Parliamentary questions

302. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the HSE is unable to provide national-level expenditure data for chronic pain management services, as indicated in recent correspondence to this Deputy; the actions her Department is taking to ensure full financial reporting and service oversight for chronic pain services across all hospital groups and community healthcare organisati…

303. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current national waiting times for access to chronic pain management services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels; the number of patients currently waiting for chronic pain assessment and treatment in each hospital group; the longest wait recorded; and the reforms being implemented by her Department to reduce delays in line with the S…

304. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent chronic pain specialists currently employed across the HSE, broken down by hospital group; the number of vacancies; the number of unfilled consultant posts in pain medicine; and the steps being taken by her Department to address workforce shortages in chronic pain services in 2025 and 2026. [66511/25]

305. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of community-based chronic pain management programmes currently operating nationwide; the budget allocation for each; the extent to which the iPainCentre pilot evaluation has informed national service planning; and whether her Department will commit to a national roll-out of community-based pain clinics as part of the 2026 National S…

306. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the total number of locum consultants who are currently employed by the Health Service Executive, by the hospitals that they are employed in, the category of healthcare they are providing, and the time period that they are in post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66518/25]

307. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out the number of occupational therapy posts currently unfilled in each area of Cork, broken down by network, grade and whole-time equivalent, and to provide the date by which her Department expects all posts to be filled. [66519/25]

308. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm the formal targets held by her Department for reducing occupational therapy waiting times in Cork, and to specify the date by which these wait times will fall below 12 weeks in each network. [66520/25]

309. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the funding allocated for occupational therapy services in Cork in 2026, including new development posts, replacement posts, and resources for waiting list initiatives. [66521/25]

310. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapists who left HSE posts in Cork in 2024 and 2025, and to give the reasons recorded for exit. [66522/25]

311. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether her Department has carried out any assessment of unmet need for occupational therapy in Cork, including expected demand growth for 2026 and 2027; and to publish the findings. [66523/25]

312. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a speech and language therapy appointment in Cork by network, and to set out plans to reduce waiting lists. [66524/25]

313. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average waiting time for a physiotherapy appointment in Cork by network, and the expected date by which waiting times will fall below 12 weeks. [66525/25]

314. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant community health posts across Cork, by discipline, by grade and whole-time equivalent; and to provide recruitment timelines for each. [66526/25]

315. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out the current vacancy rate within the South South-West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, by hospital, service, grade and specialty; and to provide the total number of approved posts versus filled posts as of the most recent reporting period. [66533/25]

316. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2004 of 4 November 2025, the number of staff recruited in 2024 and to date in 2025 within the South South-West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare under each of the recruitment and retention initiatives referenced, including graduate retention, nurse and healthcare assistant campaigns, Health…

317. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the total number of agency staff currently working within the South South-West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare; the number offered conversion to permanent HSE contracts in 2024 and 2025; the number who accepted; and the number of posts that remain dependent on agency staff. [66535/25]

318. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the number of apprentices currently in place in Social Work and Social Care Work within the South South-West region; the planned intake for 2025 and 2026; any planned expansion of apprenticeships into additional roles; and the projected contribution of these apprenticeship schemes to reducing vacancies in the region. [66536/25]

319. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide a comparative analysis of staffing levels per 100,000 population across all HSE regions, including the South-West, for medical, nursing, midwifery, Health and Social Care Professionals, and administrative grades, and to confirm whether staffing levels in the South-West are in line with, above, or below national averages. [66537/25]

320. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the current policy regarding GP charges for ‘routine’ and ‘non-routine’ blood tests for medical card holders; the guidance issued to GP’s in relation to charging procedures for medical card holders for blood tests and other services; her plans to change the current system whereby medical card holders can be charged for ‘routine’ blood tests; t…

321. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the chronic diseases and diagnoses that are included under the Chronic Disease Management Programme; if routine blood tests are covered under the Chronic Disease Management Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66542/25]

322. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if she will meet with local elected representatives regarding maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital, as per my request to her in writing on 17 September 2025, seven weeks ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66547/25]

323. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in County Clare can get ozempic on their medical card or on the drugs refund scheme given it costs €160.00 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66550/25]

324. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health if her Department holds up-to-date figures on the number of people living with dementia in each county; if so, to provide the most recent breakdown; and if not, to state whether a national dementia register exists or is planned, and the timeline for its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66559/25]

325. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current national policy governing the provision of non-medically indicated circumcision procedures in public hospitals, including whether such procedures are authorised, the clinical or administrative basis for any such authorisation, and the responsible decision-making structure within her Department. [66560/25]

326. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether any HSE hospital or hospital group provides circumcision procedures where no medical indication exists, and to provide a breakdown by hospital of the number of such procedures carried out in each of the past five years. [66561/25]