Questions

782. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing delays for patients seeking GP appointments at a particular primary care centre, where waiting times of up to two weeks are common; if she is further aware that elderly patients with scheduled appointments are often waiting over an hour beyond their allotted time with no prior notice; the measures being taken to add…

1010. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will review the current system for accessing CPAP machines for patients with sleep apnoea, in light of cases where families are paying €118 per month in rental fees in addition to monthly medication costs, with limited support available under the drugs payment scheme; if she will consider introducing a model similar to Northern Ireland where CPAP machines…

1011. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will examine the financial burden placed on working families who do not qualify for a medical card but who face essential, lifelong medical costs such as CPAP rental and associated medication, particularly where the cost of supporting children in third-level education further reduces disposable income (details supplied); and if she will make a statement o…

263. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will address the fact that Mayo University Hospital is operating with only one CT scanner, leading to significant delays for patients, including those requiring urgent cancer-related imaging; and if she will outline the immediate steps that will be taken to increase scanning capacity and reduce waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

1234. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she is satisfied that a five session primary care occupational therapy 'Episode of Care' is an adequate intervention for a child (details supplied) with a confirmed autism diagnosis and ongoing sensory, behavioural, and attention related needs; if she will review the appropriateness of limiting autistic children to short block interventions within primary car…

1235. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the basis on which CAMHS excludes a child (details supplied) whose behavioural and emotional needs fall outside the capacity of Primary Care; the mental health supports that are available for autistic children who do not meet CAMHS criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12839/26]

1236. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health when the single point of access system for children's services will be fully operational; the way it will prevent families such as that of a child (details supplied) from being passed between primary care, disability services, and CAMHS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12841/26]

1243. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive continues to refuse legally compliant written references that confirm only dates of employment and job titles, the full extent of what many private employers are permitted to provide under their own governance and liability policies, and instead applies pressure on private companies to issue verbal or expanded written refe…

1244. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the average recruitment timeline for Health Service Executive nursing positions in County Mayo, from the point at which a vacancy is approved and advertised; to the issuing of a job offer; to the commencement date of the successful candidate; if the Minister will comment on the causes of delays occurring particularly between offer and start date, in tabular form…

1245. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the specific background checks, verification processes, and credential assessments carried out by the Health Service Executive and relevant regulatory bodies on foreign-trained nurses and doctors seeking employment within the HSE; the way in which their qualifications and clinical training are benchmarked against those required of Irish-trained health profession…

535. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to amend S.I. No. 307/2006 to extend mandatory country-of-origin labelling to poultry, pork and lamb in the hospitality and catering sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11118/26]

536. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health to detail the steps her Department is taking to ensure that processed meat products, such as chicken Kievs or pre-prepared meals, cannot use 'Product of Ireland' branding if the primary meat ingredient was hatched, reared or slaughtered in a non-EU country; and if he will address the impact of 'substantial transformation' rules on consumer clarity. [11119/26]

546. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the statutory role of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in supervising, auditing, or enforcing food safety, hygiene, and traceability among suppliers participating in the hot school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11194/26]

605. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) will receive an appointment to see the paediatric spinal neurosurgery service at Beaumont Hospital; if she is aware of the delay in scheduling a consultation despite clinical findings indicating a suspected tethered spinal cord and progressive neurological deterioration; and if she will ensure that this case is prioritised given t…

1086. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the basis on which consultant staffing levels and specialist resources are allocated between University Hospital Galway and Mayo University Hospital. [9765/26]

1087. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the reason Mayo University Hospital has significantly fewer orthopaedic surgeons, radiologists and no full-time permanent oncologist despite comparable activity levels and a catchment area that includes parts of Roscommon and Sligo. [9766/26]

1088. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to ensure equitable distribution of consultants and resources across the Saolta Hospital Group. [9767/26]

1089. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will examine whether resources originally intended for Mayo are being diverted to Galway. [9768/26]

938. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of ambulances, EMTs, paramedics, and advanced paramedics that were rostered, operational, and available in County Mayo on a date (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7365/26]

939. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the precise deployment locations of all National Ambulance Service units assigned to County Mayo between 10pm on 10 January 2026 and 1am on 11 January 2026, including which units were on call; which were responding to other incidents; which were unavailable; the reasons for any unavailability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7366/26]

940. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the decision-making process undertaken by the National Ambulance Service control centre when an emergency call concerning a person (details supplied) was received including the units which were considered; the units which were rejected; the reasons for any delay in dispatch; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7367/26]

941. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health to provide the real-time tracking data, including timestamps, for all ambulances assigned to County Mayo between 10pm on 10 January 2026 and 1am on 11 January 2026, indicating their movements, dispatch times, and any periods spent awaiting assignment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7368/26]

942. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of EMTs, paramedics, and advanced paramedics rostered for duty in County Mayo on 10 January 2026; the number which were actively available for emergency response at a time (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7369/26]

943. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health whether cross-county ambulance support from Sligo, Galway, or Roscommon was available, requested, or dispatched during an emergency (details supplied); if not, the reasons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7370/26]

944. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health whether communication difficulties arising from mobile coverage blackspots in north Mayo contributed to the delay in ambulance response in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7371/26]