Ken O'Flynn

2421. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or HSE has considered establishing any surveillance, monitoring or reporting mechanism for potential adverse health outcomes associated with prolonged exposure to contaminants in public drinking water supplies, including manganese; and if not, the reasons for this decision. [44063/26]

2422. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting elective procedures in Children’s Health Ireland broken down by Clinical Priority Category; and the average waiting time within each category. [44064/26]

2423. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the percentage of children treated within the target waiting time applicable to their assigned Clinical Priority Category in Children’s Health Ireland in each year since 2020. [44065/26]

2424. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether Children’s Health Ireland reports performance against Clinical Priority Category waiting-time targets to the HSE or their Department; and if so, the frequency and format of such reporting. [44066/26]

2425. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national written criteria, guidance documents, policy directives, clinical governance documents or decision-support frameworks currently exist which distinguish between procedures regarded as medically necessary, elective, quality-of-life, cosmetic or discretionary for public funding purposes; and if so, if she will provide details of each such document, its date of issue and the body responsible for its development. [44067/26]

2426. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or HSE has conducted any review since 2020 of variation in decision-making between hospitals, specialties or Health Regions regarding eligibility for publicly funded procedures; and if any such review has been undertaken, if she will provide the findings and recommendations. [44068/26]

2427. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national audit has been undertaken since 2020 examining consistency in decisions regarding access to publicly funded procedures across different clinical specialties; and if not, whether she considers the absence of a national classification framework creates a risk of inconsistent decision-making. [44069/26]

2428. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the governance mechanism that exists to ensure that a procedure approved for public funding in one hospital or specialty is assessed against equivalent criteria in another hospital or specialty. [44070/26]

2429. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department maintains a list of procedures which are excluded from public funding solely on the basis that they are considered cosmetic, non-essential or quality-of-life procedures; and if so, if she will provide details. [44071/26]

2430. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE, NTPF or any acute hospital records separately the number of orthopaedic patients removed from waiting lists through administrative validation due to non-response, patient choice, treatment elsewhere, clinical review or other reasons; and if so, to provide the figures for 2025. [44072/26]

2431. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether an audit, review or analysis has been undertaken since 2020 to determine the number of patients removed from orthopaedic waiting lists through administrative validation who subsequently re-presented, were re-referred or were restored to a waiting list for the same condition; and if so, to provide details. [44073/26]

2432. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department, HSE or NTPF has assessed the absence of end-to-end waiting-time measurement from GP referral to completed orthopaedic procedure as a governance, performance-management or patient-safety risk; and if so, to provide the findings of that assessment. [44074/26]

2433. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1029 of 19 May 2026, the estimated additional annual PCRS expenditure attributable solely to the 2022 steri-neb salamol price uplift, excluding any increase arising from changes in prescribing volume or item numbers; and if they will provide the methodology used in calculating that estimate. [44075/26]

2434. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has undertaken or commissioned any literature review, evidence assessment or toxicological review since 2020 regarding potential neurological, developmental or cognitive effects associated with long-term exposure to manganese concentrations between 50 µg/l and 80 µg/l in drinking water; and if so, if details of each review will be provided. [44082/26]

2435. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE possesses any documented risk assessment, scientific briefing, technical paper or expert advice supporting its position that there is currently no scientific evidence of adverse health effects at manganese concentrations up to 80 µg/l; and if copies of such documents will be provided. [44083/26]

2436. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has reviewed any scientific literature published since July 2024 concerning manganese exposure through drinking water; and whether any such evidence has prompted consideration of revising the July 2024 FAQ guidance. [44084/26]

2437. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE records, at national level, the number of patients awaiting orthopaedic outpatient assessment who have not yet been placed on an inpatient or day-case surgical waiting list; and if so, the current number, broken down by hospital group and orthopaedic subspecialty. [44094/26]

2438. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE can quantify the average period between referral to orthopaedic outpatient services and subsequent placement on an inpatient or day-case waiting list for knee replacement surgery. [44096/26]

2439. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a national standard exists requiring hospitals to inform patients in writing whether they are on an outpatient waiting list or an inpatient/day-case surgical waiting list; and if so, to provide a copy of that standard. [44097/26]

2476. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department has reviewed the operation of SUSI dependency classification rules as they apply to mature students who subsequently become financially independent after commencing third-level education; whether any mechanism exists to permit reclassification during the course of a degree programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41655/26]

2477. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of mature students assessed as dependent applicants under SUSI in each academic year since 2020; the number of requests received seeking reclassification from dependent to independent status after course commencement; the number granted or refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41656/26]

2478. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department has considered amendments to SUSI eligibility criteria to ensure that mature students living independently and receiving no parental financial support are assessed based on their own financial circumstances rather than historic parental income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41657/26]

2501. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether their Department, the Higher Education Authority, or any body under their aegis has undertaken an assessment of the number of Irish-qualified graduates working abroad in healthcare and other critical skills sectors; whether estimates are available by profession, qualification type and destination country; whether any analysis has been conducted of graduate emigration, return migration, retention rates or workforce losses within five years of qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43656/26]

2502. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether their Department has considered, proposed or participated in the development of any national strategy, programme, incentive scheme or interdepartmental initiative aimed at encouraging Irish-qualified graduates working overseas, including healthcare professionals, to return to Ireland; whether any discussions have taken place with the Department of Health, the HSE, the Higher Education Authority, employer representative bodies or other stakeholders regarding such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43657/26]

208. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any component, subsystem, software module, sensor, avionics unit, or communications system integrated into equipment currently in operational use by the Defence Forces was manufactured, developed, or licensed by a company headquartered in Israel or by an Israeli subsidiary of a multinational company; if so, to provide a list of such components and the platforms in which they are installed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41302/26]