Parliamentary questions

743. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the reason persons eligible for the free travel scheme are required to pay a €4 daily charge when using HSE transport services; the policy reasons for excluding HSE transport from the free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28028/26]

744. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health if she has examined increasing mileage rates for healthcare staff, like nurses, who use their own cars in the community for work purposes; to provide the estimated annual cost for the banding system for travel be set aside and that the highest rates be applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28030/26]

745. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the factors underlying the increase in expenditure by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service on salbutamol nebules dispensed under the general medical services scheme between 2024 and 2025; and if she will provide a breakdown of the extent to which this increase is attributable to volume of items dispensed, reimbursement price per item, and any…

746. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of salbutamol nebule items dispensed under the general medical services scheme in each month from January 2024 to date in 2026; and if she will provide the corresponding average reimbursement cost per item for each month. [28033/26]

747. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reimbursement price per unit applicable to salbutamol nebules under the Primary Care Reimbursement Service in each month from January 2024 to date in 2026; whether any changes to pricing arrangements, reference pricing, or reimbursement rules occurred during this period; and if she will detail same. [28034/26]

748. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the clinical guidelines, prescribing controls, and audit mechanisms in place governing the prescribing of salbutamol nebules under the general medical services scheme; and whether any review has been conducted in light of increased expenditure in 2025. [28035/26]

749. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the Primary Care Reimbursement Service does not capture or retain data on the clinical indication associated with medicines reimbursed under the general medical services scheme, including salbutamol nebules; and whether there are plans to introduce such data capture to support expenditure oversight and value-for-money assessment. [28…

750. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether analysis has been undertaken by her Department or the Health Service Executive into the change in seasonal expenditure patterns for salbutamol nebules between 2024 and 2025; and if she will provide the findings of any such analysis. [28037/26]

751. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal audit, external audit, or value-for-money review has been conducted in respect of expenditure by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service on salbutamol nebules under the general medical services scheme since January 2024; if so, to provide the dates and findings of such reviews; and if not, the reason none has been undertaken…

752. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any expenditure thresholds, alerts, or variance triggers exist within the Primary Care Reimbursement Service to identify significant increases in spend on specific medicines, including salbutamol nebules; and if she will outline the governance arrangements in place when such increases occur. [28039/26]

753. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service on respiratory medicines under the general medical services scheme in each month from January 2024 to date in 2026; and the proportion of this expenditure attributable to salbutamol nebules. [28040/26]

754. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether benchmarking has been carried out comparing expenditure and utilisation of salbutamol nebules in Ireland with other EU member states; and if so, to provide the findings of such benchmarking. [28041/26]

755. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Primary Care Reimbursement Service or the Health Service Executive has identified any risks relating to over-prescribing, inappropriate prescribing, or dependency in respect of salbutamol nebules; and if she will outline any mitigation measures in place. [28042/26]

756. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any changes to prescribing guidance, reimbursement criteria, or clinical pathways for respiratory care were introduced between January 2024 and February 2026 which may have influenced the level of prescribing of salbutamol nebules; and if she will detail same. [28043/26]

757. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average cost per individual procedure funded under the treatment abroad scheme in respect of gender affirmation surgeries in each year from 2020 to 2025; the methodology used to calculate or monitor such costs; and the financial control or value-for-money mechanisms in place to assess these expenditures. [28044/26]

758. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any internal or external audits have been conducted on the funding of gender affirmation surgeries under the treatment abroad scheme since 2020; if so, to provide details of the findings, dates, and recommendations; and if not, the reason no such audit has been undertaken. [28045/26]

759. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the clinical outcome measures, follow-up requirements, or post-operative monitoring arrangements are in place for patients who undergo gender affirmation surgery funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and how such outcomes are recorded and evaluated at a national level. [28046/26]

760. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the treatment abroad scheme does not record or maintain data on the type of procedures funded under gender affirmation surgery referrals; whether there are plans to introduce such data collection; and the timeframe for implementation. [28047/26]

761. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific clinical and administrative criteria applied when approving applications under the treatment abroad scheme for gender affirmation surgery; whether any refusal thresholds or review mechanisms exist; and the role of multidisciplinary teams in this process. [28048/26]

762. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE medical secretaries posts filled as part of the ENT Department of University Hospital Limerick as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28055/26]

763. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant oncologist with a special interest in genetics based at University Hospital Limerick as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28056/26]

764. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE cardiovascular clinical nurse specialists based at University Hospital Limerick that were filled as of 13 April 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28057/26]

765. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Primary Care Reimbursement Service maintains product-specific data on rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services and drugs payment schemes; and if not, whether there are plans to introduce such data tracking mechanisms [28064/26]

766. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any proportion of rejected or unpaid claims for salbutamol nebules in 2024 and 2025 can be disaggregated from general rejection categories; and if so, to provide the number and percentage of such claims. [28065/26]

767. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed breakdown of the reasons for rejected or unpaid pharmacy claims under the general medical services scheme in 2024 and 2025, including the number of claims in each category and whether such categories are linked to specific medicines. [28066/26]