Written Answers Nos. 827-847
827. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health if her Department has assessed the impact of overnight partner restrictions in maternity hospitals on postnatal wellbeing; if consideration is being given to establishing a national standard to ensure consistent practice across hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47635/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the National Women and Infants Health Programme leads on the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
828. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the number of delayed transfers of care and bed days lost from St. James's Hospital, Dublin in each of the years 2023 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47638/26]
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.
829. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 889 of 30 September 2025, and the subsequent direct reply from the Health Service Executive dated 14 October 2025 (details supplied), to provide the web link to the published dataset; the date on which the dataset was published; if the dataset has not been published, the reason for the delay; whether a revised publication date has been set; and if she will make a statement on the matter in addition to any response provided by the HSE. [47639/26]
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.
830. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will address concerns regarding the cost and accessibility of insulin pump therapy and associated aftercare services to raise the case of a person whose insulin pump is currently covered under the medical card scheme, but who reports that individuals without a medical card face prohibitive costs in accessing this treatment (details supplied). [47649/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra831. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health whether she is aware of concerns regarding both the affordability of insulin pump technology and the adequacy of aftercare services provided to patients; and if a review is underway in relation to the pricing structures and supply practices of manufacturers (details supplied). [47650/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra832. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be introduced to ensure that persons who require insulin pump therapy are not prevented from accessing or maintaining this treatment due to excessive costs. [47651/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 830, 831 and 832 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 270 new medicines, to date. 74 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.
Reimbursement support for CGM sensors at this point in time is based on the HIQA HTA and is for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus regardless of age, who have required insulin from the outset. Reimbursement does not extend to other cohorts such as people with type 2 diabetes who require insulin, or patients previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes which is now classified as type 1 diabetes based on laboratory investigations such as C-peptide measurement or diabetes-specific autoantibodies. To date, a HTA of CGM sensors for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus or other types of diabetes excluded from the HTA referenced above, such as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), type 3c diabetes, monogenic forms of diabetes etc. has not been undertaken. Therefore, there is limited information to support the extension of reimbursement to this cohort, including cost-effectiveness assessment and budget impact of same.
An application for reimbursement support of CGM sensors can be submitted for any patient, and each application is reviewed centrally by the HSE-Medicines Management Programme (MMP) on a case-by-case basis.
On the 21st of May 2026, The Diabetes Policy and Services Review: A Strategy for Better Care was launched.
This is Ireland’s first national strategy for diabetes. It sets out recommendations for action in relation to type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetes in pregnancy and paediatric diabetes. The strategy marks a major milestone in diabetes care in Ireland, representing the development of a unified approach to the delivery of diabetes care.
In terms of pricing in the private market the Minister has no powers over the commercial decision-making of how individual companies price medicines or medical devices to private customers. These companies operate as commercial entities in a competitive market.
833. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that insulin pump clinics are no longer available at Mayo University Hospital. [47652/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra835. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of concerns that Mayo University Hospital currently lacks clinicians trained in insulin pump therapy, resulting in patients being referred to other hospitals for routine care. [47654/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra837. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will outline plans to improve aftercare services for insulin pump users, particularly in regional hospitals, in order that patients are not required to travel long distances for routine care. [47656/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 833, 835 and 837 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
834. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the reason for the withdrawal or absence of this service at Mayo University Hospital; and whether it relates to staffing shortages, training gaps or the availability of appropriately qualified specialists. [47653/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
836. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health whether any assessment has been carried out by the HSE or the Saolta hospital group into the availability of trained endocrinology staff in Mayo, including the capacity to provide insulin pump therapy and associated aftercare. [47655/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
840. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health whether she has satisfied herself that the commitment given by the Health Service Executive in its direct reply of 14 October 2025 to publish purchase order payment data for the period 2014 to Quarter 3 2021 in a machine-readable format has been fulfilled; and if not, the action that has been taken by her Department to secure publication of the data. [47671/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health Service Executive indicates that they publish the most recent Purchase Order data, but have difficulties in producing accurate historic data as follows:
“The Health Service Executive (HSE) acknowledges that the purchase order reports referred to in Parliamentary Question No.889 of 30 September 2025 have not been published. Accordingly, there is no web link or publication date that can be provided at this time.
