Written Answers Nos. 1061-1082
1061. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total number of new oral health patients in target groups attending for scheduled assessment in each full year, 2022 to 2025, inclusive, by local office and region, in tabular form. [11658/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1062. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of orthodontic patients on waiting lists to commence treatment at the end of each year 2022 – 2025, inclusive, by wait time band, local office, and region in tabular form. [11659/26]
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.
1063. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of orthodontic patients on waiting lists for an assessment at the end of each year 2022 – 2025, inclusive, by wait time band, local office, and region, in tabular form. [11660/26]
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.
1064. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on waiting lists for access to dental treatment under sedation at the end of 2024 and 2025, by sedation type, by patient type, by wait time band, for each health area by region, in tabular form. [11661/26]
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.
1065. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of requests received in 2024 and in 2025 for assistance with assignment to a GP or a dentist for medical card holders, free GP card holders, or by people without such qualification, in tabular form. [11662/26]
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.
1066. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of people waiting for diagnostic tests at the end of 2025, in tabular form. [11666/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWaiting times for radiology and diagnostic services have been recognised as an issue for some time. This Government is committed to the implementation of the 2017 Sláintecare Report, which includes a maximum waiting time target of 10 days for a diagnostic test.
The roll out of National digital platforms such as the National Integrated Medical Imaging System (NIMIS) and the National Laboratory Information System (MedLIS) are reducing duplication, improving diagnostic accuracy, and enabling secure, rapid information sharing across all public hospitals. In 2026, the use of digital diagnostic tools will be further expanded under the Productivity and Savings Taskforce Action Plan to increase the number of diagnostic scans, alongside measures to improve the utilisation of diagnostic equipment supporting increased diagnostic capacity.
The NTPF is working to support access to radiology and in October 2024 it published a National Radiology Diagnostic Waiting List Management Protocol. As well as ensuring that patients seeking access to Radiology Diagnostic services are administratively managed in a safe, timely, fair, and equitable manner whilst waiting, the protocol will facilitate improved data collection and reporting about patients on Radiology Diagnostic waiting lists.
In the interim, the information that is currently being collected as part of a pilot project is being tested and validated at hospital, hospital region and national level and as such should not be used/reported without the context of the caveats set out below:
• Data is subject to inclusions and exclusions which are documented in the Data Profile Document. This document is available from Acute Operations and has been circulated to all Hospital Regions.
• Data contains urgent, routine and surveillance/planned activity which is currently not broken down in detail, as such this includes surveillance/planned activity which may not be exceeding planned date.
• Data is still undergoing validation at Hospital and Hospital Region level. Data does not take into account local nuances at site level (Site profile developed to support understanding of same).
• The purpose of this aggregate data is to provide a National Level overview of the number of patients waiting for modalities of CT, MRI and Ultrasound.
• This report is not intended to be used for the active management of hospital diagnostics waiting list, local reports and mechanisms should continue to be used for the management of diagnostics waiting lists at hospital level.
The NTPF provides my Department with quarterly reports which set out waiting list data for CT, MRI and Ultrasound by hospital and time band.
The most recent report available for the end of Quarter 4 2025, which is attached, indicates there was a total of 264,768 patients reported on the waiting list, this represents all outpatients waiting, urgent, semi urgent, routine and planned/surveillance (where diagnostic access is planned at particular time intervals).
The NTPF has advised my Department, that for Quarter 4 2025 they did not receive data from St Vincent’s Hospital or St Michael's Hospital as both hospitals were in the process of migrating their records to the NIMIS system. Further, no data was received from Bantry General Hospital, Mallow General Hospital, and Cork University Hospital due to system upgrades.
1067. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health the steps she is undertaking to promote infant mental health and positive attachment relationships between caregivers and infants; if she is considering resourcing further targeted interventions in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11697/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department recognises the critical importance of infant mental health and positive early attachment as foundations to wellbeing. Early experiences shape children’s cognitive, behavioural, social and emotional development and strengthening support in the first years of life remains a priority for the Department.
