Roderic O'Gorman
Ceist:829. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the timeline for delivery of the review on hospital car parking charges. [68820/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraHospital Charges
Ceisteanna (829)
Freagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
830. Reply not received from Department.
Hospital Charges
Ceisteanna (831)
Roderic O'Gorman
Ceist:831. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the amount collected in public parking charges at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, to date in 2026. [68819/26]
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 (832)
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:832. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health to provide details of the current estimated waiting time between a first referral to the National Gender Service made in September 2026 and a first appointment with that service based on the current resources available to the service; and the average length of time spent on the waiting list by patients who received an invitation to a first appointment with the National Gender Service in the past six months. [68813/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a operational matter, I have referred this PQ to the HSE for direct reply.
833. Reply not received from Department.
834. Reply not received from Department.
835. Reply not received from Department.
Medicinal Products
Ceisteanna (836, 893)
Naoise Ó Muirí
Ceist:836. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand the medical cannabis access programme to include chronic pain conditions, including endometriosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68856/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Cian O'Callaghan
Ceist:893. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if she supports expanding the medical cannabis access programme, MCAP, to ensure that more people affected by severe chronic illnesses can access cannabis in circumstances where other treatments have failed to relieve symptoms; and if she supports expanding MCAP to support those who have been impacted by endometriosis. [68953/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 836 and 893 together.
The Medical Cannabis Access Programme was established following the recommendations of the Health Products Regulatory Authority 2017 publication of "Cannabis for Medical Use - A Scientific Review" which advised that due to evidential reasons a programme could be established for the treatment of three conditions with un-authorised cannabis products.
1. Refractory Epilepsy
2. Spasticity as a result of MS.
3. Nausea as a result of spasticity
The MCAP was to be subject to review after a 5 year trial period. The purpose of the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use is to provide evidence-informed advice to my Department and I on access to cannabis-based products for medical use in Ireland, including the operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) and the Ministerial Licence Scheme, and to make recommendations to inform long-term national policy.
The Group will:
• Review the current operation of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme and the availability of Schedule 2 Cannabis products.
• Examine the appropriateness to expand the range of conditions covered by the programme, where sufficient evidence exists that cannabis may prove beneficial.
• Review the current access to Schedule 1 Cannabis products and the current operation of the ministerial licence.
• Develop a national policy on access to, and the administration of cannabis products that are subject to ministerial licence.
The Review Group is comprised of a range of medical specialists and experts and patient representation.
To support the Review of Access to Cannabis for Medical Use my Department commissioned the Health Research Board (HRB) to undertake an international evidence review as a key input to the process.
The HRB subsequently published its review in 2024, entitled The Efficacy and Safety of Medicinal Cannabis in Adult Populations.
The Review group will consider the evidence included therein and will also engage with relevant expert stakeholders, including patients and/or their families, to inform the Review through consideration of lived experience.
Finally recommendations will be made to the Minister in relation to the topics listed above, including whether or not to expand the programme.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (837)
Holly Cairns
Ceist:837. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health to provide detail on the arrangements in place to provide relief cover for nursing care on Cape Clear island in cases of leave or other absences. [68855/26]
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.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (838)
Holly Cairns
Ceist:838. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health to provide detail on the current level of nursing provision on Cape Clear, County Cork; the number of days in which there was no nursing cover physically present on the island, from 2025 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and to provide details on the efforts undertaken to fill vacant nursing positions on the island. [68853/26]
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.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (839)
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:839. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the number treated with intersex genital mutilation, IGM, in each of the years from 2018 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and to provide an indication as to the reasoning in cases in which IGM was deemed necessary. [68849/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is an operational matter, I have referred this PQ to the HSE for direct reply.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (840)
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:840. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the information provided to parents of intersex infants; the involvement, that intersex people have in informing and monitoring this information; and if parents with intersex infants are being referred to an organisation. [68848/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a operational matter, I have referred this PQ to the HSE for direct reply.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (841)
Ruth Coppinger
Ceist:841. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if the incidence of intersex genital mutilation is reducing in Ireland; and if so, to provide data to support this. [68847/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a operational matter, I have referred this PQ to the HSE for direct reply.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (842)
Naoise Ó Muirí
Ceist:842. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health if a medication (details supplied) will be approved for reimbursement and use within the public health service for patients with HER2-mutated non-small cell lung cancer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68860/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under 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.
