Barry Ward
Ceist:316. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if she will facilitate a meeting with a family (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44668/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCare Services
Ceisteanna (316)
Freagraí scríofa
This PQ is not for the Department of Health. We respectfully request that this Parliamentary Question be redirected to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality as the matters raised fall under their remit.
Care Services
Ceisteanna (317)
Barry Ward
Ceist:317. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if the tail off in services for fully dependent adults once they turn 18 meets the commitments under the carer’s guarantee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44669/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Reply not received from Department.
Care Services
Ceisteanna (318)
Barry Ward
Ceist:318. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if the services that exist for fully dependent adults are adequate when compared to those available for those under 18 years-of-age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44670/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Deputy, the matters raised in this Parliamentary Question are the responsibility of my colleague in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and it would be appropriate to direct it accordingly.
Care Services
Ceisteanna (319)
Barry Ward
Ceist:319. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if the supports that exist for the families of fully dependent adults are adequate when compared to those available for those under 18 years-of-age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44671/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Deputy, the matters raised in this Parliamentary Question are the responsibility of my colleague in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and it would be appropriate to direct it accordingly.
Disability Services
Ceisteanna (320)
Barry Ward
Ceist:320. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if the respite care supports that exist for the families of fully dependent adults are adequate when compared to those available for those under 18 years-of-age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44672/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Ceisteanna (321)
Barry Ward
Ceist:321. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the approximate annual cost to the State of caring for an adult with high support needs in full residential care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44673/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Disability Services
Ceisteanna (322)
Barry Ward
Ceist:322. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the case of an adult with high support needs, fully cared for by their family (details supplied); her views on the adequacy of the supports provided by the State since the person turned 18 years-of-age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44674/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Deputy, the matters raised in this Parliamentary Question are the responsibility of my colleague in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, and it would be appropriate to direct it accordingly.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Ceisteanna (323)
Michael Cahill
Ceist:323. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the reason an application to register the new community nursing unit was submitted, if it was not completely ready to be approved for registration (details supplied); if the new community nursing unit will be open prior to the end of June 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44692/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Reply not received from Department.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Ceisteanna (324)
Roderic O'Gorman
Ceist:324. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health to list the new buildings constructed and extensions to existing healthcare facilities funded by her Department in the HSE CHO7 area from 2010 to 2025, in tabular form. [44695/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (325)
Pa Daly
Ceist:325. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of reports that agency nurses in a hospital (details supplied) are not permitted to undertake intravenous infusions, including the administration of intravenous antibiotics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44699/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (326)
Pa Daly
Ceist:326. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of reports that agency healthcare assistants in a hospital (details supplied) are not permitted to carry out patient observations, including blood pressure and temperature monitoring; if similar restrictions apply to agency staff across all public healthcare settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44700/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services
Ceisteanna (327)
David Cullinane
Ceist:327. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of community neurorehabilitation teams; the number and location of teams; the desired, approved, and actual staffing levels, by grade; the details of areas without teams; the reasons for this, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44711/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Services Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (328)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:328. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if a hospital appointment will be expedited for a person (details supplied). [44717/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (329)
David Cullinane
Ceist:329. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure HSE adherence to Labour Court recommendation No. LCR23209 CD/25/646 regarding pay for perfusionists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44720/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Minister would like to acknowledge the hard work carried out by Perfusionists across the HSE.
The Department of Health fully accepts the Labour Court Recommendation, which recommends pay parity between Perfusionists and Medical Lab Scientists. However, the recommendation does not supersede the terms of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, in particularly the provision prohibiting 'cost increasing claims' outside of the bargaining arrangements established by the PSA, namely 'Local Bargaining'.
Local Bargaining mechanisms exist specifically to address claims of this nature. The process is designed to ensure claims are considered in a structured, equitable and sustainable way, due to finite resources that all public services operate within. Local Bargaining is the process that is open to address and resolve the recommendation.
Health Service Executive
Ceisteanna (330)
Louis O'Hara
Ceist:330. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Health if a nursing home (details supplied) is considered a section 39; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44721/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Health Service Executive
Ceisteanna (331, 332, 348, 359)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Ceist:331. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to ensure that the HSE prioritises a conclusion to the skyclarys reimbursement negotiations (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44724/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMichael Fitzmaurice
Ceist:332. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if the current delay a to the skyclarys reimbursement negotiations 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. [44725/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMichael Cahill
Ceist:348. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to make skyclarys available to people living with Friedreich’s ataxia in Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44828/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Pat Buckley
Ceist:359. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health to provide urgent access to skyclarys for persons living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) here. [44859/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 331, 332, 348 and 359 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 250 new medicines. 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 which has allowed the HSE in 2026 to approve 20 new medicines up to April 2026.
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, with a further meeting held on the 18th May 2026.
The HSE received a commercial proposal on the 27th May 2026 from the company Biogen(Idec)Ireland Limited. Following the conclusion of commercial negotiations the application will be progressed via the Drugs Group who will make a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team who have final decision making authority on whether to reimburse a medicine.
The Drugs Group is the national committee which the HSE has in place to make recommendations on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The membership of the HSE Drugs Group includes public interest members. Pharmacoeconomic reports are reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group along with the outputs of commercial negotiations, and any patient group submission(s) received.
The HSE Drugs Group considers all of the evidence and makes a recommendation to the HSE Senior Leadership Team.
The decision making authority in the HSE is the HSE Senior Leadership Team. The HSE Senior Leadership Team decides on the basis of all the demands it is faced with (across all services) whether it can fund a new medicine, or new use of an existing medicine, from the resources that have been provided to it in line with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.
While the HSE cannot comment on commercial negotiations as these are commercially confidential, it will continue to process and assess the application as efficiently as possible. This application remains under consideration with the HSE.
Question No. 332 answered with Question No. 331.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (333)
Brian Stanley
Ceist:333. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken by her Department and the HSE to address the waiting times for patients to have their first neurology consultation, given 24,000 people are reported to be currently waiting for an appointment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44727/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Staff
Ceisteanna (334)
Brian Stanley
Ceist:334. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the plans there are to increase the staffing levels, in particular specialist nurses in neurology services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44728/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter we have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy
Health Services
Ceisteanna (335)
John Lahart
Ceist:335. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that primary care psychology appointment capacity is, in some cases, being used for parent advice clinics rather than direct engagement with children who are on waiting lists; whether the HSE has issued guidance on how such appointments should be prioritised; if she will review this practice to ensure that available appointments are used to see children in need of assessment and treatment as early as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44731/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Ceisteanna (336)
John Connolly
Ceist:336. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health To outline the current waiting list numbers and average waiting times for neurology services in University Hospital Galway and across the West of Ireland; the number of consultant neurologists and support staff currently in post; the existing vacancies; the measures being taken to improve access to neurology services in the region (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44764/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Cancer Services
Ceisteanna (337)
John Connolly
Ceist:337. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health whether radiography services are available at weekends in University Hospital Galway; to provide details of staffing levels, vacancies, and reliance on agency staff; the measures being taken to ensure adequate diagnostic imaging capacity (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44765/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.