Written Answers Nos. 765-788
765. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the absence of structured national monitoring systems for gender-related healthcare services for minors has been discussed with HIQA, the Mental Health Commission or any other oversight body. [36392/26]
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.
766. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health to provide a copy of the recent correspondence issued by the Minister for public expenditure to her Department, as referred to in media reports (details supplied); if she will provide details of the percentage reduction(s) in spending in her Department referenced in the correspondence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36408/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health have been notified of a €175m or 0.68% levy on current expenditure in respect of the Health Vote in respect of 2027. See correspondence from the Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation attached.
767. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the number and names of hospitals and healthcare facilities within the public health system that are currently using SMS messaging services for outpatient appointment reminders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36436/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
768. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the details of the systems or service providers used by each hospital or healthcare facility for the provision of SMS appointment reminders, including the name of the provider; whether the system is centrally procured or locally arranged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36437/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
769. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health whether the SMS reminder systems in use across hospitals are configured as one-way reminder services or include two-way communication functionality allowing patients to confirm, cancel or reschedule appointments; to provide a breakdown by hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36438/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
770. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the cost per SMS message incurred by each hospital or healthcare facility based on the provider or system in use; the total expenditure on SMS appointment reminders in the most recent twelve-month period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36439/26]
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 Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the number of outpatient appointment reminder SMS messages issued by each hospital or healthcare facility in the past three months; to provide this information on a per-hospital basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36440/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
772. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which SMS reminder systems are actively utilised across hospitals, including a comparison of usage levels between sites; whether any hospitals with access to such systems are not making full use of them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36441/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
773. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether dispensing trends for salbutamol nebules are monitored as part of winter preparedness or respiratory surveillance planning. [36448/26]
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.
774. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE maintains regional prescribing trend analysis for nebulised bronchodilator medications; and if so, to provide the latest available data. [36449/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
775. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any review has been undertaken into the drivers of variation in average reimbursement cost per salbutamol nebule item under the General Medical Services scheme since 2024. [36450/26]
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.
776. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether PCRS reimbursement prescribing data is integrated with any national respiratory disease monitoring or forecasting systems. [36451/26]
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.
777. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has assessed the extent to which high-frequency salbutamol dispensing may indicate gaps in preventative asthma or COPD management in primary care. [36452/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has not conducted an assessment on whether the frequency of salbutamol dispensing has indicated gaps in preventative asthma or COPD management in primary care. However, given the clinical and operational nature of the issue raised, I have referred the question to the HSE for any related input.
778. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has identified any supply-chain, pricing or reimbursement pressures affecting nebulised respiratory medications since 2024. [36453/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
779. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health her assessment of the reasons for the increase in outpatient waiting times in most hospitals since the start of 2025; the main factors contributing to the increase; the actions being taken to address the increase; the targets in place for the end of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36463/26]
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.
Notwithstanding the longer-term improvements achieved, waiting lists more recently have been impacted by the ongoing trend of higher demand and increased referrals, which has offset the significantly increased levels of activity that are being delivered in acute hospitals. Scheduled care demand has grown significantly over recent years, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and demographic expectations.
The HSE has attributed the increases in waiting list additions to both demographic factors (e.g. population growth, aging population), and non-demographic challenges (e.g. increased awareness of services, new service developments, chronic disease & pent-up demand post COVID).
Waiting list performance in 2026 to date has also been impacted by the anticipated multi-annual trend arising from the winter surge in demand for unscheduled and emergency care.
The WTAP sets out six overarching and interconnected targets, which will be achieved through the delivery of 36 actions under the themes of “Reforming Planned Care”, “Enabling Planned Care” and “Capacity Optimisation”.
The targets are:
• Sláintecare Wait Time Targets: 50% of patients to be waiting less than the Sláintecare wait time targets of 10 weeks for OPD appointments and 12 weeks for IPDC procedures; and 65% of patients to be waiting less than the Sláintecare wait time target of 12 weeks for GI Scopes.
• Weighted Average Wait Time: Reducing the weighted average wait time to < 5.5 months for OPD and IPDC and to < 3.5 months for GI Scopes.
• Patients waiting less than 12 months: 90% of patients to be waiting less than 12 months for first access to OPD services.
• OPD New to Return Ratio: To achieve an OPD new to return ratio of 1:2.0.
• Chronological Scheduling: To have 85% of routine elective appointments/procedures chronologically scheduled.
• Elective surgery same day of admission: 83% of inpatients to have their principal elective procedure conducted on day of admission.
The Department will continue to work to improve waiting list performance through ongoing engagement with the HSE and the NTPF. This will include engagement through the Waiting Time Task Force, which is responsible for the governance and implementation of WTAP 2026.
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.
780. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures she will implement to ensure there are no disruptions to the National Ambulance Service throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36464/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE had agreed contingency plans with the Trade Unions to protect essential emergency services during the industrial dispute. I have asked the HSE to respond directly, as soon as possible.
781. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the specific steps being taken to ensure the HSE considers the "time-critical" nature of Friederichs Ataxia during the current price negotiations for Skyclarys; the way in which the commitments in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030 and the 2026 IPHA Framework Agreement (which aims for a 180-day decision timeline) are being applied to this specific case, to prevent further delays in addressing the ‘unmet need’. [36471/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
782. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising which was funded or overseen by her Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five, including a breakdown by medium that is radio, television, social media, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36492/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe amounts outlined in the table below were spent on advertising broken out by medium over the last five years (figures for 2026 cover from 1 January 2026 - 13 May 2026). This includes Healthy Ireland campaigns, Departmental notices, Departmental COVID-19 public health guidance and other departmental campaigns.
The overarching aim of Healthy Ireland is to bring about a healthier population by supporting people to enjoy the best possible health and wellbeing. It is the Government-led initiative aimed at delivering the Sláintecare objective of preventing ill-health and keeping people well. Since 2018, Healthy Ireland has developed a number of engagement campaigns designed to raise public awareness of Healthy Ireland supports under three themes – healthy eating, physical activity and mental wellbeing.
The Department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic included a comprehensive advertising campaign across both traditional and online media channels for the purposes of informing the public and promoting the latest public health guidance. The level of advertising spend varies depending upon the public health requirements at the time.
The table below provides the information requested in this Parliamentary Question.
|
Outlet |
Outdoor |
Press |
Radio |
Television |
Online |
|
Outlet |
Outdoor |
Press |
Radio |
Television |
Online |
|
2021 |
€55,655 |
€351,054 |
€1,049,781 |
€573,942 |
€324,907 |
|
2022 |
€187,794 |
€136,299 |
€312,622 |
€166,846 |
€341,932 |
|
2023 |
€80,199 |
€188,448 |
€721,150 |
€709,844 |
€371,527 |
|
2024 |
€104,541 |
€56,507 |
€238,690 |
€86,273 |
€87,185 |
|
2025 |
€95,264 |
€126,722 |
€259,004 |
€68,345 |
€313,826 |
|
2026 |
€35,153 |
€20,011 |
€91,185 |
€0 |
€41,425 |
The Department of Health engages the services of various agencies for the purposes of advertisement placement and reaching audiences across a range of mediums including online, print media, radio, outdoor and TV. A media buying agency secures advertising space on behalf of the Department. They develop media plans selecting a media mix which will reach as large as group as possible among the target audience and make them aware of the message. Their selection of media is based on the most effective use of budget guided by the reach of media matched to the target audience.
Information in respect of the other bodies under the aegis of the Department, including the Health Service Executive (HSE), is an operational matter for the bodies concerned and the Deputy should contact the relevant Director/CEO/Registrar directly.
783. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 209 of 22 October 2025, to provide a breakdown of vacant posts in the HSE, by staff category (details supplied); the number that are new service developments from 2024, 2025 and 2026 which have not yet commenced; the number that are previously filled posts, arising as vacancies, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36500/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
784. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 215 of 22 October 2025, the number of full-time agency posts converted to HSE posts in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 by staff category, in tabular form. [36505/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
785. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health the progress being made under the Programme for Government in the area of endometriosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36878/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 18 October 2025, I launched the National Framework for the management of Endometriosis. The Framework sets out for the first time in Ireland a defined clinical pathway for women with endometriosis, which spans primary to secondary care to specialist complex care in tertiary settings.
The Framework provides for the development of a more holistic and comprehensive approach to care for women with endometriosis in Ireland. It outlines a system where women with endometriosis should have ready access to services that are effective, timely and safe, and enable the lowest level of clinical intervention that is required for each woman, at the easiest point of access. Many endometriosis cases can be managed at primary care level in the first instance, while some patients will require additional multi-disciplinary support at secondary care level.
Regional Specialist Centres for moderate cases have been established in the Rotunda Hospital, the Coombe Hospital, and University Hospital Limerick, with clinics under further development in University Hospital Galway and the National Maternity Hospital.
Two supra-regional specialist centres, in Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) and Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), have been established for the management of complex cases.
All endometriosis sites are operational and taking referrals. Additional funding was provided last year to expand these services through the recruitment of more personnel to provide multidisciplinary care at both supra-regional and regional level, including clinical nurse specialists, dietitians, physiotherapists and psychologists.
The HSE has carried out an analysis of the short-term and medium-term requirements to build adequate capacity, improve clinical pathways and increase expertise within our endometriosis services.
