Written Answers Nos. 484-498
484. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health whether occupational health physicians are required to fully consider all relevant specialist medical evidence, including consultant reports and scheduled surgical interventions, when determining eligibility under the critical illness protocol. [50541/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
485. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health whether conditions involving severe and persistent endometriosis requiring corrective surgery fall within the definition of “major physical trauma ordinarily requiring acute operative surgical treatment” under the critical illness protocol. [50542/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo apply for CIP, the staff member must attend Occupational Health. Occupational Health on a case by case basis if medical criteria is met. Management and HR will use this assessment, along with other criteria, to decide if CIP can be granted.
Occupational Health may recommend you are fit to return to work if suitable supports are available, for example a temporary change to your duties.
Your medical condition should have at least 1 of the following:
• acute life-threatening physical illness
• chronic progressive illness that is known to reduce life expectancy
• major physical trauma that requires urgent surgical treatment
• in-patient or day-hospital care of 10 consecutive days or more
• for pregnancy-related or assisted-pregnancy-related illness, 2 or more consecutive days of in-patient care
CIP leave may also be granted even if you do not meet the medical criteria. This is at management's discretion. When making this decision, your manager will consider the occupational health report and individual circumstances
486. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health whether she has considered the inclusion of severe endometriosis and related gynaecological conditions within the eligibility criteria for the critical illness protocol; and if there are any plans to review or update these criteria. [50543/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo apply for CIP, the staff member must attend Occupational Health. Occupational Health on a case by case basis if medical criteria is met. Management and HR will use this assessment, along with other criteria, to decide if CIP can be granted.
Occupational Health may recommend you are fit to return to work if suitable supports are available, for example a temporary change to your duties.
Your medical condition should have at least 1 of the following:
• acute life-threatening physical illness
• chronic progressive illness that is known to reduce life expectancy
• major physical trauma that requires urgent surgical treatment
• in-patient or day-hospital care of 10 consecutive days or more
• for pregnancy-related or assisted-pregnancy-related illness, 2 or more consecutive days of in-patient care
CIP leave may also be granted even if you do not meet the medical criteria. This is at management's discretion. When making this decision, your manager will consider the occupational health report and individual circumstances
487. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the appeal or review mechanisms available where an employee disputes a decision of occupational health under the critical illness protocol, particularly in circumstances where no clinical assessment has taken place. [50544/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
488. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health further to multiple previous requests, to consider developing a Lyme disease specific department in University Hospital Kerry, for the detection, treatment and research of this debilitating condition (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50548/26]
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.
489. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1278 of 26 May 2026 which states cost considerations do not form part of the eligibility assessment for the treatment abroad scheme, whether her Department or the HSE has considered introducing an expenditure cap, annual budget ceiling, or per case financial control mechanism for TAS; if not, the rationale for operating a demand led scheme with no upper financial limit; and if such consideration has taken place, the outcome. [50560/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Treatment Abroad Scheme operates within the overall health expenditure framework approved by the Oireachtas through the Estimates process and reflected in the HSE National Service Plan. The HSE is required, under the Performance and Accountability Framework agreed with my Department, to deliver all services, including the Treatment Abroad Scheme, within its overall annual budget allocation and to put in place appropriate governance, monitoring and financial controls.
While access to the Treatment Abroad Scheme is determined by individual clinical eligibility rather than fixed activity quotas, it is not exempt from budgetary oversight. Expenditure on the scheme is monitored as part of the HSE’s monthly financial reporting, and pressures arising within the scheme must be managed by the HSE within its overall annual budget allocation.
There are no financial caps applied to referrals under the Treatment Abroad Scheme. Notwithstanding that treatment costs are set by external health systems, the HSE applies statutory eligibility, prior approval, verification and audit controls, with my Department assuring value for money at system level through the budgetary and performance framework within which the HSE operates.
As the detailed operation of the Treatment Abroad Scheme, including the specific control measures in place, is an operational matter for the HSE, I have referred the Deputy’s question to the HSE for direct response.
490. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1276 of 26 May 2026 if the national treatment abroad office in Kilkenny is the sole point of approval for all treatment abroad scheme applications; and the circumstances under which an application is approved, reviewed, or processed outside the Kilkenny office. [50561/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra491. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1276 of 26 May 2026 to confirm whether the HSE maintains a written procedure, circular, or delegated authority schedule setting out which staff grade or management level is authorised to approve treatment abroad scheme applications; and if no such written procedure exists, the basis on which approval authority is exercised. [50562/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra492. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 27 May 2026 to provide a response concerning whether an approval rate benchmarking exists between specialties, consultants, or regions under the treatment abroad scheme, noting that the previous response addressed an unrelated question on the age profile of overseas gender affirmation surgery approvals rather than the question as tabled. [50563/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra502. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the specific euro threshold or thresholds above which Grade VII approval no longer applies to treatment abroad scheme applications; the grade or officeholder responsible for authorising applications above each such threshold; and the nature of the "applicable derogations" referenced in the Health Service Executive's reply of 19th June 2026. [50582/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra505. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health given that individual figures may be withheld on confidentiality grounds, to provide the highest individual expenditure approved under the treatment abroad scheme in each year since 2020 in banded form (for example, within ranges of €50,000); and to confirm whether any approved application since 2020 exceeded €500,000. [50585/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra506. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm directly whether the Comptroller and Auditor General has examined the treatment abroad scheme specifically at any point since 2020; to provide the date of any such examination; and to confirm whether any external, non-HSE body has conducted a value-for-money or governance review of the scheme since 2020. [50586/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra507. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm directly whether the absence of publicly available approval thresholds within the treatment abroad scheme appears on the Health Service Executive's corporate risk register; and if it does not, to confirm this directly rather than by general reference to oversight arrangements. [50587/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra508. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further Parliamentary Question No. 581 of 14 June 2026, in which the Health Service Executive did not address the substantive matter raised, to confirm whether the treatment abroad scheme dataset records the age of patients approved for funding of overseas gender affirmation surgeries; if this data is not currently captured, to state the reason; and if her Department will request that the Health Service Executive provide a direct and complete answer to the original question. [50591/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra509. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1116 of 19 May 2026, in which expenditure figures were provided for treatment costs and travel costs only, to confirm whether the figures published include accommodation, administration, translation, or assessment costs; if so, to provide a separate costed breakdown of each category for the years 2020 to 2025; the way in which zero applications and zero approvals were recorded for 2024 while 13 S2 authorisations were issued and €62,127.47 was expended in that same year; and whether this reflects multi-year carryover from approvals granted in prior years. [50592/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 490, 491, 492, 502, 505, 506, 507, 508 and 509 together.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
493. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health for an update on the progression of the implementation of masterplan for University Hospital Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50565/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGalway University Hospitals is proposing a number of projects of significant scale on its University Hospital Galway (UHG) campus, which when complete will provide state-of-the-art Model 4 hospital facilities.
