie |
|
Health Service Executive |
pad@hse.ie |
|
Mental Health Commission |
pad@mhcirl.ie |
|
National Paediatric Hospital Development Board |
Oireachtasenquiries@nph.ie |
|
National Treatment Purchase Fund |
pq@ntpf.ie |
|
Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council |
oireachtas@phecc.ie |
|
Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland Council |
PQ@psi.ie |
|
VHI Healthcare |
oireachtas@vhi.ie |
850. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the number of public defibrillators in each county; and the percentage increase or decrease of defibrillators in each county since June 2024. [34232/25]
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.
851. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health for an update on progress to designate ‘counsellor’ as a protected title; and when work will be completed by CORU to ensure regulation of rogue crisis pregnancy agency operators self-describing as counsellors. [34233/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, CORU is Ireland’s multi-profession regulator for health and social care. Its primary role is to protect the public by regulating professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended). This includes setting the standards required for registration and maintaining professional registers for those who meet these standards.
To date, 17 health and social care professions have been designated for regulation by CORU. Registers are currently open for 12 of these professions, with work ongoing to open registers for the remaining five, including Counsellors.
The Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board was established in 2019 to regulate the professions of counsellors and psychotherapists. Since its formation, the Board has made significant progress towards implementing regulation for both fields. The Board has considered and made recommendations of the titles to be protected and the qualifications suitable for existing practitioners who apply during the transitional period.
A public consultation, held from September to December 2023, sought input on the draft Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for these professions. The consultation saw high levels of engagement, with 689 responses received, including contributions from professionals, education providers, employers, professional bodies, and the general public.
The feedback revealed considerable differences of opinion within and between the professions about their distinctiveness, the competencies required for safe practice, and the necessary qualifications for entry to the registers. These diverse perspectives highlight the complexity of the task at hand.
The Board is reviewing the submissions from the consultation as part of its ongoing effort to establish the appropriate threshold standards for public protection. It is expected that the review of the Standards of Proficiency and the Criteria for Education and Training Programmes will be completed in 2025. Once the review is finished, the finalised versions will be published, and the Board will outline the next steps towards introducing statutory regulation for counsellors and psychotherapists.
Due to the considerable work involved in developing and implementing the necessary standards, the timeline for opening the registers for counselling and psychotherapy remains uncertain at this stage.
CORU’s regulatory model is based on protection of title; once a profession is regulated it becomes a criminal offence to use a professional title if a person is not a CORU registrant. CORU does not regulate health service providers.
In relation to crisis pregnancy counselling, the HSE recommends that people should contact My Options which is the official HSE service if they need information or support in the event of an unplanned pregnancy, or if they need post-abortion supports.
My Options is a free-phone helpline that provides free, non-judgemental information and support to anyone in Ireland experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, including information about how to access abortion services in Ireland. Qualified and trained counsellors are also available to provide free counselling to anyone in Ireland who is considering an abortion, or who has had an abortion regardless of where or when the abortion occurred.
852. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 686 of 27 May 2025, whether the National Gender Service's business cases were fully resourced with experienced staff; and by how much wait times would be shortened by one and two years on from that point. [34234/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra853. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 686 of 27 May 2025, whether the National Gender Service's business cases were fully resourced with experienced staff; and by how much wait times would be shortened by one and two years on from that point. [34234/25]
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.
