Questions

161. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure equitable access to care for people living with pulmonary fibrosis across all regions, including access to specialist multidisciplinary teams, timely diagnostics, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen services and appropriate community-based care; and whether gaps in regional provision have been examined. [69022/26]

4014. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she is aware of reports that stroke survivors in north Dublin are unable to access speech and language therapy services due to staffing shortages or service capacity; whether consideration is being given to transport assistance or cross-area access arrangements where local services are unavailable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58569…

780. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the specific actions and targets contained within the HSE National Service Plan 2026 in relation to endometriosis services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47453/26]

781. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the further expansion of specialist and regional endometriosis services that is planned under the implementation of the National Framework for the Management of Endometriosis; the timeline for the delivery of these developments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47454/26]

782. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the additional measures planned in 2026 and 2027 to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and specialist supports for women with endometriosis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47455/26]

1751. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will establish a joint working group to address the level of supports that should be provided to older people by local authorities in line with the Age Friendly Counties Programme and in the context of the Programme for Government identifying a social supports for approved housing bodies. [41467/26]

546. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken by her Department and the HSE to improve access to multidisciplinary neurological services, including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, neuropsychology, dietetics and inpatient neurorehabilitation; and if she will provide an indicative timeline for the implementation of these measures; and if she will make a statement on the m…

547. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether a national plan is in place to ensure equitable access to specialist neurological services across all regions, having regard to reported disparities between centres; if she will outline any planned service expansions or workforce increases in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33808/26]

2643. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the reasons inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease, is not included in the long-term illness scheme; whether she will consider amending the Health Act 1970 to include inflammatory bowel disease in the scheme, in line with other chronic and lifelong conditions; the supports available to children diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease and their…

2785. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to improve diagnosis times, treatment pathways, and specialist supports for women with endometriosis; the steps planned to expand accessible endometriosis care nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24186/26]

3271. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health her views on the adequacy of financial supports available to persons who require hearing aids but do not qualify for a medical card; whether her Department is reviewing these supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26663/26]

1087. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the assessment and decision making process (details supplied) in the treatment of young children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy; the timeline for completion of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics review and subsequent HSE reimbursement decision; the steps being taken to ensure that children with progressive and life limiting condi…

28. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland (ARTI), and the thirteen-year delay in progressing regulation of the profession through CORU; the reasons for this delay; the actions taken by her Department to advance the process; whether she will meet with representatives of ARTI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5026/26]

906. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if the HSE will provide CHO segregated annual figures for adults and children with a diagnosis of vision impairment who are engaged with health or disability services, for each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3447/26]

907. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the body or bodies within the health system which are responsible for collecting data on vision impairment; if this function rests with the HSE, her Department, or any other statutory agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3448/26]

908. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the plans to improve the systematic recording of vision impairment within HSE health and disability services, including at CHO level, in order to support service planning and resource allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3449/26]

687. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the expected timeline for the inclusion of donor assisted fertility treatments within the publicly funded assisted human reproduction scheme; the measures being taken to ensure that same sex couples who undergo fertility treatment abroad are afforded the same legal recognition and parentage as heterosexual couples under Irish law (details supplied); and if she …

688. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether she plans to engage with LGBTQ advocacy organisations in the development and implementation of the expanded assisted human reproduction scheme and associated legislation in order to ensure that their specific needs are adequately addressed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73523/25]

417. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the concerns raised by an association (details supplied) regarding the recent statement of the Irish Medical Council on the prescribing and administration of Botulinum Toxin which asserts that this medicine may only be prescribed by a registered medical practitioner or dentist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73078/25]

1102. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the additional resources and personnel that will be provided to D-Doc Services during the upcoming Christmas-New Year period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72333/25]

296. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will review the recent decision to remove melatonin from the long-term illness scheme; if he will consider reinstating coverage for melatonin for patients with epilepsy and other neurological conditions where it is clinically prescribed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66434/25]

301. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the current waiting list for audiology services, by age, assessment type and procedures, and the length of time individuals have been waiting, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66491/25]

579. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health the interim actions being taken by her Department and the HSE to reduce audiology waiting times ahead of the publication of the National Hearing Care Plan in Q1 2026, including any temporary staffing supports or targeted initiatives to clear the current backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64679/25]

580. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE plans to expand short-term access to private or community based audiology services, including options in Northern Ireland, in order to reduce delays for hearing assessments and hearing aids while the National Hearing Care Plan is being finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64680/25]

1698. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that each severe asthma clinic in the country has a dedicated advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) post, in recognition of the proven role of ANPs in improving care coordination and patient outcomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58084/25]