Parliamentary questions

2208. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether Internal Audit, the National Director of HR or any other body has examined the adequacy of vacancy reporting arrangements within the HSE since 2020. [43270/26]

2209. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health how the HSE measures the financial impact of funded but unfilled posts where retrospective vacancy data is unavailable. [43271/26]

2210. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the agency staffing supplier removed from the national supplier panel since 2020 was removed due to clinical governance concerns, contractual non-compliance, financial irregularities, regulatory issues, or another category of concern; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43272/26]

2211. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1432 of 26 May 2026, the date on which the agency staffing supplier referred to was removed from the national supplier panel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43273/26]

2212. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1432 of 26 May 2026, whether the HSE conducted a formal investigation, audit, review or compliance assessment prior to the removal of the agency staffing supplier referred to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43274/26]

2213. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any agency staffing suppliers have been issued with formal warnings, corrective action plans, improvement notices, enhanced monitoring requirements, or other remedial measures since 2020; and if they will provide the number issued in each year. [43275/26]

2214. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of on-site audits of agency staffing suppliers were conducted by the HSE in each year from 2020 to 2025; the number of instances of non-compliance that were identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43276/26]

2215. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE maintains a national risk-rating system for agency staffing suppliers; the criteria used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43277/26]

2216. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE formally incorporates estimated agency staffing cost differentials, including the indicative 30% agency premium previously referenced by the HSE, into workforce planning models, business cases, staffing projections, or recruitment strategies; and if so, to provide details of the methodology used. [43278/26]

2217. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national or regional targets exist within the HSE for reducing agency expenditure through direct recruitment; the financial savings expected from such reductions; and if they will provide the targets by year from 2020 to date. [43279/26]

2218. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE produces analyses comparing the cost of agency staff and equivalent directly employed staff by grade and profession; whether these analyses are used in budget preparation; and if she will provide details. [43280/26]

2219. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any threshold exists whereby sustained agency expenditure in a service automatically triggers consideration of additional permanent posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43281/26]

2220. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure on agency staff in each year from 2020 to 2025; the estimated additional cost arising from agency premiums compared with direct employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43282/26]

2221. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the full list of clinical, operational, governance and patient safety criteria used by Children’s Health Ireland in determining whether the National Children’s Hospital is sufficiently ready to proceed to day one opening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43283/26]

2222. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a formal readiness framework, checklist, scorecard or assessment tool is being used by Children’s Health Ireland in relation to the opening of the National Children’s Hospital; whether a copy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43284/26]

2223. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether specific minimum staffing thresholds, clinical commissioning milestones, ICT readiness requirements, emergency preparedness exercises and patient safety indicators must be achieved before a Go-Live recommendation can be made for the National Children’s Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43285/26]

2224. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the person or body that will ultimately make the final decision to authorise Day One opening of the National Children’s Hospital; whether this decision rests with Children’s Health Ireland, the HSE, the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, the Department of Health or another body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [432…

2225. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any independent external assurance process is being conducted in relation to organisational readiness for the National Children’s Hospital; the organisations involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43287/26]

2226. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any readiness assessments conducted in advance of the opening of the National Children’s Hospital have identified significant risks, deficiencies or areas requiring corrective action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43288/26]

2227. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the extent of the HSE overspend; the impact this is having on disability services in each RHA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43293/26]

2228. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken by her Department and the HSE to address the HSE overspend; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43294/26]

2229. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health whether any investigation will be carried out into how HSE overspending occurred; if accountability measures will be put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43295/26]

2230. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health if people who rely on essential services (details supplied) are likely to be disproportionately affected by any spending restrictions imposed as a result of HSE overspending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43296/26]

2231. Deputy Barry Ward 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 (SMA); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43301/26]

2232. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the decision process behind the review by the HSE Drugs Group regarding the reimbursement of risdiplam for adults living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43302/26]