Written Answers Nos. 1118-1137
1118. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audit, value-for-money review, safeguarding review or clinical governance review has been conducted in respect of gender-related referrals abroad involving minors since 2020. [37076/26]
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.
1119. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE can provide the jurisdictions and healthcare providers to which paediatric gender-related referrals abroad were directed under the Treatment Abroad Scheme from 2020 to 2026. [37077/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1120. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external clinical guidelines, international protocols or evidence reviews were relied upon in approving gender-related referrals abroad for minors under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. [37078/26]
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.
1121. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or HSE has assessed the long-term projected financial exposure associated with gender-related referrals abroad under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. [37079/26]
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.
1122. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national safeguarding framework specific to minors referred abroad for gender-related treatment currently exists. [37080/26]
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.
1123. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether outcome monitoring or long-term follow-up arrangements exist for minors referred abroad for gender-related psychological services under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. [37081/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position on this matter has been addressed in replies to Parliamentary Questions number 36388 of 2026, as well as other previous Parliamentary Questions, and remains unchanged. Accordingly, there is no additional information to add at this time.
1124. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to issue a discretionary medical card as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37088/26]
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.
1125. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to implement an assigned yearly budget for the implementation of the National Rare Disease strategy (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37094/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As you may be aware, funding of €1.5m was provided in Budget 2025 for the development of supports and services for people living with a rare disease in Ireland. This includes the allocation of approximately 34WTE to support staffing services. An additional €5m in recurrent funding provided to support the implementation of the National Rare Disease Strategy, across all 11 of its recommendations. These funds were allocated to the HSE in 2025 for the development of rare disease services.
The HSE has published its National Service Plan for 2026, setting out how the HSE will operationalise the Department’s priorities funded in Budget 2026, including the key priorities of improved access, quality and safety for those who use our services and value for money for the public more broadly.
Inline with the annual estimates and service planning process specific operational detail and budgetary management of allocated funds is a matter for the HSE, and as such I have referred query to the HSE for direct response.
1126. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will urgently review the case of a person (details supplied); the status of the medical card application in question; if the matter will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37095/26]
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.
1127. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the new residential respite services that are being provided in County Kerry, in relation to both children and adults will be provided (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37106/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1128. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she will support the introduction of free MART (ICS formoterol) inhalers for children aged 12 to 17 years (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37109/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAffordable access to medicines is a priority for the Government. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated an additional €158 million for new drugs, which has facilitated the introduction of 263 new medicines, to date. 72 of these new medicines were for rare diseases. Budget 2026 allocated €30 million of funding available for new drugs to be allocated from the overall additional €217 million in funding allocated for medicines.
The Year 1 cost of a new drug comes from the allocation for new medicines, but it should be noted that once these medicines are approved for reimbursement the full cost of providing them can reach multiples of this initial cost as their uptake increases.
There are a range of health supports available for patients with asthma under the GMS Scheme (Medical Cards) and the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) which reduce the cost of asthma medicines, including Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (MART) combination inhalers.
The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE has added the following medicines combining inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-acting beta-2 agonists to the reimbursement list for eligible patients in Ireland:
• Symbicort Turbohaler (Formoterol/Budesonide)
• Airbufo Forspiro (Formoterol/Budesonide)
• Duoresp Spiromax (Formoterol/Budesonide)
• Trixeo Aerosphere (Formoterol/Budesonide/Glycopyrronium Bromide)
Medicines on the reimbursement list for medical card holders are available free from a pharmacist on payment of the statutory prescription charge, while under the Drug Payment Scheme (DPS), no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.
In addition, individuals may also be able to claim tax relief on their medicines expenditure at the standard rate of 20%.
Consideration of any future changes to the eligibility for medicines will be made in the context of current healthcare priorities and the budget available.
The State continues to invest in making asthma medicines affordable for patients with over €100m in expenditure per annum within the community, new and innovative treatments continuously being added to the reimbursement list, and a suite of measures in the new Framework Agreements on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines to strengthen affordability and availability across the coming years.
1129. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1270 of 28 April 2026, when a response will issue from the HSE in relation to an urgent dental treatment issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37114/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1130. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that the HSE urgently prioritises a conclusion to the skyclarys (omaveloxolone) reimbursement negotiations, given that it is the only available treatment for Friedreich’s ataxia, which currently can be classed as having an ‘unmet need’ as outlined in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030; her views on whether the current delay aligns with the "equitable access" promised in the newly launched National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37136/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1241. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will urgently provide an update on the HSE's decision regarding the reimbursement of skyclarys for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia; the timeline for a final decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37786/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1130 and 1241 together.
The Government is committed to investing in new medicines. Budgets 2021-2025 allocated an additional €158 million for new drugs, which has facilitated the introduction of 263 new medicines, to date. 72 of these new medicines were for rare diseases. Budget 2026 allocated €30 million of funding available for new drugs to be allocated from the overall additional €217 million in funding allocated for medicines.
