Ken O'Flynn

1808. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of babies born alive after abortion procedures from 2019 to 2025, broken down by which section of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 was applicable (section 9, section 10 or section 11); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19029/26]

1966. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that a child in Cork who is classified as Priority 1 has been waiting since January 2025 for an AAC assessment and device trial through the Health Service Executive; the immediate steps she will take to expedite the assessment and provide the necessary support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19749/26]

1967. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for AAC assessments and device trials for children nationally; the number of children waiting longer than six, 12, and 24 months; and the measures being taken to reduce these delays. [19750/26]

1968. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapy posts sanctioned, filled, and vacant within the HSE disability services; the number of posts assigned specifically to AAC and complex communication pathways; and the action being taken to address shortages impacting timely access to AAC assessments. [19751/26]

1969. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she will review the policy that only publicly employed SLTs can apply for AAC device funding; whether alternative pathways for families facing extreme delays are under consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19752/26]

1988. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department requires the Health Service Executive to maintain a centralised register of residential properties owned by the HSE which are vacant; if not, whether she will introduce a policy requirement for the HSE to maintain such a register including the associated annual costs of security, insurance and maintenance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19868/26]

1989. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any review or assessment of the number of residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive which are vacant at present; the potential use of such properties for housing or accommodation purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19869/26]

1993. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the Health Service Executive has undertaken any national or regional analysis examining the relationship between funded staff vacancy levels and agency staffing expenditure in the public health service; if such analysis has been undertaken, to provide the dates, methodology and key findings of that analysis; and if no such analysis has been undertaken, the reason the Department has not conducted such analysis given the scale of agency staffing expenditure within the publicly funded health system. [19885/26]

1994. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of agency staff engaged within the public health service expressed as whole-time equivalents in each regional health area for the years 2024 and 2025; the total associated expenditure on those staff in each region; and the proportion of agency expenditure represented by clinical, nursing, health and social care professionals and other staffing categories. [19886/26]

1995. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the measures introduced since 2024 to reduce reliance on agency staffing within the public health service; the targets set by her Department or the Health Service Executive for reducing agency expenditure; the progress made against those targets to date; and the number of agency workers who have transitioned to direct employment contracts with the Health Service Executive under agency conversion initiatives. [19887/26]

2011. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department receives aggregated national reporting from the Health Service Executive on the number of medical cards granted on a discretionary basis under the general medical services scheme; the total number of discretionary medical card applications received, approved and refused in each of the years from 2020 to 2025 across all age cohorts; and if she will provide those figures. [19961/26]

2012. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the national policy guidance or governance framework that applies to the exercise of discretion in medical card eligibility decisions following a means assessment under the general medical services scheme; and whether her Department reviews or audits the operation of discretionary decision-making to ensure national consistency. [19962/26]

2013. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the Health Service Executive analyses regional or geographic variation in the granting or refusal of discretionary medical cards under the general medical services scheme; and whether any reports or internal reviews have been conducted on trends in discretionary decision-making from 2020 to 2025. [19963/26]

2014. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department maintains national data on discretionary medical card decisions affecting persons aged over 70 years-of-age; the number of discretionary applications considered for that cohort in each of the years from 2020 to 2025; the number approved; the number refused; and whether any policy review has been undertaken in relation to eligibility thresholds for older persons. [19964/26]

2015. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for discretionary medical cards under the general medical services scheme that were refused but where applicants were subsequently granted a GP visit card in each of the years from 2020 to 2025; and whether the Department monitors such outcomes as part of its policy oversight of medical card eligibility decisions. [19965/26]

2044. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the date on which fire safety deficiencies requiring the closure of a unit (details supplied) were first identified; the date on which remediation works commenced; the estimated capital cost of these works; and the expected date for completion and reopening of the affected beds. [20071/26]

2045. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of beds that have been unavailable for use at a nursing unit in each month since the closure of the unit due to fire safety works; and the steps being taken by her Department and the HSE to restore this capacity. [20072/26]

2046. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether HIQA identified compliance issues during its inspection of a nursing unit on 17 February 2026 relating to the application to vary registration for a dementia-specific unit (details supplied); the nature of any such issues; and the anticipated timeframe for regulatory approval. [20073/26]

2047. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the approved workforce model, including the number of whole-time equivalent posts, required to safely operate the 19-bed dementia-specific unit at a nursing unit (details supplied); and whether funding has been approved for the full complement of staff. [20074/26]

2050. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the policy framework governing the multidisciplinary team assessment process which forms the clinical basis for applications under the treatment abroad scheme for gender affirmation surgery; whether national clinical guidelines or standards apply to such MDT determinations; and the body responsible for oversight of these standards. [20078/26]

2051. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of applications submitted under the treatment abroad scheme for gender affirmation surgery in each year from 2020 to 2026; the number approved; the number refused; and the principal recorded reasons for refusal where applicable. [20079/26]

2052. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the Health Service Executive conducts audits or reviews of MDT recommendations submitted in support of applications for gender affirmation surgery under the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, the frequency and scope of such oversight. [20080/26]

2053. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure under the treatment abroad scheme on gender affirmation surgery in each year from 2020 to 2025 and to-date in 2026, including travel and accommodation costs funded by the State. [20081/26]

2054. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients funded under the treatment abroad scheme for gender affirmation surgery in each of the years from 2020 to 2025 and to-date in 2026. [20088/26]

2055. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure incurred under the treatment abroad scheme for gender affirmation surgery in each of the years from 2020 to 2025 and to-date in 2026, including surgery, travel, accommodation and associated medical costs. [20089/26]