Parliamentary questions

793. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether clinical outcomes, complications, or follow-up care requirements are recorded for minors referred abroad for gender-related treatment under the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, the mechanisms used to monitor and evaluate these outcomes. [28110/26]

794. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the arrangements are in place within the HSE to provide ongoing clinical care, including psychological and medical follow-up, to minors who have received gender-related treatment abroad under the treatment abroad scheme. [28111/26]

795. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the policy basis upon which referrals of minors for gender-related treatment abroad continue to be authorised in light of changes to paediatric gender services in the United Kingdom following the Cass Review; and whether any review of Irish referral practices has been undertaken. [28112/26]

796. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal review, audit, or risk assessment has been conducted in relation to the referral of minors abroad for gender-related treatment under the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, to provide details of the findings and dates of such reviews. [28113/26]

797. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to identify the public healthcare providers abroad to which minors from Ireland have been referred for gender-related services under the treatment abroad scheme since 2020. [28114/26]

798. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the governance or oversight arrangements are in place between the HSE and foreign healthcare providers in respect of treatment delivered to minors under the treatment abroad scheme. [28115/26]

799. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal expenditure ceiling, cap, or upper limit applies to funding approvals under the treatment abroad scheme; if so, the value of such limits; and if no such ceiling exists, the rationale for the absence of expenditure controls in a publicly funded scheme. [28118/26]

800. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether there is a maximum cost threshold per patient under the treatment abroad scheme; if so, the level at which additional approvals are required; and the approval process triggered when such thresholds are exceeded. [28119/26]

801. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the approval hierarchy in place for treatment abroad scheme funding decisions, including the grade or role of officials authorised to approve standard applications and high-cost or complex cases; and whether Ministerial or Departmental sanction is required above specified thresholds. [28120/26]

802. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a formal written policy, circular, or governance framework governs approvals under the treatment abroad scheme; if so, to provide the title and date of such policy; and if not, the basis upon which consistent decision-making is ensured. [28121/26]

803. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether value-for-money or cost-effectiveness assessments are conducted in respect of treatments funded under the treatment abroad scheme; if so, the methodology used; and if not, the reason no such assessments are required. [28122/26]

804. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of internal audits, external audits, or Comptroller and Auditor General reviews conducted in respect of the treatment abroad scheme since 2020; the dates of such audits; and whether any findings or recommendations were made regarding expenditure controls or governance. [28123/26]

805. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific oversight mechanisms exercised by her Department in relation to the treatment abroad scheme, including whether regular reporting, budget monitoring, or performance review processes are in place; and the frequency of such oversight. [28124/26]

806. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the treatment abroad scheme records and tracks expenditure by treatment category, referral pathway, or clinical indication; and if not, the reason such data is not collected in the context of public expenditure oversight. [28125/26]

807. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external body, including HIQA or another regulatory or advisory entity, has reviewed or been requested to review the governance, safety, or cost oversight of the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, to provide details of such reviews. [28126/26]

808. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the policy basis upon which ongoing referrals and funding approvals are authorised under the treatment abroad scheme, including whether such approvals are governed by national clinical policy, EU regulation alone, or Departmental guidance. [28127/26]

809. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to identify the specific division within her Department responsible for oversight of treatment abroad scheme expenditure; the grade and title of the official designated as budget holder for the Scheme; and whether that individual has formal responsibility for approving or rejecting expenditure variances. [28128/26]

810. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a defined annual budget ceiling is set for the treatment abroad scheme; if so, the ceiling in each year from 2020 to 2026; and the process by which expenditure exceeding projections is approved or sanctioned. [28129/26]

811. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out the full approval chain for individual high-cost treatments funded under the treatment abroad scheme, including whether financial approval is distinct from clinical approval and the level at which final sign-off occurs. [28130/26]

812. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide details of all audits carried out on the treatment abroad scheme since 2020, including dates, scope, findings, and any recommendations made in respect of expenditure control, governance, or value for money. [28131/26]

813. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE or her Department has any mechanism to assess, benchmark, or challenge the cost of treatments invoiced by other EU/EEA healthcare systems under the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, the methodology used. [28132/26]

814. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a formal value-for-money assessment framework applies to treatment abroad scheme expenditure; and whether this has been reviewed or updated since 2020. [28133/26]

815. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any additional governance, oversight, or approval criteria apply to gender-related treatments funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and if not, the rationale for the absence of such criteria. [28134/26]

816. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the suicide crisis assessment nurse service has been operational since the publication of the Model of Care in 2022; and if so, the reason no national data on referrals or activity was collected prior to 2025. [28145/26]

817. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that the absence of SCAN data prior to 2025 represents a gap in oversight during the initial rollout phase; and the steps being taken to address this. [28146/26]