840. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the way in which the HSE is applying its commitment of 29 August 2025 that patients with confirmed treatment appointments prior to the implementation of a change to Cross Border Healthcare Directive processes will be considered on a case by case basis, in respect of lipoedema patients who had confirmed appointments and incurred costs before a clinical review requi…
841. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if applications for reimbursement under the Cross Border Healthcare Directive are processed in chronological order by date of receipt; if not, the circumstances in which applications are processed out of sequence; the number of applications for procedures other than lipoedema treatment received in 2026 that have been reimbursed while lipoedema applications receive…
851. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the way in which inherited capital is assessed for medical card purposes in the case of an adult with a lifelong disability; if the HSE has discretion to retain a medical card where loss of eligibility would cause undue hardship given the person's ongoing medical needs; the number of such discretionary cards granted in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the…
852. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to granting medical card eligibility to persons with a lifelong disability on the basis of medical need rather than means; the number of persons with a lifelong disability who lost a medical card in each of the years 2020 to 2025 following the assessment of inherited capital, if this data is recorded; if not, the reason; and if she …
853. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of persons aged 70 and over who lost eligibility for a full medical card on review in each of the years 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of these cases where an increase in social welfare or occupational pension income was the reason for loss of eligibility; the number estimated to lose eligibility in 2027 following the pension increases ann…
854. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the gross weekly income limits for the over 70s medical card, which have remained at €550 for a single person and €1,050 for a couple since 1 November 2020, were not increased in budget 2027; the estimated cost of increasing the limits in line with the cumulative increase in the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory) since 2020; and if she wil…
855. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent speech and language therapist posts approved, filled and vacant in primary care in HSE south-west as of the latest date for which figures are available, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72298/26]
856. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether it is HSE policy to return children to a speech and language therapy waiting list following a single block of intervention where ongoing need has been identified at review; the average wait for a second block of therapy in the Cork North Lee primary care area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72297/26]
857. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting speech and language therapy in HSE south-west, broken down by those awaiting initial assessment, initial therapy and further therapy, and by waiting time bands of 0 to 3, 3 to 6, 6 to 12, 12 to 24 and over 24 months, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72296/26]
874. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of persons who presented for treatment with gambling as their main problem in each of the years 2021 to 2025, by HSE region; the average waiting time for gambling addiction treatment in the HSE south-west area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72371/26]
876. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 70766 of 2026, if she will confirm whether the home support authorisation scheme contains any requirement for approved providers to reimburse workers for mileage, as distinct from travel time; if so, the minimum rate per kilometre specified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72411/26]
877. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has conducted or commissioned any review of the mileage rates paid by approved home support providers to staff using their own vehicles since 2023; the findings of any such review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72414/26]
878. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the core hourly rate of €32.73 paid to approved home support providers applies uniformly in all areas, including Cork north central; whether any change to that rate has taken effect in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72417/26]
881. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if the HSE monitors or collects data on the hourly pay received by frontline home support workers employed by approved providers; if the HSE has set minimum expectation for the share of the €32.73 hourly rate that goes to worker pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72419/26]
82. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of official residences for heads of mission owned and rented by the State abroad; the annual rent, maintenance and staffing costs of each in 2025, including household staff such as cooks, drivers and domestic staff; the date of the most recent value for money review of these arrangements, in tabular form; and if she will make a stateme…
83. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount paid in allowances to officials serving abroad in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 and to date in 2026, broken down by allowance type and by mission; the number of officials in receipt of each allowance type, in tabular form; and if the Minister will make a statement on the matter. [70927/26]
84. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the civil service grade of each serving head of mission abroad; the salary scale currently applying to that grade; and the total remuneration paid to each head of mission in 2025 including all allowances such as local post allowance, cost of living allowance, rent allowance, education allowance and representation allowance, in tabular form by mis…
37. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether he plans to establish independent regulation of household waste collection charges; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70577/26]
38. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether he will consider capping standing charges or requiring permitted collectors to offer a low use tariff to single person households and pensioners living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70575/26]
67. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if the National Transport Authority has engaged with Cork County Council regarding bus stop provision and pedestrian access to public transport for new residential developments in Whitechurch, County Cork; the outcome of any such engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70275/26]
68. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the timeframe for the introduction of the BusConnects Cork new network service to Whitechurch and Glenville; the frequency and hours of operation planned for the service; if additional interim services will be introduced on route 248 in advance of the new network, given the growth in population in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70274/2…
69. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the average weekday passenger numbers on route 248 in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the extent to which residential development in Whitechurch, County Cork, whether completed since 2023, under construction or with planning permission, has been factored into National Transport Authority service planning for the area; and if he will make …
70. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if the National Transport Authority formally monitors the punctuality and reliability of route 248 under its public service obligation contract with Bus Éireann; the performance standards that apply to the route; the number of occasions since January 2025 on which those standards were not met; the remedial action or contractual deductions applied as a result; an…
71. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the number of scheduled Bus Éireann route 248 services serving Whitechurch, County Cork that did not operate, or that operated more than ten minutes late, in each month of 2025 and to date in 2026, with specific reference to the scheduled 08:06 departure from Whitechurch towards Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70270/26]
87. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if the National Transport Authority has allocated funding to Cork City Council for the Kerry Pike pedestrian improvement scheme; the amount allocated and drawn down to date in each year since 2021; the current status of the scheme as reported to the NTA; the reason the scheme has not proceeded to construction despite commencement being indicated for Q1 2025 and …