Questions

2720. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms in place to assess, challenge, or verify the costs charged by healthcare providers in other jurisdictions under the treatment abroad scheme; to confirm whether the State has any capacity to benchmark or negotiate such costs; and to set out how she mitigates the financial exposure arising from reliance on externally determined pricing structures. [2…

2721. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal, written eligibility criteria exist governing the approval of funding under the treatment abroad scheme for procedures not available within the State, including gender-related surgical procedures; if such criteria exist, to provide the date of their introduction, the authority under which they were approved, and the body responsible for maintai…

2722. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the definition of “clinical necessity” applied in the context of approvals under the treatment abroad scheme to specify whether this definition is standardised at national level or determined on a case-by-case basis by referring clinicians; and to confirm whether any national guidance, protocol, or decision-support framework exists to ensure consistency in the ap…

2723. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the decision-making and approval process for applications under the treatment abroad scheme; to specify the roles of referring consultants, multidisciplinary teams, the HSE, and any central approval authority in determining whether funding is granted; and to confirm whether final approval decisions are subject to independent clinical or administrative r…

2724. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the audit, review, and oversight mechanisms in place in respect of approvals granted under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; to confirm whether any audits have been conducted specifically examining the appropriateness, consistency, and value for money of approvals for procedures not available within the State; and if so, to provide the dates and findings of…

2725. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms in place to ensure consistency of decision-making across the six HSE health regions in respect of applications to the Treatment Abroad Scheme; to confirm whether any central monitoring, benchmarking, or variance analysis is carried out to identify differences in approval rates or referral patterns between regions; and if not, whether she accepts th…

2726. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether the HSE collects and maintains a centralised dataset in respect of approvals granted under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; to specify the data fields recorded, including procedure type, cost, jurisdiction, and clinical indication; and if such data is not collected in a structured manner, to outline the steps being taken to address this gap in repo…

2728. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal, written eligibility criteria exist governing the approval of funding under the treatment abroad scheme for procedures not available within the State, including gender-related surgical procedures; if such criteria exist, to provide the date of their introduction, the authority under which they were approved, and the body responsible for maintai…

2729. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the definition of “clinical necessity” applied in the context of approvals under the treatment abroad scheme; to specify whether this definition is standardised at national level or determined on a case-by-case basis by referring clinicians; and to confirm whether any national guidance, protocol, or decision-support framework exists to ensure consistency in the a…

2730. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the decision-making and approval process for applications under the treatment abroad scheme; to specify the roles of referring consultants, multidisciplinary teams, the HSE, and any central approval authority in determining whether funding is granted; and to confirm whether final approval decisions are subject to independent clinical or administrative r…

2731. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to outline the audit, review, and oversight mechanisms in place in respect of approvals granted under the treatment abroad scheme; to confirm whether any audits have been conducted specifically examining the appropriateness, consistency, and value for money of approvals for procedures not available within the State; and if so, to provide the dates and findings of…

2732. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the mechanisms in place to ensure consistency of decision-making across the six HSE health regions in respect of applications to the treatment abroad scheme; to confirm whether any central monitoring, benchmarking, or variance analysis is carried out to identify differences in approval rates or referral patterns between regions; and if not, whether she accepts th…

2733. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether the HSE collects and maintains a centralised dataset in respect of approvals granted under the treatment abroad scheme; to specify the data fields recorded, including procedure type, cost, jurisdiction, and clinical indication; and if such data is not collected in a structured manner, to outline the steps being taken to address this gap in repo…

2907. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that, where Exchequer funding is provided under the treatment abroad scheme for specific categories of procedures, her Department retains ultimate responsibility for ensuring that a complete and centrally held dataset exists in respect of patient numbers, procedure types, and associated expenditure; and if she will outline the steps she will t…

2908. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she has formally approved, or is aware of the absence of a centrally maintained dataset capturing the number and cost of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme in specific clinical categories; and if she considers this consistent with her obligations for financial oversight and accountability. [24745/26]

2909. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to set out whether a formal national policy or governance framework exists governing the authorisation, funding, and oversight of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme in specific clinical areas; and if she will provide details of any such framework or confirm if none exists. [24746/26]

2910. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the expenditure control arrangements in place in her Department or the HSE governing high-cost procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme, including any approval thresholds, case review requirements, or cost ceilings applied prior to authorisation; and if she will provide details of these controls. [24747/26]

2911. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the date of the most recent internal or external audit conducted in respect of the treatment abroad scheme; the scope of that audit; whether it included examination of specific procedure categories; and if she will provide a summary of the findings and any recommendations made. [24748/26]

2912. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE maintains any structured system for the monitoring of clinical outcomes, complication rates, or patient-reported outcomes in respect of procedures funded under the treatment abroad scheme; and if she will outline the basis on which value for money and patient safety are assessed in the absence of such data. [24749/26]

2913. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a central risk register is maintained at Departmental level in respect of the treatment abroad scheme, including financial, clinical, and governance risks associated with overseas procedures; and if she will outline the mechanisms in place for identifying and escalating such risks. [24750/26]

2914. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that the operation of the treatment abroad scheme, in respect of high-cost overseas procedures, is fully compliant with the Public Spending Code requirements relating to appraisal, monitoring, and evaluation; and if she will provide the basis for that assessment. [24751/26]

445. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a mandatory national reporting requirement exists within the maternity services for cases in which signs of life are observed following a termination of pregnancy; whether such events are required to be recorded as a patient safety or clinical governance matter; whether the Department receives any national data returns in this regard; and if she will make …

2044. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the date on which fire safety deficiencies requiring the closure of a unit (details supplied) were first identified; the date on which remediation works commenced; the estimated capital cost of these works; and the expected date for completion and reopening of the affected beds. [20071/26]

2045. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of beds that have been unavailable for use at a nursing unit in each month since the closure of the unit due to fire safety works; and the steps being taken by her Department and the HSE to restore this capacity. [20072/26]

2046. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether HIQA identified compliance issues during its inspection of a nursing unit on 17 February 2026 relating to the application to vary registration for a dementia-specific unit (details supplied); the nature of any such issues; and the anticipated timeframe for regulatory approval. [20073/26]