Questions

431. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE sets a minimum mileage or travel reimbursement rate that home support providers approved under the authorisation scheme must pay to carers who use their own vehicles; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75236/26]

983. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients whose discharge from Cork University Hospital, the Mercy University Hospital and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital was delayed pending home support or carer availability, on the last day of each month from January 2025 to September 2026, by hospital, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73871/26]

997. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 71189/26, if the figure of 31 days total waiting on carer availability at Cork University Hospital refers to the combined wait of the four patients or to each patient; the longest individual wait in days; the total bed days lost to these delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73868/26]

749. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has examined the long-term fiscal implications of sustained agency staffing usage within scheduled care services. [36324/26]

2361. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has conducted any direct audit, review, or independent verification of governance, risk management, or financial controls in respect of privately operated residential placements funded by the Exchequer since 2020; and if so, to provide the dates, scope, and findings of each such audit or review [23814/26]

2362. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to detail any instances since 2020 where Exchequer funding to privately operated residential providers was reduced, suspended, or terminated on the basis of governance, compliance, or regulatory failures; and to specify the nature of the failures identified and the actions taken. [23815/26]

2363. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether a single, unified governance assurance framework exists at Department level covering all privately operated residential placements funded through Tusla or the HSE; and if not, the steps being taken to establish such a framework [23816/26]

2364. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department maintains a central risk register in respect of privately operated residential placements funded by the Exchequer; and to outline the escalation procedures in place where governance, safeguarding, or financial risks are identified. [23817/26]

2365. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to set out the specific criteria applied at Department level to determine whether privately operated residential providers meet the governance, compliance, and financial standards required for continued Exchequer funding; and whether these criteria are formally documented and applied consistently across all providers. [23818/26]

929. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the average and median duration, in each of the past five years, that children under one year of age remain in State care following emergency removal; the proportion of such children returned to their parent or parents within three months, six months, and twelve months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9389/26]

291. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the formal governance arrangements in place between her Department, the HSE, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for addressing delayed transfers of care linked to housing shortages, including reporting channels, escalation processes, and scheduled interdepartmental reviews. [70415/25]

520. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he intends to review the means testing criteria for carer’s allowance during the current Government's term; if so, if he will provide details of the plan for this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15679/25]