Parliamentary questions

686. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any concerns have been raised internally within the HSE regarding inconsistent application of national policies across Health Regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36196/26]

687. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE Chief Internal Auditor has identified regional inconsistency as a governance or operational risk within any audit, assurance, or advisory work since 2022. [36197/26]

688. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health how the HSE ensures equal treatment of patients across all six Health Regions in circumstances where no dedicated audit of regional decision-making consistency has been conducted. [36198/26]

689. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external assurance body has reviewed consistency of governance arrangements across the six Health Regions since 2022. [36199/26]

690. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national escalation mechanism exists where differing regional interpretations of HSE policy arise; and if she will provide details of same. [36200/26]

691. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE intends to undertake a dedicated internal audit into consistency of decision-making across Health Regions; and if not, the reason for this position. [36201/26]

692. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the length of time each currently vacant residential property owned or managed by the Health Service Executive has remained vacant, categorised by (i) less than six months, (ii) six to twelve months, (iii) one to three years and (iv) more than three years. [36256/26]

693. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive maintains any regional or local databases tracking expenditure on vacant residential properties, including security, insurance and maintenance costs; and if so, to provide details. [36257/26]

694. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure incurred by the Health Service Executive on security, insurance and maintenance for vacant residential properties in each of the past five years, based on available local or regional records. [36258/26]

695. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audit or review has been conducted since 2020 into vacant residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive and their associated holding costs. [36259/26]

696. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the absence of a central database tracking costs associated with vacant residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive has been identified as a governance or financial oversight risk. [36260/26]

697. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive has examined the potential use of vacant residential properties for step-down care, staff accommodation, social housing partnerships or emergency accommodation purposes. [36261/26]

698. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive which are currently boarded up or secured by private security contractors. [36262/26]

699. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any target or strategy exists within the Health Service Executive to reduce the number of vacant residential properties within its estate portfolio. [36263/26]

700. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated market value of vacant residential properties currently owned or managed by the Health Service Executive. [36264/26]

701. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive maintains a unified national asset register for all residential properties owned, leased, or managed by the organisation; whether this register records occupancy status in real time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36265/26]

702. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive have remained vacant due to legal disputes, title issues, probate issues, planning constraints, staffing allocation decisions, or refurbishment delays; and if she will provide a breakdown by category. [36266/26]

703. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive has conducted any assessment of the potential housing capacity represented by currently vacant residential properties within its estate portfolio; and if she will provide details of same. [36267/26]

704. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any vacant residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive are currently considered unsuitable for occupation; the reasons for such classification; and the estimated remediation cost associated with these properties. [36268/26]

705. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Health Service Executive has received any recommendations from the Comptroller and Auditor General, Internal Audit, or external consultants concerning the management of vacant or surplus residential property since 2020; and if she will provide details of such recommendations. [36269/26]

706. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department of Health has issued any direction, guidance, instruction, or expectation to the Health Service Executive concerning the acceleration of disposal, reuse, or redevelopment of vacant residential properties since 2020. [36270/26]

707. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive currently being used for staff accommodation; and the occupancy rate associated with such properties. [36271/26]

708. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive have been offered for social or affordable housing use in conjunction with local authorities or approved housing bodies since 2020; and if she will provide details. [36272/26]

709. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any service-level agreements, performance targets, or governance frameworks exist between the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive regarding estate utilisation and vacancy management. [36273/26]

710. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department considers prolonged residential vacancy within publicly owned health estates to constitute a governance or value-for-money risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36274/26]