Written Answers Nos. 156-179
156. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Health if her Department plans to introduce primary care centres in the towns of Leixlip and Maynooth to meet the growing population demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64554/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
157. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the operation of a community hospital Cobh Community Hospital, Aileen Terrace, Cobh, County Cork; the engagement she has had to date with hospital management regarding funding and service provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64357/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCobh Community Hospital is a voluntary organisation that provides invaluable services to older people in Cobh and surrounding areas.
An independent review of financial and operational service provision within Cobh Community Hospital was completed in June 2022. Following the review, the HSE met with the Board of Directors of Cobh Hospital to discuss the recommendations. The HSE set out to the board the limitations that exist around the funding allocation for the hospital and the Fair Deal Funding Scheme. The HSE engaged in very positive discussions around supporting Cobh Hospital to transition over a phased period of time to deliver much needed short-stay capacity within Cobh and the wider community health networks in East Cork.
The board of directors in Cobh Hospital agreed to progress a business proposal to transition from a 41 long-stay and 3 short-stay bed hospital to a 22 long-stay and 22 short-stay bed hospital. This business proposal was accepted by the HSE, and this transition has now successfully taken place.
Cobh Community Hospital currently has 44 beds in total comprising 22 long-stay beds and 22 short-stay beds. 16 of the short-stay beds are utilised for Respite and 6 are for Delayed Transfer of Care (DTOC) Support/Convalescence.
The 16 Respite beds are filled from requests to the Public Health Nursing service and occupancy is consistently high as the admissions are planned in advance to facilitate carers and families. The 6 beds for DTOC Support/Convalescence are used to support the discharge of patients who no longer require acute care from the hospitals in Cork city.
The 22-long stay beds in Cobh Community Hospital are funded under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), and the 22 short-stay beds are funded through by HSE Section 39 Service Level Agreements. From 1st December 2024, the NTPF/Fair Deal rate for Cobh increased to €1,320 per week. The HSE are currently providing a total of €2.18m per annum (Section 39) based on 22 short-stay beds being fully available.
158. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand regional specialist FGM services beyond a single national clinic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64617/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra159. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on general practitioner services in Mullinavat, County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64381/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
160. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the planned redevelopment of the emergency department at Beaumont Hospital; the current status of the design and planning stages; the expected timeline for tendering and construction; whether the project remains a priority within the HSE Capital Plan; the anticipated opening date for the new emergency department; the anticipated opening date for the proposed one hundred bed block; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64599/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
161. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Health if her Department plans to recommend that visitors from large, populous countries that have recently reduced their vaccination requirements for illnesses such as measles, mumps, rubella, and influenza obtain these vaccinations before visiting Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56730/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra162. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health for an update on the provision of an oncology unit at University Hospital Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64092/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraA capital submission was made in 2021 for an interim modular building on the roof of the Palliative Care Unit and this was approved in February 2022 at an estimated total project cost of € 9.38 million. That capital submission was developed in response to impacts arising from the covid pandemic and the limited available footprint resulted in a compromised brief where accommodation was to be shared between the Day Treatment Ward and Outpatient Services, and no space was available for an Aseptic Compounding Unit.
In November 2022, the HSE decided to advance a much smaller interim oncology arrangement within approximately 268 square metres of newly vacated accommodation.
The interim Oncology unit was completed in University Hospital Kerry in 2024 at a cost of €2.44m. This project included for 14 No day treatment cubicles plus 2 No day treatment isolation rooms, 7 No outpatient consultation rooms and an Aseptic compound unit.
Any future proposal for a new permanent Oncology and Hematology unit at University Hospital Kerry will in the first instance need to be centered on evidence based demand analysis and established on a need identified by regional colleagues. Following the identification of need, any proposal will be progressed through the Department of Health’s Strategic Health Investment Framework (SHIF). The prioritisation of the capital list will be a matter for the HSE Regional Executive Office and the Regional Director for Planning.
163. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure timely access to an initial CAMHS appointment, given that 4,047 children are currently waiting for their first appointment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64377/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a priority for me, and for Government, to ensure that children who need services can access them and access them on time. This is in line with our national mental health policy Sharing the Vision, our suicide reduction strategy Connecting for Life, and the HSE Annual Service Plan 2025.
Year-on-year funding for mental health services increased from €1.3 billion announced in Budget 2024 to €1.5 billion in 2025 to nearly €1.6 billion in 2026. For context, this is an annual increase in funding of over 5%, and funding since I took up this office has increased by over 51%.
Specifically in relation to youth mental health, this year’s budget provided funding for new early intervention youth mental health services, funding to support a digital single point of access for youth mental health services, an additional specialist CAMHS eating disorders team, two new Mental Health of Intellectual Disabilities teams for children, and five new mental health Discovery Colleges for young people.
CAMHS nationally receives approximately €170 million annually, with a further €110 million provided to NGOs, many of which focus on youth mental health. Under Budget 2025, an additional €2.9 million has supported CAMHS to increase core staffing, develop a new CAMHS Emergency Liaison Service and expand CAMHS Hubs to improve crisis cover for services.
CAMHS nationally has also initiated a targeted campaign to reduce waiting lists across all of its CAMHS teams following the receipt of €3 million waiting list initiative funding from the National Child and Youth Mental Health Office for 2025.
CAMHS is a secondary care specialist service for those aged up to 18 years, who have a moderate to severe mental health difficulty. Access to CAMHS is on the basis of prioritised clinical assessment, in line with the CAMHS Operational Guidelines which are available on the HSE website. All referrals to CAMHS are assessed by a multidisciplinary team. Approximately 2% of the population require support from this specialist service with over 90% of mental health needs requiring treatment in a primary care setting.
I established the National Office for Child and Youth Mental Health in the HSE to improve leadership and all aspects of care across youth mental health. The Office published its new Youth Mental Health Action Plan in February last. This ambitious plan for comprehensive reform across all youth mental health services, including the specialist CAMHS service, will deliver services which are safer, effective, easier to access and which offers appropriate support at all levels when needed.
The three-year Plan sets out a clear roadmap for the Department and HSE to ensure children and families have equitable and timely access to high-quality mental health care, including better links with Primary Care and Disability Services, and greater use of e-mental health responses. My aim is that services will be better connected and easier to navigate, with increased focus on the rights of young people and their families. The development of a Single Point of Access for all child and youth mental health referrals in partnership with disabilities, primary care, and voluntary and statutory agencies is a key priority within the new Action Plan.
I recently commenced a series of visits to all HSE Regional Health Areas to meet with the Regional Executive Officers and their staff to focus on improvements to all aspects of Youth Mental Health care, to identify areas where increased activity is needed, and also areas of innovative and positive service delivery. This includes improving access and reducing CAMHS waiting lists particularly for those waiting over 12 months. I have stressed also, the importance of filling all approved posts for each CAMHS team to ensure the effective delivery of services.
There is a long standing and well established reporting and monitoring system between the Department and HSE Mental Health in relation to improving access to CAMHS and to reducing CAMHS waiting lists. This involves regular meetings, and detailed data returns which will be enhanced in the future.
There continues to be growing demand for CAMHS with the number of referrals to Community CAMHS increasing from 17,436 in 2020 to 25,721 in 2024. This is an increase of 8,285 or 48% in referrals. Despite this increasing demand, the total number on the waiting list at the end of September was 4,047. This represents a decrease of 97 children from 4,144 at the end of August. Significantly, the Community CAMHS waiting list has reduced in each of the five months since the end of April. Between the end of April and the end of September, the waiting list has reduced by 507 children.
I will continue to work closely with the HSE to ensure that all aspects of youth mental health care are improved over this year and beyond.
164. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a detailed update on the recent targeted recruitment campaign for healthcare assistants in south Tipperary; the number of applications received; the number of candidates interviewed; the number of successful candidates offered positions; the number now in post; if any further recruitment campaigns are planned for the remainder of 2025 and early 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59589/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra165. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health her plans for legislative changes to advance regulation of AHSCP in line with the requirements of CORU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64615/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy’s office has clarified that the question relates to the regulation of psychologists. In this regard, CORU is progressing towards the introduction of statutory regulation for the psychology profession. A regulatory model has been developed that will facilitate the protection of the title ‘psychologist’ in Ireland.
Regulation will be introduced in two phases. The first phase will see the registration system applying to clinical, counselling and educational psychologists, with the second phase encompassing all other psychology specialisms.
CORU has now published the Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training for these three specialisms. This is a significant and much-anticipated milestone in the process of introducing regulation for the psychology profession in Ireland, establishing the pre-registration education and training requirements for the first three registers of the Psychologists Registration Board. It is expected that registration for these first three specialisms will commence next year.
The Department of Health is progressing with work to enable the health and social care workforce through the development of advanced skills and optimisation of skill mix. No legislative changes have been deemed to be required at present to support service level initiatives in the current roll out of Candidate Advanced Practitioner roles.
166. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the steps she will take to improve access to GP and dentistry services. [64614/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSeveral measures have been taken both to increase the number of GPs practising in the State and thereby improve access to GP services, and to improve access to dentistry services.
Over €340 million in additional annual investment in general practice has been provided under the 2019 and 2023 GP GMS Agreements. The Agreements provide for increased GP capitation fees, increased and new supports for practices, as well as new fees for additional services. The 2023 Agreement also provided for the expansion of GP visit card eligibility in 2023 to all children under 8 years of age and all those who earn up to the median household income.
The annual intake of doctors into the GP training programme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant training places made available in 2024 and again in 2025. The number of new entrant training places is to increase again next year by 50 places to 400. As a result, the number of GP graduates has increased in recent years and will continue to increase in the coming years.
In addition, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. As of end of Q3, there are 115 IMG GPs within the programme currently placed in general practice and a further 39 have completed the 2-year programme. The placement of IMG GPs is targeted to rural and underserved areas.
The Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) provides dental care, free of charge, to medical card holders aged 16 and over. A package of measures was introduced in 2022 to expand the care available under the DTSS and significantly increase the fees paid to contractors. These measures have improved access to care: payments for contractor claims in 2024 show 227,691 additional treatments were provided nationally under the DTSS, with over 44,208 extra patients treated when compared with 2022. Access to care has continued to improve this year, an additional 5,802 patients have been treated, and a further 14,640 treatments provided in the January-October 2025 period compared to the same period in 2024.
The HSE Public Dental Service aims to provide an oral examination and necessary treatment for children at ages approximating to second and sixth class and, in some cases, fourth class. Emergency care is provided for children of all ages up to 16 and for those with complex and additional needs. The current child oral health examination programme delivered by HSE clinics has been impacted by capacity challenges in recent years. The HSE is working to support access to this current model of care, while substantive service reform proceeds through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy (NOHP).
In the long term, the Government is committed to fundamentally reforming oral healthcare services through implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte.
The Policy has two key goals:
• to provide the supports to enable every individual to achieve their personal best oral health.
• to reduce oral health inequalities across the population, by enabling vulnerable groups to access oral healthcare and improve their oral health.
Reform of our services is important to ensure people of all ages get access to the care they need. These new oral healthcare services will be prevention-focused and will be tailored to each age group across the life course from birth to old age.
The implementation plan for the first phase of the Policy is currently being reviewed by the HSE Senior Leadership Team in advance of being sent to the Minister for consideration. This plan will set out the intended timings for the rollout of new services, with both adults and children being included in the initial priorities.
168. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health her views on the merits of amending the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 to remove the loophole that allows advertising by alcohol companies to advertise 0.0% versions of their products on TV, radio and sporting events; if her Department has carried out any research into this proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62399/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs previously notified to the Deputy, there is no proposal to amend the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018. The Act regulates alcohol products in order to reduce the health harms associated with their consumption; non-alcohol products do not cause such harms and are not regulated under the Act.
