Questions

661. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of registered nursing homes by county (and if possible, local electoral area) in each year between 2013 and 2023, split by sector (HSE, private and voluntary); the number of beds in these nursing homes by county (and if possible, local electoral area) in each year between 2013 and 2023, split by sector (HSE, private and voluntary); and the occupancy …

662. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to put a system in place whereby any incremental rise in the old-age pension is matched by a similar rise in the qualifying income for the medical card, as it cannot be allowed to continue that any rise in the old-age pension, the right to which has been earned over a lifetime, should be the cause of disqualifying a person close to the threshold from being enti…

663. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Health the estimated price, per patient, of the standard flu vaccine and of the enhanced flu vaccine; if she will introduce a policy of offering both and allowing patients decide if they want to pay the extra cost of the enhanced vaccine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73478/25]

664. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide further details with respect to a person’s new role within the HSE (details supplied); if they retain the salary from their previous role; to provide details of the renumeration attached to their new role; to provide a description of their new role and her responsibilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73486/25]

665. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the annual cost to the State of reimbursement for monitored dosing systems, or blister packs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73487/25]

666. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 458 of 6 November 2025, the status of the estimated 390 posts required to achieve baseline implementation of Phases 1 and 2 of the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix; the number still outstanding; the timeline for completion of recruitment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73488/25]

667. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2883 of 29 July 2025, if she stands by her statement that alcohol health information labelling will be implemented in 2028; how this tallies with recent reports (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73489/25]

668. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the development of a new model of care for trans healthcare; the timeline for same; the consultation and collaboration taking place with the trans community and relevant stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73491/25]

669. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health her views on the closure of the national gender service’s waiting list to new clients from 1 March 2026; the engagements she has had with the national gender service and the HSE in respect of this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73492/25]

670. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if she will address the concerns regarding the treatment of women with endometriosis raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73493/25]

671. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if she will address the request for reimbursement of costs incurred for endometriosis treatment raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73494/25]

672. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any gaps, deficiencies, or capacity constraints were identified during the national pandemic command post exercise conducted in March 2025; to list each issue identified under the headings staffing, laboratory capacity, IT systems, public health infrastructure, and points of entry; and to outline the remedial actions approved by her Department in response.…

673. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department received a written report, lessons learned document, or formal evaluation arising from the March 2025 national pandemic command post exercise; the date it was received; which senior officials reviewed it; and whether the report is available for publication. [73500/25]

674. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current surge staffing capacity available to the HSE for infectious disease screening during periods of elevated risk, expressed in whole time equivalent posts, by staff grade, and by region; and to state whether her Department has identified any staffing shortfalls relative to surge planning assumptions. [73501/25]

675. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the maximum laboratory surge capacity available nationally for infectious disease testing during an elevated risk event, including PCR and genomic sequencing; the maximum weekly throughput assumed in national planning; and the turnaround times used by her Department for preparedness modelling.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73502/25]

676. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has identified any constraints in laboratory throughput, reagent supply, staffing availability, or logistics that would limit surge testing capacity during a public health emergency; and to outline any actions approved to address such constraints. [73503/25]

677. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the national Outbreak Case and Incident Management System and the National Immunisation Information System are fully operational on a national basis; the dates on which each system became operational; and whether either system has undergone stress testing to assess performance under surge conditions. [73504/25]

678. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has received any reports identifying risks or limitations in HSE public health IT systems during periods of elevated demand since 2020; and to outline the actions taken in response to any such reports. [73505/25]

679. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any assessment since 2020 of infectious disease screening capacity at Ireland’s designated points of entry; the findings of any such assessment; and to explain why reliance is being placed on the EU Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment scheduled for 2026 rather than a completed national review. [73506/25]

680. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any interim actions have been approved by her Department to strengthen infectious disease screening and public health response at ports and airports prior to the 2026 EU preparedness assessment; and to detail those actions. [73507/25]

681. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department holds any internal risk registers, preparedness assessments, or assurance reports relating to infectious disease surge capacity within the HSE; and if so, to outline the main risk categories identified and the mitigation measures in place. [73508/25]

682. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any review since 2018 of the regulatory, quality assurance and clinical governance framework applying to health screening conducted outside the HSE, including screening arranged by employers, universities and occupational health providers, and if not, whether she intends to commission such a review. [73509/25]

683. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline which statutory bodies hold responsibility for oversight, standards setting or enforcement in respect of non HSE health screening, including any role of HIQA, the Medical Council, CORU or the HPRA, and the policy basis on which those responsibilities are assigned. [73510/25]

684. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to state, for each of the years 2022, 2023, and 2024, the number of compliance checks carried out by or on behalf of the HSE on non-statutory bodies in receipt of HSE funding; and to outline the categories of checks undertaken in each year. [73513/25]

685. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline, for each of the years 2022, 2023, and 2024, the number of HSE compliance reviews of non-statutory bodies that identified financial or governance non-compliance; and the actions taken in response, including enhanced monitoring, funding conditions, recovery of funds, or suspension of payments. [73514/25]