Written Answers Nos. 518-539
518. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to concerns related to larger disposable nicotine vaping devices that are becoming increasingly prevalent (details supplied); if she believes that these devices will be covered under the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2961/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra519. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the actions she has taken to ensure that the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 will be future proofed against developments in technology and attempts to find loopholes that would allow the sale of disposable nicotine vaping in other forms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2962/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra520. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the research and expert involvement in the drafting process of the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2963/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra521. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the experience of the UK Government in relation to their ban on disposable nicotine vapes in June 2025; specifically in reference to the continued legality of larger disposable devices (details supplied); if she is conscious of the need to include these devices in the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2964/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra522. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding any research carried out in relation to international comparisons when drafting the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025; the lessons that can be learned from countries that have already implemented a ban on single use vaping products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2965/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 518 to 522, inclusive, together.
The Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill will apply to any vape that is a single-use vape. This includes devices which are not refillable, have a battery which cannot be recharged or a coil which cannot be replaced.
The development of the proposed legislation included consultation with officials in France, Belgium and the UK to learn from the experiences of implementation in these jurisdictions. The Bill was drafted with the Office of the Attorney General.
As with tobacco legislation, a suite of measures is required to have the intended policy impact. The Public Health (Single-Use Vapes Bill) is one of several interventions aimed at reducing the appeal and availability of nicotine inhaling products to young people. This includes the measures being drafted in the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill, and the E-Liquid Products Tax recently implemented by my colleague the Minister for Finance.
It is worth noting that tank, pod and refill container sizes for electronic cigarettes are regulated by the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) transposed into Irish law in 2016. The National Environmental Health Service of the HSE is the enforcement authority for the relevant provisions of the TPD.
As the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill is currently before the Oireachtas, I look forward to further discussion on the provisions in that context.
523. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health the way in which the recent announcement of funding to the Community Connections and Well-being Project will link with the already existing social prescribing projects which are already funded by HSE and based within family resource centres in Cavan and Monaghan; the linkages that should be developed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2969/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
524. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the work being undertaken to ensure that hospitals using family rooms as wards should only do so on a temporary basis and the measures been taken to restore these family rooms which are vital in providing palliative care to patients and carers and their families. [2992/26]
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.
525. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the reasonable accommodations that are in place in primary care settings in relation to blood tests for people with disabilities who experience needle phobia; if there is a process outlined by the HSE for such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3000/26]
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.
526. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding any engagement she has had with the major health insurance providers in Ireland in relation to the increasing premiums facing their customers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3020/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra527. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the actions she is taking to seek to reduce the cost of Health Insurance premiums in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3021/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra528. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to cases whereby people are unable to afford health insurance premiums but feel forced to due to the length of waiting lists in public hospitals; the actions she is taking to address these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3022/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 526 to 528, inclusive, together.
As Minister for Health, I am responsible for the legal framework governing the health insurance market in Ireland. This is a voluntary market operating under the principles of community rating, open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefit.
Community rating ensures that everyone can buy the same policy at the same price, regardless of age, gender or health status. This is enabled through the Risk Equalisation Scheme, which distributes funds in the form of credits to compensate insurers for the additional cost of insuring older and sicker members. These credits are funded by a stamp duty levy paid by health insurance providers for each policy issued. Risk Equalisation credits and associated stamp duty levies are adjusted annually and carefully calibrated to maintain community rating.
The private health insurance market operates on a competitive, commercial basis. Insurers set their premiums in line with their own commercial decisions and strategies, within the framework of the Health Insurance Act, as amended.
Premium increases are driven by factors including medical inflation (which includes the introduction of new high-tech treatments), staffing costs within the private healthcare sector, and professional and hospital fees. These fees are negotiated between insurers and providers. Other factors include claims experience, benefit changes, and operating costs. As Minister for Health, I have no role in the commercial decision-making of private health insurers, including decisions on premium prices.