The HSE’s budget for 2026 will be €27.4 billion, an increase of 6.2% on 2025, allowing for expansion and improvement in services and the recruitment of 3,300 additional staff. The necessary expansion of endometriosis services is provided for through the National Service Plan.
In addition to the Framework, I also mandated several actions to expedite access to care for women impacted by endometriosis. Significant progress has already been made:
• The HSE carried out over 140 additional surgeries in Q4 2025 for women waiting for surgery.
• An additional colorectal surgeon has been successfully recruited by the HSE in CUMH and TUH.
• The HSE Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme was opened on 18 October 2025.
• I have written to all GPs, consultants and other clinicians to raise awareness of endometriosis.
• A national campaign around menstrual health is in development, including endometriosis.
• An Endometriosis Advisory Group has been established, which includes patient advocates. This group held their first meeting on 30 October 2025 and is meeting on an ongoing basis.
• €2 million in funding has been provided for research into all aspects of women’s health, but particularly for projects on endometriosis.
• Two education officers have been engaged to deliver the comprehensive MISE (Menstrual Information Specialising in Endometriosis) programme which aims to educate people, particularly in schools, sports clubs and workplaces, on menstrual health, with a specific focus on endometriosis.
786. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of undergraduate places available in each university medical school for each of the years 2021 to 2025; the number of those places allocated to Irish, EU, and non-EU students respectively in each of those years; the fee charged to each category of student in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35847/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise the importance of, and remain firmly committed to, reducing barriers to participation in higher education, including for students pursuing undergraduate medicine. In parallel, I am also committed to expanding medical education capacity in a planned, sustainable manner, aligned with national workforce planning needs and the availability of high-quality clinical placements.
A central element of this approach has been the implementation of the 2022 agreement with medical schools, under which Government committed to prioritising the creation of 200 additional undergraduate medicine places over five years. The rollout of these additional EU undergraduate medicine places has continued on a phased basis across the medical schools and is expected to deliver the full 200 places by the end of this year.
Alongside the expansion of existing capacity, my Department is also supporting the development of new undergraduate medicine provision to further strengthen domestic supply and broaden access routes. A new undergraduate medicine programme at the University of Limerick is due to commence student intake in September 2026, subject to accreditation. This will represent a significant further expansion of undergraduate medicine capacity outside the traditional medical schools.
In addition, and as part of a broader cross-border collaboration to increase medical graduate supply in the short term, Government approval in 2024 enabled an agreement with Queen’s University Belfast to fund 50 undergraduate medicine places, delivered as 25 students commencing in September 2024 and a further 25 students commencing in September 2025. Students availing of these funded places are required to apply for an HSE internship upon graduation and to accept the position if offered, supporting the long-term supply of doctors to the Irish public health system.
Turning to fees, undergraduate medicine fees vary by institution and by student category. For Irish and other EU students on publicly supported undergraduate medicine places at institutions including Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Galway and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, tuition costs are met primarily through Exchequer funding, with students liable only for the standard student contribution, which is currently €2,500 per annum, following the permanent reduction introduced in Budget 2026. Higher fees apply to non-EU students, with fee levels set by institutions in line with national fee policy and institutional autonomy. These fees may vary from institution, year to year, in line with the institution's statutory autonomy.
With regard to the specific information requested by the Deputy, details on the number of undergraduate medicine places available in each medical school, including a breakdown of Irish, EU and non-EU places, have been compiled from data provided by the Higher Education Authority and are being provided in tabular format due to the level of detail involved.
Finally, while the question relates primarily to undergraduate medicine, I would note that the State also provides substantial support for Graduate Entry Medicine. In the current academic year, DFHERIS part-subsidises tuition fees for eligible EU students on Graduate Entry Medicine, including subsidies of over €16,250 per student for additional GEM places created under the 2022 expansion agreement. Total Exchequer funding for GEM tuition subsidies is approximately €13 million annually, representing a record level of State investment in medical education.
787. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of undergraduate places available in each university dental school for each of the years 2021 to 2025; the number of those places allocated to Irish, EU and non-EU students, respectively, in each of those years; the fee charged to each category of student in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35848/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to increasing healthcare training capacity, including in dentistry, in line with the Programme for Government and national workforce planning priorities.
The Department of Health has advised that dentistry is a priority area requiring additional graduate supply to meet population needs and to support the delivery of public dental services. In response, my Department, working through the Higher Education Authority, is actively engaging with the Department of Health and with higher education institutions to support the sustainable expansion of dental education, with a clear focus on increasing opportunities for Irish and EU students.
