Parliamentary questions

541. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that here are high levels of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in Irish foods mainly in cereals; if her Department monitors this; if there are health concerns for the public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70922/25]

542. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of people currently awaiting a first-time occupational therapy assessments in each county of the HSE west and north-west region; the number waiting over 12 months; the proportion this represents of the total waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70944/25]

543. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the longest current waiting time for an occupational therapy assessment in the HSE west and north-west; and the actions being taken to reduce excessive delays. [70945/25]

544. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for paediatric occupational therapy assessments in Roscommon and Galway; and the measures being prioritised to improve timely access. [70946/25]

545. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapy posts currently vacant in each CHO area; the number of posts temporarily or permanently unfilled due to the pay and numbers strategy; and her plans to reinstate these posts. [70947/25]

546. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapy posts frozen or not permitted to be recruited due to the HSE pay and numbers strategy in 2023 and 2024. [70948/25]

547. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she has assessed the impact of the pay and numbers strategy on waiting lists for occupational therapy nationally and specifically in the West and North West regions; and if she will publish any such assessment. [70949/25]

548. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if her Department has reviewed the findings of the health and social care professions workforce survey, which reported high levels of stress, burnout, and vacancy rates among occupational therapy; and the actions that will be taken to address these issues. [70951/25]

549. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she will examine measures to improve retention of occupational therapy within the public health service, including structured career pathways, enhanced supports, and strategies to mitigate burnout. [70952/25]

550. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of clinical specialist occupational therapist posts currently funded and filled; the number unfilled; and if additional posts will be created to address service demand. [70953/25]

551. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she intends to introduce advanced practitioner roles for occupational therapists within the HSE. [70954/25]

552. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the way in which her Department is addressing regional disparities in access to occupational therapy, particularly the significant delays in the west and north west. [70956/25]

553. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health her plans to reduce occupational therapy waiting lists by at least 50% within a defined timeframe; and the additional staffing, funding, and structural reforms required to achieve this goal. [70957/25]

554. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant psychiatrists posts that were filled at CAMHS, Malahide Road, Dublin 3 in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025 in tabular form. [71279/25]

555. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE speech and language therapist posts that were filled at Roselawn health centre in 2024 and to-date in 2025 in tabular form. [71283/25]

556. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when routine specialist dental services will be reinstated for the children of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70856/25]

557. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Health if her Department, and agencies under the Department’s remit, purchase data on the habits and activities of social media users and other platforms; if so, the reasons for purchasing such data; the amount spent in 2024 and 2025 year to date on such expenditure, in tabular form [70867/25]

558. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health the way in which healthcare workers who will be deemed to be unfit for work due to long-Covid will be catered for when supports expire (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70875/25]

559. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health whether she and the HSE will implement a dedicated space for rheumatology patients at Cork University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70911/25]

560. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the transport costs incurred by residents of private nursing homes who are in receipt of financial support under the fair deal scheme and who must attend hospital and other medical appointments, will be reimbursed; If there is a process in place whereby such residents that require transport can book it through a central office of the HSE…

561. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Health the assistance available to a person (details supplied) to access surgery abroad to provide treatment not offered in Ireland for a life threatening condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70925/25]

562. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) is receiving only 12 hours of home support per week, despite the HSE’s previous indication that 22 hours per week were being provided; if she will address the ongoing absence of weekend home support cover for both individuals; if the promised respite placement from 13-26 January has been formally communica…

563. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if she will commission a nationwide review of long and short-stay community beds, given the urgent need to increase capacity in community hospitals, community nursing units and long-stay facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70969/25]

564. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the number of long and short-stay community beds delivered to date in 2025, by site and region, in tabular form. [70970/25]

565. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health her plans to increase capacity in community hospitals, community nursing units and long-stay facilities in the HSE South West Health Region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70971/25]