The Year 1 cost of a new drug comes from the allocation for new medicines, but it should be noted that once these medicines are approved for reimbursement the full cost of providing them can reach multiples of this initial cost as their uptake increases.
This level of investment is unprecedented in supporting patients through the availability of new and innovative medicines.
The National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030, was launched last year. The strategy outlines a comprehensive framework designed to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and support for people living with rare diseases, aiming to improve quality of life, promote equitable access to healthcare, and foster innovation in rare disease research and treatment. It also emphasises the importance of access to orphan medicines among its key recommendations. An Implementation Oversight Group has been launched and met in February to begin work planning for the 11 recommendations.
There is a suite of measures, that have been implemented and are to be implemented to shorten the timeframe from the issue of a Marketing Authorisation on foot of a positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency to a decision on whether to reimburse the medicine by the HSE's Senior Leadership Team.
These measures include:
• Funding by the Government to an almost doubling of capacity in the HSE’s pricing and reimbursement system with 34 additional staff.
• New Framework Agreements on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines with Medicines for Ireland (MFI) and the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) which provide commitments towards achieving a 180-day timeline for completing health technology assessments (HTA) and reimbursement decisions following application by the Marketing Authorisation Holder. The Agreements outline a structured process towards achieving the 180-day timeline for reimbursement decisions by Q1 2029, accelerating patient access to new treatments.
• A commitment from IPHA member companies to aim to shorten the timeline to submit reimbursement applications in Ireland to within six months of marketing authorisation of medicines by the European Commission.
• An Agreement between the State and IPHA and MFI to establish a strategic partnership on the development of a sandboxed early access programme for rare diseases. This will be a proof-of-concept initiative, aligned with the commitments in the Programme for Government and recommendations in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030. The Department of Health are examining early access mechanisms across the EU for the Minister for Health’s further consideration.
There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and / or reimbursed. The HSE is the statutory decision maker for the pricing and reimbursement of new medicines under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013. The HSE considers the criteria set out in the Act.
As the HSE is the statutory decision maker for the pricing and reimbursement of new medicines I have asked them for an update on omaveloxolone (Skyclarys®).
A HTA Report from the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics was received by the HSE on the 16th December 2025, including submissions made by patient organisations. These submissions will form part of the data that the HSE considers.
The HSE invited the Marketing Authorisation Holder, Biogen (Idec) Ireland Limited, to commence price negotiations and offered a range of dates to the company. The HSE have advised this meeting took place on the 12th February 2026, and as of May 15th a commercial proposal from the company remains outstanding.
This application remains under consideration with the HSE and cannot proceed until a commercial proposal is received from Biogen (Idec) Ireland Limited.
The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.
1131. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if a suitable wheelchair will be provided to a person (details supplied) without further delay. [37142/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1132. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health the reason pelvic gynaecological MRI scans are excluded from GP visit card coverage; when other clinically-indicated MRIs and ultrasounds are covered; the steps that are being taken to address this inequity and ensure equal access to diagnostic imaging; whether her Department or the HSE has assessed the financial and clinical impact of this policy on GP visit card holders. [37148/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe GP Access to Community Diagnostics Scheme(GPACD) is available for referrals by GPs to the full adult population, aged 16 years and over, delivering community-based radiology scans through contracted private providers. This scheme provides GPs with access to a defined list, or scope of examinations, with the clinical examination scope reviewed and updated to ensure and maintain the delivery of an effective service, aligned with community needs and with growing demand.
During the most recent examination scope, a clinical team assessed and reviewed the types of diagnostic examinations provided, and those examinations deemed most suitable or clinically appropriate for community follow-up, and/or management within General Practice, were prioritised for inclusion.
Examinations where community follow-up and/or management within General Practice is not the most appropriate pathway are excluded from the GPACD Scheme, for example cancer care or other conditions where management is more appropriate through clinical teams in a hospital setting.
This process was developed to ensure that these tailored diagnostic pathways meet community clinician and patient requirements, whilst optimising healthcare resources. For the reasons outlined, not all MRI examination types are available through the GPACD scheme, including MRI Pelvic Gynae scans.
Referrals for scan types not included in the GPACD scheme can still be made by a General Practitioner to other healthcare providers, such as those in public hospitals.
1133. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a hip replacement operation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37149/26]
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.
1134. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the current capacity to provide an update regarding the assignment of patients to a general practitioner under the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS); the number of people currently awaiting assignment; the average waiting time; the number of participating GPs in the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37150/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1135. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the guidance or interim care pathways that are available to parents whose children have not been assigned a GP through the PCRS, despite eligibility; the measures being taken to ensure that every child in County Laois has timely access to a GP; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37151/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1136. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the escalation procedures in place within the HSE when a patient particularly a child cannot be assigned a GP through the PCRS within a reasonable timeframe; the statutory obligations on the HSE to ensure access to a GP for eligible patients; the actions being taken to address any gaps in service provision in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37152/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1137. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Health when the National Standards for Home Support Services will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37172/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