General Practitioner Services
Ceisteanna (843)
Holly Cairns
Ceist:843. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health to provide the number of GP visits to Cape Clear, from 2024 to date in 2026; and to detail the efforts being undertaken by her Department to expand GP access on the island. [68859/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (844)
Holly Cairns
Ceist:844. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health whether she will consider providing full time public health nursing cover on Cape Clear, in line with the Government's commitment in the Our Living Islands strategy to improve health services to island communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68858/26]
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 (845)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:845. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical training placements, supervised clinical training posts, teaching clinics, training chairs and other placement capacity available for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy and veterinary medicine in each of the years from 2021 to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68443/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter we have the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (846)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:846. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment made against HSE employees, agency staff or contractors in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form, by HSE region and by service area; the number referred to An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68911/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (847)
Paul Murphy
Ceist:847. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 66423/26 whether action will be taken against a social media company (details supplied) which continues to have multiple posts (details supplied) promoting these harmful so-called cures. [68772/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Medicinal Products (Control of Placing on the Market) Regulations 2007, as amended, a medicine cannot be placed on the market in Ireland unless it has a marketing authorisation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) or a community marketing authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Any product which makes a medicinal claim to treat a medical condition, is considered to be a medicine and requires authorisation under this legislation.
Chlorine dioxide products, sometimes referred to as Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), are not authorised as medicines for sale or supply in Ireland. Any manufacture, supply or sale of such products for the purpose of treating a medical condition is illegal.
The HPRA, as the competent authority for the implementation of medicines legislation, has previously warned against the use of chlorine dioxide products and has led a number of investigations into their alleged manufacture, supply and sale. The HPRA uses a range of enforcement powers to tackle such activity, including the seizure of products and, where appropriate, prosecution.
The HPRA, in cooperation with Revenue's Customs Service, An Garda Síochána and other international regulatory and law enforcement agencies, actively monitors the movement and supply of unauthorised and illicit medicines to Ireland.
As part of its enforcement remit, the HPRA monitors and disrupts online activity promoting unauthorised medicines. In 2025, 4,762 web pages, e-commerce listings and/or social media pages were amended or shut down. The posts identified have been referred to the HPRA for review.
Products marketed as treatments or cures are subject to medicines legislation and must have the appropriate regulatory authorisation before being placed on the market. Where unauthorised medicinal products are manufactured, supplied, sold or promoted, the HPRA may take enforcement action in accordance with the legislation.
848. Reply not received from Department.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (849)
Marie Sherlock
Ceist:849. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the measures available to prevent a practitioner, located outside of the State but providing a service to the State, who is the subject of concerns from continuing to report on Irish patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68908/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.
850. Reply not received from Department.
851. Reply not received from Department.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (852)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:852. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 65375/26 the staffing complement and current vacancies in Unit 1 at St. Stephen's Hospital, Glanmire; whether a compliance plan has been agreed with HIQA following its recent inspection; the resources committed by the HSE to address the findings; and whether the deficiencies identified relate to resourcing, staffing or management decisions of the HSE, which Parliamentary Question No. 65375/26 of 16 September 2026 did not address; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68769/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
853. Reply not received from Department.
Healthcare Policy
Ceisteanna (854)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:854. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 60224/26 and 60228/26 of 7 September 2026, whether a formal mechanism exists to record instances of non-compliance by the Institute of Public Health with its Oversight Agreement; to state yes or no; the number of occasions since 2020 on which non-compliance has been identified; whether the grant suspension provision in the Oversight Agreement has ever been invoked; whether any independent audit of the Institute's compliance has been carried out, and if so, the date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68766/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The All Island Institute of Public Health (IPH) is the only non-statutory body that receives funding directly by the Department. This is due to its specific nature as an all island body that was set up prior to the signing of the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement in 1998. The IPH provides support on public health policy to the respective Departments of Health and Chief Medical Officers in both jurisdictions.
The formal mechanism by which instances of non-compliance of the Institute of Public Health with its Oversight Agreement is recorded would be by means of correspondence by the Department to the Board of the IPH. Since 2020, no instances of non-compliance have been recorded, no suspension of the funding it receives has been necessary and no independent audit of Governance from the Department has taken place in that time.
855. Reply not received from Department.
856. Reply not received from Department.
857. Reply not received from Department.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (858)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:858. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant neonatologist posts filled at Cork University Maternity Hospital in the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [68751/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
Health Services Staff
Ceisteanna (859)
Ken O'Flynn
Ceist:859. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE general dental surgeons and senior dental surgeon posts filled at each HSE dental clinic within Cork as of 21 September 2026; and if she will provide the same figures as of 31 December 2023, in tabular form. [68750/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.