Pádraig O'Sullivan

1956. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, CervicalCheck five-year participation rates in the period ending March 2023 varied from 66% in County Laois to 82% in County Carlow, with only three counties meeting the National Screening Service target of 80% set out in Choose Screening 2023-2027; what steps are being taken to address this regional variation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41957/26]

1957. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the implementation of the National Adult Palliative Care Policy launched by her Department in September 2024, including the allocation of the €2 million set aside for initial rollout in 2024; the steps being taken to reach the European Association for Palliative Care benchmark of two specialised palliative care services per 100,000 inhabitants, given that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026 Ireland had approximately 1.6 specialised palliative care services per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41958/26]

1958. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the timeline for extending the National Genomic Test Directory, which was launched in January 2025 initially covering rare and inherited diseases, to include oncology testing, as recommended in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41959/26]

1959. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, drawing on Cancer Trials Ireland data, only approximately 1.5% of cancer patients in Ireland were enrolled in interventional clinical trials in 2023, well below the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 target of 6%; what steps are being taken to close this gap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41960/26]

1960. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, drawing on National Doctors Training and Planning data, approvals for new consultant posts fell sharply from 305 in 2022 to 266 in 2023 and to 148 in 2024; what action is being taken to reverse this decline given its potential impact on cancer care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41961/26]

1961. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the steps being taken to address the €180 million estimated funding gap in the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 between 2017 and 2024, as identified by the Irish Cancer Society and referenced in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, which cites the consequences as including delayed surgeries, stalled screening expansion, under-capacity radiotherapy, and slower access to new medicines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41962/26]

2112. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an up to date assessment of mental health services for adults with intellectual disability in Cork; to verify if there is a lack of allied health professionals available to support the mental health teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42738/26]

2113. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if considering a policy under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to qualify parallel imported medicines for reimbursement in Ireland at the same reference price as equivalent medicines supplied through the distribution channels of their original manufacturers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42753/26]

2201. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that glycerol-containing slush ice drinks are being sold without point-of-sale warnings at retail locations across Ireland, contrary to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland advice of 26 May 2026, which recommends that retailers selling unpackaged slush ice drinks containing glycerol display permanent warnings stating that the product is not recommended for children aged ten and under; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43261/26]

2202. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health whether she will consider making mandatory the point-of-sale warning requirements currently set out as voluntary guidelines in the Food Safety Authority of Ireland advice of 26 May 2026, which recommends that retailers selling unpackaged glycerol-containing slush ice drinks display permanent warnings that the product is not recommended for children aged ten and under; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43262/26]

2203. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the enforcement measures that are being put in place to ensure compliance with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland advice of 26 May 2026 regarding the sale of glycerol-containing slush ice drinks to children aged ten and under; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43263/26]

2204. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health whether she will consider introducing a statutory prohibition on the sale of glycerol-containing slush ice drinks to children aged ten and under, given the Food Safety Authority of Ireland advice of 26 May 2026, that such drinks can cause glycerol intoxication syndrome including severe symptoms such as hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness in children in that age group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43264/26]

2255. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to a survey published by an organisation (details supplied) in May 2026, only 27% of orphan medicines for rare diseases approved between 2021 and 2024 were available to patients in Ireland as of January 2026, compared to an EU average of 43%; the steps being taken to improve access to orphan medicines for patients with rare diseases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43427/26]

2256. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to a survey published by an organisation (details supplied) in May 2026, patients in Ireland wait on average approximately 801 days for access to orphan medicines for rare diseases, compared to an EU average of 614 days; the measures being taken to reduce this waiting time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43428/26]

2257. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the specific provisions of the Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines agreed in March 2026 that will address the finding in a survey (details supplied) that Ireland has an orphan medicine availability rate of 27% against an EU average of 43%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43429/26]

2266. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of patients receiving standard oral nutritional supplements reimbursed under the community drug schemes, broken down by those receiving first-line products on List A and those receiving non first-line products on List B, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43512/26]

2267. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that the categorisation of standard oral nutritional supplements into List A first-line products and List B non first-line products under the Standard Oral Nutritional Supplements First-line Prescribing List for Adults Living in the Community 2019 remains clinically appropriate; whether that list has been reviewed since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43513/26]

2268. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure by the Health Service Executive on standard oral nutritional supplements reimbursed under the community drug schemes in each year since 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43514/26]

2269. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the process by which standard oral nutritional supplements are assessed and assigned to List A or List B for reimbursement under the community drug schemes; the criteria applied; the body responsible for making these determinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43515/26]

2270. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of prior reimbursement approval applications for List B standard oral nutritional supplements received by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service in each year since 2021; the number approved and refused respectively; the average processing time for such applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43516/26]

2271. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health whether she will review the requirement for six-monthly renewal of reimbursement approval for List B standard oral nutritional supplements, given the administrative burden this places on general practitioners, dietitians and hospital clinicians; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43517/26]

2359. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for new drugs that have been approved for reimbursement in each of the years 2021 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43769/26]

2360. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for new drugs that have been refused for reimbursement in each of the years 2021 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43770/26]

2361. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for new drugs that are currently under consideration for reimbursement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43771/26]

2362. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the drugs that will be considered for reimbursement at the June 2026 meeting of the NCPE drugs group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43772/26]