+Written Answers Nos. 756-775
756. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any changes to prescribing guidance, reimbursement criteria, or clinical pathways for respiratory care were introduced between January 2024 and February 2026 which may have influenced the level of prescribing of salbutamol nebules; and if she will detail same. [28043/26]
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.
757. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average cost per individual procedure funded under the treatment abroad scheme in respect of gender affirmation surgeries in each year from 2020 to 2025; the methodology used to calculate or monitor such costs; and the financial control or value-for-money mechanisms in place to assess these expenditures. [28044/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra760. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the treatment abroad scheme does not record or maintain data on the type of procedures funded under gender affirmation surgery referrals; whether there are plans to introduce such data collection; and the timeframe for implementation. [28047/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra792. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the treatment abroad scheme records total cost per patient episode, including multi-year treatment costs; and if she will provide the average and total cost per minor referred for gender-related treatment abroad since 2020. [28109/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra806. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the treatment abroad scheme records and tracks expenditure by treatment category, referral pathway, or clinical indication; and if not, the reason such data is not collected in the context of public expenditure oversight. [28125/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 757, 760, 792 and 806 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
758. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal or external audits have been conducted on the funding of gender affirmation surgeries under the treatment abroad scheme since 2020; if so, to provide details of the findings, dates, and recommendations; and if not, the reason no such audit has been undertaken. [28045/26]
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.
759. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the clinical outcome measures, follow-up requirements, or post-operative monitoring arrangements are in place for patients who undergo gender affirmation surgery funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and how such outcomes are recorded and evaluated at a national level. [28046/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra793. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether clinical outcomes, complications, or follow-up care requirements are recorded for minors referred abroad for gender-related treatment under the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, the mechanisms used to monitor and evaluate these outcomes. [28110/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra794. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the arrangements are in place within the HSE to provide ongoing clinical care, including psychological and medical follow-up, to minors who have received gender-related treatment abroad under the treatment abroad scheme. [28111/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 759, 793 and 794 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in Regulation (EC) No. 987/2009. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, patients may apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public health care outside the state through the issue of form S2 (IE). The application requires the patient's referring hospital consultant based in Ireland, following clinical assessment, to certify, among other things, that the treatment is medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs. The treatment must not be available within the State or not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease. Once a patient is discharged from a specific episode of care abroad, their care immediately reverts to their Irish based consultant.
As detailed clinical arrangements in place regarding services within the HSE following treatment abroad are a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
761. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific clinical and administrative criteria applied when approving applications under the treatment abroad scheme for gender affirmation surgery; whether any refusal thresholds or review mechanisms exist; and the role of multidisciplinary teams in this process. [28048/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra797. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to identify the public healthcare providers abroad to which minors from Ireland have been referred for gender-related services under the treatment abroad scheme since 2020. [28114/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra815. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any additional governance, oversight, or approval criteria apply to gender-related treatments funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and if not, the rationale for the absence of such criteria. [28134/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 761, 797 and 815 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
762. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE medical secretaries posts filled as part of the ENT Department of University Hospital Limerick as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28055/26]
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.
763. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant oncologist with a special interest in genetics based at University Hospital Limerick as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28056/26]
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.
764. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE cardiovascular clinical nurse specialists based at University Hospital Limerick that were filled as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28057/26]
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.
765. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Primary Care Reimbursement Service maintains product-specific data on rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services and drugs payment schemes; and if not, whether there are plans to introduce such data tracking mechanisms [28064/26]
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.
766. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any proportion of rejected or unpaid claims for salbutamol nebules in 2024 and 2025 can be disaggregated from general rejection categories; and if so, to provide the number and percentage of such claims. [28065/26]
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.
767. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed breakdown of the reasons for rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services scheme in 2024 and 2025, including the number of claims in each category and whether such categories are linked to specific medicines. [28066/26]
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.
768. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the oversight mechanisms that are in place to monitor rejection rates for commonly prescribed medicines under the general medical services scheme, including respiratory medications; and whether any review of rejection patterns has been conducted in the past three years. [28067/26]
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.
769. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audit or validation exercise has been conducted on the accuracy and consistency of claim rejections by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service in 2024 or 2025; and if so, to provide details of the findings and any actions taken. [28068/26]
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.
770. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive assesses the patient impact of rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services scheme; and if so, to outline the methodology used and any findings in relation to essential medicines. [28069/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
771. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any medicines were removed from, or had their reimbursement status altered within, the Primary Care Reimbursement Service systems in 2024 and 2025 which resulted in rejected claims; and to provide details of such medicines and the dates of change [28070/26]
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.
772. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the proportion of rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services scheme in 2024 and 2025 attributable to administrative or submission errors; and the measures in place to reduce such errors. [28071/26]
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.
773. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE maintains any national database or registry recording clinical outcomes for patients who undergo procedures abroad under the treatment abroad scheme; if not, the reason no such system exists; and if she will outline any plans to establish one. [28074/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
774. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms that are in place to ensure long-term follow-up care for patients undergoing procedures abroad under the treatment abroad scheme, and whether compliance with follow-up protocols is monitored or audited. [28076/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra784. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a formal requirement exists obliging clinicians to report clinical outcomes, complications, and follow-up care requirements to the Health Service Executive or her Department in respect of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and if not, whether she will introduce such a requirement. [28101/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra785. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the Health Service Executive maintains any centralised or national system for the monitoring, recording, or analysis of clinical outcomes, complication rates, or long-term healthcare impacts for patients who receive procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and if not, the reason for the absence of such a system. [28102/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra786. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms n place at a national level to evaluate patient safety, treatment effectiveness, and long-term health outcomes in respect of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme, in the absence of a centralised outcomes monitoring system. [28103/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra789. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the body or unit within her Department or the Health Service Executive holds responsibility at a national level for oversight of clinical outcomes, complication reporting, and long-term follow-up in respect of procedures funded under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. [28106/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 774, 784, 785, 786 and 789 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in Regulation (EC) No. 987/2009. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, patients may apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public health care outside the state through the issue of form S2 (IE). The application requires the patient's referring hospital consultant based in Ireland, following clinical assessment, to certify, among other things, that the treatment is medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs. The treatment must not be available within the State or not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease. Once a patient is discharged from a specific episode of care abroad, their care immediately reverts to their Irish based consultant. As detailed clinical arrangements within the HSE following treatment abroad are a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy as soon as possible.
775. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audits have been conducted since 2020 on clinical outcomes or patient safety in respect of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme; if so, to provide details; if not, the reason none have been undertaken. [28077/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra787. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audits, reviews, or evaluations have been conducted by her Department or the Health Service Executive into clinical outcomes, complication rates, or follow-up care requirements arising from procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme since 2020; and if so, to provide details including dates, scope, and findings. [28104/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 775 and 787 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