The Health Insurance Authority maintains regulatory oversight of insurers and ensures compliance with community rating, open enrolment, and lifetime cover requirements, which helps to keep the health insurance market fair, accessible and sustainable for all consumers. The Authority’s functions include monitoring the health insurance market and developments in health insurance generally, and advising me in relation to these matters. The Health Insurance Authority also provides a free online comparison tool that allows individuals to compare active plans in the market and prioritise coverage categories based on their needs.
It is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.
The multi-annual Waiting List Action Plan approach was implemented in September 2021 to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times. This approach is allowing us to progress towards the ultimate vision of a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it.
My Department is engaging with the HSE and National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to finalise the action plan for 2026, building on the progress delivered to date, renewing the focus on improving waiting times for patients, and considering the learnings from the challenges that arose in 2025.
529. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the operation for a child (details supplied). [3036/26]
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.
530. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health if funding will be allocated in the HSE Capital Programme for the development of a mental health facility adjacent to Wexford General Hospital; to provide appropriate care for persons in County Wexford presenting in a mental health crisis (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3041/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
531. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health to examine the provision of whole-family support and wrap around services for families and individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in their homes; to address the urgent need for improved responses and supports given the scale of the mental health crisis in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3042/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCrisis mental health supports, including those with 24/7 coverage, are currently provided across a number of settings and services, including hospital based services, out of hours services such as CAMHS on-call, and also through community services funded by the HSE such as crisis phone and text services which support people in crisis to safety plan and connect with their networks of support.
The model of care for Crisis Resolution Services was developed as a direct recommendation of Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy and recognises that people who are experiencing a mental health crisis need access to specialist services that can provide timely brief interventions and connect people to mental health services in their communities.
Crisis Resolution Teams are teams of mental health professionals who work out of hours to meet people in a crisis and provide rapid assessment and intensive intervention. There are six Crisis Resolution Teams currently operational in Galway, Sligo/Leitrim, Cork City (two teams), Waterford City and County, and South Dublin/Wicklow. The Limerick Crisis Resolution Team is due to commence operations later this year.
Crisis Cafés also called ‘Solace Cafes’ provide a welcoming, non-clinical safe environment, providing a range of support for those who need to use its services. This includes crisis support, signposting, peer support, and community support. The Cafes are now open in Cork City, South Dublin, Sligo and an additional Solace Café has opened in Limerick last year. A Solace Café is due to be established in Waterford in the near future.
Additional funding has been allocated by myself as Minister for three additional Crisis Resolution Teams and associated Solace Cafes in Budget 2026 in Donegal, Kerry and the Midlands (Tullamore/Westmeath).
In addition, the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service provides a timely response to requests for assessment of patients in suicidal crisis from GPs. The SCAN service was originally developed under the National Clinical Programme for Self-harm and Suicide-related Ideation (NCPSHI) which was introduced in Irish public hospital emergency departments in 2014. Primarily delivered by clinical nurse specialists with support from a consultant psychiatrist in each hospital area, the programme supports people presenting with suicidal ideation as well as self-harm. The model of care for the service envisages a dedicated mental health assessment room within hospitals to provide a more appropriate environment for assessments to take place.
As Minister , with the Department I support the HSE to develop alternatives to emergency departments for people in a mental health crisis, the Minister is aware that people will continue to present to hospitals in distress, as evidenced by the Mental Health Commission’s thematic review published in 2025.
Informed by this, I have allocated further funding in Budget 2026 to the HSE to establish specialist nursing teams in the emergency departments of all Model 4 hospitals out-of-hours. This, coupled with the expansion of community alternatives such as crisis resolution teams and crisis cafes, will fundamentally change how we respond to the needs of people in distress. I will seek to roll these teams out across Model 3 hospitals in future annual estimates processes.
As this relates to a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to you.
532. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for an adult in the Wicklow-Wexford constituency to receive an appointment for a psychiatrist in Adult Mental Health Services; a psychologist in the primary care mental health service; the number of individuals on each waiting list for over six months in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3043/26]
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.
533. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for a child in the Wicklow-Wexford constituency to receive an appointment for a psychiatrist in CAMHS; a psychologist in the primary care mental health service; the number of children on each waiting list for over six months in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3044/26]
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.
534. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to ensure continuity of care for women who have had difficult or traumatic previous pregnancies in light of recent changes made to consultant contracts as part of Sláintecare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3048/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government introduced the Public Only Consultant Contract (POCC) on the 8th of March 2023.
This Contract is a key step in the move towards universal, single-tier healthcare with public hospitals exclusively used for the treatment of public patients, as envisaged in the Sláintecare Report.
The Department of Health continues to implement the POCC in line with the Slaintecare vision. All consultants who switch to a POCC, regardless of specialty, are not permitted to conduct private practice in public hospitals beyond the conclusion of transitional arrangements stated within the terms of their contract. The HSE issued notice to all hospitals confirming this position in December 2025.
However, private maternity care is and will remain available in public hospitals beyond 31st of December 2025 via consultants who continue to work on older contracts. There is no requirement for these consultants to switch to a POCC and their contractual arrangements provide for private practice in public hospitals up to retirement. The last of these contracts were issued prior to March 2023.
The POCC is a key step in delivering universal healthcare, ensuring public hospitals are used for public patients and care is based on medical need, not on the ability to pay. The contract is already improving health services being provided to patients, with increased senior decision maker presence at weekends contributing to higher weekend discharge rates and better patient flow.
Over time as more consultants are recruited to or switch to the new contract, the level of private activity in the public system will decline. The transition applies to all private care, including maternity. This will occur gradually over time and therefore, the immediate impact on private maternity care will be minimal, reflecting the fact that most serving consultants who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology hold contracts that allow them to engage in on-site private practice.
While maternity care is not currently available in private hospitals, all consultants who hold the contract, including those who specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology, will be entitled to treat private patients off-site in their own time, subject to the primacy of their public contract and meeting their commitments under it.
Since the launch of the National Maternity Strategy in 2016, significant progress has been made in the development and improvement of public maternity services. Since 2016, €28 million has been invested in new development funding through the National Maternity Strategy, transforming our maternity services for women, infants and families. This investment is improving the infrastructure of our maternity services by providing additional home-from-home birthing suites, upgrades to theatres and wards, as well as additional training and supports for our maternity staff. Women across the country now have access to a standardised Model of Care, with enhanced access to midwife-led care supported by Directors of Midwifery in every unit and hospital. All women on the Specialised Care Pathway (women who are at higher levels of risk) receive multidisciplinary care led by a named consultant in the public system.
This Government will continue to listen to women and drive improvements across maternity services, building on the significant progress and investment to date driven through the National Maternity Strategy.
535. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to review correspondence (details supplied); the steps her Department is taking on this issue; the actions her Department has taken to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3049/26]
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.
536. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current eligibility criteria for access to publicly funded in vitro fertilisation treatment, including the basis for any requirements related to marital or relationship status; whether her Department has undertaken, or plans to undertake, a review of the criteria to ensure they are fair, inclusive and reflective of modern family structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3050/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 was signed into law by the President in July 2024, having passed all stages in both Houses of the Oireachtas. Section 8(1) of the 2024 Act states that “there shall not be more than two intending parents of a child born as a result of AHR [assisted human reproduction] treatment and, in the case of two intending parents, they shall be spouses, civil partners or cohabitants of one another”. Such a requirement for intending parents who present as a couple to be spouses, civil parents or cohabitants of one another applies to both publicly-funded and privately-funded AHR treatment. A similar or identical requirement can be found in the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 (e.g., section 5(1)) and also AHR legislation in other jurisdictions around the world. It is primarily based on issues related to the welfare of any children born as a result of AHR treatment in respect of the stability and durability of the parents’ relationship and hence of the family unit overall by seeking to ensure that intending parents presenting as a couple are in “an intimate and committed relationship” (the wording here taken from section 172(1) of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010). It also can assist an AHR treatment provider to satisfy itself that a couple have been trying for a sufficiently long period of time to conceive naturally.
