Questions

546. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken by her Department and the HSE to improve access to multidisciplinary neurological services, including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, neuropsychology, dietetics and inpatient neurorehabilitation; and if she will provide an indicative timeline for the implementation of these measures; and if she will make a statement on the m…

547. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether a national plan is in place to ensure equitable access to specialist neurological services across all regions, having regard to reported disparities between centres; if she will outline any planned service expansions or workforce increases in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33808/26]

548. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health for an update on current waiting times for neurology services; the current number of persons on neurology outpatient waiting lists by hospital group; the actions being taken to address these waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33809/26]

549. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on neurology outpatient waiting lists; the average waiting time for an appointment; the actions being taken to reduce these waiting lists, by hospital, for each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33810/26]

866. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the number of certified athletic therapists practicing in Ireland; the level of training and professional structure under which they operate; the extent to which her Department and the HSE have engaged with this cohort in the context of musculoskeletal service provision; and if she will outline any plans to consider their potential role in su…

883. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the steps the Minister of State at her Department with responsibility for public health, wellbeing and drugs intends to take, in the context of the forthcoming National Drug Strategy and the proposed integration of drug and alcohol task forces into new HSE structures, to ensure that the existing functions of these task forces, including interagency coordination…

884. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether, in the context of the Draft National Drug Strategy, if consideration has been given by the Minister of State at her Department with responsibility for public health, wellbeing and drugs to placing drug and alcohol task forces at Tier 2 level of the proposed governance structure in recognition of their strategic coordination role; the rationale for thei…

1133. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has examined the practice of pharmacies charging additional fees for dispensing medications in blister packs where this is clinically required, particularly for older persons with complex medication regimes; whether any guidance or regulation exists governing such charges under the community drug schemes; if consideration is being given …

442. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 196 of 25 June 2025, the anticipated timelines for new resources to be recruited and operational within the Mater Hospital’s pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) unit; whether funding for these roles has been formally allocated within the HSE service plan and budget for 2026; the engagement or consultation that has taken p…

458. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if an organisation (details supplied) applied for or sought to be included under Section 39 funding arrangements in respect of its healthcare assistants; if not, the reason; if any such application was refused by the HSE or her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31720/26]

459. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE has assessed the pay disparity between healthcare assistants delivering HSE-funded home support services under tendered arrangements and those employed in Section 39 organisations performing comparable work; and the steps she will take to address any inequity arising. [31721/26]

460. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has reviewed its tendered home support model in light of the exclusion of workers from the 9.25% WRC pay agreement; whether pay rates or employment conditions are considered as part of these contracts; and if changes are being considered to ensure fair pay for healthcare assistants delivering State-funded care. [31722/26]

463. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the enactment of the assisted human reproduction (amendment) Bill; whether the implications of restricting surrogacy to altruistic arrangements only, including the limitation to reasonable expenses, have been assessed; the impact this may have on individuals and couples who may need to pursue surrogacy abroad; and if she will make a statement o…

146. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the planned redevelopment of the emergency department at Beaumont Hospital, including the current status of the design and planning stages; the expected timeline for tendering and construction; whether the project remains a priority within the HSE Capital Plan; the anticipated opening date for the new emergency department; the a…

2643. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the reasons inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease, is not included in the long-term illness scheme; whether she will consider amending the Health Act 1970 to include inflammatory bowel disease in the scheme, in line with other chronic and lifelong conditions; the supports available to children diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and their…

2678. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health for an update on the proposed new primary care centre in Baldoyle/ Clongriffin Dublin 13 area; the current stage of planning or development of this project; the reasons it was not included in the HSE Capital Plan 2026; the alternative timelines or funding arrangements now being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23841/26]

2785. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to improve diagnosis times, treatment pathways, and specialist supports for women with endometriosis; the steps planned to expand accessible endometriosis care nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24186/26]

2813. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health to set out comprehensively all the medical card entitlements under the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025; to include whether or not prescription charges are waived for holders of this Act's medical card; and the dental and orthodontic benefits attaching to this Act's medical card [24361/26]

2937. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of persons that attended the accident and emergency department of Beaumont Hospital that were liable to the €100 fee in the years of 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and to-date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24891/26]

2938. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE speech and language therapists by grade and occupational therapist by grade posts filled at St Joseph's Hospital, Raheny as of 22 March 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24892/26]

2939. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the new primary care centre for (details supplied); the reason this centre was not included in the HSE's Capital Plan 2026;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24897/26]

2954. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the proposed amending legislation to the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill; the specific timeline for its publication and enactment; the reasons for the continued delay given that drafting has previously been indicated as being at an advanced stage; the steps being taken to ensure timely progression of this legislation in light of its impo…

3112. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health her views that the provision of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to women with type 2 diabetes during pregnancy provides better glycaemic control than invasive blood glucose testing (finger prick testing) for both mother and baby over the duration of pregnancy; if she will make CGM available to women with type 2 diabetes during their pregnancy (details supp…

3113. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health her views that the cost of providing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to women with type 2 diabetes during pregnancy is cost neutral when compared to providing them with invasive blood glucose testing (finger prick testing) strips over the duration of pregnancy; if she will make CGM available to women with type 2 diabetes during their pregnancy(details supp…

3114. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will remove the specific criteria of ‘insulin initiation from the start’ that is preventing persons (details supplied) with a clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes from accessing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) which clinical evidence overwhelmingly supports as the first-choice glucose monitoring device for all people with type 1 diabetes; and if sh…