In December 2024, my Department published Ireland’s first National Mental Health Promotion Plan, Pathways to Wellbeing.This cross-government plan sets out a coordinated, population-wide approach to improving mental health and wellbeing for all, while providing targeted supports for those most at risk of experiencing mental health difficulties.
A core component of the plan is the goal of “Strengthening the foundations for positive mental health in the early years” recognising the importance of the early childhood period for lifelong outcomes. The objectives under this goal focuses on enhancing infants’ and young children’s mental health by supporting secure attachment, responsive caregiving, safe and nurturing home environments and access to high quality supports within the family and local community. Promoting infant mental health and positive attachment relationships between caregivers and infants form important elements of the objectives within this goal.
Delivery of Pathways to Wellbeing will be led by Healthy Ireland within the Department of Health. A dedicated policy lead has been appointed to coordinate cross-sectoral engagement, alignment and delivery of the plan’s agreed objectives and actions.
Work on a phased implementation plan is now underway in partnership with other government departments and agencies. Phase 1 of implementation will outline the specific actions to be delivered in the short term (2026-2027) including actions aimed at strengthening supports available to infants, parents and families.
In relation to future investment, decisions on the resourcing of targeted interventions to promote infant mental health and positive attachment relationships will be considered through the annual Estimates process.
1068. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health the number of ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians providing services to medical card patients under the community ophthalmic services scheme in each year since 2022 to date in 2026, in tabular form. [11701/26]
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.
1069. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health if cataract surgeries will be carried out at the new Dublin North HSE Surgical Hub, due to be opened in April. [11702/26]
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.
1070. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the waiting list to see a speech and language therapist for a first appointment at Tonlegee Primary Care Centre, Dublin 5; and the average waiting time for same. [11703/26]
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.
1071. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 427 and 428 of 13 November 2025, if she will confirm receipt of the additional information sent on 28 November 2025 (details supplied); if she will address the queries in the original Parliamentary Question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11706/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the matters raised relate to the HSE, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy.
1072. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the requirements for a GP to obtain a GMS contract; and if they must fulfil any specialist training and the length of time that training takes. [11714/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1073. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total number of claims received by the State Claims Agency under the clinical indemnity scheme in each year 2005-2025 inclusive; the cost of the scheme in each year by cost type; the number of claims resolved in each year; the number of claims in which an award was paid in each year, in tabular form. [11733/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1074. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total number of claims received by the State Claims Agency under the clinical indemnity scheme in each year 2005-2025, inclusive, disaggregated for each relevant State authority, hospital, CHO, or similar as appropriate; the cost of the scheme in each year by cost type; the number of claims resolved in each year; the number of claims in which an award was paid in each year, in tabular form. [11734/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1075. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the total number of claims received by the State Claims Agency under the clinical indemnity scheme in 2024 and 2025, inclusive, disaggregated for each HSE health region; the cost of the scheme in each year by cost type; the number of claims resolved in each year; the number of claims in which an award was paid in each year, in tabular form. [11735/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1073, 1074 and 1075 together.
The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury and third-party property damage claims on behalf of State authorities.
The SCA has provided me with the information set out below.
The information contained within this document was extracted from the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
The answers to PQs 11733/26, 11734/26 and 11735/26 are contained in the tables attached to this response.
While the SCA publishes aggregate information on payments, it does not publish a breakdown by individual hospital as to do so would effectively create a ‘league table’, which could lead to an unwarranted comparison, in the absence of proper context, between hospitals in relation to the provision of health services. Accordingly, we are providing this information based on HSE Regions and other locations.
Due to the low number of claims across a number of years in each of the tables, the figures have been grouped by years in these instances.
1076. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that there is a three-year waitlist to access a GP as a new patient in Blessington, Wicklow; the measures that will be taken to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11770/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients, and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in any area.
Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Currently there are 2,600 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. A further 637 GPs do not hold a GMS contract but hold some other contract(s) with the HSE for the delivery of health services.
Where a medical card or GP visit card holder, or a person eligible for either card, experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE Eligibility Unit which has the power to assign a GMS patient to a GP's GMS patient list in accordance with the GMS contract.
Persons who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private practitioners, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients.
The HSE website provides a "find a GP" facility which can assist in locating and contacting GP in or around the area concerned.
As per the Programme for Government, the Government is committed to increasing the GP workforce. Work is ongoing in this regard, to increase the number of GPs practicing across the country and thereby improve access to GP services for all patients.
Over €340 million in additional annual investment in general practice has been provided under the 2019 and 2023 GP GMS Agreements to, amongst other things, increase payments to GMS GPs and supports for GP practices. 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 this year by 50 places to 400. In addition, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. Under the IMG programme, the placement of GPs is targeted to rural and underserved areas.
1077. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms, appeals processes, or alternative supports available to a person (details supplied) who has been assessed by the HSE as not qualifying for additional hours of support, despite an identified need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11771/26]
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.
1078. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to ensure that the price of mounjaro is consistent across all outlets, does not vary widely depending on the outlet which the patient seeks it from, and that the cost of this medicine is not a barrier to those patients for whom it is a necessity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11772/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn terms of medicines pricing in the private market the Minister has no powers over the commercial decision-making of how individual pharmacies price medicines to private customers. Pharmacies operate as commercial entities in a competitive pharmacy market.
1079. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the number of persons aged 66 years and over who were refused a medical card on income and/or medical grounds in each of the past three years; the average income level of applicants refused in this age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11781/26]
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.
1080. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health to provide the reason for the moving of the speech and language therapy service from Lettermore Health Centre in County Galway to another health centre 17 kilometres away; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11784/26]
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.
1081. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health how moving the speech and language therapy service from Lettermore Health Centre in County Galway to another health centre 17 kilometres away aligns with the implementation of Sláintecare, particularly regarding the delivering of health services in the community that is accessing them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11785/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly.
1082. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals awaiting access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), per clinic; the average wait time to access PrEP, per clinic, as of December 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11789/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSexual health is a priority for the Department of Health.
A national HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme commenced in 2019, following a HIQA HTA, which concluded that its introduction would be safe, effective, and cost saving. Free PrEP medication is available to individuals who meet clinical eligibility criteria, attending HSE approved PrEP services.
Public PrEP services are delivered through the public network of STI clinics and through some approved private providers. There are currently 13 approved public PrEP services, located in public STI clinics, and 42 private or general practitioner (GP) PrEP providers. Appointments at the 13 public PrEP services are free of charge, however, the private providers charge for consultations.
The population has grown significantly in recent years, and clinical criteria for PrEP eligibility have been widened, increasing the number of people eligible. The number of people eligible to access PrEP has been expanding since inception, with the number of individuals re-imbursed for PrEP at least once expanding from 1763 in 2020 to 7,037 users by the end of 2025. , a year in which an additional 2,196 new PrEP users were added.
While the PrEP service continues to grow, many PrEP services had reached capacity and service users were reporting challenges accessing appointments. In order to expand PrEP services and provide additional supports to our rapidly growing population, we were allocated additional funding of €550,000, through Budget 2025, and an additional €100,000 in 2026, to further support delivery of the PrEP scheme. The total allocation to €6.55m in 2025.
The 2025 allocation included funding for 7WTE to increase capacity for in-person appointments within the PrEP clinics, with all staff in place by October, 2025. In order to increase the number of providers, a PrEP competency framework and eLearning platform has been developed; these can be accessed by GPs with an interest in providing PrEP; numbers have increased substantially in 2025. The free home STI testing service is being used for some routine testing, also expanding capacity.
As waiting lists are a service matter, I have asked the HSE to provide this information to the Deputy as soon as possible.
