Written Answers Nos. 1003-1023
1003. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any Irish clinicians currently participate in multidisciplinary assessment processes connected to overseas gender-related healthcare referrals for minors. [36608/26]
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 whether the updated Irish gender healthcare model of care will include a national audit framework, outcomes monitoring system, detransition support pathway, and safeguarding review mechanism for minors. [36609/26]
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.
1005. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE general dental surgeons based at Balbriggan Primary Care Centre as of 8 May 2026; If she will provide the same figures as of 1 June 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36610/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly.
1006. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE paediatric physiotherapist posts filled at Skerries Health Centre as of 8 May 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36611/26]
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.”
1007. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE social worker posts filled at Rush Health Centre as of 8 May 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36612/26]
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.”
1008. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to introduce a second OT into the St. James's Hospital long-Covid clinic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36620/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the matter raised is a service delivery matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1009. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans for at least one OT in each long-Covid clinic nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36621/26]
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.”
1012. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE centrally measures the proportion of hospital admissions attributable to obesity-related conditions; and if not, whether there are plans to introduce such measurement systems. [36643/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1013. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated annual expenditure associated with obesity-related prescribing, including diabetes, cardiovascular and weight-management medications, in each year since 2020. [36644/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
1014. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any assessment has been carried out regarding the projected impact of obesity-related disease on future acute hospital capacity demand and workforce requirements to 2035. [36645/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1015. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether obesity-related disease expenditure is separately identifiable within the HSE budgeting process; and if not, whether this has been identified as a strategic planning weakness. [36646/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1016. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has assessed the long-term economic impact of childhood obesity trends on future healthcare expenditure and labour-force participation. [36647/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1010. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE or her Department intends to introduce a formal national obesity-attributable disease modelling framework for Ireland; the proposed timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36641/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1011. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national cost-of-illness study is currently underway regarding obesity-related disease expenditure across the health service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36642/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1016, 1010 and 1011 together.
The current Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP) was launched in September 2016 under the auspices of the Healthy Ireland Framework (Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025).
OPAP covers a 10-year period up to 2025 and the overall aim is to reverse obesity trends, prevent health complications, and reduce the impact of overweight and obesity on health outcomes for individuals, families, the health system, and the wider society and economy. It recognises that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-pronged solution, with every sector of society playing its part. OPAP is well aligned with the World Health Organisation in terms of the breadth of policy measures that have been introduced or are being considered in order to address the obesity epidemic.
Under OPAP, Ireland put in place a comprehensive, cross-Government strategy to address obesity and overweight. Since 2016 significant progress has been made in delivering on the Ten Step Programme of OPAP and to drive policy initiatives and actions, ranging from health promotion and education initiatives and obesity prevention measures through to establishing services to treat and manage obesity within the health care system.
No standalone cost of illness study has been regarding obesity-related disease expenditure across the health service in Ireland. Similarly, no study has been commissioned in relation to long-term economic impact of childhood obesity trends on future healthcare expenditure and labour-force participation. The HSE has not produced a specific projection of the cost to the health service over the next ten years that is attributable solely to rising obesity prevalence. This is because obesity is a complex, chronic condition that contributes to healthcare demand across a wide range of diseases and service settings, rather than constituting a discrete, separately costed category of expenditure. The Department has not given any consideration to the development of a formal national obesity-attributable disease modelling framework for Ireland. The new Obesity Policy & Action Plan is currently in development and is expected to be completed and published by the end of this year.
1017. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of a serious complaint concerning the treatment of a nine-year-old non-verbal autistic child within CAMHS-ID; if an investigation has been initiated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36674/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the individual case raised by the Deputy.
Enquiries were made from the HSE and a comprehensive response issued from my Office to the child’s family on 11 May last which outlined the multi-agency involvement in the coordination of this child’s care.
I have referred this PQ to the HSE to reply direct to the Deputy in relation to the operational issues raised.
1018. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the reason a formal complaint (details supplied) submitted in November 2025 regarding CAMHS-ID has not received a response to date; the standard response timelines for such complaints; and the steps being taken to address delays in this case. [36675/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond direct to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1019. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the oversight mechanisms that are in place within CAMHS-ID to ensure that clinical decisions, particularly those involving the withdrawal of psychiatric medication in vulnerable children, are evidence-based, documented, and subject to review; and if she will outline any recent audits conducted in this area. [36676/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond direct to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1020. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the creation of the new Limerick Hospital Development Board, which she said would be put in place following her announcement in March of a new hospital in Limerick for the mid-west region. [36720/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1021. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total monetary value of rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the General Medical Services Scheme attributable to administrative or submission errors in each year from 2020 to 2026, in tabular form. [36741/26]
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.
1022. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the most common categories of administrative or submission errors resulting in rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services scheme in 2024 and 2025 [36742/26]
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.
1023. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average time taken to resolve and reimburse corrected pharmacy claims originally rejected due to administrative or submission errors. [36743/26]
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.