Non-alcohol products are relatively new to the market, therefore there is as yet insufficient evidence to determine whether they might have a positive health impact by encouraging consumers to substitute non-alcoholic products for those containing alcohol. The recently released results of the Healthy Ireland Survey 2025 shows that 25% of the population have consumed non-alcohol products indicating that they may have a positive impact in reducing alcohol consumption.
My Department continues to monitor the emerging evidence and will conduct a specific evidence review on the public health impacts of such products and promotions to be concluded by end of quarter 2, 2026.
169. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reasons she has yet to bring forward interim amendments to the Dentists Act 1985 to address the priority areas identified by an organisation (details supplied); the timeline she is working towards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64323/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health is committed to updating the Dentists Act 1985. The review and updating of the legislation is directly related to the wider implementation of the National Oral Health Policy, which envisages a fundamental reform of oral health services. As such, any new legislation will also be informed by this work. The implementation plan for the first phase of the National Oral Health Policy implementation is currently being finalised by my Department and the HSE, and includes the updating of the Dentists Act 1985 as one of a number of priority actions.
During 2025, the Department has undertaken a two-strand approach to the review and updating of the Dentists Act 1985. In order to inform the wider review of the Dentists Act 1985, a series of thematic engagements on legislative matters between the Department and the Dental Council has taken place These are important inputs to the overall regulatory reform programme that the Department is developing, with the objective of introducing a new modern regulatory framework for all relevant aspects of dentistry.
Ahead of the revision of the wider Dentists Act 1985, a priority is to consider the development of a small number of interim enhancements to the Dentist Act in areas identified as a priority by the Dental Council and to proceed with these amendments where appropriate. This will include providing a statutory basis for the Dental Council to develop a scheme for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for registered dentists in line with those provided for other regulated health professionals, and a small number of other amendments. Policy development in relation to providing a statutory basis for CPD for dentists is at an advanced stage, with stakeholder engagement having been undertaken as a part of the this process.
Any legislative change will ultimately be a decision for the Oireachtas.
170. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if her Department will hold a statutory public inquiry into issues relating to the healthcare of a child (details supplied); the timeline for this inquiry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64559/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Tánaiste and I have met the parents of Harvey Morrison Sherratt twice (29th September and 12th November). Those discussions have been constructive.
These meetings have also been attended by some other advocacy groups and their legal representatives who have been calling for a public statutory inquiry into the spina bifida and complex scoliosis services at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).
Arising from those discussions, on Tuesday 18th November I brought a Memo to Government, and it was agreed to proceed with a statutory public inquiry into spina bifida and complex scoliosis services.
As an initial step, the Government agreed that a facilitator will be appointed to consult with stakeholders on scoping the content of potential terms of reference for an inquiry. My Department will consult closely with the Office of the Attorney General on progressing this exercise.
This will be a time-bound exercise, but there is a considerable body of work to be undertaken to ensure that we ultimately have the clearest possible terms of reference for a statutory inquiry. It is important that the many issues raised are carefully considered as to what may be the best way to achieve the outcomes sought by families and other stakeholders.
Once this scoping exercise is complete, further Government approval will be sought for the final terms of reference.
171. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health if she will review the policy that requires GPs to prioritise GMS obligations, as this creates discrimination against individuals who do not qualify for GMS assistance, and limits GPs' capacity to provide private services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64068/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. As GPs are private practitioners, the scheduling of consultations is a matter for each individual practice. Where scheduling is required, GPs prioritise appointments based on urgency and health need.
The GMS contract sets out the requirements for GPs in dealing with patients who hold Medical Cards or GP Visit Cards. Under the terms of the contract GPs are not permitted to make surgery arrangements that discriminate between GMS patients and private patients.
172. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health her plans to deal with the crisis with emergency department wait times at Letterkenny University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64570/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe minister has given approval to several measures with a view to improving performance in the West North West region and in particular at Letterkenny University Hospital.
The West North West hospitals are within the appropriate staffing ranges, but to alleviate the pressures the Minister has given approval to provide supplementary support through agency and overtime hours.
Since September, the HSE are holding daily oversight meetings at the most senior level - focusing on acute hospital's patient flow challenges outside of the targeted range.
The CEO has deployed expert national support to the West North West to assist with the immediate pressures.
Within the Unscheduled Emergency Care plan there are targeted actions including extended hours for senior decision makers and staff integral to supporting 7/7 operations.
As we enter the winter months, the HSE has launched awareness campaigns across social media and traditional media to encourage citizens to ‘Top Up’ their vaccinations with a particular focus on flu and Covid in addition to the annual healthcare worker vaccination promotion campaign.
In the long term, Ministerial approval has been given to surgical hubs in Sligo and Letterkenny which will help alleviate pressures in the emergency departments of the West and North West.
174. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when her Department will ensure the addition of spinal muscular atrophy to the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme, which is crucial to early diagnosis and support, and which was endorsed by the then Minister in November 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64375/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Health, I am determined to support our screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.
Currently, all babies (between 3 and 5 days old) are offered newborn bloodspot screening (generally known as the ‘heel prick’ test), which tests for nine rare but serious conditions that are treatable if detected early in life. The Programme for Government commits to continually reviewing the number of conditions babies are screened for.
Incremental progress continues to be made on the expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP). In 2023, two recommendations from the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) on the addition of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) to the NNBSP were approved.
In Budget 2024, an additional €1.4 million of new development funding was provided to support the SMA/SCID implementation process. Once both conditions have been fully implemented, the number of conditions screened for in Ireland will increase to 11.
In terms of the current implementation status, the HSE has advised that the equipment needed to enable the roll-out testing for SMA and SCID has been purchased, delivered and successfully installed at the newborn screening laboratory and significant progress continues with regards to the laboratory verification process. The recruitment process to hire the additional staff required to support the expansion of the NNBSP has been completed and work continues on developing screening pathways for both conditions.
In relation to concerns raised around the length of the implementation process, it should be emphasised that Ireland is not taking longer than other comparable countries to assess and implement additions to the NNBSP.
The Health Council of the Netherlands first recommended screening for SMA in 2019 and implementation was completed three years later in October 2022. In the United States of America, it took six years to fully implement SMA screening after it was added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) in 2018. In the United Kingdom, screening for SCID and SMA have been under consideration by the UK National Screening Committee since 2017 and 2018 respectively.
Nevertheless, I am acutely aware of how difficult it is for parents, families and children who have received a diagnosis of a rare disease, and how challenging daily life can be for them. This is why I remain committed to the further expansion of screening in Ireland in accordance with internationally accepted criteria and best practice.
175. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Health to outline the plans for the promised upgrade and extension of Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64582/25]
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.
176. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the guaranteed, binding timeframe and allocated budget for the necessary remedial works to expedite the re-opening of admissions to community nursing units currently under HIQA restriction, such as the Ballina CNU; and if she will ensure that these beds will be restored to public use and not outsourced. [64447/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
177. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health for an update as of November 2025 on the commencement date for the new 24-inpatient beds in Mallow General Hospital, and the opening of the last remaining floor; the services that will be provided on this floor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63718/25]
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.
178. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Health when primary care occupational therapy services will be restored in Offaly and Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64085/25]
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.
179. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the age of all 22 linear accelerators for radiotherapy across public facilities in Ireland; the expected lifetime of each machine;the specific dates by which time new linear accelerators operating past their expected lifetime will be replaced and operational; the projected age of each machine when these replacement dates will be reached; when hiring and training of staff to operate any new machines will begin; and for details of all plans in place to manage the increasing rate machine downtime until such time as older machines have been replaced. [64596/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
