Parliamentary questions

202. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the number of people in Galway waiting for assessment for PMC; the number in Galway waiting 4 weeks or less, 4-12 weeks, 12-24 weeks and over 24 weeks, in tabular form; the average waiting time between making an application and having an assessment carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35507/26]

203. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the interim national guidance that applies where a person is clinically discharged from hospital but does not consent to admission to a nursing home or other residential care setting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35344/26]

204. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that were discharged from acute hospitals to nursing homes in each of the past five years where the person did not consent, objected to the placement, or where there was doubt as to consent; and if she will provide a breakdown by hospital group and community healthcare organisation. [35345/26]

205. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of persons currently in acute hospitals who are clinically discharged, but whose discharge is delayed due to unresolved issues relating to consent, capacity, wardship, decision-support arrangements or deprivation of liberty. [35346/26]

206. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of court applications that have been initiated since 26 April 2023 concerning proposed or actual nursing-home placement where the person did not consent, objected to the placement, or where there was doubt as to consent; the number by year, hospital group, community healthcare organisation and applicant body; and the legal costs incu…

207. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether guidance has issued to hospitals, community healthcare organisations, nursing homes and discharge teams on the legal position where an adult objects to nursing-home admission or transfer; whether she will provide a copy of any such guidance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35348/26]

208. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether any national protocol requires that a person’s will and preference, capacity, decision-support arrangements, advance healthcare directive, enduring power of attorney or decision-making representation order be checked before discharge to a nursing home; and whether such checks are recorded. [35349/26]

209. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether every adult subject to a contested nursing-home placement, proposed deprivation of liberty, or serious care-placement decision has access to independent advocacy; if not, whether she intends to provide for a statutory right to independent advocacy in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35350/26]

210. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has estimated the number of persons in nursing homes who may currently be deprived of liberty, or living there contrary to their expressed will and preference, without a specific statutory safeguards framework; and whether that estimate has informed the drafting of protection of liberty safeguards legislation. [35351/26]

211. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health when the protection of Liberty Safeguards Bill will be published; whether it will apply to nursing homes and other residential care settings where a person may be deprived of liberty in practice; and if she will provide a timeline for publication, pre-legislative scrutiny and enactment. [35352/26]

212. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the guidance that has issued to hospitals, nursing homes and HSE discharge teams on the legal status of 'next-of-kin'; whether she accepts that next-of-kin status does not, in itself, confer legal authority to consent to nursing-home placement on behalf of another adult; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35353/26]

213. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the total legal costs incurred by the State in each year since 26 April 2023 in High Court proceedings concerning the care, treatment, placement, detention or deprivation of liberty of persons who lack or are alleged to lack capacity; the number of cases involved; the average cost per case; and if she will provide a breakdown, by applicant body…

214. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the total legal costs incurred by the HSE in each year since 26 April 2023 in High Court proceedings concerning proposed or actual nursing-home placement where the person did not consent, objected to the placement, or where there was doubt as to consent; and if she will provide a breakdown by hospital group, community healthcare organisation an…

215. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the number of High Court applications that have been initiated by or on behalf of the HSE since 26 April 2023 concerning proposed nursing-home placement, continued nursing-home placement, or delayed discharge from hospital arising from issues of consent, capacity, wardship, decision-support arrangements or deprivation of liberty; the total lega…

216. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has estimated the likely annual legal costs to the State of continuing to rely on High Court applications in cases involving contested nursing-home placements or deprivation of liberty in care settings in the absence of protection of liberty safeguards legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35362/26…

217. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health the amount paid in each year since 26 April 2023 to external legal firms, counsel, expert witnesses, guardians ad litem, advocates or other professionals arising from High Court proceedings concerning contested care placements, nursing-home admissions, delayed hospital discharge, capacity or deprivation of liberty; and if she will provide a bre…

218. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Health whether any analysis has been carried out comparing the cost of High Court proceedings in contested nursing-home placement or deprivation-of-liberty cases with the projected cost of establishing a statutory protection of liberty safeguards framework; and if she will publish that analysis. [35364/26]

219. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if an urgent appointment can be expedited for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35367/26]

220. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that workers from an organisation (details supplied) are continuing with their strike action; her views on their status as section 39 workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35368/26]

221. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if an appointment with Temple Street Hospital can be expedited (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35370/26]

222. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health for an update on a speech and language therapy application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35371/26]

223. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Health to outline proposals being considered for the future development of buildings and associated sites (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35372/26]

224. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if disability services, including Children’s Disability Network Teams, are exempt from the recruitment restrictions recently communicated to Regional executive officers within the HSE; if derogations remain available for frontline disability staffing; the current number of vacancies across CDNT teams in South Tipperary and the South East; an…

225. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the impact the current HSE recruitment restrictions will have on the crisis in orthodontic services for children in the South East, for ophthalmology waiting lists in South Tipperary, currently at over 2000; the current staffing vacancies in each service area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35375/26]

226. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting seven-years on an appointment; if this case can be investigated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35410/26]