While higher education institutions are autonomous under legislation and manage their own enrolment policies, my Department engages closely with institutions to ensure that programmes linked to identified public service skills needs, such as medicine and dentistry, maintain an appropriate balance between Irish/EU and international student participation. I note in this context that Irish and EU students currently make up over 60 per cent of undergraduate dentistry enrolments nationally.
In practical terms, targeted expansions are already underway. A new Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme commenced at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland last year, providing 20 Irish/EU student places, with capacity to increase to 35 places from 2027, subject to approval. In addition, my officials are actively engaging with University College Cork and the Department of Health on a proposal for a dental outreach centre in North Cork, which would support additional undergraduate places and enhance clinical training through earlier exposure in community-based settings.
These measures reflect a focused and sustainable approach to increasing dental training places for Irish students, aligned with the Smile agus Sláinte oral health policy and wider health workforce objectives.
In relation to the specific information requested by the Deputy - including the number of undergraduate dentistry places available in each institution, the allocation of those places between Irish/EU and non-EU students - this information has been compiled from data provided by the Higher Education Authority in tabular format.
The Deputy may wish to note that Higher Education Authority data is subject to rounding to the nearest five, with figures rounded independently. As a result, components may not sum precisely to totals and minor year-to-year variations can arise.
Notwithstanding this, the number of EU dentistry places has remained broadly stable in recent years, with further capacity expected through planned programme expansion, including at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Annual enrolment figures may also be influenced by operational factors such as deferrals, withdrawals and backfilling, repeat students, and the issuing of late offers. Small adjustments between EU and non-EU cohorts may also occur, while overall balance is maintained.
For EU students studying undergraduate dentistry in Ireland, the programmes at University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Cork (UCC) are all eligible under the Free Fees Initiative. This means the State pays the full tuition cost, and students are required to pay only the standard student contribution of €2,500 per annum and mandatory levies.
Across some programmes in addition to the student contribution an institutional levy may be applied such as capitation or student centre charges, which are administered directly by the higher education institutions. These vary across programmes between €200 and €1,000.
Despite the very high economic cost of delivering dentistry programmes, fee levels for EU students are broadly consistent across all three institutions, with no requirement for EU students to pay full economic fees
788. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of undergraduate places available in each university pharmacy school for each of the years 2021 to 2025; the number of those places allocated to Irish, EU and non-EU students, respectively, in each of those years; the fee charged to each category of student in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35849/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government commits to expanding healthcare education and training places, aligned with national workforce planning, to address staffing shortages across the health, disability and wider social care system. In that context, the Government has secured a €28.5 million investment in 2026 to support delivery of over 1,100 additional healthcare training places annually over the next three years, including 161 additional pharmacy places.
This expansion represents one of the largest coordinated increases in healthcare education capacity ever undertaken by the State and is being delivered through a cross-Government approach involving my Department, the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Health.
Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies in respect of academic provision, within the parameters of national policy, regulatory requirements and available funding. Recent expansion in pharmacy education has focused on strengthening regional provision, including the introduction of new pharmacy programmes at the University of Galway and Atlantic Technological University in 2025, and a further programme at South East Technological University commencing in 2026, alongside continued delivery by existing providers.
Clinical placement capacity is a critical consideration in pharmacy education. Experiential learning placements for integrated pharmacy programmes are coordinated nationally through APPEL – the Affiliation for Pharmacy Practice Experiential Learning, which currently manages placements for programmes at University College Cork, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Trinity College Dublin. The recently accredited programmes at ATU, SETU and the University of Galway have indicated their intention to apply for inclusion in the APPEL consortium, supporting a coordinated national approach to placement provision.
Responsibility for the organisation and availability of placement settings within the health service lies primarily with the Department of Health and the HSE. A national clinical placement mapping exercise, undertaken by the Higher Education Authority in collaboration with institutions, is intended to support more strategic, regionally informed planning for future expansion.
In relation to the specific information requested by the Deputy for the last four years, details on:
• the total number of undergraduate physiotherapy places by institution,
• the allocation of those places between Irish/EU and non-EU students,
have been compiled from data provided by the Higher Education Authority in tabular format.
For Irish and EU students studying undergraduate pharmacy in Ireland, the programmes at University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland are all eligible under the Free Fees Initiative. This means the State pays the full tuition cost, and students are required to pay only the standard student contribution, currently €2,500 per annum, along with any mandatory institutional levies.
In some cases, additional levies may apply, including charges related to student services, facilities or clinical placement administration. These levies are set and administered by the higher education institutions and can vary across programmes and years of study. While overall costs may increase in later years of integrated pharmacy programmes due to the intensity of clinical placement and professional training requirements, Irish and EU students are not charged full economic fees. Any future decisions on the distribution of additional pharmacy places will be considered through the Higher Education Authority-led process, informed by workforce planning data, regulatory requirements and sustainable placement capacity.
