Written Answers Nos. 324-347
324. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of children currently placed in care outside the State, by jurisdiction, by whether residential or foster care; and the total annual cost. [66232/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
325. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 2844 of 28 July 2026, to specify in exact terms, the "additional oversight on Out of State placements” given HIQA does not operate outside the State; the independent inspection equivalent to the section 69 function that applies to these children; and whether Tusla receives and acts on the host inspectorate's reports. [66235/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
326. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm whether the statutory visiting intervals are being met in full for every child currently placed outside the State; and the number of overdue or missed statutory visits in the past 24 months. [66234/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this question relates to operational information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been referred to the Agency to reply directly to the Deputy.
327. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to provide an update on the progress of a case (details supplied). [66083/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for raising this question. As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly.
329. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware of the continuing difficulties faced by children and families in South Tipperary in accessing timely disability assessments and therapeutic supports; the current waiting times for assessment of need applications and for intervention services in the South Tipperary area; the number of vacant posts across Children's Disability Network Teams serving South Tipperary; and the measures her Department is taking to ensure that children receive assessments and early intervention supports within the statutory timeframes [66253/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraHSE Children’s Disability Services has undergone significant reform and restructuring over the past few years. The core focus of this change is to ensure that children and their families, with complex interdisciplinary needs, will receive an appropriate and accessible family centred service.
Progress is being made, demonstrated by almost 46,000 children with complex needs who were receiving supports and services from Children’s Disability Network Teams at the end of August 2026.
The HSE has also made real progress in reducing waiting lists whilst recognising that there is more to do. In 2025, waiting lists were reduced by 28%. In the National Service Plan for 2026, the HSE has committed to a further 25% reduction.
Unfortunately, children on Children's Disability Network Team registers, both on waiting lists and on open caseloads, are likely to be waiting for some aspect of their intervention.
As advised the HSE, there are 167 children on the Tipperary South CDNT waiting list, of whom 72 children are on the waiting list over 12 months. In total 887 children are on the open case load.
There are currently 6.5 WTE vacant in the Tipperary South CDNTs. The National Service Plan (NSP) 2026 allocated 6 WTE to Tipperary South CDNTs and these are going through the recruitment process.
As with other areas, Disability Services within Integrated Health Area Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary South are continuing to experience significant recruitment challenges. The HSE is operating in a competitive market and there are significant shortages of qualified healthcare professionals nationally and internationally.
The Government has provided funding for additional posts to enhance the capacity of Children’s Disability Network Teams and shorten waiting times in recent years, with further investment in Budget 2026 to fund 150 posts for Children’s Disability Network Teams.
The HSE report a 28% increase in staffing levels nationwide from October 2023 to October 2025. This equates to an additional 448 Whole-Time Equivalents including an additional 321 Health and Social Care Professionals.
To continue this progress, the HSE is driving intensive domestic and international recruitment efforts.
A dedicated Disability Workforce Strategy will be developed by the HSE in 2026, to meet growing service demands and address recruitment and retention challenges.
To support reforms, the HSE is also in the process of recruiting the first-ever dedicated National Director for Disability as well as six new Regional Disability Leads in the health regions to advance disability services.
The Department and the HSE are working intensively to address delays in the provision of Assessments of Need to children and their families.
There has been significant increase in demand for Assessment of Need in recent years. Applications for have risen from 4,700 in 2020 to over 13,000 in 2025, reflecting both the increase in population and the number of families exploring all options to access services for their child.
While the HSE does not provide AON data by county, data is provided by Regional Health Area and Local Health Office (LHO) area. Tipperary is covered by 2 Local Health Offices. The most recent available data for Q2 2026 shows that in Tipperary South Riding 93 applications were overdue for completion at the end of June. Of these, 63 applications were overdue for more than 3 months.
HSE Tipperary South further advise that there is currently no waiting time for the processing of applications under AoN as they are processed within two weeks of receipt of same. HSE Tipperary South are currently commissioning assessments for applicants under Stage 2 who have applied from May 2025.
Significant legislative and operational work continues to improve the AON process and reduce waiting times. This includes continuation of the Targeted Waitlist Initiative, improved training and guidelines for Assessment Officers and targeted amendment of the Disability (Amendment) Bill to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the AON process.
330. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Health if she will please give consideration to adding the medication (EURNeffy) (details supplied) which is used to treat life threatening allergies to the list of reimbursement medicines under the drugs payment scheme; and if she will provide a statement on the matter. [66001/26]
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.
331. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3747 of 7 September 2026, the number of protected disclosure allegations upheld or partially upheld during 2025 in respect of which the assigned corrective actions have been completed; the number in respect of which corrective actions remain outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66095/26]
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.
332. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3744 of 7 September 2026, in respect of the 30 valid protected disclosures received in 2025 that remained open as at 30 June 2026, the date of receipt of the oldest such case still open; the number of these cases that have been open for more than 26 weeks; the number that have been open for more than 52 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66094/26]
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.
333. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3723 of 7 September 2026, in which the HSE confirmed it does not centrally track the implementation of recommendations arising from protected disclosures, the number of recommendations arising from upheld or partially upheld protected disclosures between 2023 and the first quarter of 2025 that have been verified as implemented; the number that remain outstanding; if she will direct the HSE to centrally track the implementation of such recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66092/26]
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.
334. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3743 of 7 September 2026, whether the HSE senior leadership team received a specific escalation regarding the increase in alleged health and safety endangerment, as recommended by the Audit and Risk Committee, as distinct from routine quarterly dashboard reporting; the date on which any such escalation occurred; the decision or measures that followed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66093/26]
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.
336. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health if her Department maintains a risk register; if so, if copies of the register since 2022 will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66068/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Health maintains a risk register, which is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Departmental officials will engage directly with the Deputy in due course with regard to the provision of copies of the risk register.
337. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health when the HSE contracted printer will resume the printing of plastic medical cards/GP cards. [66022/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.
338. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if general nursing graduates are being phased into employment over the coming months; the reason for this; and the criteria being used to determine when individual graduates can commence employment. [66019/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
339. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health when can the 2026 graduating class of general nursing students realistically expect to receive written confirmation of their employment and start dates. [66017/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
340. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health the number of 2026 nursing graduates have currently been offered employment; and the number that are still awaiting contracts. [66016/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
341. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health whether, in respect of 2026 general nursing graduates who might have expected to be offered permanent HSE contracts per outlined in HR Memo 013/2026?2, but who have not yet received contracts or confirmed commencement dates, the delay in commencement of employment related to HSE financial pressures, workforce ceilings or a lack of funding from the Department of Health. [66015/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
342. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if 2026 general nursing graduates are entitled to the permanent HSE contracts outlined in HR Memo 013/2026?2; the reason graduates who have completed their internships have not yet received contracts or confirmed commencement dates. [66014/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
343. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health whether all 2026 general nursing graduates entitled to the permanent HSE contracts outlined in HR Memo 013/2026. [66012/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
344. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the statutory grounds under which she has suspended autonomy for day-to-day spending from several HSE regions; to detail the consultation she has had on this matter; and to detail the date and manner in which this decision was communicated to each of the affected HSE regions. [66115/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe HSE is under significant financial pressure. At the end of August, its cash deficit had reached €696 million. While there are real and growing pressures across the health service, including demand, demographic change and rising medicine and treatment costs, these do not fully explain the scale of the current overspend.
The issue is that expenditure is rising faster than the additional funding provided and faster than activity growth in key areas. The HSE already has controls in place, including formal financial escalation across all six Health Regions, HSE CEO approval of key spending decisions, and regional controls on agency and other expenditure.
However, progress has not been sufficient or consistent, and the Department of Health is working with the HSE and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on what further controls may now be necessary. The purpose of any control measures is to protect essential care, strengthen prioritisation, and ensure that funding, staffing and services are directed to the areas of greatest need and greatest patient benefit.
347. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health to clarify which services listed by the HSE as being available through Arklow Primary Care Centre are physically delivered from the centre on a regular basis; the frequency with which each service operates from the facility; whether any listed services currently operate on a part-time, outreach or occasional basis only; and whether any listed services are not presently operating from the centre despite being advertised as available there. [66038/26]
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.
