Parliamentary questions

249. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting over nine days in Cavan General Hospital for a scan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68259/25]

250. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health if her Department will formally classify endometriosis as a specific, complex chronic disease under the long-term illness scheme or an equivalent support mechanism (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68261/25]

251. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health when two children (details supplied) will receive the full respite they were granted over two years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68262/25]

252. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Health if she will request the HSE to provide a list of services currently being provided in Terenure health centre; the contact details of the relevant point of contact or manager of the centre; if she can request the HSE to provide an update in respect of any proposed plans to deliver a new primary healthcare centre in Terenure; and if she will …

253. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently investigate the case of a person (details supplied) and assist this family who urgently require suitable nursing home care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68273/25]

254. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the progress of licensing the drug luthera, which is required for the treatment of grade 4 neuroendocrine cancer; the expected timeline for approval; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68274/25]

255. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health her views on the creation of a non-means tested audiology entitlement for persons born deaf; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68281/25]

256. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Health the manner in which a person may engage with her Department regarding a scoping exercise (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68313/25]

257. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 343 of 26 November 2025, the date on which she expects the outputs from the National Survey of the Experience of Home Support Workers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants to be collated; the timeline for completion of the final review of the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing H…

258. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of the planned review into baby and maternal deaths; if this review has begun; if not, if it will begin before the end of 2025; the timeline for competition of the review; the role that experts in the area and parent groups will have in this review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68317/25]

259. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of the 52 recommendations from the seven completed reviews into the care provided to women and their infants in Portiuncula Maternity Service; the timeline being worked towards for implementing these recommendations in full; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68318/25]

260. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of all five ongoing reviews into the care provided to women and their infants in Portiuncula Maternity Service; if any have been completed; the timeline for completion of each review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68319/25]

261. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will liaise with the HSE and representatives of pharmacies to develop a system where patients, especially older patients can avail, free of charge of their prescriptions by way of blister packs, for ease and safety of medication administration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68363/25]

262. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health the plans there are to reduce the number of quangos and strip out the amassed red tape and bureaucracy that exists, in order to allow the delivery of projects under her Department’s remit in a more timely, efficient and customer-friendly manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68369/25]

263. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health the reason a reply has not been provided to a HSE representation submitted in June 2025 (details supplied); and if she will assist in obtaining a response from the HSE at the earliest opportunity. [68381/25]

264. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the reason a contract change between community pharmacies and the HSE will see the price of blister packs increase by 200% from 1 January 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68386/25]

265. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of pharmacy charges medical card holders pay for medication dispensed in blister packs; the impact the charges have on those on low incomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68403/25]

266. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Health the examination and evaluation of the recently published Central Statistics Office figures for medical mortality that are taking place or scheduled to take place. [68408/25]

267. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the last time the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study was completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68421/25]

268. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if she will establish a pathway to ensure that individuals diagnosed with congenital deafness may qualify for a medical card on the basis of their diagnosis rather than solely through means assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68429/25]

269. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the community connect programme will include ethnic minority identifiers and the status of the system configuration phase. [68444/25]

270. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2148 of 4 November 2025 to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in which he confirmed that, although not required by statute, her Department voluntarily publishes its annual consultancy spending online in the interest of transparency and accessibility, if her Depa…

516. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of people on diagnostic scan waiting lists at the end of Quarter 3 2025. [67268/25]

517. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the addition of spinal muscular atrophy to the heel prick test for newborn babies; the actions she is taking to ensure no further delays to its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67289/25]

518. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed in the health service under employment visas or permits; and the percentage that this represents of overall staff. [67302/25]