Parliamentary questions

272. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health the measures planned to increase capacity and reduce average waiting times for gynaecology outpatient appointments across hospitals, including the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48036/26]

273. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health whether consideration will be given, as part of the ongoing review of medicines reimbursement, to strengthen and formalise the role of the Rare Disease Technology Review Committee; whether she will consider ensuring its early, consistent and structured involvement alongside the health technology assessment process in order to improve timel…

274. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48040/26]

275. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the elements of the National Oral Health Policy, Smile agus Sláinte, that remain unimplemented; the timeline for implementation of the outstanding measures; the funding allocated for their delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48068/26]

276. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the person or body that currently holds overall responsibility for delivery of national oral healthcare reform under Smile agus Sláinte within her Department and the HSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48069/26]

277. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health whether a National Clinical Director for Dentistry is currently in post; if not, whether such an appointment is under consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48070/26]

278. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding allocated to implementation of Smile agus Sláinte in each year since 2019; the projects funded under those allocations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48071/26]

279. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the assessment that has been undertaken of consultant dental workforce requirements over the next ten years; the number of consultant vacancies currently existing; the number of consultants expected to retire within five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48072/26]

280. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of specialist dental training places available in each dental specialty in each of the past five years; her plans to increase training capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48073/26]

281. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of children awaiting assessment or treatment through public dental services, broken down by community healthcare organisation area; the average waiting time involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48074/26]

282. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the assessment that has been undertaken of access to dental services for medical card holders; the number of dentists participating in the dental treatment services scheme in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48075/26]

283. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health whether national clinical pathways and models of care for dentistry have been completed under Smile agus Sláinte; if not, when these will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48076/26]

284. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health whether consideration has been given to establishing a dedicated national leadership structure for oral healthcare reform, including the appointment of a national clinical director for dentistry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48077/26]

285. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health given that the Sláintecare 2026 Action Plan cites findings from the independent evaluation of the Phase 1 Postnatal Hubs commissioned in 2025, if she will publish that evaluation in full; the date on which it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48122/26]

286. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to the commitment in the Sláintecare 2026 Action Plan that at least 327 healthcare professionals will be trained in interRAI assessment in each region by the end of Quarter 3 2026 and that 60 % of all new home support applications will be carried out using interRAI, the number of healthcare professionals trained in interRAI asses…

287. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health when the focused two-year oral health action plan referred to in the Sláintecare 2026 Action Plan, described as expected to be completed shortly and presented to her ahead of publication, will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48125/26]

288. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to the commitment in the Sláintecare 2026 Action Plan to implement changes under the Framework Agreement on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines, the number of items reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group and the frequency of HSE Drugs Group meetings; the number of items reviewed by the HSE Drugs Group and the number of meetings held in …

289. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to the enactment of the Mental Health Act 2026 on 7 May 2026, the commencement order or orders made to date under the Act; the timeline for the secondary legislation required to bring its provisions into operation; whether the resources required for commencement will be sought as part of the Estimates process for 2027; and if she…

290. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health further to the Sláintecare Progress Report 2025, which records that the national target for interRAI assessments for people seeking a home support service was 18,100 in 2025 and that the total completed was 4,656, representing a target variance of 74.3 per cent, if she will provide, the number of interRAI assessments completed and the re…

291. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the number of resuscitation bays and minor treatment bays currently available for use within accident and emergency department of Naas General Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48130/26]

292. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the number of Holter monitors and cardiac event monitors currently available at St. James's Hospital; the number of patients awaiting the use of Holter and cardiac event monitors; the average wait time to access these monitors at St. James's Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48131/26]

293. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the status of the pay review for advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs); to clarify the decision-making process behind the proposed separation of pay scales between clinical and managerial nursing grades, considering the historical alignment established by the 2004 Labour Court ruling and the advanced qualificat…

294. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to outline the HSE's policy on the integration of qualified engineering expertise into capital project planning at acute hospitals; the way in which compliance with that policy is monitored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48151/26]

295. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health to identify the role which carries technical engineering responsibility in acute hospitals, where critical engineering systems provide life-essential support to patients (details supplied); the qualifications required of the person in that role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48152/26]

296. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has a national governance framework for the management of capital projects at acute hospitals, including defined roles and responsibilities for the acceptance and sign-off of infrastructure against national standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48153/26]