Written Answers Nos. 586-607
586. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if adequate medical equipment could be provided to facilitate a dental operation for a full-time care hoist patient (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67708/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
587. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she will review the eligibility criteria for the long-term illness scheme, with particular reference to the exclusion of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) from the list of qualifying conditions; if she will outline the basis on which CLL continues to be excluded, despite its nature as a long-term clinical illness; and if she will consider updating or expanding the list of eligible conditions to ensure that patients with CLL are not left without appropriate supports. [67709/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra588. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the supports, schemes or financial assistance currently available to patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, given that they are not eligible for the long-term illness scheme; and if she will outline any alternative pathways through which such patients can access necessary medication and ongoing treatment supports. [67710/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 587 and 588 together.
The 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 to be covered by the Scheme. Further information, including the list of conditions, can be found at:
www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/lti/about/.
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.
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. The HSE afford applicants the opportunity to furnish supporting documentation to determine whether undue hardship exists and to fully take account of all relevant circumstances that may benefit them in assessment. 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.
The issue of granting medical card eligibility based on having a particular disability or illness was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card.
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.
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 DPS 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.
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%.
590. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the total number of surgeries carried out by the HSE, outside of the NTPF, in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2025. [67716/25]
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.
591. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if her Department has assessed the health impacts of delays in providing accessible bathroom facilities for disabled and elderly citizens; the interdepartmental coordination that exists to prevent such situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67725/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis PQ should be directed to my colleague at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage as the matters raised are under their remit.
592. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the progress of the Working Group on the National Hearing Care Plan; if she has received the report from the Working Group that was due by end of Q2 2025 as per Terms of Reference; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67726/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister for Health established the National Hearing Care Plan Working Group in August 2024. The Group is jointly chaired by the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Membership of the Working Group is drawn from relevant stakeholders, including HSE clinicians and management, the Irish Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (ISHAA), the Irish Academy of Audiology (IAA), and the Department of Social Protection.
The Hearing Care Plan Working Group has been tasked with developing recommendations for a holistic model of hearing care in Ireland. To support this, a structured workstream has been developed, including subgroups focused on progressing priority issues. Significant progress has been made to date. There have been 16 meetings of the Working Group and associated subgroups since formation.
The scope of the work being considered by the Group has expanded beyond initial expectations, which has impacted on the timeline of the delivery of the report. The Group is examining:
• The existing level of hearing care provision in Ireland.
• Capacity constraints and opportunities within the HSE.
• Workforce planning, including improved recruitment and retention in the public system.
• The appropriate level of regulation of the audiology profession.
• Improving referral pathways and the integration between acute and community care.
• The effective linkage between public and private care to improve patient outcomes, including reductions in waiting times.
This is wide-ranging work, and it is the intention of the Group to ensure that the final report is comprehensive in its treatment of these matters.
A public consultation will be launched soon. This will further inform the Group’s final recommendations. The revised timeline for the report to be submitted to the Minister is now Q1 2026.
593. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons prescribed the weight loss drug ozempic, by county from 2023 to date in 2025, in tabular form. [67730/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
594. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons prescribed the weight loss drug mounjaro, by county, from 2023 to date in 2025, in tabular form. [67731/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, I have asked the HSE for an update in this matter.
The HSE has advised that it is committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible, in as timely a fashion as possible, from the resources available (provided) to it.
The HSE robustly assesses applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.
HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed.
The HSE considers the following criteria prior to making any decision on pricing / reimbursement, in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013:
(1) The health needs of the public,
(2) The cost effectiveness of meeting health needs by supplying the item concerned rather than providing other health services,
(3) The availability and suitability of items for supply or reimbursement,
(4) The proposed costs, benefits, and risks of the item or listed item relative to therapeutically similar items or listed items provided in other health service settings and the level of certainty in relation to the evidence of those costs, benefits and risks,
(5) The potential or actual budget impact of the item or listed item,
(6) The clinical need for the item or listed item,
(7) The appropriate level of clinical supervision required in relation to the item to ensure patient safety,
(8) The efficacy (performance in trial), effectiveness (performance in real situations) and added therapeutic benefit against existing standards of treatment (how much better it treats a condition than existing therapies) and,
(9) The resources available to the HSE.
In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®):
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the 24th January 2024 from Eli Lilly (the applicant) for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise: as monotherapy when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications, or in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes.
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 24th January 2024.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 6th February 2024. A full health technology assessment (HTA) was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) compared with the current standard of care.
• The HSE commissioned a full HTA on the 1st March 2024 as per agreed processes.
