Written Answers Nos. 850-873
853. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Health if the drug skyclarys (omaveloxolone) used for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia will be made available under licence in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28209/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to investing in medicines. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated an additional €158 million for new drugs, which has facilitated the introduction of 263 new medicines, to date. The Year 1 cost of a new drug comes from the allocation for new medicines, but it should be noted that once these medicines are approved for reimbursement the full cost of providing them can reach multiples of this initial cost as their uptake increases.
Budget 2026 allocated €217 million in additional funding for drugs, with €30 million of this allocated for new drugs funding.
A central component of pharmaceutical expenditure is the HSE’s pricing and reimbursement process for medicines. 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. To commence the pricing and reimbursement process, a pharmaceutical company must submit an application for a new medicine or a new use of an existing medicine to the HSE’s Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit. European Medicines Agency (EMA) or Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) authorisation is required for the medicine prior to submission to the HSE for reimbursement as reimbursement only applies to licensed uses (indications) of the medicine.
Applicants must continue to engage through-out the process to ensure that the necessary evidence is available for the HSE to carry out its statutory role as a decision-maker with respect to the reimbursement of new medicines, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
As the HSE is the statutory decision maker, I have asked them for an update on omaveloxolone (Skyclarys®). The HSE has advised that the NCPE HTA Report was received on the 16th December 2025, including submissions made by patient organisations. These submissions will form part of the data that the HSE considers.
The HSE have advised that they have met with the applicant and await a commercial proposal at this juncture. These negotiations are commercially confidential.
This application remains under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
854. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health for an update on an application (details supplied); if his long term illness card will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28239/26]
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.
855. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if there is an adult SLT in place for those that need the service in Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28245/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
856. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health her plans for the expansion of access to oral immunotherapy services for children with food allergies and all other allergies in Ireland; to provide a timeframe for such expansion which would improve the quality of life for those impacted children and reduce risk of severe reactions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28247/26]
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.
857. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health her plans to address the lack of a national programme of comprehensive, evidence-based psychoeducation for people with experience of psychosis and their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28249/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra858. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health her plans to publish the review of alternative models to remunerate sessional peer facilitation of recovery-focused programmes such as EOLAS which was due to be published by the end of 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28250/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 857 and 858 together.
The HSE has confirmed to my Department that has been working with the Eolas steering group to seek to make the Eolas programme available as a recovery and therapeutic offering to service users and family members who may find it supportive in their recovery process.
There was extensive discussions with existing recovery coordinators as part of this engagement, and it was agreed that Eolas would be rolled out on a phased basis through its Recovery Education Services and made available as one of the suite of recovery education offerings available to Service users, family members, staff and others. This approach was agreed by the Eolas Steering group.
The work of the HSE Mental Health Engagement and Recovery (MHER) is based on the principle of autonomy of the service user’s choice and preferences and it works to support local services in meeting the priority recovery needs of their service users in their area. The HSE does not have any power or wish to prescribe what individuals or areas should do in relation to recovery, rather it seeks to work in co-production with them to meet the priority needs identified.
The areas formerly known as Community Healthcare Organisations 5, 6 and 8 were identified as the initial implementation areas. Communication was sent to the MH Heads of Service, a training programme was provided for facilitators and Eolas manuals were produced. As has been indicated in correspondence by the Chair of the Eolas Steering Group, the uptake of the programme was limited.
In light of further expansion of specialist services and treatment programmes since the original EOLAS programme was developed, the HSE have engaged with clinical leads in this field. Some of the principles of Eolas are already incorporated into the model of delivery for Rehab & Recovery Teams and also in the Early Intervention in Psychosis National Clinical Programme with input from HSE MHER staff.
The HSE also engaged with its Recovery Education Coordinators to identify what were the challenges in rolling out the Eolas programme and they identified a number of issues:
“The programme is too long with eight quite intense modules."
"The programme is too prescriptive and service users feel they should just be able to take part in areas of the programme that they feel are relevant to them."
"People were uncomfortable having to reveal their diagnosis."
"People feel there are similar more accessible programmes available such as the Willow programme in ARCHES Recovery College CHO 6 and other Recovery Colleges and Recovery Education Services in partnership with NGOs."
The HSE are also engaging with the new Regional Health Area (RHA) structures, and the central MHER team will work with the RHAs to develop implementation plans for all MHER activity informed by a needs analysis to be conducted in each area to identify priorities. If the Eolas programme is identified as a need in an area, MHER will support the area to make the programme available to service users and families either as a whole programme, or in part, based on the need identified.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
859. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Health the policy or clinical guidelines that result in a patient being transported to the nearest hospital for treatment, even where that facility does not have the appropriate neurological services required for the patient's condition; if she will outline the protocols in place to ensure patients with specific neurological needs are directed to suitably equipped hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28255/26]
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.
860. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE advanced nurse practitioners and emergency medicine registrars based at St. John's minor injuries unit, Limerick as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28263/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
861. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 379 of 10 April 2026, if the allocation of four new allergy service beds will facilitate an increase in the number of food challenges that can be performed; if this new dedicated bed provision will mean that consultants will have sufficient inpatient medical support to supervise oral immunotherapy procedures safely and, where clinically appropriate, in the new national children’s hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28337/26]
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.
862. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will meet with a psychoeducation advocacy group regarding their recent survey of consultant psychiatrists (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28338/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE has confirmed to my Department that has been working with the Eolas steering group to seek to make the Eolas programme available as a recovery and therapeutic offering to service users and family members who may find it supportive in their recovery process.
