Parliamentary questions

976. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the expert group report examining the implications of a review (details supplied) contains any findings or recommendations relating specifically to gender-related healthcare for children and adolescents; whether those findings differ from existing Irish clinical practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7498/26]

977. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts the findings and recommendations of the expert group report examining the implications of a review (details supplied) for gender-related healthcare services; whether she has approved, rejected, or deferred any recommendations arising from that report; and the rationale for her position. [7499/26]

978. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any changes to national policy, clinical governance, or risk-mitigation measures for gender-related healthcare for minors have been approved by her since the completion of the expert group report; and if not, the reasons no such changes have been made. [7500/26]

979. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 503 of 4 December 2025, whether she will provide the total approved pay allocation for funded posts within CHO4 for the year 2024; the total pay expenditure actually incurred in that year; the resulting variance, if any; the reason this information was not furnished in the response; and if she will make a s…

980. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department receives, on an annual or monthly basis, data on funded posts, vacancy levels, and unused pay allocations across each Community Healthcare Organisation; whether this data informed the 2024 and 2025 health Estimates; and if she will outline the accountability framework in place to ensure that Exchequer-approved staffing fu…

981. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that the absence of publicly available data on the value of unfilled funded posts within CHO4 represents a deficiency in financial transparency; whether she has directed the HSE to standardise reporting of funded vacancies and associated pay underspends across all CHOs; and when such reporting will be made available to the O…

982. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any portion of the unused salary allocation arising from funded but unfilled posts within CHO4 in 2024 was reallocated, surrendered to the Exchequer, or carried forward; the value involved; and the statutory or administrative basis under which such decisions were taken. [7534/26]

983. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she will commit to publishing, on an annual basis, a national breakdown, by CHO of funded posts, filled posts, vacancies, and associated pay allocations, in order to allow the Houses of the Oireachtas to assess workforce planning effectiveness under Sláintecare and the National Health Workforce Plan. [7535/26]

984. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health the steps she has taken to ensure urgent access to Welireg (belzutifan) for a young adult with von Hippel-Lindau disease; whether compassionate or exceptional access mechanisms are available while national reimbursement processes are ongoing; the safeguards currently in place to protect such patients from avoidable permanent harm during adm…

985. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a long-Covid patient (details supplied) without health insurance who has been referred for a procedure that can only be done privately could have this procedure covered by the HSE or a hardship scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7538/26]

986. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure urgent access to Welireg (belzutifan) for a young adult with von Hippel–Lindau disease, in circumstances where clinicians warn that any delay risks irreversible neurological and functional decline; if compassionate or exceptional access pathways are available pending completion of national reimbursement pro…

987. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the measures she is implementing to coordinate community and therapeutic supports with schools for youth drug prevention, ensuring schools are not overburdened with additional responsibilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7543/26]

988. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the proactive initiatives she is developing to link mental health services with school-based drug prevention efforts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7546/26]

989. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health when dental treatment under full anaesthetic will be given to a 14-year-old child with considerable special needs (details supplied) in severe need of this treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7553/26]

990. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of people in County Kerry waiting for diagnostic tests, including MRI, CT, ultrasound and endoscopy, at the latest available data point, in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [7566/26]

991. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist eating disorder teams currently operational under the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders; the location of each team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7568/26]

992. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the total funding allocated to the implementation of the Model of Care for Eating Disorders since its launch in 2018; the amount expended to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7569/26]

993. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the current average waiting times for access to specialist eating disorder services in each community healthcare organisation area, including CHO8 which covers County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7570/26]

994. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of dedicated inpatient beds available for the treatment of eating disorders in the State; if plans are in place to increase this number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7571/26]

995. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of staff vacancies in eating disorder services nationally; the steps being taken to address these vacancies, particularly County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7572/26]

996. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the details of early intervention programmes for eating disorders currently available; if such programmes are accessible to residents of County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7573/26]

997. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the supports provided to families and carers of individuals with eating disorders; if additional resources are planned for family support services in regions such as County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7574/26]

998. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the most recent data on the prevalence of eating disorders in County Offaly compared to the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7575/26]

999. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the plans to enhance eating disorder treatment services in the midlands region, including County Offaly; the timeline for any such enhancements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7576/26]

1000. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to address disparities in access to eating disorder services between urban and rural areas, with specific reference to County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7577/26]