Ken O'Flynn

1117. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific actions, funding approvals, or implementation milestones have been approved by her Department arising from the ESG report published in October 2024. [12080/26]

1121. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 874 of 9 December 2026, the governance and data-collection arrangements in place to monitor the impact of the public only consultant contract since its introduction in March 2023 (details supplied). [12102/26]

1138. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE has carried out any clinical risk assessment of patients with disabilities, cognitive impairment, or home-care dependency who rely on pharmacist-prepared monitored dosage systems to safely self-administer prescribed medicines; if so, the date of such assessment; the persons that conducted it; and if she will publish the findings. [12152/26]

1139. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any equality or disability impact assessment has been undertaken in respect of the exclusion of pharmacist-prepared monitored dosage systems from State funding under the long-term illness scheme, having regard to obligations to provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities; and if not, when such an assessment will be initiated. [12153/26]

1140. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the clinical or professional guidance her Department relies upon when stating that monitored dosage systems should be used only as a last resort; the source of that guidance; whether it has been formally adopted in Ireland; and if she will confirm whether any Irish clinical standard governs access to medication compliance supports for vulnerable patients living in the community. [12154/26]

1141. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health when the examination currently being undertaken by her Department into the use of monitored dosage systems will conclude; whether it will consider funding options where such systems are clinically indicated; and if she will commit to publishing a clear policy position with defined eligibility criteria and timelines. [12155/26]

1142. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that requiring patients with disabilities to privately fund essential medication compliance supports may undermine safe administration of prescribed medicines in home-care settings; and if she will outline the alternative State-funded supports are available to such patients where phased dispensing is clinically inappropriate. [12156/26]

1162. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of operating theatres currently in use at Cork University Hospital, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and Mercy University Hospital; the hours each of those theatres are open in each of those hospitals, in tabular form. [12260/26]

1163. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE dentists, by grade, dental nurses, by grade and dental hygienists, by grade, post filled at each primary care centre and health centre within CHO4 as of 9 February 2026. [12261/26]

1164. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant ophthalmologists and ophthalmologists registrars based at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital as of 9 February 2026, in tabular form. [12262/26]

1197. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason high dose vaccines have been omitted from the recommendations by NIAC as a viable alternative to standard dose vaccines for inclusion in the influenza season 2026/27, especially given that HIQA reviewed high dose vaccines as part of a cost effectiveness health technology assessment in early 2025 and concluded that high dose vaccine strategies were clinically more effective to standard dose vaccine strategies, across a number of clinical outcome parameters not least of which was significantly reduced hospitalisations an issue that has resulted in significant impact on our hospitals during the current 2025/26 flu season. [12695/26]

1198. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to list the countries where high dose vaccines have been commercially available since 2010, and if they are typically the preferentially recommended option over standard dose for adults aged 60 or 65 years and older in many of these countries; given that NIAC themselves also reviewed their own guidelines in mid-2025 without making any alterations, if she will explain the reason the Government didn't request NIAC to update recommendations last year to facilitate the public good for season 2026/27. [12696/26]

1199. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the her Department did not request NIAC to update recommendations last year to facilitate the public good for flu season 2026/27, given that NIAC also reviewed their own guidelines in mid-2025 without making any alterations; if she will now seek to cancel the tender; the steps she will take to ensure that high dose vaccines are reviewed by NIAC immediately so they can be available in flu season 2026/27 to optimise public health, and in doing so thus reflect the narrative from the strategic sourcing and contracting division within the Office of Government Procurement regarding the requirement for a competitive commercial procurement landscape being crucial to delivering value for money to the state. [12697/26]

1200. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to ensure the current tender process for season 2026/27 will go ahead; the reason she would not consider the creation of a pathfinder programme, as developed for the temporary usage of monoclonal antibody in RSV for the past two seasons (details supplied). [12698/26]

229. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has examined regulatory or legislative measures governing the retail sale of aerosol spray paints, including age-restriction or point-of-sale controls, as an environmental protection, waste-reduction, or anti-vandalism measure; whether comparative analysis of other jurisdictions has been undertaken; and whether regulatory reform is under consideration. [11450/26]

282. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the average private motor insurance premium charged to learner drivers in each of the past five years, by age cohort; whether his Department or the Central Bank of Ireland monitors or analyses the impact of age-neutral learner driver pricing models on affordability and proportionality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11162/26]

283. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the oversight mechanisms in place within the Central Bank of Ireland to assess whether motor insurance pricing models, particularly those applied to learner drivers, comply with consumer protection principles on fairness, proportionality, and transparency; whether any thematic reviews have been undertaken in this area since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11163/26]

284. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of motor insurers currently authorised to write private motor insurance in the State; the number of those insurers that actively provide quotations to learner drivers; whether the Central Bank assesses effective market participation where large cohorts of consumers face limited or prohibitively expensive access to cover; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11164/26]

285. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether learner drivers are recognised by his Department or the Central Bank of Ireland as a distinct consumer cohort for the purposes of insurance affordability and access; whether any assessment has been carried out on the societal and economic impact of high learner-driver premiums on families, older first-time drivers, or returning emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11165/26]

286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether the Central Bank of Ireland requires motor insurers to provide consumers with a clear explanation of the principal factors driving quoted premiums, particularly where exceptionally high premiums are issued to learner drivers; whether any regulatory guidance has been issued in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11166/26]

287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether he has considered introducing additional regulatory safeguards or guidance to ensure learner driver motor insurance premiums are evidence-based, proportionate, and transparent; whether any policy review is planned in conjunction with the Central Bank of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11167/26]

290. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether the pension increases payable in respect of former Department of Posts and Telegraphs service under the Eircom superannuation defined benefit pension scheme are classified by his Department as current expenditure or capital expenditure; and the reason such expenditure would be subject to external scrutiny beyond the Department. [11434/26]

300. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether any guidance has been issued to public bodies regarding the protection of defined benefit pension schemes from being used to address funding shortfalls or restructuring costs; and whether RTÉ has been assessed for compliance with such guidance. [11372/26]

372. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the statutory basis under which his Department is required to approve pension increases payable in respect of former Department of Posts and Telegraphs service under the Eircom superannuation defined benefit pension scheme; the specific legislative provisions relied upon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11431/26]

373. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the date on which the proposed 2.1 percent pension increase for members of the Eircom superannuation defined benefit pension scheme was formally submitted to his Department for approval; the actions taken since receipt; the reason the increase has not yet been approved or paid; and if he will provide a timeline for decision. [11432/26]