Written Answers Nos. 1072-1093
1072. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the primary care reimbursement service maintains data on incorrect or overturned claim rejections; and, if so, to provide the figures for 2024 and 2025. [36913/26]
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.
1073. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any assessment has been carried out into the financial impact of rejected pharmacy claims on community pharmacies. [36914/26]
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.
1074. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any complaints, appeals, or representations were received from pharmacies regarding claim rejection accuracy or consistency in 2024 and 2025; and if so, the number received. [36915/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the day-to-day operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health services is a matter for the HSE. This query has therefore been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
1075. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether claim rejection rates vary depending on pharmacy software systems used by contractors participating in PCRS schemes [36916/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1076. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any independent external review has been considered into the operation, consistency, and transparency of PCRS claim rejection systems. [36917/26]
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.
1077. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the supports available to a child diagnosed with FND. [36941/26]
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.
1078. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health where a person with a diagnosis of FND can go to seek assistance in the purchase of medical equipment for example, a wheelchair. [36942/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly, as soon as possible.
1079. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health to provide, with respect to termination of pregnancy services for each year from 2019 to date, the total number of GP visit claims submitted for first and second visits; the number of non-GP visit related claims; the total number combined for GP and non-GP visit claims; the total number of termination of pregnancies estimated to have taken place across all providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36944/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
1080. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she has reviewed the findings of the National Women's Council research report Beyond Availability: Women's Experiences of the Free Contraception Scheme, launched at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in April 2026, which found that nearly one in three women may experience barriers to accessing the scheme; the specific measures being developed to address the barriers identified for migrant women, disabled women, Traveller women and LGBTIQ+ people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36954/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1081. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure that information about the free contraception scheme is made available in accessible formats for disabled women and in multilingual formats for migrant communities, particularly in Cork city and county which has a significant and growing migrant population; if her Department has engaged with community pharmacy networks in Cork and nationally to address the cultural and language barriers identified in the National Women's Council research report on women's experiences of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36955/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1080 and 1081 together.
Women’s health is a priority for me and my Department.
The Free Contraception Scheme (FCS) was launched in September 2022. Its remit has been expanded gradually to include women aged from 17 to 35 inclusive, with the most recent expansion taking place from July 1st, 2024. Approximately €44m is allocated to support the scheme in 2026.
The NWCI Report, published on 21st April this year, was completed with funding and support from the Department’s Women’s Health Fund and Women’s Health Taskforce. In conjunction with the results from the representative Healthy Ireland Survey, 2025, which included a module on contraception and family planning, its outcomes and recommendations will be used to consider how best to further develop and support the Free Contraception Scheme into the future.
Many of the other barriers cited in the scheme are subject to ongoing efforts to resolve them, for example, a need to increase GP numbers and capacity is well recognised and is being supported in a number of different ways. Work is ongoing to develop contraception prescribing in pharmacies as outlined in the Community Pharmacy Agreement. This measure should enable many patients to access repeat prescriptions through their local community pharmacy, the majority of the time, freeing up GP capacity.
Other issues will be addressed via improved information, education and targeted communications and via better access to training for healthcare professionals delivering care in the community; many of these are likely to be manageable under existing resourcing structures.
Work is ongoing to implement the National Sexual Health Strategy (NSHS), which includes a wide range of actions supporting research, information, education and communications. The NSHS Implementation Group has been in place since 2025 and has met a number of times. The majority of the sub-Groups have been set up, including one on contraception.
These expert Groups are meeting regularly and will be considering the matters raised by the Report. The Contraception sub-Group membership includes representation from the HSE National Social Inclusion Office and the Sexual Health Programme, both of which play key roles in developing information and other supports for the public, including targeted supports for marginalised groups.
There are commitments in the Programme for Government, National Sexual Health Strategy and other policy documents that support continuing the phased approach to continued expansion of the scheme's age range, within the term of this Government. Progressing these are a matter for the Estimates process each year.
In summary, the Report’s findings are very valuable in terms of providing recommendations to tackle remaining barriers to accessing contraception, and to reduce inequality, in line with the principles of Sláintecare and the Public Sector Duty. We look forward to making progress on their implementation, in the years ahead.
1082. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current status of negotiations between her Department and manufacturers of the shingles vaccine, which she confirmed in February 2026 had been requested to enter into cost negotiations with the HSE; the timeline for when a proposal on a publicly funded shingles vaccination programme may be submitted to her Department for consideration given that the estimated cost of full rollout for over-65-year-olds stands at €218 million over five years; if phased or targeted rollout options are being modelled as a more immediately affordable alternative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36956/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe immunisation programme in Ireland's informed by the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC considers the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland as well as international best practice in relation to immunisation when developing its advice
The current NIAC guidelines state that the shingles vaccine may be considered for those aged 65 years and older, due to the greater burden and severity of disease in this age group and in those aged 18 years and older at increased risk of shingles.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has carried out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about a health technology. HIQA’s HTA examined the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and safety of shingles vaccines. The cost effectiveness and budget impact were also reviewed, along with the ethical, social and organisational implications of including the vaccine in the adult immunisation schedule.
HIQA published this HTA on 19 July 2024. The HTA found that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule, at the vaccine price at the time, for all adults aged 65 years and over would not be cost effective and would be associated with a substantial budget impact.
While the vaccine is considered safe and effective, its protective effect diminishes over time. HIQA also noted the substantial budget impact associated with vaccination. If made available to everyone aged 65 and older, vaccination would cost €218 million over five years.
Whilst the HTA found that the introduction of the shingles vaccine was not cost effective based on the cost of the vaccine, it found that it could be cost effective for vaccination of those at 75 years and 80 years if the cost of the vaccine was reduced by 80%.
Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process.
My Department considered the findings of this HTA in 2024 and determined that the introduction of the vaccine could be reconsidered when the cost effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable
I can confirm that the introduction of the shingles vaccine to the immunisation schedule in Ireland is again being actively considered for a cohort of immunocompromised individuals, in line with NIAC advice and cognisant of the cost effectiveness of market pricing and available funding.
1083. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied); the status of the outpatient referral; if the appointment will be expedited given the nature of the condition and the extended waiting period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36957/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
1084. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently intervene and allow for a suitable residential home in Kenmare for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36958/26]
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.
1085. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated total annual cost to the State of primary care laboratory testing in each year from 2020 to 2026, including any regional or modelled estimates used in the absence of a centralised national dataset; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36990/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1086. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any assessment has been carried out regarding the potential financial impact of duplicate or unnecessary laboratory testing within primary care settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36991/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1087. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of laboratory information systems currently in use across the HSE and publicly funded laboratories; the extent to which these systems are interoperable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36992/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1088. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the percentage of primary care laboratory requests currently submitted electronically versus paper-based requests; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36993/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1089. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any laboratories currently operate duplicate test detection systems at the point of ordering; if so, to provide details by region or hospital group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36994/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1090. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the projected total cost of the National Laboratory Information System (MedLIS) rollout to completion in 2029; the expenditure incurred to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36995/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1091. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national guidance exists regarding appropriate intervals for repeat lipid profile testing in primary care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36996/26]
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.
1092. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national audit has been conducted examining variation in laboratory test ordering patterns between regions, GP practices, or primary care providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36997/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1093. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any patient safety incidents, adverse event reviews, or governance concerns have been linked to duplicate, excessive, or delayed laboratory testing in primary care in the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36998/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