In late 2023, Saolta convened a Capital Programme Oversight Board to develop a clinically led, holistic master planning approach for the campus. This master planning process has been informed by population health needs and clinical demand for the region. A number of projects of significant scale have been proposed on the campus, including a new helipad, additional bed capacity, new paediatric and maternity facilities, labs and cancer centre, and a new emergency department.
A Development Control Plan (DCP) for the campus has been completed to provide a clear plan for the sequencing and phased delivery of the new capacity and facilities. This sequencing has been informed and led by the clinical priorities for the region and the need to deliver new and replacement capacity in a phased manner to minimise disruption to ongoing service delivery on a live hospital campus. The immediate priority identified in the master planning is the delivery of significant additional inpatient bed capacity to mitigate the pressures on, and support delivery of, a range of services on the campus.
At the end of May 2025, the Department of Health received a copy of the DCP and programme Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) for the proposals at UHG. These documents were reviewed against the requirements of D/PER’s Infrastructure Guidelines and returned to the HSE with feedback, to be subsumed into the Preliminary Business Case (PBC) for the first phases of the works, which is currently under development.
The first two major projects on the campus are ‘Block A’, consisting of 150 beds and a radiology suite, and ‘Block B’, consisting of 150 beds and a maternity suite. Following the establishment of a Design Team Framework for the campus, design teams for these two projects have been appointed and are progressing through the early design stages and preparation of the required Preliminary Business Cases.
Considerable enabling works are required to facilitate development of the UHG campus. Construction works to clear the site for Block A are underway, as are projects to decant the majority of outpatient services to Merlin Park. Dedicated design teams have been appointed and are proceeding with the design and procurement of these works. This includes the relocation of underground services and the decanting and demolition of existing, substandard, low-rise buildings. A building contractor has recently been appointed to construct a new Electrical Energy Centre, a key enabling project on the campus for all future developments, and work on this will commence in Q3 2026.
The public engagement process with the local community and elected officials on the campus masterplan is ongoing. Following the public engagement in November 2025 on the plans for the helipad at UHG, the HSE is undertaking further engagement with Galway City Council on the DCP in advance of the next round of public consultation, which is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
494. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development of a primary care centre at An Spidéal, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50567/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Health Service Executive (HSE) holds responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
495. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development of a minor injuries clinic in Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50569/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter.
Injury Units play a vital role in Ireland’s urgent and emergency care system. They provide rapid treatment for non-life-threatening injuries such as broken bones, sprains, minor burns, cuts and wounds, delivering the same clinical standard as an Emergency Department for these conditions but with significantly shorter waiting times. Nationally, Injury Units treated over 222,000 patients last year, a 5% increase on 2024, reflecting strong public confidence in the model and the convenience of local access.
The HSE has advised that there are no current plans to establish a new unit in Galway at this time. The national Injury Unit expansion programme prioritises locations based on population need, geographical gaps and clinical safety considerations. The 2026 National Service Plan focuses on progressing new units in Tallaght, Athlone, Carlow and Ballina, while continuing to monitor demand and geospatial needs across all regions. The development of a new Injury Unit in Ballina within the West North West region is progressing well and will strengthen access to alternative urgent care pathways across the wider area.
The Department will continue to engage closely with the HSE and the Regional Executive Officer to ensure that urgent and emergency care services in Galway evolve in line with population growth, service demand and the needs of local communities.
496. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether the HSE holds, or can produce, a national aggregate figure for the total number of compliance inspections, audits and reviews conducted under the home support authorisation scheme since 2023, given that the Department's reply of 26 June 2026 confirmed all audit records are held at regional level only; if the Department will request this aggregation from the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50574/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
497. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health for the number of Approved Providers issued with a quality improvement plan under the home support authorisation scheme in each year since 2023, broken down by integrated health area; the average time taken to close out a quality improvement plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50575/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
498. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of service arrangements with approved providers under the home support authorisation scheme that have been suspended or terminated due to non-compliance since the scheme's commencement in 2023, broken down by year and by integrated health area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50576/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