As previously advised, the HSE commenced a review of relevant historical financial files covering the period from 2014 to Quarter 3 of 2021 with a view to determining whether purchase order payment data over €100,000 could be extracted and published in a machine-readable format. This work has proven significantly more complex and resource intensive than originally anticipated. The historical data predates the current reporting arrangements and is held across a number of legacy financial systems. As a result, identifying and validating the associated records requires substantial manual review to ensure the accuracy and completeness of any information published.
The HSE is committed to ensuring that any financial information released into the public domain is accurate and reliable. Given the age of the records involved, there are also practical challenges associated with historical record retention and the availability of supporting documentation required to validate the extracted data. The work required to retrospectively reconstruct and validate historical data must also be balanced against competing operational and financial reporting priorities. Consequently, the HSE is not in a position to confirm a revised publication date at this time.
Separately, the HSE is progressing a significant Finance Reform Programme, including the implementation of a modern, integrated financial management system. This replaces multiple legacy financial systems with a single standardised platform, improving the consistency, accessibility and reporting capability of financial information, which will support more streamlined publication of financial data in the future.
The HSE upholds transparency in financial reporting; however, it cannot commit to the publication of retrospective data or to a revised publication date. Any decision in this regard will be informed by the extent to which the historical information can be satisfactorily validated and whether the work required represents an appropriate use of public resources. The most recent purchase order data is available on the HSE website and is updated on a quarterly basis in line with established reporting arrangements.”
842. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of staffing all emergency departments with liaison psychiatrists for one year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47695/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra856. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of employing a mental health liaison inclusive of salary and PRSI costs as provided for in the HSE winter plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47720/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra859. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of implementing the National Model of Care for Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry in full; the additional consultant psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other staff required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47723/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra861. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of providing 24/7 liaison psychiatry services in each model 4 hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47725/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 842, 856, 859 and 861 together.
I launched the National Model of Care for Consultation Liaison Psychiatry in May 2025, which is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of Liaison Psychiatry services in our hospitals.
Liaison psychiatry, also known as consultation liaison psychiatry, provides specialist mental health input in emergency departments and general hospital wards. Liaison Psychiatry plays a critical role in supporting people who present with both physical and mental health needs, particularly people who may present with eating disorders, self-harm and suicidal ideation.
With reference to the information requested as this is an operational issue, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.
843. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of having fully staffed mental health teams in each RHA across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47696/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra844. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of fully staffing and operating all 73-child and adult mental health services teams, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47697/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 843 and 844 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
845. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost to fully implement the National Clinical Programme for Early Intervention Psychosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47698/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPsychosis is a condition that affects the way the brain processes information, covering a range of symptoms where a person’s beliefs, thoughts, feelings, perceptions, or behaviours are affected. A person with psychosis can find it difficult to distinguish what is real, and onset is typically in late teens/early twenties.
Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) is an evidenced-based approach that can transform the experience and outcomes of young people facing psychosis. The EIP Programme is funded with over €5 million total funding on an annual recurring basis. As a result, 5 multi-disciplinary teams are now operational. Four additional EIP teams are in the process of recruitment and development based on funding secured in recent Budget 2025/2026.
In relation to the queries raised in relation to your PQ as this is an operational matter, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.
846. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of fully funding the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders and deliver the remaining eating disorder teams by 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47699/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Clinical Programme on Eating Disorders has progressed well with the total number of 16 eating disorder teams under the Model of Care now funded. This includes 11 teams now operational and a further 5 teams in recruitment and development, as per the Model of Care. The HSE spends over €14 million on eating disorders services annually.
Over 110 dedicated eating disorder clinicians from the National Clinical Programme are now working on the teams across the country, treating people with eating disorders every day. Enhancement for specialist mental health services including eating disorders is a key priority for myself as Minister, the Government as a whole, and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
HSE data from the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders for 2025 shows increases in activity across referrals, assessments, diagnoses and access to treatment. In 2025, over 900 referrals were received, 600 assessments were completed, with a 13% increase in the number of people starting treatment for an eating disorder. 75% of patients were assessed within eight weeks.
Our current focus is on completing and implementing the existing Model of Care and supporting the rollout of additional teams. Once this is complete, an evaluation will be undertaken, after which the Model of Care will be reviewed by the HSE.
My Department and the HSE are working to develop 22 dedicated adult beds to provide inpatient care for eating disorders, in addition to the existing 20 dedicated child and adolescent eating disorder beds.
