Written Answers Nos. 554-572
554. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to inform the public if a product for human consumption is found to contain a cancer-causing substance, or any other human health issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13668/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has overall responsibility for the enforcement of food law in Ireland, which is carried out on the ground by a range of other official agencies, acting under service contract to the FSAI. Therefore, as this is an operational matter, I have asked the FSAI to reply directly to the Deputy.
555. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the length of time the CAHMS vacancy for a psychologist for Gorey, County Wexford has been vacant for; the reason this position has not yet been filled; the amount of patients currently waiting to be seen by a member of CAHMS in the vicinity, including a breakdown per year of how long they have been waiting to receive care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13423/26]
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.
556. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the length of time the CAHMS vacancy for an occupational therapist for County Wexford has been vacant for; the reason this position has not yet been filled; the amount of patients currently waiting to be seen by a member of CAHMS in the vicinity, including a breakdown per year of the length of time they have been waiting to receive care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13424/26]
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.
557. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the length of time the CAHMS vacancy for an assistant psychologist for County Wicklow has been vacant for; the reason this position has not yet been filled; the amount of patients currently waiting to be seen by a member of CAHMS in the vicinity, including a breakdown per year of the length of time they have been waiting to receive care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13425/26]
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.
558. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies there currently are for CAHMS County Wicklow and County Wexford; the length these roles have been vacant for; the reason this position has not yet been filled; the amount of patients currently waiting to be seen by a member of CAHMS in the vicinity, including a breakdown per year of the length of time they have been waiting to receive care; if there are any plans to increase the number of posts allocated to both counties for CAHMS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13426/26]
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.
559. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health if plans have been completed and funded to develop a liaison service for CAHMS across the south east, as stated in the service plan for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13427/26]
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.
560. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Primary Care Reimbursement Service holds reimbursement claims data for salbutamol nebules dispensed under the general medical services scheme from 1 January 2025 to date; and if so, to provide the total number of claims and the monthly breakdown [13447/26]
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.
561. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Primary Care Reimbursement Service holds reimbursement claims data for alternative nebulised bronchodilator products dispensed under the general medical services scheme from 1 January 2025 to date; and if so, to provide the total number of claims and the monthly breakdown, including identification of the relevant product categories [13448/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter and under 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, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
562. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE conducted any national analysis of prescribing substitution patterns arising from reported shortages of salbutamol nebules since 1 January 2025; and if so, to provide details of the methodology used and any conclusions reached [13449/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter and under 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, this question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
563. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the national monitoring framework which is in place within her Department or the HSE to assess the patient impact of essential medicine shortages under the general medical services scheme; and whether this framework includes tracking of clinical substitution, cost impact, or regional variation [13450/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is aware of the stress that shortages of medicines can cause for patients and healthcare professionals alike, and mitigating medicine shortages and strengthening security of supply is the subject of several workstreams in my Department, the wider health service and across Europe.
Medicine shortages are a feature of modern health systems worldwide which have been exacerbated by recent worldwide events. It is a global health problem, not unique to Ireland, and increases in demand for medications and medicines shortages have been observed in the UK, throughout the EU and across the world in recent months, and there is no evidence that shortages disproportionately impact patients in Ireland compared to other countries.
To address these challenges in Ireland, a Medicines Shortages Framework, operated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) on behalf of the Department of Health, has been established. This aims to help prevent potential shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact of shortages on patients by co-ordinating the management of potential or actual shortages across the health service as they arise. The HPRA maintains a list of current and resolved shortages on its website. The webpage is updated daily as the HPRA receives new information. As at 18 February 2026 415 notified medicines shortages were listed on the HPRA medicine shortages page: www.hpra.ie/find-a-medicine/for-human-use/medicine-shortages?data=eyJpZCI6bnVsbCwic2tpcCI6MCwidGFrZSI6MjUsInF1ZXJ5IjpudWxsLCJvcmRlciI6InByb2R1Y3RuYW1lIiwiZmlsdGVyIjoiQWxsIn0%3D.
Within my Department a number of working groups have been established to specifically deal with medicine shortages. The Medicines Criticality Assessment Group (MCAG) is a collaborative working group of relevant government, regulatory and healthcare agency bodies that is convened by the Department of Health and chaired by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to facilitate ad hoc rapid assembly of nominated representatives to assess and address emerging human medicinal product (prescription and non-prescription) supply issues. MCAG was established in 2018 as part of a whole of government response to Brexit and has since evolved to its current form.
Following notification of a supply issue from a relevant health service stakeholder (DOH, HSE, HPRA and/or PSI) that is requiring more extensive and more immediate cross health-service input and is considered necessary to effectively prevent and/or mitigate a high impact supply issue, the Secretariat liaises with the Chair of the Group to convene an MCAG. This group will assist in the development of clinical guidance for mitigation of impact of specific medicinal product supply issues, as necessary, and where appropriate to do so. This workstream will be led by relevant HSE clinical personnel who will hold responsibility for final output.
564. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any additional expenditure has arisen under the general medical services scheme as a result of prescribing alternative products due to salbutamol nebule shortages since 1 January 2025; and if so, to provide the estimated amount and the basis of calculation [13451/26]
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.
565. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on a new cardiovascular strategy; the expected timeline for its publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13452/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra566. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether a new national cardiovascular strategy will be produced; if it will include nationwide screening and early detection of structural heart disease, cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk assessment programmes; how Ireland will align with OECD and EU recommendations (details supplied); if dedicated resources will be allocated to prevention and early detection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13453/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 565 and 566 together.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) encompasses a range of conditions including heart attack and stroke. It remains a leading cause of death in Ireland and significant hospital bed days. CVD claimed the lives of almost 10,000 people in Ireland in 2023 and is estimated to cost the Irish state €1.7 billion annually, with 46% of this being direct healthcare costs.
Ireland has made progress in tackling CVD. Today, CVD mortality is about half of the levels of 1995, however, CVD still accounts for 27.8% of all deaths in Ireland. The absolute number of CVD cases has increased due to the rise in population and Ireland’s ageing demographics. CVD imposes significant social and personal costs for patients including reduced quality of life, and potential lost earnings.
I am committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population. It is important to highlight that any decisions about changes to our national screening programmes, or the introduction of new programmes, will be facilitated through established protocols. The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is the independent expert group that considers proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes. NSAC assesses the evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria, before making recommendations to myself as Minister for Health. The rigorous processes utilised by NSAC are critical to ensure that our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.
NSAC has previously received proposals through its Call for Submission process, calling for the introduction of a screening programme for Structural Heart Disease. After reviewing the submissions received, NSAC decided not to refer the applications for further consideration by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). However, in recognition of the continually evolving nature of medical research, NSAC holds annual Calls for Submissions, which invite proposals from all stakeholders and organisations, including members of the public, HSE and other medical professionals. The 2025 NSAC Call for Submissions closed on 12 September 2025. All proposals are carefully considered by NSAC against its rigorous criteria.
Irish officials, working closely with EU colleagues, contributed to the development of a new Council Conclusion on the improvement of cardiovascular health, adopted on 3rd December 2024, marking a strong political commitment to tackling cardiovascular disease across Europe. This engagement demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to cardiovascular health, ensuring that national priorities align with European efforts to reduce the burden of CVDs.
On 16th December 2025, the European Commission published Safe Hearts – the EU Cardiovascular Plan, a landmark initiative aimed at reducing premature deaths by improving prevention, early detection, and treatment, while also driving innovation. Ireland’s active role in shaping these policies reflects our ambition to strengthen cardiovascular health outcomes for our population and contribute to a healthier Europe.
On April 8th 2025, the National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services was published. The comprehensive, evidence-based report provides 23 key recommendations around cardiac health policy, specifically:
• patient-centred care integrated with Sláintecare,
• increased cardiac care in community settings,
• focus on prevention,
• capital investment for non-invasive diagnostics and imaging (including e-health),
• structural reform to develop regional cardiac networks, national comprehensive cardiac centres,
• leadership and governance.
It offers both a data-driven analysis and a clear roadmap for reforming cardiac services across the country. Department officials are now working closely with the HSE to progress the implementation of these recommendations. This is a complex, multiyear reform programme that will ensure a comprehensive and deliverable approach in achieving outcomes.
Cardiovascular health was prioritised in Budget 2025, which allocated over €9 million in full-year funding to support vital cardiovascular initiatives. Budget 2025 allocated €4 million full year costs, and 45 WTEs to progress cardiac services. To date, 28 of these 45 WTEs have been prioritised. This investment facilitates the initial steps in cardiac services reform and will support the development of a new cardiovascular strategy as committed to in the Programme for Government. In the short term, we will deliver enhanced cardiac services and develop the necessary structures to ensure success in the longer term.
With regard to services for stoke, the National Stroke Strategy was published in 2022 and over €13m has been allocated to its implementation to date. The Stroke Strategy aims to modernise our Stroke services in line with Sláintecare and ensure the future readiness of services given our ageing demography and the predicted rise in stroke incidence in coming decades. Most recently in Budget 2025, full year costs of €5m to Stroke services were allocated which will provide 56 WTEs to strengthen Acute Stroke units and expand the Early Supported Discharge Team network from 11-15 teams nationally.
567. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied) in relation to their personal assistant budget, where an increase was verbally agreed by the HSE but has not been reflected in recent payments; the reason the agreed hourly rate increase has not been implemented; the steps being taken rectify the matter as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13459/26]
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.
568. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Health to provide the weekly urgent and emergency care reports for each ED from 1 January 2026 to-date; the reason these reports are not available publicly on the HSE website as was previously the case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13477/26]
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.
569. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the steps she is taking to immediately address the ongoing failures at the Central Mental Hospital, where patients continue to experience unacceptable conditions including heating system malfunctions and service deficiencies; to provide a clear timeline by which all necessary repairs and operational improvements will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13487/26]
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.
570. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health the rates of non-attendance for bowel screening appointments for 2023, 2024 and 2025, broken down by individual hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13491/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, it has been referred to the NSS for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
571. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Health if she will outline each section of enacted legislation where the responsibility lies with the Minister to commence that section, which has not been commenced; if she will outline each section of enacted legislation that provides for the making of regulations by the Minister which has not been made by the Minister; if she will outline all sections of enacted legislation or secondary legislation which provide for the publication of guidelines by the Minister that have not been published, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13508/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
572. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health for the average ambulance response time in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13531/26]
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.
