Questions

1029. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if the external expert panel (details supplied) identifies cases where surgery may not have been clinically indicated; the arrangements in place to ensure that the child receives appropriate follow-up care or referral for further review where necessary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22360/26]

1030. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if the final report of the external expert panel (details supplied) will publish anonymised aggregate findings or thematic conclusions to ensure that families and the public can understand the overall patterns identified by the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22361/26]

1031. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the expected timeline for competition of the final report of the external expert panel (details supplied); if interim updates or reports will be provided to families whose children's cases are under examination; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22362/26]

1032. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene to ensure that the HSE prioritises the conclusion of reimbursement negotiations for skyclarys, given that it is currently the only available treatment for Friedreich’s ataxia and is identified as addressing an unmet need under the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025–2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22393/26]

1033. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the health centres that have access to satellite phones and power generators in the west of Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22408/26]

1034. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to address the barriers currently faced by patients in Ireland living with lipoedema, including the absence of a published national HSE care pathway, limited access to conservative management such as compression therapy and manual lymphatic drainage; the difficulties in accessing treatment through the Cross-Border Healthcare Di…

1035. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if the HSE working group established in 2023 to develop a national care pathway for lipoedema has completed its work; when this care pathway is expected to be published, if she will confirm whether patient advocacy organisations (details supplied) will be included in both the development and implementation of the pathway; and if she will make a statement on the …

1036. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if her Department intends to review the operation of private health insurers in relation to coverage for medically indicated liposuction procedures for lipoedema patients, in light of concerns regarding inconsistent decision-making, the application of criteria designed for lymphoedema rather than lipoedema, and practices that may result in patients being forced …

423. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on a waiting list for speech and language therapy by health region and integrated healthcare area, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [21216/26]

424. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of children a waiting list for speech and language therapy by health region and integrated healthcare area, age category and time waiting, in tabular form. [21217/26]

425. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the membership of the expert advisory group established by HIQA to inform an update of the national low-risk alcohol guidelines by her Department; its terms of reference; how often it has met; and when it is due to provide her with recommendations. [20982/26]

426. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting over two years on an appointment in Cavan general hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20998/26]

427. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if parents who are unable to access timely paediatric ophthalmology appointments for their children through the HSE, and are forced to seek private treatment, can avail of reimbursement or financial support for the cost of these appointments; if any scheme exists to support such families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21005/26]

428. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if she will review whether the current qualification recognition standards used for recruitment of clinical psychologists within the Health Service Executive and the equivalence assessment processes applied by the Department of Health are aligned with the provisions and intent of Directive 2005/36/EC, particularly in circumstances where applicants with postgradu…

429. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of practising general practitioners in the State who have completed HSE-funded suicide prevention training programmes, including SafeTALK, ASIST, STORM, the Self-Harm Assessment and Management Programme for General Practitioners in Ireland (SAMAGH), or equivalent programmes, in each of the past five years; and whether her Department maintains a na…

430. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has undertaken any national assessment or review of the adequacy of training supports available to general practitioners in managing suicidal ideation and self-harm presentations among children and adolescents; if such a review has been undertaken, when it was conducted; and whether the findings will be published; and if she will make a stat…

431. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of referrals made by general practitioners to the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service in each of the past three years; the number of those referrals relating to persons under the age of 18; and whether her Department monitors the utilisation of this pathway by primary care practitioners. [21020/26]

432. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the geographic distribution of Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) services currently operating within the State; the counties or Community Healthcare Organisations currently served by these posts; and the timeline for the rollout of the additional posts funded under Budget 2026. [21021/26]

433. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether consideration is being given to the establishment of a national clinical consultation or advice line to support general practitioners who are managing patients presenting with suicidal ideation or self-harm, particularly where the patient is under 18 years of age; and if she will outline the policy position of her Department on such a service. [21022/26]

434. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has established any national minimum training standard or competency requirement for general practitioners in the assessment and management of suicidal ideation and self-harm presentations, particularly in children and adolescents; and if not, whether the introduction of such a standard has been considered as part of national suicide prevent…

435. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any analysis of the role of primary care in responding to suicidal ideation and self-harm presentations among children and adolescents in circumstances where access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services is delayed or unavailable; and whether any policy guidance or clinical support structures have been issued to general…

436. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the steps the HSE is taking to ensure that increased resources and supports are made available to radiographer practice tutors in clinical settings to meet the demands placed on the system arising from the increase in the numbers of student radiographers; if the HSE will engage meaningfully with SIPTU on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21…

437. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the current number of CAHMS ID teams in the Dublin and South East area; the WTE allocations to each team and the number of those posts unfilled, broken down by discipline, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21036/26]

438. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE posts allocated to CAMHS team 1 in South Tipperary; the posts unfilled within the team, broken down by discipline and the total caseload for Team 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21037/26]

439. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE posts allocated to CAMHS team 2 in South Tipperary ; the posts unfilled within the team, broken down by discipline and the total caseload for Team 2; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21038/26]