Questions

217. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the free HRT scheme will be extended to cover hormone replacement therapy for patients with congenital or permanent endocrine conditions, including testosterone replacement for Klinefelter syndrome. [74737/26]

218. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the HSE's assessment of dupilumab for eosinophilic oesophagitis; and the expected date of a decision. [74736/26]

219. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the action the HSE and HPRA are taking on the current supply shortage of budesonide orodispersible tablets in the State. [74735/26]

220. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the HSE's full health technology assessment of budesonide orodispersible tablets (Jorveza, NCPE HTA ID 24014) for eosinophilic oesophagitis, commissioned on 25 June 2024; the reason no outcome has been published in over two years; and the expected date of a reimbursement decision. [74734/26]

245. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she has considered introducing a fully funded national DEXA screening programme for women over 50 to improve early detection of osteoporosis; and if an assessment has been carried out of the potential health benefits and savings from preventing fractures. [74923/26]

882. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health her plans to introduce free shingles vaccination for people aged 65 and over; and the expected timeline for its introduction. [73409/26]

1094. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group, AATEG, has examined linking minimum unit pricing for alcohol to inflation; and is there consideration to the introduction of meaningful changes to the current pricing structure. [74125/26]

1095. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health when the final report of the Alcohol Act Technical Evaluation Group, AATEG, will be published; and the key recommendations arising from its work. [74124/26]

143. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the immediate actions being taken to address the serious levels of overcrowding and difficult conditions being experienced by patients and staff in Beaumont Hospital’s accident and emergency department; the additional resources being provided in the interim to improve patient safety, reduce waiting times and ease pressure on the department; the progress of the …

738. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if forthcoming assisted human reproduction legislation will ensure that a non-birth mother can be recognised as a legal parent where a child is conceived through a qualifying DAHR procedure in the State but is born outside the State, including Northern Ireland; and the timeframe for any such change. [71549/26]

791. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she is aware of delays in accessing a drug (details supplied) for Friedreich’s ataxia due to capacity constraints at the Combined Ataxia Clinic, Tallaght University Hospital; the timeframe for all eligible patients to commence treatment; whether additional resources will be provided; the current clinic waiting times; and measures to ensure timely specia…

161. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure equitable access to care for people living with pulmonary fibrosis across all regions, including access to specialist multidisciplinary teams, timely diagnostics, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen services and appropriate community-based care; and whether gaps in regional provision have been examined. [69022/26]

170. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will review the drugs payment scheme to examine whether the purchase cost of a prescribed CPAP machine can be included under the scheme, rather than limiting support to rental costs. [69099/26]

689. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the Government will commission research into the relationship between Down syndrome and the development of Alzheimer’s disease; and whether consideration will be given to developing a national policy paper on the supports required for people with Down syndrome as they age and for their families and carers. [68033/26]

887. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the amount of money paid out under the transitional care fund for each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and the amount of money paid to private nursing homes for contact egress beds for each of those years. [68955/26]

149. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 866 of 6 May 2026, and the HSE response, if she is aware that certified athletic therapists are qualified to manage patients under the criteria outlined by the HSE, but are prevented from assisting due to a lack of regulation; if she will urgently progress regulation of the profession, given that 300 ARTI certified athletic…

626. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will remove the specific criteria of “insulin initiation from the start” that is preventing approximately 500-700 people with a clinical diagnosis of type one diabetes from accessing continuous glucose monitoring, which clinical evidence and recommendations overwhelmingly supports as first-choice glucose monitoring treatment for all people with type one …

627. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health her plans to begin the implementation of the National Diabetes Strategy by providing funding to create a regional diabetes clinical lead post in each HSE Health Region including in North Dublin in the upcoming budget. [66992/26]

4009. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent chefs, by grade, employed at Beaumont Hospital as of 18 May 2026; and to indicate the number directly employed and the number engaged through agency arrangements. [58564/26]

4010. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the estimated timeline for completion of the detailed design stage of the new emergency department at Beaumont Hospital; when the construction tender is expected to commence; whether any risks to the project timeline have been identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58565/26]

4011. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the redevelopment of the emergency department and the proposed 95-bed ward block at Beaumont Hospital remain prioritised within the HSE Capital Plan; the funding allocated to each project to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58566/26]

4012. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether an updated assessment has been carried out of emergency department overcrowding, patient waiting times and bed capacity pressures at Beaumont Hospital since planning permission was granted for the new emergency department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58567/26]

4013. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of funded, filled and vacant speech and language therapist posts assigned to adult community rehabilitation and stroke recovery services in north Dublin, by service area; the current waiting times for these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58568/26]

4014. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she is aware of reports that stroke survivors in north Dublin are unable to access speech and language therapy services due to staffing shortages or service capacity; whether consideration is being given to transport assistance or cross-area access arrangements where local services are unavailable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58569…

507. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the date on which the most recently installed CT scanner at Beaumont Hospital was commissioned and became operational; the current number of CT scanners available at the hospital; the hours during which each scanner operates; whether CT scanning services are available on a 24-hour basis for emergency patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54…