Written Answers Nos. 1191-1211
1191. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if funding will urgently be allocated to a service (details supplied) that provides mental health services for people in County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12610/26]
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.
1192. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health for a detailed breakdown of the waiting lists, by county, for counselling services provided within primary care facilities, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12611/26]
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.
1193. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed breakdown of the waiting lists, by county, for CAMHS services, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12612/26]
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.
1194. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of cases in which former employees of an organisation (details supplied) have been denied the pension contributions arising from the 2024 pay parity agreement due to delays by the HSE in providing the associated funding; if she will clarify the reason employees who reached the normal retirement age of 65 in 2024 were not provided for under this agreement given that pay parity had been approved prior to their retirement; if she will examine whether it is appropriate or lawful for the organisation to rely on the late transfer of funds from the HSE as a reason not to remit pension contributions owed to eligible employees; if she will confirm whether any guidance was issued to the organisation regarding employees approaching retirement age during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12616/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter.
1195. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if there is any financial support for a panic alarm for a person in their 30s with Huntington disease who is falling regularly, where the person is under the age of 65 to quality for the senior alert scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12642/26]
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. Please forward a copy of the reply to this e-mail address: medicinesandmedicaldevicesregulationunit@health.gov.ie.
1196. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health for an update on the North Kerry CAMHS review; when it will be published and the reason for delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12682/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE submitted the Final Report on the North Kerry Lookback Review to my Department on 6 February last. Both I, and the Department of Health are considering the Report in detail, which involves liaison with the HSE and any other agencies as appropriate.
As I have indicated on many occasions in the past, my fundamental objective in completing this Review was to keep the best interests of young people and their families to the fore. I intend that the Lookback Review will be published as quickly as possible.
I wish to stress that any young person or their family in Kerry, or elsewhere, should continue to seek help without delay from our specialist CAMHS service which benefits so many young people and their families each year. I fully appreciate the tremendous work being carried out by all CAMHS staff nationally to ensure that our CAMHS service is safe, accessible, child-centered, and delivered to the highest possible standards.
1197. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason high dose vaccines have been omitted from the recommendations by NIAC as a viable alternative to standard dose vaccines for inclusion in the influenza season 2026/27, especially given that HIQA reviewed high dose vaccines as part of a cost effectiveness health technology assessment in early 2025 and concluded that high dose vaccine strategies were clinically more effective to standard dose vaccine strategies, across a number of clinical outcome parameters not least of which was significantly reduced hospitalisations an issue that has resulted in significant impact on our hospitals during the current 2025/26 flu season. [12695/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1198. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to list the countries where high dose vaccines have been commercially available since 2010, and if they are typically the preferentially recommended option over standard dose for adults aged 60 or 65 years and older in many of these countries; given that NIAC themselves also reviewed their own guidelines in mid-2025 without making any alterations, if she will explain the reason the Government didn't request NIAC to update recommendations last year to facilitate the public good for season 2026/27. [12696/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1199. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the her Department did not request NIAC to update recommendations last year to facilitate the public good for flu season 2026/27, given that NIAC also reviewed their own guidelines in mid-2025 without making any alterations; if she will now seek to cancel the tender; the steps she will take to ensure that high dose vaccines are reviewed by NIAC immediately so they can be available in flu season 2026/27 to optimise public health, and in doing so thus reflect the narrative from the strategic sourcing and contracting division within the Office of Government Procurement regarding the requirement for a competitive commercial procurement landscape being crucial to delivering value for money to the state. [12697/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1197, 1198 and 1199 together.
The National Immunisation Programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. NIAC make recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.
NIAC revise recommendations on an ongoing basis to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland, to incorporate findings from horizon scanning and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. NIAC continuously monitor global developments in the field of immunisation. The immunisation schedule, therefore, continues to be amended over time based on emerging evidence.
NIAC's annual workplan aims to address as many immunisation topics as possible whilst also remaining agile to address unanticipated events. The influenza chapter of the Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland is updated annually to incorporate the annual WHO recommendations for flu vaccine composition for the northern hemisphere.
In 2025, the chapter was also updated to reflect the replacement of quadrivalent vaccines by trivalent vaccines. An evidence review of newer and enhanced influenza vaccines, which is a substantial piece of work was not feasible in 2025 due to competing priorities for which there were immediate clinical and operational needs.
A formal review of recommendations for use of enhanced influenza vaccines was prioritised for the 2026 workplan. In January 2026, NIAC formally commenced a review of recommendations regarding the use of newer and enhanced influenza vaccines (adjuvanted, high-dose, cell-based and recombinant vaccines) in eligible populations. Work on the evidence review process will continue over the coming months and will inform the influenza season 2027/2028.