However, it is important to emphasise that a single intending parent can be provided with AHR treatment under the provisions of both the 2024 Act and the 2015 Act.
The Model of Care for Fertility was developed by the Department of Health in conjunction with the HSE’s National Women & Infants Health Programme to ensure that fertility-related issues are addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary.
Referrals for publicly-funded, privately-provided assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatment – including IVF (in-vitro fertilisation), ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) and IUI (intrauterine insemination) – commenced in September 2023, subject to patients meeting the criteria agreed by the Department and the HSE. The access criteria were developed by a multidisciplinary group, with reproductive medicine expertise and followed consultation with experts in the field along with a review of the international evidence. These criteria are in keeping with those applied in other jurisdictions and include, for example, restrictions in respect of maternal age, body mass index (BMI), and the number of previous IVF cycles / AHR procedures undertaken.
More information is available on the HSE website in respect of the publicly-funded AHR treatment initiative, including more details on the access criteria and specific services available, at: www2.hse.ie/pregnancy-birth/trying-for-a-baby/your-fertility/getting-ivf-icsi-iui-hse/, or on public fertility services more generally at: www2.hse.ie/conditions/fertility-problems-treatments/fertility-treatment/.
Up to the end of December 2025, over 3,600 couples have been referred by a Reproductive Specialist Consultant for AHR treatment, following extensive investigations and/or secondary level treatment within the Regional Fertility Hubs. Furthermore, the Hubs have successfully and directly managed thousands more patients presenting with fertility-related issues who have been referred by their GP. Not all couples experiencing fertility challenges actually require such advanced and invasive interventions as IVF.
AHR treatment involving the use of donated gametes – whether by opposite-sex couples, same-sex couples or single women – is not currently provided through the publicly-funded initiative. There are complex regulatory and clinical issues to be considered in respect of this and other categories of AHR treatment. In the case of treatment involving the use of donated gametes, there is regulation at European level concerning the quality and safety of procedures involving donated gametes. Furthermore, the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 deals with matters relating to parentage and the right to identity of donor-conceived children arising from such procedures. Nevertheless, there are a number of further clinical and regulatory requirements regarding the donation of gametes and the use of such gametes which are being considered.
The access criteria and the terms of the AHR treatment initiative are being kept under ongoing review. Further potential changes to the access criteria or expansion of the initiative requires continued extensive consultation between Department officials, colleagues in the HSE, and also with relevant specialists in the field of reproductive medicine. This will include consideration of additional funding requirements which may ensue from any proposed expansion of the initiative.
It should be noted that supports previously available to patients who access IVF, or other AHR treatment, privately, whereby tax relief on the costs involved can be claimed under the tax relief for medical expenses scheme, continues to be provided.
In addition, a defined list of fertility medicines needed for fertility treatment is covered under the High Tech Arrangements administered by the HSE. Medicines covered by the High Tech Arrangements must be prescribed by a consultant/specialist and authorised for supply to the client’s nominated community pharmacy by the High Tech Hub managed by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service. The cost of the medicines is then covered, as appropriate, under the client’s eligibility, i.e., Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme. The annual cost to the State of the financial support for these medicines is far from insignificant.
I want to reassure the Deputy that my Department and the Government are focused, through the full implementation of the Model of Care for Fertility, on ensuring that patients receive care at the appropriate level of clinical intervention and then those requiring, and eligible for, advanced AHR treatment such as IVF will be able to access same through the most effective deployment of finite public resources.
537. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that steps are being undertaken to dismantle the Office of the Confidential Recipient contrary to the delegation by the Director General to the Confidential Recipient; her concerns that under these proposed changes the Office of the Confidential Recipient will no longer be independent or confidential; if she is aware that this will significantly reduce the ability of service users and patients to report concerns confidentially to an independent body and to receive support advice and guidance; if she has given permission for this happen; if she will reverse this detrimental subsuming of the office into the internal structures of the HSE; and her views these changes are likely to endanger vulnerable adults including people with disabilities and older adults. [3061/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra538. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Office of the Confidential Recipient continue to be independent and confidential of the HSE as per the Delegation. [3062/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra539. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she has concerns as to the continued unfettered independence in the role and function of the Confidential Recipient as per the Delegation. [3063/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra540. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health her views on whether the importance of the Confidential Recipient role and function is respected by the HSE Senior Leadership team. [3064/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra541. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient as established under a legal delegation remains in place. [3065/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra542. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient continues to have the vital escalation pathway to the CEO for abuse cases. [3066/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra543. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient raised any concerns in relation to abuse cases where the HSE failed to reassure the Confidential Recipient that they appropriately assessed and examined reported concerns of abuse, neglect and wrongdoing submitted by the Confidential Recipient to the HSE. [3067/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra544. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient raised any concerns with her that the HSE is interfering with the independence of the office, or attempting to subsume the office into the internal structures of the HSE. [3068/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra545. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the frequency which the CEO of the HSE and the Confidential Recipient meet with one another to ensure the Office of the Confidential Recipient is being appropriately supported, that it remains a fully confidential and independent service and that its independence continues unfettered and that any presenting issues are discussed. [3069/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra546. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient raised any concerns with the CEO of the HSE as to the protection and enhancement of the independence of the office of the Confidential Recipient. [3070/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra547. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health which committee will the CR meet with annually, as the Independent Quality & Safety Committee has been disbanded under the new HSE regional health area structures, in order to submit the Confidential Recipient annual report for review and to raise any issues, themes and challenges for service users, families, staff and the public contacting the Office of the Confidential Recipient. [3071/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra548. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health in consideration of the Emily, Brandon and Grace reports, if the powers of the Confidential Recipient been strengthened to reflect the prevalent concerns in relation to the care and treatment of adults with a disability and older adults from the HSE and its funded agencies. [3072/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra549. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient's escalation pathway for abuse cases to the CEO has been strengthened. [3073/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra550. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the way in which the workings of the legal delegation, and in particular, the Independence of the Office of the Confidential Recipient, are being upheld and protected by the HSE from any interference from the HSE internal operations. [3074/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra551. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she will strengthen the role and function of the Confidential Recipient in consideration of the National Framework For Safeguarding published on 9 of December 2025. [3075/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra552. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the reason there is no mention of the Office of the Confidential Recipient in the new framework document and therefore no reassurance of the strengthening of the role and function of the Confidential Recipient. [3076/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra574. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if she anticipates strengthening the delegation in consideration of the framework for safeguarding. [3233/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra575. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the status of the Confidential Recipient annual report, as the last report was issued in 2022. [3234/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra576. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health with the establishment of regional health areas in the HSE, if the Confidential Recipient is satisfied that the level of communication with the regional executive officers and other senior managers is providing an effective line of communication. [3235/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra577. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the six REO’s understand the independent role of the Confidential Recipient; the powers delegated to the Confidential Recipient; the independence and confidentiality of the office; and if the professional communication between the relevant parties is working effectively. [3236/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra578. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the CEO of the HSE has ensured that the Confidential Recipient has met with the six REO’s and the CEO to ensure collaborative working. [3237/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra579. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if service users can be confident that when they contact the Confidential Recipient, that the service is confidential and independent without interference or undue influence from the HSE and its internal operations. [3238/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra580. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if the Confidential Recipient has a role to play in ensuring the safety and protection of vulnerable adults, where concerns are reported to the Confidential Recipient and the HSE fails to act. [3239/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra581. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if a matter (details supplied) being upheld and maintained to ensure the Confidential Recipient can carry out their duties fully in the manner intended to protect all vulnerable people. [3240/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra582. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if it is easy for the Confidential Recipient to contact the CEO of the HSE where serious concerns arise and the HSE fails to act appropriately; and the procedure for doing so. [3241/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 537 to 552, inclusive, and 574 to 582, inclusive, together.
As the matters raised by the Deputy are operational matters, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
