Questions

327. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a decision by the HSE drugs group regarding the reimbursement of risdiplam for adults living with spinal muscular atrophy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38468/26]

256. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will consider the retention of the free RSV vaccination programme for newborns, in view of the demonstrated benefits of the scheme for infant health and hospital admission prevention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35663/26]

257. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to the inclusion of the medical condition asthma in the long term illness scheme, given that it is a chronic condition requiring ongoing management and medication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35664/26]

3324. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will consider conducting a temporary review of mileage rates for home support workers in light of the rising cost of fuel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26833/26]

1034. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to address the barriers currently faced by patients in Ireland living with lipoedema, including the absence of a published national HSE care pathway, limited access to conservative management such as compression therapy and manual lymphatic drainage; the difficulties in accessing treatment through the Cross-Border Healthcare Di…

1035. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if the HSE working group established in 2023 to develop a national care pathway for lipoedema has completed its work; when this care pathway is expected to be published, if she will confirm whether patient advocacy organisations (details supplied) will be included in both the development and implementation of the pathway; and if she will make a statement on the …

1036. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if her Department intends to review the operation of private health insurers in relation to coverage for medically indicated liposuction procedures for lipoedema patients, in light of concerns regarding inconsistent decision-making, the application of criteria designed for lymphoedema rather than lipoedema, and practices that may result in patients being forced …

240. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will include the shingrix (shingles) vaccine in the HSE’s covered vaccine schedule, particularly for immunocompromised patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17262/26]

241. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to expand the delivery of hearing and eye care services in community settings; her plans to increase the role of primary and community care providers in improving access to these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17263/26]

242. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the assessment that has been made of the barriers faced by older people and other vulnerable groups in accessing hearing care services, including cost, waiting times and geographic availability; the actions planned to address these barriers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17264/26]

243. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she intends to establish the joint working group proposed at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, comprising CORU, organisations (details supplied), academic institutions, service users to examine improvements to CORU regulatory standards; if community-based therapy providers, including section 39 and section 56 organisations funded by Tusla, the HSE and …

244. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant orthopaedic surgeons based at Portlaoise Regional Hospital as of 26 February 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17266/26]

245. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the staffing budget for Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise in 2024, 2025 and 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17267/26]

246. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the number of agency staff employed by Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise across all departments, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17268/26]

247. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant psychiatrists attached to Laois mental health services as of 26 February 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17269/26]

248. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will include acarizax on the reimbursement list of medicines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17270/26]

973. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 551 of 11 July 2025, when children’s eye clinic services will resume in Portlaoise; if the recruitment process has concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9193/26]

39. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the measures her Department is taking to reduce hospital waiting lists in public hospitals across the IHA-4 HSE Area Midlands, in light of the most recently published national hospital waiting list figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4957/26]

272. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to introduce a formal compassionate use programme in Ireland for orphan drugs, in light of the fact that several EU member states already have such programmes allowing patients early access to potentially life-saving treatments prior to full market authorisation; when such a programme will be established to ensure patients in Ireland are not…

273. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will review the criteria for medical card eligibility to allow for an audiology-only medical card, or similar entitlement, for individuals with congenital deafness who face unavoidable and lifelong costs for essential hearing aids; if she will consider removing or modifying means-testing in cases where the medical need is permanent and non-discretionary; a…

274. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the actions being taken to reduce the current reliance on locum consultants, given that 16.5% of consultant posts are filled on a locum basis; the reason for delays in advertising and filling permanent posts, including where advance notice of retirements is available; her assessment of the impact of high locum use on continuity of care, service development and sm…

275. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to improve supports for people with food allergies in public settings; the plans to develop a national allergy strategy; and the actions being considered to enhance emergency preparedness, staff training and access to treatments such as anaphylaxis kits and oral immunotherapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4525/26]

276. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the way in which the newly published paper,’ Ireland’s Future Health and Social Care Workforce’, will guide long-term workforce planning across the health and social care sectors; the way its evidence-based projections will support the delivery of Programme for Government commitments and Sláintecare 2025+; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4526/26]

277. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will outline her Department’s approach to supporting quality and consistency in community-based counselling and psychotherapy services, including workforce development; whether her Department recognises the role of national quality initiatives such as the Community Therapy Ireland Badge of Excellence in promoting professional, person-centred practice; and …

278. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health to detail the expected workforce shortfalls identified in the ESRI-informed modelling; the proposed actions, particularly the expansion of domestic education and training capacity, which will ensure Ireland can meet the health needs of a growing and ageing population over the next 15 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4528/26]