Questions

651. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the financial impact on older persons who are refused discretionary medical card eligibility but granted a GP Visit Card; and if she will outline any policy considerations arising from such assessment. [13803/26]

652. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health when she will consider and publish the review of the physician assistant or associate role in the health service; if she will sanction the grade and role; the steps she is taking to ensure robust governance; the steps she is taking to ensure that other professions which could or do perform some of the roles proposed for physician associates are supported to pr…

653. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of whole-time equivalent GPs practising in the State in each year from 2020 to 2025; the estimated population per GP ratio in each year; and whether demographic change, including inward migration, is factored into primary care workforce planning models. [13869/26]

654. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total amount of funding allocated in 2025 and to date in 2026 to commission external private providers under Service Level Agreements or Grant Aid Agreements for the provision of primary care level child and adolescent psychological interventions in HSE South West; and the breakdown of that funding by provider and agreement type. [13870/26]

655. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of children and adolescents referred to external commissioned providers under Service Level Agreements or Grant Aid Agreements in HSE South West in 2025 and to date in 2026; the average cost per intervention episode; and the average number of sessions delivered per child. [13871/26]

656. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the impact of the commissioning of external psychological service providers in HSE South West on primary care child psychology waiting lists; the reduction achieved in average waiting time in months; and the performance metrics used by the HSE to evaluate value for money and clinical outcomes under these agreements. [13872/26]

657. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether it is Government policy to continue the commissioning of external private providers for primary care level child and adolescent psychological interventions beyond 2025; and how this commissioning model aligns with national workforce planning for publicly employed psychologists. [13873/26]

658. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether all Service Level Agreements and Grant Aid Agreements entered into in 2025 in HSE South West for the provision of primary care child psychology services are subject to formal clinical audit; and if so, the dates of audits conducted and whether any compliance or performance issues were identified. [13874/26]

659. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department receives, holds, or reviews aggregated data from the Health Service Executive or the Primary Care Reimbursement Service on the exercise of discretion in medical card eligibility decisions following a means assessment; the total number of applications in which discretion was considered in each of the years 2020 to 2025; the number granted on …

660. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal reporting framework exists between the Health Service Executive and her Department in respect of discretionary medical card decisions; the frequency of any such reporting; whether performance indicators, audit reviews, or internal compliance checks are conducted in relation to discretionary refusals; and if she will outline the Department’s role…

661. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to progress the lymphoedema and lipoedema model of care further to successful outcomes from Proof-of-Concept services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13894/26]

662. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health when the draft Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13895/26]

663. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the aspects of the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetics and Genomic Medicine that will be progressed in 2026; the funding that will be required to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13896/26]

664. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the aspects of the Hereditary Cancer Model of Care that will be progressed in 2026; the funding that will be required to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13897/26]

665. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the implementation of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) screening within the national newborn bloodspot screening programme; the target date for the rollout of SMA screening to all newborns; the Government’s ongoing commitment to expanding the newborn screening programme to include additional rare diseases; and if she will make a statem…

666. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will address the exclusion of some general practices from the revised social deprivation practice grant (details supplied); if she will take urgent steps to amend the way in which deprivation is measured given the serious flaws identified in the current categorisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13926/26]

667. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners have been provided with guidelines with respect to the diagnosis and treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder; if so, to provide a copy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13927/26]

668. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will commit to the publication of a comprehensive framework outlining a programme for the diagnosis and treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, encompassing a multidisciplinary contribution from general practitioners, psychiatric and gynaecological specialists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13928/26]

669. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the research her Department is consulting or conducting with respect to the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the treatment for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13929/26]

670. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the research her Department is consulting or conducting with respect to diagnostic pathways for people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13930/26]

671. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide details on any public awareness programmes or campaigns that her Department or the HSE has carried out to inform people of the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13931/26]

672. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of people on a waiting list for pre-exposure prophylaxis, by clinic; and the wait time to be offered a new appointment in each clinic, in tabular form. [13935/26]

673. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to list all public pre-exposure prophylaxis clinics; and to identify the sites in which waiting lists are closed to new self-referrals, in tabular form. [13936/26]

674. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated to public pre-exposure prophylaxis services to expand capacity, reduce waiting lists and ensure that the waiting lists in all public clinics are open to new self-referrals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13937/26]

675. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if a new model of pre-exposure prophylaxis will be considered, given the strain on existing clinics (details supplied); if she will review this model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13938/26]