Parliamentary questions

1147. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health in light of the European Commission's evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive published on 2 April 2026, which found that smoking prevalence across the EU has fallen from 28% in 2012 to 24% in 2023 but that the interim goal of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan to achieve a 30% reduction in tobacco use by 2025 has not been met; the additional me…

1148. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that paramedics with the National Ambulance Service based in Dooradoyle, Limerick, intend to go on strike on 12 May 2026; her plans to intervene to attempt to resolve this dispute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32868/26]

1149. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the review of insourcing published on 1 July 2025 included any quantified modelling of the impact of cessation on waiting list volumes and waiting times; and if so, to provide the outputs of that modelling. [32884/26]

1150. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to specify the total volume of procedures, outpatient appointments, and diagnostic interventions delivered through third-party insourcing in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, and the proportion this represented of total activity. [32885/26]

1151. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the clinical specialties and procedures in which third-party insourcing was utilised prior to its reduction; and whether equivalent in-house capacity now exists in each category. [32886/26]

1152. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of additional theatre sessions, outpatient clinics, and diagnostic capacity units that have been added within the public system in 2025 and 2026 to replace insourcing activity. [32887/26]

1153. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any risk assessment was conducted regarding potential increases in waiting times or patient deterioration following the cessation of insourcing; and if so, to provide details. [32888/26]

1154. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any patients previously scheduled for treatment under insourcing arrangements have experienced delays or rescheduling as a result of the policy change; and if so, the number affected. [32889/26]

1155. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a comparative cost per procedure between third-party insourcing, outsourcing via the National Treatment Purchase Fund, and direct in-house provision for the most common procedures. [32890/26]

1156. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any clinical governance incidents, adverse outcomes, or audit findings relating to third-party insourcing informed the decision to cease its use; and if so, to provide details. [32891/26]

1157. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department receives aggregated national reporting on waiting times for access to PrEP services; and if so, to provide the most recent data. [32892/26]

1158. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a national register or centralised data system exists to track demand for PrEP services across all providers; and if not, whether one is planned. [32893/26]

1159. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of clinics currently delivering PrEP services nationally, including both public and private providers, and whether this number has increased since 2023. [32894/26]

1160. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national standard exists for maximum acceptable waiting times for access to PrEP services; and if not, whether such a standard will be introduced. [32895/26]

1161. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed geographic disparities in access to PrEP services; and if so, to provide details of any identified gaps. [32896/26]

1162. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated number of individuals unable to access PrEP services due to capacity constraints in the most recent year. [32897/26]

1163. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any interim or bridging access arrangements exist for individuals clinically eligible for PrEP but unable to secure an appointment within the public system. [32898/26]

1164. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether funding allocated to expand PrEP capacity in 2025 and 2026 has been fully utilised; and if not, the reasons for any underspend. [32899/26]

1165. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the way in which value for money is assessed in respect of funding provided to the Institute of Public Health in the absence of defined performance indicators. [32900/26]

1166. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the current oversight arrangements for the Institute of Public Health have been formally assessed against the requirements of the Public Spending Code. [32901/26]

1167. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any independent external evaluation of the outputs or impact of the Institute of Public Health has been conducted since 2020. [32902/26]

1168. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether funding provided to the Institute of Public Health is subject to periodic review or renewal based on performance outcomes. [32903/26]

1169. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the annual level of Exchequer funding allocated to the Institute of Public Health for each year since 2020. [32904/26]

1170. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the amount that has been spent on technical aids for visually impaired adults in the south-east in the last two years; and the way in which the application process works. [32913/26]

1171. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Health if an urgent paediatric appointment will be provided for a child in County Louth (details supplied ). [32922/26]