Questions

576. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the details of the means by which ambulance service triage call for ambulance requests; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13535/26]

577. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the number of calls made for an ambulance request on 6 February 2026 in County Galway that were responded to where the ambulance arrived at the correct patient location, in tabular form (details supplied) [13536/26]

578. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the status of the progression of the development works on the new ambulance base at Recess, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13537/26]

579. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to address the gaps in the assisted human reproduction legislative framework that continue to affect LGBTQ+ families, including the lack of recognition for international surrogacy arrangements, the exclusion of some same-sex female couples from parental recognition pathways, the limited routes available to gay men seeking to bec…

580. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health if funding will be made available via the mental health capital plan for a specific mental health crisis unit for County Wexford following discussions on Friday, 13 February with the HSE; if so, if she can outline a timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13563/26]

581. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health to confirm that the estimate for immunisation has increased from €10,788,000 in 2025 to €54,377,000 in 2026 in the Revised Estimates for Public Services under primary care reimbursement services (details supplied); the cause for this increase in immunisation spend; the services or costs which fall under this increased allocation; whether any budget has been allocat…

582. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide, the full list of all non-statutory bodies in receipt of direct funding from her Department in each of the past five years; the annual amount allocated to each body; the policy unit responsible for oversight of each body; whether a formal governance framework is applied by the Department to each body; and the statutory or administrative basis under whic…

583. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department requires non-statutory bodies in receipt of direct funding to maintain a Department-approved safeguarding policy, a designated safeguarding officer, mandatory reporting procedures to the Department in the event of safeguarding concerns, compliance with Children First Act 2015 obligations, where applicable, and periodic certification of safeg…

584. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department maintains a central risk register in respect of non-statutory bodies receiving direct Departmental funding, conducts formal risk assessments prior to the allocation of funding, applies a risk-rating classification to such bodies, requires annual risk statements from funded bodies; and has defined escalation procedures where governance or saf…

585. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether funding agreements with non-statutory bodies include defined service-quality standards, measurable performance indicators, reporting obligations beyond financial statements, periodic compliance reviews conducted by Department officials and documented evaluation of service delivery outcomes. [13609/26]

586. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the frequency with which policy units formally review governance documentation submitted by funded non-statutory bodies, whether site visits or structured compliance engagements are undertaken by Department officials; whether written governance assessment reports are generated by the Department; and the number of instances in the past five years in whic…

587. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to specify the oversight mechanisms operated directly by her Department in respect of non-statutory bodies receiving direct funding, separate from annual financial audit, expenditure controls and post-hoc review by the Comptroller and Auditor General; and to identify the policy framework governing such mechanisms. [13611/26]

588. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of claims submitted under the General Medical Services Scheme, Drugs Payment Scheme and Long-Term Illness Scheme for salbutamol nebules or equivalent short-acting bronchodilator nebule products in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025; the number and value of such claims paid; the number and value rejected or unpaid; and whether she will provide the corresponding figur…

589. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or the Health Service Executive maintains centralised data on the number of patients whose access to reimbursable salbutamol nebules or equivalent substitute products was impacted during registered shortage periods in 2024 and 2025; if so, the number recorded; and if not, whether she intends to introduce a monitoring mechanism to quantify pa…

590. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal risk assessment, clinical safety review, or value-for-money analysis was conducted in relation to the ongoing shortages of salbutamol nebules during 2024 and 2025; whether contingency procurement arrangements were activated; and what governance structures are in place to ensure uninterrupted reimbursement access for essential respiratory medicin…

591. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure incurred in 2024 and 2025 on salbutamol nebules and equivalent substitute products under the Community Drug Schemes; the additional expenditure, if any, arising from the use of Exempt Medicinal Products during shortage periods; and the budgetary provisions in place to manage future supply disruptions. [13632/26]

592. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health when 24/7 cover of the Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) in Roscommon will be operational given that the advanced paramedic roster for the RRV is now full; and when this cover will be restored. [13636/26]

593. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the 2021 consultant post in child and adolescent psychiatry approved under the National Gender Service Model of Care (2018), referenced in PQ 70457/25, included in its job description or person specification any requirement to adhere to WPATH Standards of Care; and if so, the exact wording of that requirement and the date on which it was first approved. [1…

594. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the governance and approval pathway by which any requirement to adhere to WPATH Standards of Care was authorised for inclusion in the 2021 consultant child and adolescent psychiatry post referenced in PQ 70457/25, including the Departmental or HSE national clinical governance structure under which such approval was granted. [13642/26]

595. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the policy rationale, evidential basis, and clinical guidance relied upon when approving the 2021 consultant child and adolescent psychiatry post referenced in PQ 70457/25; and whether any written clinical safety assessment, risk assessment, or governance memorandum was prepared at the time of approval. [13643/26]

596. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or the HSE retains documentary records, minutes, memoranda, or correspondence relating to the approval of the 2021 consultant child and adolescent psychiatry post referenced in PQ 70457/25; and whether the Minister will confirm the existence of such records and their retention under national governance procedures. [13644/26]

597. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of recruitment campaigns undertaken to fill the 2021 consultant child and adolescent psychiatry post referenced in PQ 70457/25; the dates of each campaign; and the policy-level reasons recorded for the campaigns being unsuccessful. [13645/26]

598. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health when the review of the National Gender Service Model of Care (2018), referenced in PQ 70457/25, formally commenced; the governance structure overseeing the review; and the anticipated completion date. [13646/26]

599. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the manner in which the findings of the Cass Review are being incorporated into the review of the National Gender Service Model of Care (2018); and whether the Minister will publish the terms of reference for that review. [13647/26]

600. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what national clinical governance arrangements currently apply to specialist gender healthcare services for children and adolescents while the National Gender Service Model of Care (2018) is under review; and whether any interim clinical guidance has been issued since publication of the Cass Review. [13648/26]