I am advised that no high dose influenza vaccine (HD-IIV) has been centrally authorised by the European Medicines Authority. Certain countries have authorised these vaccines at a national level, but this information is not formally collated. Also, information on the commercial availability of authorised vaccines is not formally collated.
The HSE is responsible for the implementation of the Influenza Vaccination Programme, in line with Department of Health policy and funding, which includes procurement of the vaccine in line with EU and National Procurement rules. Every year the WHO reviews global surveillance data and recommends the specific influenza strains that manufacturers should include in that season’s vaccine based on the flu strains that are considered most likely to circulate.
The HSE will carry out a procurement process in relation to the flu vaccine specific to the flu season 2026/2027. It is expected that NIAC recommended enhanced flu vaccines will be included in this procurement process. Only when that process is complete, will it be known what vaccines will be available for the coming flu season.
1200. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to ensure the current tender process for season 2026/27 will go ahead; the reason she would not consider the creation of a pathfinder programme, as developed for the temporary usage of monoclonal antibody in RSV for the past two seasons (details supplied). [12698/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Immunisation Programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. NIAC make recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department.
NIAC revise recommendations on an ongoing basis to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland, to incorporate findings from horizon scanning and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. NIAC continuously monitor global developments in the field of immunisation. The immunisation schedule, therefore, continues to be amended over time based on emerging evidence.
The HSE is responsible for the implementation of the Influenza Vaccination Programme, in line with Department of Health policy and funding, which includes procurement of the vaccine in line with EU and National Procurement rules. Every year the WHO reviews global surveillance data and recommends the specific influenza strains that manufacturers should include in that season’s vaccine based on the flu strains that are considered most likely to circulate.
The HSE will carry out a procurement process in relation to the flu vaccine specific to the flu season 2026/2027. It is understood that NIAC recommended enhanced flu vaccines will form part of the procurement process. Only when that process is complete, will it be known what vaccines will be available for the coming flu season.
1201. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the detailed breakdown by whole-time equivalent number of the various clinical specialties that provide staff and service to the cardiac cath labs in University Hospital Waterford (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12707/26]
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.
1202. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the detailed breakdown by whole-time equivalent number of the various clinical specialties that provide staff and service to the cardiac cath labs in University Hospital Cork as part of the 24/7 cardiac schedule (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12708/26]
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.
1203. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the detailed breakdown by whole-time equivalent number the various clinical specialties that provide staff and service to the cardiac cath labs in University Hospital Limerick as part of the 24/7 cardiac schedule (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12709/26]
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.
1204. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the detailed breakdown by whole-time equivalent of number the various clinical specialties that provide staff and service to the cardiac cath labs in University Hospital Galway as part of the 24/7 cardiac schedule (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12710/26]
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.
1205. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to detail the individual bed number exclusively provided for coronary care on a full time basis in each of the four acute hospitals, UHW, CUH, UHL and UHG; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12711/26]
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.
1206. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed report on the number of ICU level 3 and level 3S beds permanently available in the following acute hospitals, UHG, UHL, UHW and CUH; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12712/26]
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.
1207. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed report on the number of HDU level 2 beds permanently available in the following acute hospitals, UHG, UHL, UHW and CUH; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12713/26]
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.
1208. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed report on the number of cardiac day beds permanently available in the following acute hospitals, UHG, UHL, UHW and CUH; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12714/26]
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.
1209. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures, including primary PCI and non-primary (elective or urgent) PCI, carried out in each of the public Model 4 hospital providing PCI services, broken down by quarter, for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12715/26]
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.
1210. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if she has received a report (details supplied) on the north Kerry lookback review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12716/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE submitted the Final Report on the North Kerry Lookback Review to my Department on 6 February last. Both I, and the Department of Health are considering the Report in detail, which involves liaison with the HSE and any other agencies as appropriate.
As I have indicated on many occasions in the past, my fundamental objective in completing this Review was to keep the best interests of young people and their families to the fore. I intend that the Lookback Review will be published as quickly as possible.
I wish to stress that any young person or their family in Kerry, or elsewhere, should continue to seek help without delay from our specialist CAMHS service which benefits so many young people and their families each year. I fully appreciate the tremendous work being carried out by all CAMHS staff nationally to ensure that our CAMHS service is safe, accessible, child-centered, and delivered to the highest possible standards.
1211. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health to provide the scheduled days and times of all HSE and NPTF "in-sourced" procedures in 2025, from 1 January to 31 December, broken down by specialist areas in St. James's Hospital (details supplied); if the patients treated via an insourcing procedure were on a validated active waiting list waiting in all cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12746/26]
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.