The development of the 22 dedicated adults beds will be progressed under the governance structures of the forthcoming 10-year capital plan for mental health services, supported by funding from the National Development Plan 2026-2030. The HSE is aiming to have these beds coming on stream by 2030.
In addition, as Minister I secured funding from Budget 2026 for two new eating disorder teams, a CAMHS team to serve the South east, and an Adult team to serve counties Galway and Roscommon. This will assist more people with an eating disorder requiring access to specialist eating disorder mental health services.
As this relates to an operational issue, it has been forwarded to the HSE for direct reply to you.
847. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current and capital cost of establishing and operating a 24/7 multi-agency mental health crisis de-escalating team, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47700/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra850. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the cost of running the Galway Community Café, the free out-of-hours adult mental health service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47703/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 847 and 850 together.
Crisis mental health supports, including those with 24/7 coverage, are currently provided across a number of settings and services, including hospital based services, out of hours services such as CAMHS on call, and non-governmental organisation services such as crisis phone and text supports, funded by HSE Mental Health Services.
The National Implementation and Monitoring Committee for Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone (2020-2030) is currently overseeing a piece of work by the HSE Implementation Group to bring together the range of available out-of-hours and crisis services and supports, with a view to aligning and streamlining supports and identifying any potential gaps in service provision. It is envisaged that this work will form the basis of an Adult Crisis Response Framework. This project is currently in an advanced state of preparation and is expected to be initiated formally before end-2026.
In addition, I have overseen the rollout of a range of out of hours supports for people experiencing mental health difficulties as alternatives to Emergency Departments.
Crisis Resolution Services
The model of care for Crisis Resolution Services was developed as a direct recommendation of Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy. It recognises that people who are experiencing a mental health crisis need specialist services to provide timely brief intensive supports to keep people safe.
- Crisis Resolution Teams: These comprise of teams of mental health professionals who work out of hours to meet people in a crisis and provide rapid assessment and intensive intervention. There are 6 pilot Crisis Resolution Teams currently operational in Galway, Sligo/Leitrim, Cork city (two teams), Waterford City and County, South Dublin/Wicklow. The Limerick Crisis Resolution Team is due to commence operations this year.
- Crisis Cafés: Solace Cafes provide a welcoming, non-clinical safe environment in the style of a café where people can go at evenings and weekends. The Cafés provides a range of support for those who needed to use its services including crisis support, signposting, peer support, and community support. The Cafes are now open in Cork City, South Dublin and Sligo and Waterford. An additional Solace Café has opened this year in Limerick.
Additional funding has been provided for more Crisis Resolution Teams and Solace Cafes in Budget 2026, for Donegal, Kerry and the Midlands (Tullamore/Westmeath).
Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) Service
The Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service is critically important safety net for people in suicidal crisis and the Minister fully supports the intention within the second Sharing the Vision implementation plan to expand these services to provide full coverage nationwide. These services provide a timely response to requests for assessment of patients in suicidal crisis from GPs, and the assessments often take place in primary care settings.
The SCAN service was originally developed under the National Clinical Programme for Self-harm and Suicide-related Ideation (NCPSHI) which was introduced in Irish public hospital emergency departments in 2014. Primarily delivered by clinical nurse specialists with support from a consultant psychiatrist in each hospital area, the programme supports people presenting with suicidal ideation as well as self-harm.
The model of care for the service envisages a dedicated mental health assessment room within hospitals to provide a more appropriate environment for assessments to take place. Even when the full network of alternative Crisis Resolution Services is in place, we know people in distress will still present to emergency departments for support. Given most acute mental health in-patient units are co-located with our acute hospital network, it’s important people in distress are assessed in clinically appropriate environments when they present for support. I have allocated funding for the recruitment of additional SCAN nurses in 2026.
Specialist Crisis Nurses in hospitals
Under funding which I allocated in Budget 2026, the HSE will establish specialist nursing teams in the emergency departments of all Model 4 hospitals out-of-hours, made up of Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists to support people in crisis. By placing specialist nursing teams in our emergency departments out-of-hours, coupled with the expansion of community alternatives such as crisis resolution teams and crisis cafes, we are fundamentally changing how we respond to the needs of people in distress.
As the question raises operational issues, I have also referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.
