Written Answers Nos. 986-1005
986. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal national governance framework, beyond the general HSE Code of Governance, has been approved or issued specifically for gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors; if not, the timeline for its introduction. [32525/26]
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.
987. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal risk assessment has been conducted at Departmental or HSE level regarding the operation of gender-related clinical pathways for minors in the absence of a completed national model of care; and if so, to provide details. [32526/26]
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.
988. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what interim data collection arrangements are currently in place to record referrals, assessments, clinical decisions and outcomes for minors accessing gender-related healthcare pathways, pending the development of a national system. [32527/26]
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.
989. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the absence of a structured national dataset in respect of gender-related healthcare pathways for minors has been formally recorded as a governance or patient safety risk; and if so, the mitigation measures in place. [32528/26]
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.
990. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether any aggregate figures are currently available to her Department on the number of minors referred, assessed or treated under gender-related pathways in the past five years, even on a partial or regional basis. [32529/26]
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.
991. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external or independent clinical audit of gender-related assessment or referral pathways for minors has been commissioned or considered since 2020; and if not, the rationale for this position. [32530/26]
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.
992. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what specific safeguarding protocols are currently mandated for clinicians when assessing minors presenting with gender-related distress, in the absence of a finalised national model of care. [32531/26]
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.
993. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether compliance with evidence-based clinical standards in gender-related care for minors is currently subject to any formal monitoring, inspection or performance review mechanism; and if so, to detail same. [32532/26]
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.
994. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any timeline has been set for the establishment of a national data system, audit framework and governance structure for gender-related healthcare pathways for minors, and if so, to provide the expected delivery dates. [32533/26]
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.
995. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of agency staffing expenditure within the HSE by staff category, including consultants, non-consultant hospital doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants and administrative staff, on a monthly basis for 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32534/26]
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.
996. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of agency staffing expenditure within the HSE by hospital group and Community Healthcare Organisation area, on a monthly basis for 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32535/26]
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.
997. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health how many agency staff have been converted to permanent HSE contracts under the July 2025 agency conversion framework, broken down by staff category and location; the estimated savings achieved to date from these conversions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32536/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
998. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has set annual or monthly targets for reducing agency staffing expenditure; if so, to provide those targets for 2024, 2025 and 2026 and the actual outturn against those targets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32537/26]
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.
999. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average hourly cost of agency staff compared to directly employed staff across key grades within the HSE; and the estimated additional cost incurred through agency staffing in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32538/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1000. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the extent to which agency staffing expenditure is linked to delivery under the Waiting List Action Plan; and whether any analysis has been carried out on the cost-effectiveness of agency staffing in reducing waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32539/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments. I am conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families.
I published the Waiting Time Action Plan (WTAP) for 2026 on January 30th, as part of this Government’s ongoing commitment to improving access to hospital care and reducing waiting times for patients.
The multi-annual Action Plan approach was implemented in September 2021 to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists and waiting times. Significant progress has been made under this approach in reducing the length of time patients are waiting.
With the 2026 plan, we will continue to build upon the progress delivered to date under the multi annual action plan approach, moving towards the ultimate vision of a public healthcare service in which everyone has timely access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it.
In relation to the particular queries raised, as these are service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1001. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of agency staffing expenditure in the HSE by staff grade and category, including consultants, non-consultant hospital doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, health and social care professionals, administrative staff and support staff, for 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, broken down by month and HSE Health Region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32540/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1002. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health how many agency staff have been converted to permanent HSE employment under the July 2025 agency conversion framework, broken down by staff grade, HSE Health Region and month; the estimated savings achieved to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32541/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1003. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has set monthly or annual targets for reducing agency staffing expenditure in 2025 and 2026; the target and actual expenditure for each month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32542/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1004. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average hourly cost to the HSE of agency staff compared with directly employed staff across the main staff categories; the estimated additional cost arising from agency staffing in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32543/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational issue I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
1005. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or HSE has carried out any audit, review or evaluation of the July 2025 agency conversion framework; if so, to provide the findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32544/26]
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.