• The NCPE publishes details of medicines where the HSE has commissioned a Rapid Review assessment and / or a full health technology assessment on their website. The website is updated at regular intervals and includes assessment outcomes and updates on reimbursement for each individual medicine and indication listed. Details of the assessment(s) of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for Type 2 diabetes mellitus are available at: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®). HTA ID: 24003 | National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics
• The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
• The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. The pharmacoeconomic report will be reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of any commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group will consider all of the evidence and make a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team.
• The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
Weight management
• The HSE received an application for pricing and reimbursement of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the 24th June 2024 from Eli Lilly (the applicant) indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 to < 30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes mellitus).
• The first step in the process is the submission of a Rapid Review dossier (a clinical and economic dossier) to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) for assessment. The HSE commissioned the Rapid Review process on the 24th June 2024.
• The NCPE Rapid Review assessment report was received by the HSE on the 30th July 2024. A full HTA was recommended to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) compared with the current standard of care.
• The HSE commissioned a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the 27th August 2024 as per agreed processes.
• The NCPE publishes details of medicines where the HSE has commissioned a Rapid Review assessment and / or a full health technology assessment on their website. The website is updated at regular intervals and includes assessment outcomes and updates on reimbursement for each individual medicine and indication listed. Details of the assessment(s) of tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management are available at: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®). HTA ID: 24024 | National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics
• The HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (CPU) is the interface between the HSE and the Pharmaceutical Industry in relation to medicine pricing and reimbursement applications.
• The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. The pharmacoeconomic report will be reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received. The HSE Drugs Group will consider all of the evidence and make a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team.
• The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
• Both applications remain under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
As tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is not reimbursed the HSE has no record of the number of patients prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro®). In terms of the private market the HSE has no oversight of medicines prescribed privately to patients.
595. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE adult physiotherapists by grade that are filled at a location (details supplied) in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form, the average waiting time for a first physiotherapy appointment at this centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67736/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
596. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health to advise the up-to-date position regarding land to the rear of the rear carpark at Monaghan Hospital, previously believed to be in the ownership of the Hospital/HSE but for some time now in disputed title; when she expects a final determination as to the title and the result; if she is still committed to extending the existing rear carpark at the hospital providing badly needed additional car parking spaces for existing service users and with the prospect of additional services locating at Monaghan Hospital in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67761/25]
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.
597. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a schedule by hospital and HSE of the number of instances in which they utilised a debt recovery agency and or debt recovery individual to collect outstanding fees from a person in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. [67769/25]
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.
599. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the number of families of children with a moderate or severe intellectual disability who have requested psychiatric assistance from CAMHS in Donegal and have not received support in the years 2023 to date in 2025, due to the absence of a CAMHS Mental Health Intellectual Disability Service (MHID) in the county, by tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67846/25]
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
600. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE physiotherapists by grade that were filled at a location (details supplied) in 2024 and to date in 2025, if this number will be increased during the first half of 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67848/25]
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.
601. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses in County Wexford; the number of vacant positions for public health nurses County Wexford; when P2 and P3 developmental checks will be provided throughout the constituency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67872/25]
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.
602. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 428 of 18 May 2023, the progress which has been made since the completion of the remedial works in 2023 (details supplied). [67876/25]
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.
603. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will receive an appointment in the Mater Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67881/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
604. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Meath will receive an appointment in Beaumont Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67882/25]
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
605. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health how her Department intends to ensure national consistency in cancer care outcomes under a system where funding decisions will be largely devolved to HSE regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67887/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra612. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health if performance targets will be introduced for each region in respect of the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy in 2026; the nature of these targets; and the way in which they will be monitored and enforced. [67905/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra613. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the additional resources being allocated in 2026 to address existing regional variations in cancer outcomes, including survival rates, early detection rates and treatment access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67906/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 605, 612 and 613 together.
Funding of €27.4 billion has been allocated to the health service for 2026. This represents an additional €1.5 billion and 3,300 additional staff across the health service. Each Regional Health Area is unique with different demographics and different healthcare needs. Next year a new approach is being taken to funding allocation with health budgets being devolved to the HSE regions, giving them greater autonomy to meet local needs while holding them accountable for ambitious targets and national standards, including in relation to cancer care.
The National Cancer Control Programme sets standards for cancer care and monitors performance across the regions. The NCCP will work with HSE leadership to ensure that regional variations are identified and addressed. This will ensure that resources are targeted at the areas of greatest need and that high quality care is provided consistently across the country.
The NCCP’s formal engagement with the health regions operates under mutually agreed Memorandums of Understanding with each Region. Each encompasses the full extent of the cancer pathway – prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and follow-up and all major cancer services. Details of improvement plans will be considered in the context of the engagement between the NCCP and regional HSE leadership.
606. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health whether workforce needs for oncology, radiology and specialist nursing were incorporated in the regional funding allocations for 2026; and the projected staffing increases for each region. [67888/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.
607. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment. [67898/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
