Questions

896. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the status of access to an insulin pump (details supplied) for children with type 1 diabetes; the engagement the HSE has had with the organisation for access; the barriers that remain to a pricing and reimbursement application; the way these are being addressed; whether an interim or exceptional access pathway could be considered for very young children where cli…

99. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the action she is taking to ensure that all newly qualified nurses and midwives graduating in 2026 are offered permanent HSE contracts in accordance with existing national policy; the reason contracts are being withheld in some health regions despite significant nursing and midwifery vacancies, including at University Hospital Galway; and if she will make a statem…

870. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure that patients approved for insulin pump therapy are not experiencing delays in accessing pumps due to insufficient staffing or capacity to provide the necessary patient training; the position regarding waiting times for insulin pump commencement in the HSE West and North West region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …

791. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to review the means test thresholds for medical cards for persons aged over 70; if she will consider the introduction of universal medical card eligibility for those over 70; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51285/26]

792. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will extend eligibility for national screening programmes, including BreastCheck, BowelScreen and bone density scanning, to persons aged over 70; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51286/26]

793. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will consider including the shingles vaccine in publicly funded vaccination programmes or under the drug payment scheme; the estimated cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51287/26]

794. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to review the fairness of the drug payment scheme threshold, particularly the application of the same monthly cap to single-person households and to couples or families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51288/26]

795. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she has engaged with the Minister for Finance regarding the application of VAT to certain vaccines and prescribed medical products; if changes are under consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51289/26]

796. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to strengthen preventative healthcare supports for older people, particularly in rural areas; including supports for physical activity, community-based health promotion, and social prescribing initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51290/26]

797. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the actions her Department is taking, in conjunction with other Departments and agencies, to address loneliness and social isolation among older people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51291/26]

798. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the level of access to primary care services for older people in rural areas; including physiotherapy and community-based supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51292/26]

799. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if an assessment has been carried out on the cumulative cost burden of healthcare for older people, including GP care, prescriptions, vaccines, and screening services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51293/26]

830. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to provide the web link to her Department’s Q2 2026 published report of purchase orders/payments over €20,000, in line with the FOI model publication scheme requirements; to confirm the date on which this report was published; and, if it has not yet been published, the planned publication date. [51566/26]

747. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if her Department has examined the financial impact on healthcare workers experiencing long-Covid following the ending of special Covid leave with pay at the end of 2025; the likely average loss of income for those affected over a 12-month period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48764/26]

421. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the consideration by the HSE senior leadership team of the reimbursement application for givinostat; whether a decision has now been reached following the recommendation submitted by the Drugs Group on 9 June 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48421/26]

466. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the reason skyclarys has not been included on the agenda for the recent HSE Drugs Group meeting held in June 2026; when the drug will be considered by the Drugs Group; the timeline for a decision on its prioritisation within the reimbursement process; and the measures being taken to ensure there are no further avoidable delays in progressing access to skyclarys f…

499. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will review the current list of conditions covered under the long-term illness scheme; if consideration is being given to the inclusion of Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases, in light of their chronic and lifelong nature and the ongoing medication requirements associated with their management; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

682. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the current position regarding the extension of pay and pension parity, arising from a report (details supplied) for persons who retired prior to 1 January 2024; whether her Department has received representations from stakeholders regarding the exclusion of this cohort; if any review or consideration is underway to address the disparity between those who retired…

829. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 889 of 30 September 2025, and the subsequent direct reply from the Health Service Executive dated 14 October 2025 (details supplied), to provide the web link to the published dataset; the date on which the dataset was published; if the dataset has not been published, the reason for the delay; whether a revised publication dat…

840. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health whether she has satisfied herself that the commitment given by the Health Service Executive in its direct reply of 14 October 2025 to publish purchase order payment data for the period 2014 to Quarter 3 2021 in a machine-readable format has been fulfilled; and if not, the action that has been taken by her Department to secure publication of the data. [47671/26]

885. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health whether for procurement spend, a purchase order can be raised within her Department's financial management systems without reference to a contract, framework agreement, procurement process or other authorising arrangement; if so, the circumstances in which this may occur [45167/26]

886. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health whether an invoice can be paid by her Department without an associated purchase order having first been raised; if so, the circumstances in which this may occur; the number and value of payments made during quarter one of 2026 which were not associated with a purchase order; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45185/26]

1994. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the total amount spent by her Department on public procurement in 2025; to provide a breakdown, where available, by goods, services, works procurement expenditure, by expenditure procured directly by her Department and expenditure procured through central purchasing arrangements or frameworks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42171/26]

1995. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health whether her Department is fully compliant with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Model Publication Scheme Guidance, issued under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, specifically the requirements under section D and section E (details supplied); to publish quarterly the contracts awarded above €25,000 (exclusive of VAT), including contr…

2158. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the ongoing difficulties in accessing GP services for nursing home residents in rural areas, particularly across east and north Galway and south Mayo; the impact this is having on avoidable hospital admissions; and the measures that will be taken to ensure equitable primary care access for older persons in residential care settings. [43017/26…