Written Answers Nos. 741-764
741. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department of Health has carried out any national analysis of the relationship between agency staffing expenditure and reductions in hospital waiting lists since the commencement of the multi-annual waiting list action plan approach in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36316/26]
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.
742. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure on agency staffing associated with scheduled care, elective activity and Waiting List Action Plan delivery for each year from 2021 to 2026, broken down by hospital group and Health Region. [36317/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
743. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any value-for-money assessment has been undertaken comparing agency staffing costs with equivalent permanent staffing costs in the delivery of waiting-list reduction initiatives; and if so, to provide details. [36318/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
744. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any specialty-specific analysis has been undertaken regarding reliance on agency staffing for Waiting List Action Plan delivery, including in orthopaedics, ophthalmology, ENT and gastroenterology. [36319/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
745. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or HSE has identified any risks to the sustainability of waiting-list reductions arising from long-term dependence on agency staffing. [36320/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
746. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national benchmark or target exists regarding acceptable levels of agency staffing expenditure linked to elective and scheduled care services. [36321/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
747. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE tracks waiting-list reductions achieved through agency-supported clinics, theatres, diagnostics or additional sessions; and if so, the metrics used. [36322/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
748. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any regional variation analysis has been carried out regarding dependency on agency staffing to support Waiting List Action Plan targets. [36323/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
749. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has examined the long-term fiscal implications of sustained agency staffing usage within scheduled care services. [36324/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe long-term financial implications of all agency costs will need to be considered as part of ongoing discussions between the Department of Health and the Department of Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on an agreed approach to multi-annual budgeting.
750. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any independent audit or review has been undertaken regarding the effectiveness of agency staffing expenditure in supporting Waiting List Action Plan delivery since 2021. [36325/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
751. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulance responses in each year since 2020 where the response time exceeded (i) 60 minutes, (ii) 90 minutes and (iii) 120 minutes, broken down by HSE region and call category. [36378/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
752. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any patient safety review, incident analysis or mortality review process is automatically triggered following ambulance response delays exceeding specified thresholds; and if so, to provide details. [36379/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
753. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the National Ambulance Service maintains any internal reporting threshold for “extreme delays”; and, if so, the criteria applied. [36380/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra754. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether ambulance response-time delays are linked to HIQA-reportable patient safety incidents or serious reportable events. [36381/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra755. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department receives routine reporting on ambulance delays exceeding defined thresholds; and, if not, whether the absence of such reporting has been identified as a governance risk. [36382/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 753, 754 and 755 together.
As outlined to the Deputy in previous replies, National Ambulance Service (NAS) performance against Key Performance Indicator targets included in the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan is reported on a monthly basis in line with the HSE's Performance Management Framework.
The Framework is designed to ensure that delivery of all its healthcare services, including those provided by the NAS, are of the highest quality and performance is assessed against the targets and objectives in the NSP using a comprehensive Performance Engagement Model.
In addition, the HSE's Incident Management Framework, which also applies to the NAS, is designed to implement a person-centred response to reportable safety incidents and the approach in the Framework is to align the response to such events with the HSE's values of care, compassion, trust and learning. A link the the Framework is enclosed below for the Deputy's information:
https://www2.healthservice.hse.ie/organisation/nqpsd/featured-articles/incident-management-framework-and-open-disclosure-audit-tool/
Regarding the Deputy's other specific queries I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to him with any further pertinent information it may have.
756. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has set any target date for the establishment of a national data collection system relating to gender-related healthcare services for minors. [36383/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position on this matter has been addressed in replies to Parliamentary Question number 13696 of 2026, as well as other previous Parliamentary Questions, and remains unchanged. Accordingly, there is no additional information to add at this time.
757. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any interim governance framework currently exists pending completion of the proposed updated model of care for gender-related healthcare services for minors. [36384/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position on this matter has been addressed in replies to Parliamentary Question number 33659 of 2026, as well as other previous Parliamentary Questions, and remains unchanged. Accordingly, there is no additional information to add at this time.
758. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal audit process is currently applied to gender-related healthcare services for minors funded directly or indirectly by the State. [36385/26]
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 whether any official has been assigned responsibility for overseeing the development of governance and audit structures relating to gender-related healthcare services for minors. [36386/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra760. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the absence of a national data collection system for gender-related healthcare services for minors has been identified as a governance or patient-safety risk. [36387/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra761. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has received any timeline from the HSE regarding the introduction of audit and monitoring mechanisms for gender-related healthcare services for minors. [36388/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra762. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external expert review has been commissioned concerning governance arrangements for gender-related healthcare services for minors. [36389/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 759 to 762, inclusive, together.
The position on this matter has been addressed in replies to Parliamentary Question number 33656 of 2026, as well as other previous Parliamentary Questions, and remains unchanged. Accordingly, there is no additional information to add at this time.
763. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national standards currently exist governing clinical oversight, outcome monitoring, or long-term follow-up in respect of gender-related healthcare services for minors. [36390/26]
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 Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department intends to publish the future governance framework for gender-related healthcare services for minors once completed. [36391/26]
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.
