Questions

2895. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of the programme for Government commitment to examine the introduction of free pelvic floor physical therapy sessions for women after childbirth; the work undertaken by her Department to date; the timeline she is working towards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42579/25]

2897. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she has any plans to expand the number of midwife-led maternity units in the State; if she is aware of the World Health Organization’s guidance from June 2025 calling for global expansion of midwife-led care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42581/25]

2901. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the work being carried out in her Department to prepare for Ireland assuming the Presidency of the Council of the European Union; the areas of health policy that she intends to prioritise; if this will include tobacco control policy, and in particular the need to revise the Tobacco Products Directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42586/25]

543. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 684 of 25 March 2025, the reason it has still not been answered; the reason for the failure to answer the question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40364/25]

547. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if she will give detailed consideration to the issues raised by an association (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40426/25]

556. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if she will provide the funding to roll out the provision of allergy kits including EPI pens and anapens at locations throughout the country accessible to the public to include schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40450/25]

576. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Health the options available to families who seek a second opinion regarding surgeries performed on children with hip dysplasia who have now emigrated and live abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40690/25]

273. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Health to outline the unit within her Department that is responsible for alcohol policy outside of the enforcement of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40010/25]

274. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Health when the new National Drugs Strategy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40011/25]

275. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Health whether she or Ministers of State have met with groups on alcohol policy since taking office; if she will provide a list of those meetings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40012/25]

276. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Health whether there will be consultation with alcohol groups in advance of the publication of the new National Drugs Strategy, given the stakeholder engagement from the Citizens Assembly on Drugs did not have alcohol within its remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40013/25]

280. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health if she has issued health advisory guidelines to schools related to nicotine pouches in response to calls from an organisation (details supplied); if not, whether she intends to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40018/25]

307. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the findings from the May 2025 ESPAD report which show that 10 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds in Ireland have used moist snuff and 7.6% have used nicotine pouches, with higher prevalence among male students and typical initiation at age 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40193/25]

308. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the promotional activity by nicotine pouch brands (details supplied) including the distribution of free samples and merchandise at retail tills, concerts, and festivals; if she will outline what steps her Department is taking to regulate the advertising, promotion, and availability of nicotine pouches to young people; and if she will make a s…

315. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the way in which compliance with laws in respect of the supply and sales of vape products to persons under the age of 18 is being enforced; if he will provide a schedule of the number of sanctions imposed on retailers that have breached the law since enactment to date. [38588/25]

336. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the timeline for implementing the proposed ban on disposable vapes; to clarify whether there are plans to regulate or restrict the sale of high-nicotine pouches and synthetic cannabinoid products such as HHC vapes and gummies, particularly in light of their increasing availability to minors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […

180. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health to request advice from the HSE on a matter (details supplied); if alternative pain management injection administration approaches and related issues will be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38016/25]

759. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Health if adults currently excluded from reimbursement of spinal muscular atrophy treatments can be considered for access under the HSE’s individual patient approval system and managed access protocols; the eligibility criteria and application process for such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37112/25]

767. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Health if the treatment abroad scheme can be used in the case of a person (details supplied). [37165/25]

873. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Health the number of individuals currently living with migraine; if she is aware of the WIFOR European study on the socioeconomic burden of migraine, which shows a socioeconomic impact of migraine of up to 2% of GDP; her Department’s plans to recognise migraine as a neurological disorder and ensure appropriate support to patients; and if she will make a statement on …

347. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the reason the continued suspension of the transvaginal tape sling procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women, which is clinically supported procedure, is still unavailable in Ireland more than six years after the pause was implemented; and the options women have now, who have not yet had a family and who have already tried and failed …

255. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Health if she is considering including fibromyalgia as a long-term illness; if she will consider access for patients to GP visit cards/medical cards regardless of income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36455/25]

263. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health to outline details of the recent move of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority; the impact this development will have on the speed at which vaccines could be added to the national immunisation programme bearing in mind it currently takes on average six years; and if she …

264. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if there has been an increase in the budget and extra resources allocated to the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) arising from the recent move of NIAC from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority as a consequence of this move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36488/25]

265. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if the National Immunisation Advisory Committee will remain an independent committee with the ability to define their own work programme, arising from the recent move of NIAC from the Royal College of Physicians to the Health Information and Quality Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36489/25]