Parliamentary questions

2894. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department maintains a central risk assessment or escalation framework in respect of non-statutory bodies receiving direct funding; and, if so, the procedures in place where governance, safeguarding, or financial risks are identified. [24725/26]

2895. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of non-statutory bodies that have received direct Exchequer funding from her Department in each year since 2020; and the total amount of funding allocated to such bodies over that period [24726/26]

2896. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to ensure consistency of oversight across different line units within her Department in their engagement with non-statutory bodies receiving funding. [24727/26]

2897. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any internal audit, review, or evaluation of the governance and oversight arrangements applied to non-statutory bodies receiving funding since 2020; and, if so, to provide details of the findings. [24728/26]

2898. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the provision being made within CAMHS teams for children who are deaf. [24730/26]

2899. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a breakdown of agency staffing expenditure within the public health service by Regional Health Authority, staff category, and service area for 2024, 2025, and to date in 2026. [24736/26]

2900. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide the monthly agency staffing expenditure within the public health service for each month of 2025 and to date in 2026. [24737/26]

2901. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to monitor compliance with restrictions introduced on the use of agency staff; and the number of instances where such controls were breached since their introduction. [24738/26]

2902. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the enforcement or corrective actions taken where non-compliance with agency staffing controls has been identified. [24739/26]

2903. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the comparative cost to the Exchequer of agency staff versus directly employed staff within the public health service, expressed on a per-WTE basis across key staff categories. [24740/26]

2904. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated savings achieved to date arising from the conversion of agency staff to direct employment contracts within the public health service. [24741/26]

2905. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the vacancy rates across the public health service by staff category and region; and the extent to which these vacancies are contributing to reliance on agency staffing. [24742/26]

2906. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the performance indicators developed to monitor agency staffing usage and expenditure; and the frequency with which these indicators are reviewed at Departmental level. [24743/26]

2907. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that, where Exchequer funding is provided under the treatment abroad scheme for specific categories of procedures, her Department retains ultimate responsibility for ensuring that a complete and centrally held dataset exists in respect of patient numbers, procedure types, and associated expenditure; and if she will outline …

2908. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she has formally approved, or is aware of the absence of a centrally maintained dataset capturing the number and cost of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme in specific clinical categories; and if she considers this consistent with her obligations for financial oversight and accountability. [24745/26]

2909. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out whether a formal national policy or governance framework exists governing the authorisation, funding, and oversight of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme in specific clinical areas; and if she will provide details of any such framework or confirm if none exists. [24746/26]

2910. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the expenditure control arrangements in place in her Department or the HSE governing high-cost procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme, including any approval thresholds, case review requirements, or cost ceilings applied prior to authorisation; and if she will provide details of these controls. [24747/26]

2911. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the date of the most recent internal or external audit conducted in respect of the treatment abroad scheme; the scope of that audit; whether it included examination of specific procedure categories; and if she will provide a summary of the findings and any recommendations made. [24748/26]

2912. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE maintains any structured system for the monitoring of clinical outcomes, complication rates, or patient-reported outcomes in respect of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and if she will outline the basis on which value for money and patient safety are assessed in the absence of such data. [2…

2913. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a central risk register is maintained at Departmental level in respect of the treatment abroad scheme, including financial, clinical, and governance risks associated with overseas procedures; and if she will outline the mechanisms in place for identifying and escalating such risks. [24750/26]

2914. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that the operation of the treatment abroad scheme, in respect of high-cost overseas procedures, is fully compliant with the Public Spending Code requirements relating to appraisal, monitoring, and evaluation; and if she will provide the basis for that assessment. [24751/26]

2915. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the timeline for implementing the endoscopy eReferral system as outlined in Pillar 2 of the Waiting Time Action Plan. [24762/26]

2916. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the timeline for implementing the endoscopy Reporting System as outlined in Pillar 2 of the Waiting Time Action Plan. [24763/26]

2917. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the progress on the implementation of Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT) for triaging people for colonoscopy. [24764/26]

2918. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the progress on the implementation of capsule endoscopy for colon capsule procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24765/26]