Written Answers Nos. 336-354
336. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if hospitals (details supplied) have had risk assessments carried out ahead of moving additional births from Portiuncula University Hospital to them. [54416/25]
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.
337. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE midwives currently in place in University Hospital Galway and Mullingar Hospital; the number of agency staff employed currently in these roles in both hospitals; the number of current vacancies in both hospitals; the length of time these vacancies are there, in tabular form. [54417/25]
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.
338. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if there is currently a Director of Midwifery at Mullingar Hospital; and if not, the length of time this position has been vacant. [54418/25]
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.
339. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to making certain medications for the treatment of cystitis and urinary tract infections available without prescription, in recognition of the impact of recurrent infections on women’s health and in order to ease the current pressure on GP services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54420/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am a big advocate for supporting and expanding access to women’s health. Additionally, I believe that pharmacists play a crucial role delivering many important services to support the health of our communities such as offering expert advice on illness, ensuring the safe supply of medicines, and delivering vaccines to the public. Pharmacists are trusted and are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals.
Building on these strong foundations, I believe that pharmacists can do more for our health service and I am a huge advocate for the reform and expansion of pharmacy services. My ambition and that of Government’s is reflected in the commitments and priorities set out in the Programme for Government.
The findings and recommendations from the Expert Taskforce to Support the Expansion of the Role of Pharmacy provide an important framework to inform the reforms and developments required to deliver expanded pharmacy services. My vision for the future includes pharmacists playing a much larger role in our health service, and I’m happy to see the progress being made by my Department to facilitate this.
The overarching recommendations from the Taskforce call for independent, autonomous prescriptive authority within and related to the individual pharmacist’s scope of practice and competence, implemented in a stepwise manner, commencing with the introduction of a common conditions service.
In line with the Taskforce's recommendations, my Department is prioritising delivery of all the regulatory enablers to facilitate community pharmacies to establish Common Conditions Services. This priority work is facilitated and supported by a multidisciplinary group, including pharmacists, clinicians and regulatory experts, supported by pharmacists working in my Department. The work of the group, which meets monthly, includes the development of training and education programme for pharmacists, a package of secondary legislation and importantly the development of clinical protocols, to ensure a robust and safe services, that pharmacists can deliver in confidence.
This service will enable pharmacists to manage common conditions by offering advice, and, when appropriate, prescribing prescription-only medicines through established protocols. Management of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) is included in this service, and pharmacists will be able to support the public in managing this condition guided by protocols delivered by clinical experts, including experts in antimicrobial stewardship. The status of products will not change, instead, pharmacists will be supported to undergo additional training to be able to prescribe certain medicines when appropriate.
340. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health to outline plans for a day centre service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54428/25]
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.
341. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health for an update on bed capacity and occupancy in Macroom Community Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54429/25]
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.
342. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health for an update on bed capacity and occupancy in Millstreet Community Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54430/25]
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.
343. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health for an update on bed capacity and occupancy in Kanturk Community Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54431/25]
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.
344. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health for an update on the Integrated Care Programme for Older People in Mallow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54432/25]
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.
345. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the number of attendees who attended and were treated at the local injury unit at Mallow General Hospital for the years 2022–2025 inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54433/25]
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.
346. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the number of people admitted to the medical assessment unit at Mallow General Hospital for the years 2022-2025 inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54434/25]
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.
347. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health to outline the services provided at the new ophthalmology unit in South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital; the breakdown per service of treatments carried out there since the unit opened; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54435/25]
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.
348. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health for a detailed breakdown of waiting lists for ophthalmology services in Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54436/25]
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.
349. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in plans to provide the overdue primary care centre in Killarney, County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54453/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
350. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health in view of the withdrawal of a medication from the Irish market, if other drugs to replace this medication have been approved by the HSE, including (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54456/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMedicines placed on the Irish market must be authorised by the Irish Medicines Regulator, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) or, in the case of centrally authorised products, by the European Commission. There is also a provision for exempt medicinal products, which are not nationally authorised by the HPRA or centrally authorised by the European Commission to be supplied by pharmacists in certain circumstances. EMPs can be supplied in response to a bona fide unsolicited order, formulated in accordance with the specifications of a practitioner for use by their individual patients on their direct personal responsibility to fulfil the special needs of those patients.
Officials in the Department contacted HPRA to seek the most up-to-date information available on the product "alirocumab" and received the following information:
“Alirocumab (Praulent®) is an authorised medicinal product in Ireland. The Marketing Authorisation Holder is registered as Sanofi Winthrop Industrie, 82 Avenue Raspail, 94250 Gentilly, FRANCE. In October 2024, Sanofi confirmed to the HPRA that they had decided to no longer market Praulent in Ireland for commercial reasons.
Evolocumab (Repatha®) is an authorised medicinal product in Ireland. The Marketing Authorisation Holder is registered as Amgen Europe B.V., Minervum 7061, 4817 ZK Breda, Netherlands. Amgen has confirmed to the HPRA that Evolocumab (Repatha®) is currently available for supply to Irish patients and no shortages (of any presentation) are anticipated or ongoing.
The HPRA cannot require companies to market medicinal products in Ireland, and we also have no role in relation to pricing and reimbursement. We would be willing at any stage to engage with and to provide regulatory guidance to any company who wishes to make medicinal products available in Ireland”.
351. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the steps she will take to ensure that an organisation (details supplied) is provided with home base facilities in Shannon and in every area where they require them, to enhance their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54474/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the Deputy's specific question, as she may be aware, the Order of Malta and other similar organisations who provide a range of voluntary services in the community, including health services, are registered charities which fall under the immediate responsibility of the Charities Regulator.
I understand the Order of Malta may have benefitted from substantial funding granted to it under the auspices of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme as well as through the CLÁR Initiative, so the Deputy may, therefore, wish to direct her inquiry in the first instance to my colleague the Minister for Community and Rural Development who has overall responsibility for the Charities Regulator and for the charities sector overall.
352. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health further to the decision to subsume CHI into the HSE, the plans that are being progressed for the buildings and land at Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght when the move to the new children’s hospital takes place. [54476/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI) will be a state-of-the-art facility providing 473 beds - 380 inpatient beds and 93 daybeds - in a fully digital setting. It is a much needed and much deserved investment in our children and young people.
As we move towards the opening of the National Children's Hospital Ireland, now is the time to plan for the broader future of this organisation.
The integration of Children's Health Ireland (CHI) into the Health Service Executive (HSE) follows engagement with stakeholders, discussions with Government colleagues, and reflection on the governance structures that make up our health care services, conscious of both the size of our country and the ever-evolving need for health care to be integrated across acute and community settings.
This is a steady process that began with the appointment of some HSE Board members, was confirmed on 24 September 2025, and will transition both operationally and legislatively with implementation in 2027.
During this interim period, I want to assure patient and families that this reform will not impact on the day-to-day provision of services.
353. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 2223, 2224, 2225 and 2227 of 8 September 2025, the number of staff working the unit who are HSE staff; the total amount of funding given toward the project; the amount of funding received for the MRI unit each year since it opened; the total number of medical card patients seen in the MRI unit each year to date; the amount of scans accessed by the HSE each year; the amount paid per scan by the State; and if the contract terms, conditions and budgets paid by State toward the MRI scanner will be provided. [54500/25]
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.
354. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the increasing payments being requested by most nursing homes outside of the fair deal payment (details supplied); if a solution to this issue will be found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54501/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in my Department have sought further clarification from the Deputy in relation to this PQ.
