Parliamentary questions

1990. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health whether the appropriate proportionality assessment was carried out by her or the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU ahead of its adopting of the 2023 draft Standards and Criteria for Counsellors and Psychotherapists to ensure that the potential unintended consequences of any proposed regulatory changes, takes acc…

1991. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if her Department will publish a clear timeline for when the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority will be fully operational and able to authorise embryo donation programmes; if her Department will consider introducing interim measures or guidance for clinics and patients in this area; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

1992. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to address the current laws on fertility treatment, egg freezing, IVF and surrogacy in Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59567/25]

1993. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to provide financial support or coverage for medically necessary fertility preservation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59568/25]

1994. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health when a medication (details supplied) will be available again here, for prescription for patients of the menopause hub; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59569/25]

1995. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 766 of 21 October 2025, if she will provide a detailed update on the progress of the best value medicines programme in achieving its stated target of at least 80% of individuals being in receipt of the best value medicine; if she will provide a breakdown of uptake levels by each target area; and if she wi…

1996. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if there are any policy proposals or changes planned that will assist how the best value medicines programme contributes to reducing the financial burden on the HSE’s medicines budget and assists in securing access for patients to new and innovative treatments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59593/25]

1997. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to outline the expected policy changes planned to achieve the Programme for Government commitment to “ensuring that patients have access to new innovative new medicines and treatments as quickly as possible”; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59594/25]

1998. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health to confirm the level of funding for local and regional drug and alcohol task forces in 2024 and 2025, respectively; the allocation for 2026; the level of funding increases that were awarded in budgets 2025 and 2026, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59624/25]

1999. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of funded but unfilled HSE posts nationwide as of the latest date available, broken down by grade and region, and the number of such posts in the South/South-West Hospital Group, in view of reports indicating that more than 6,500 positions remain vacant despite allocated funding. [59633/25]

2000. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to expedite the recruitment and appointment of staff to approved but unfilled HSE posts, particularly in Cork and the wider Munster region, where hospitals and community services report persistent staffing shortages. [59634/25]

2001. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of approved 2024 HSE staff posts which have been filled to date; and the proportion of those recruited on permanent, temporary, or agency contracts. [59635/25]

2002. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the average time taken between the sanctioning of a HSE post and the formal appointment of a successful candidate; and the reforms being implemented to reduce these delays. [59636/25]

2003. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department has conducted any assessment of the impact of ongoing HSE staffing vacancies on waiting lists, emergency department pressures, and community health services; and if she will publish the findings of any such assessment. [59637/25]

2004. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will consider introducing a dedicated regional recruitment and retention initiative for the South/South-West Hospital Group to address chronic vacancy levels and ensure equitable staffing across the State. [59638/25]

2005. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total amount of Exchequer funding allocated for HSE pay and staffing in 2024; the amount drawn down to date; and the proportion of that funding which remains unspent due to unfilled posts. [59639/25]

2006. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a breakdown of the unspent HSE pay allocation, by hospital group and community health organisation, specifying the value of salary funding returned or deferred as a result of staff vacancies. [59640/25]

2007. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any portion of the funding allocated for unfilled HSE posts in 2024 was re-purposed for non-pay expenditure; and if so, to provide details of those transfers, and the justification for each. [59641/25]

2008. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department has carried out an audit of unfilled HSE posts that have remained vacant for more than six months; and if she will publish the findings of that audit, including financial implications for the Exchequer. [59642/25]

2009. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the estimated financial cost of reliance on agency or locum staff to cover long-term HSE vacancies, compared with the cost of filling those positions on a permanent basis. [59643/25]

2010. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has set any performance targets for the HSE regarding recruitment timelines, vacancy reduction or utilisation of approved pay funding; and how progress toward those targets is being monitored. [59644/25]

2011. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the current number of filled versus approved healthcare assistant posts within south Tipperary; the number of vacancies outstanding; and the expected timeline for filling these posts. [59649/25]

2012. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she will detail the impact of the current recruitment embargo on home support staffing levels in south Tipperary; and if any derogations have been sought or approved for this area. [59650/25]

2013. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the 71 clients currently awaiting home support services in Clonmel, by category of need, average waiting time to date, and longest current waiting time; and if she will provide details of waiting lists for all of South Tipperary. [59651/25]

2014. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health if there are plans to introduce a free shingles vaccination programme for older people given that many have difficulty with affordability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59658/25]