Ken O'Flynn

594. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the safeguards in place to ensure that vulnerable patients, such as those on low incomes or with long-term illnesses, are not subject to aggressive debt-collection practices by HSE hospitals. [53097/25]

595. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has examined the approach in other EU countries with universal health systems in relation to pursuing unpaid hospital charges; and to indicate whether reforms are under consideration to reduce reliance on private debt collectors. [53098/25]

596. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department intends to publish an annual report detailing hospital debts, recovery rates and payments made to collection firms, in the interests of transparency and public accountability. [53099/25]

597. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department has assessed the implications for public health of requiring people to work into their late sixties, in particular regarding occupational health and chronic illness and if she will publish those assessments. [53106/25]

609. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will designate a liaison officer within the HSE to support survivors of industrial and reformatory schools in accessing community health and social care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53214/25]

652. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department has carried out an assessment of the cumulative impact of recent premium increases by private health insurers on families and older persons; and if she will publish that assessment. [53423/25]

653. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the engagement her Department has had with the Health Insurance Authority regarding multiple premium increases in 2025; and whether measures are being considered to improve affordability for policyholders. [53424/25]

654. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of policyholders who will face annual health insurance premium increases of more than €500 following the most recent changes by providers (details supplied); and if she will provide a breakdown by insurer. [53425/25]

655. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the trend in voluntary health insurance coverage rates since 2020; and whether recent increases in premiums risk reducing coverage among middle-income households. [53426/25]

656. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the measures being examined by her Department to protect consumers from unexpected or multiple premium hikes within a single year; and if she will consider requiring insurers to provide advance notice and transparent justification of such increases. [53427/25]

657. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she has examined the extent to which rising private health insurance costs are leading to increased pressure on the public hospital system; and if her Department has commissioned any modelling in this regard. [53428/25]

658. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the engagement her Department has had with the Department of Finance regarding taxation treatment of health insurance reliefs in the context of rising premiums; and whether any changes are being considered to maintain affordability. [53429/25]

659. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she has met with representatives of providers (details supplied) in 2025 to discuss premium increases; if so, on what dates; and if she will publish the minutes of those meetings. [53430/25]

241. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the frequency and causes of service cancellations and power outages on Irish Rail and Luas services in the past 12 months; the financial and operational measures being introduced to improve reliability; and whether his Department sets performance targets for these operators. [52762/25]

266. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance if he has conducted an assessment of the likely impact on Irish pharmaceutical exports and State tax receipts of recent tariff announcements by the United States administration; and the contingency measures being considered in Budget 2026 to mitigate any fiscal risk arising from changes in U.S. trade policy. [52761/25]

293. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline her Department’s position in circumstances where schools require pupils to wear uniforms but are not affording reasonable accommodation to children with additional needs or sensory sensitivities; the recourse available to parents in such situations; and if, further to Circular 0032/2017 on school uniform costs, she will consider issuing a new circular to schools and boards of management specifically emphasising the importance of reasonable accommodation for children in relation to school uniforms. [52760/25]

300. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's working definition of the terms 'man', 'woman', 'male' and 'female' as used in official Departmental documents, policies, teaching materials or curriculum guidelines; if she will confirm whether these definitions are consistent with biological and legal definitions applied elsewhere in Government policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52864/25]

301. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the redeveloped primary school curriculum, and the associated well-being strand, includes any definitions or references to gender identity, gender expression, or related terminology; if so, to provide the full text of such references; and if she will clarify whether these references are consistent with biological definitions of sex recognised in medicine and law. [52865/25]

302. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will confirm whether schools are instructed, formally or informally, to prioritise biological definitions of sex when teaching about puberty, reproduction, and human development; the way in which her Department ensures consistency between educational content and established medical and legal standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52866/25]

303. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has consulted medical authorities, such as the Medical Council of Ireland or the HSE's clinical programmes, and legal authorities, such as the Attorney General's Office, when framing definitions or guidance relating to the terms 'man', 'woman', 'male' and 'female' for use in curriculum development or school policies; if she will provide details of such consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52867/25]

340. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has raised concerns regarding the circulation of asylum coaching materials; and the actions taken to address these concerns. [52787/25]

341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures in place in State-contracted accommodation centres to ensure that residents are not assisted by third parties in preparing fraudulent or coached asylum applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52788/25]

352. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons and the number of family units who have received financial assistance under the State’s voluntary return programme, each year since 2009 and the total grant amounts paid in each year. [52767/25]

353. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to specify the current maximum and minimum levels of financial assistance available to persons and family units under the voluntary return programme; and to confirm when these levels were last reviewed or amended. [52768/25]

354. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average financial support paid per person and per family unit under the voluntary return programme in each of the past five years. [52769/25]