Questions

2686. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the quantum amount contained in the indemnity fund set aside as a condition of the transfer of the ownership of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda from an order (details supplied) to the then NEHB in the 1990s; if the independent review of the fund has been completed; if so, if she will provide this Deputy and a group with either a copy of the review or the deta…

2687. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of GPs currently practicing in County Meath; the GP-to-population ratio for the county; how this compares with the national average and with neighbouring counties such as Louth, Kildare, and Westmeath; her Department's assessment of the impact of this disparity on patient access; the specific actions being taken to improve GP coverage in Meath; and i…

2688. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the current number of both unfilled and filled adult multidisciplinary therapy posts in County Meath in 2024 and 2025, by CHO, and by occupation, in tabular form. [41444/25]

2689. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies within Our Lady's Hospital Navan, broken down by specific role and department, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41445/25]

2690. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of GMS patients in Cork; the number registered with a dentist; and if he will provide the same figures for 2019. [41467/25]

2691. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of GMS funded dentist appointments in Cork in each of the years 2019 to 2024, and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [41468/25]

2692. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of dentists registered to provide GMS services in Cork in each of the years 2019 to 2024, and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [41469/25]

2693. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to the St Mary's health campus ambulance base, the Kinsale road ambulance base and the Erinville bases in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [41470/25]

2694. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the reason the Erinville ambulance base has been authorised for controlled drugs when the St Mary's Health Campus ambulance base is not authorised for same. [41471/25]

2695. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances not in use in Cork city by location, in tabular form. [41472/25]

2696. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a place in a nursing home for a person will be provided (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41485/25]

2697. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health to review a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41486/25]

2698. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health if all external legal fees incurred by her Department, and by any bodies under its aegis, are charged at negotiated discounted rates; how fees are monitored for compliance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41506/25]

2699. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health if her Department conducts regular benchmarking, or market testing, to ensure that the rates paid for legal services, solicitors and barristers, represent value for money for the taxpayer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41524/25]

2700. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health to detail the procurement processes used when engaging external legal firms and barristers, including whether panels are used; how often these are refreshed; the criteria used for selection and performance review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41542/25]

2701. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health if her Department has conducted any audits or reviews in the past five years on legal fee spend; if so, to publish the findings or summaries of those reviews; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41560/25]

2702. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health the internal oversight that exists within her Department to monitor the scope, duration, and cost escalation of legal services once engaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41578/25]

2703. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health if her Department makes use of capped fee arrangements, fixed-fee briefs, success-based fee models or other such arrangements in its legal engagements; if not, the reason such options are not considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41596/25]

2704. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health whether any legal engagements have exceeded their initial estimated or approved cost in the past three years; if so, the number of such cases and total overrun; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41614/25]

2705. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of social workers currently employed in each of the six safeguarding and protection teams within the HSE; the number of vacant posts; the number of social work posts planned for 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41624/25]

2706. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the additional skills and training that are provided to social workers upon joining safeguarding and protection teams to ensure they can deliver high-quality safeguarding services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41625/25]

2707. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the role of the Chief Social Worker of the HSE; how this role interacts with both the National Safeguarding Office and the six regional safeguarding and protection teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41626/25]

2708. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the chain of reporting and the lines of accountability for the management of safeguarding services within the HSE, both regionally and nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41627/25]

2709. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the legal and financial expertise available to support each of the six safeguarding and protection teams; the resources available to the person with overall responsibility for safeguarding within the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41628/25]

2710. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will engage with the relevant education and training institutions to ensure that the level of training for social workers is sufficient to allow them to provide adult safeguarding services to a suitable standard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41629/25]