There was extensive discussions with existing recovery coordinators as part of this engagement, and it was agreed that Eolas would be rolled out on a phased basis through its Recovery Education Services and made available as one of the suite of recovery education offerings available to Service users, family members, staff and others. This approach was agreed by the Eolas Steering group.
The work of the HSE Mental Health Engagement and Recovery (MHER) is based on the principle of autonomy of the service user’s choice and preferences and it works to support local services in meeting the priority recovery needs of their service users in their area. The HSE does not have any power or wish to prescribe what individuals or areas should do in relation to recovery, rather it seeks to work in co-production with them to meet the priority needs identified.
The areas formerly known as Community Healthcare Organisations 5, 6 and 8 were identified as the initial implementation areas. Communication was sent to the MH Heads of Service, a training programme was provided for facilitators and Eolas manuals were produced. As has been indicated in correspondence by the Chair of the Eolas Steering Group, the uptake of the programme was limited.
In light of further expansion of specialist services and treatment programmes since the original EOLAS programme was developed, the HSE have engaged with clinical leads in this field. Some of the principles of Eolas are already incorporated into the model of delivery for Rehab & Recovery Teams and also in the Early Intervention in Psychosis National Clinical Programme with input from HSE MHER staff.
The HSE also engaged with its Recovery Education Coordinators to identify what were the challenges in rolling out the Eolas programme and they identified a number of issues:
“The programme is too long with eight quite intense modules."
"The programme is too prescriptive and service users feel they should just be able to take part in areas of the programme that they feel are relevant to them."
"People were uncomfortable having to reveal their diagnosis."
"People feel there are similar more accessible programmes available such as the Willow programme in ARCHES Recovery College CHO 6 and other Recovery Colleges and Recovery Education Services in partnership with NGOs."
The HSE are also engaging with the new Regional Health Area (RHA) structures, and the central MHER team will work with the RHAs to develop implementation plans for all MHER activity informed by a needs analysis to be conducted in each area to identify priorities. If the Eolas programme is identified as a need in an area, MHER will support the area to make the programme available to service users and families either as a whole programme, or in part, based on the need identified.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
863. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health whether she has given consideration to providing additional facilities and space to the rheumatology outpatient department of CUH, given that the largest constraint on services is not necessarily staff but space in which to deliver treatments. [28430/26]
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.
864. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health to instruct Beaumont Hospital to provide the names of the relevant medical staff to the Medical Council and Nursing Board, where appropriate, and to inform a person (details supplied), together with the relevant dates on which decisions were made, in order that complaints can be submitted if necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28437/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs your query is regarding an individual case relating to service matters, I have requested the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible. Please be advised that the Minister for Health is not in a position to comment on individual cases.
865. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health to provide a list of all locations/centres in Dublin county within the Dublin and southeast region the number of vacant NCS counsellor/therapist positions in each respective location/centre. [28440/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra“As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.”
866. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the allocation of and recruitment to public health nursing posts in Dublin mid-west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28470/26]
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.
867. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has reviewed the eligibility thresholds for access to public mental health services, including both community mental health teams and inpatient services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28471/26]
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.
868. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the impact on certain nurses and pharmacists facing difficulty in continuing their education and workplace attendance due to delays in the renewal of IRP cards (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28477/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in the Department of Health engage with colleagues across government departments, regulators and the health services to ensure professionals are supported to enter employment and to ensure continuity in the delivery of health services.
Specific to pharmacy professionals, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) has concluded a procurement process to appoint a provider to deliver the Third Country Qualification Recognition (TCQR) examination. It is currently expected that a minimum of two TCQR examination sittings will be delivered later this year, with one planned for Quarter 3 and a second planned for Quarter 4 of 2026. The PSI will communicate further operational details directly to candidates in due course
The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration advises that the Registration Office within Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) is currently experiencing an exceptionally high demand for immigration permission renewal applications.
ISD understand that the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants, and the Deputy can be assured that every avenue available is being explored to facilitate as many customers as possible and to increase processing capacity.
The Registration Office is already open seven days a week to facilitate customers, with further measures to reduce processing times currently being implemented. Additional staff have been assigned to this work, and further assignments are being examined. This is expected to begin to address the delays currently being experienced.
The Registration Office provide a live application processing date broken down by stamp category, which is updated every Monday, and is available at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/how-to-renew-your-current-permissio…
To ensure a fair and equitable service, renewals are generally processed in order of date submitted. Customers may submit their renewal applications up to 12 weeks prior to expiry of permission, to allow sufficient time for an application to be reached and processed prior to a current permission expiring.
The Registration Office has also issued a notice to employers regarding the legality of employing someone awaiting renewal. This notice can be found here: www.irishimmigration.ie/notice-to-employers-regarding-employees-awaiting-renewal-of-their-irp-card/
869. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the number of locum child psychiatrist posts currently filled in CHO9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28483/26]
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.
870. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the number of permanent child psychiatrist posts currently filled in CHO9; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28484/26]
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.
871. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health her plans to address recruitment and retention issues affecting clinical practice tutors in radiography; her plans to ensure increases in the number of student radiographers are accompanied by an appropriate increase in the number of practice tutors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28486/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials from my Department and the HSE are working closely with the Union to resolve the matter under the auspices of the WRC. As this is an ongoing industrial relations matter it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further.
873. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals who have opted out of the HSE donor opt-out system since its inception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28536/26]
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.
