Questions

505. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of recipients of the national childcare scheme and the early childhood care and education programme, broken down by electoral division of recipients, not Local Electoral Area, for the most recent year for which data is available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36435/26]

506. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising which was funded or overseen by her Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five, including a breakdown by medium that is radio, television, social media, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36483/26]

507. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health whether the Government is considering the repeal or amendment of Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, which criminalises simple possession of drugs for personal use; whether discussions have taken place with An Garda Siochana regarding this; the current Government position on decriminalisation or diversion-based models; and the reasons underpinning that posi…

508. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the number of children that required repeat surgery due to retained surgical items left in their bodies, for each of the last ten years; and to detail the categories of items retained in the children’s bodies. [35811/26]

509. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health whether any children suffered permanent injury or complications as a result of items left inside their bodies during operations; and whether any deaths occur following repeat surgery or complications associated with retained surgical items, in each of the last ten years; and if so, the number. [35812/26]

510. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health whether all families affected by the leaving of foreign items inside children’s bodies after operations by CHI in the last ten years were fully informed. [35813/26]

511. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health whether any independent external review or audit has taken place of occasions where foreign items were left in children’s bodies after operations by CHI in the last ten years; and if the NIMIS system was actively operational and functioning correctly at the time of these procedures. [35814/26]

512. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if she will engage with unions to address a dispute and implement the recommendations of the McHugh/Crabtree report for paramedics (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35815/26]

513. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 713 of 6 May 2026, to provide clarity and further information (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35817/26]

514. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if the currently used RSV vaccination will continue to be administered going forward for children born during the winter months of September to February; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35818/26]

515. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if, following the completion of the pilot programme for the RSV vaccination, a decision has been reached to include this vaccination in the long-term national immunisation programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35819/26]

516. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been reached regarding the inclusion of the RSV vaccination in the long-term national programme; if she will outline the expected timeframe for when this decision will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35820/26]

517. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Health the number of GP practices that have been identified to receive the Social Deprivation Practice Support Grant for GMS for the 2025-2027 term; to list the name and locations of each of those practices; the level of funding allocation provided to each of those practices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35827/26]

518. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Health the total number of practices that applied for the Social Deprivation Practice Support Grant for GMS for the 2025-2027 term; appeals process that exist for those who were not selected; the way in which those appeals will be adjudicated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35828/26]

519. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if melatonin and magnesium preparations are currently covered under the long-term illness scheme; if they were previously included; if so, the date and basis on which they were removed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35829/26]

520. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if she will undertake a review of the clinical and policy basis for excluding melatonin and magnesium from the long-term illness scheme; and if she will consider reinstating these medications to the approved list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35830/26]

521. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Health if her Department has assessed the impact on patients, particularly those with neurological, developmental, or sleep-related conditions, of melatonin and magnesium not being covered under the long-term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35831/26]

522. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland’s plan to increase fees by 42% when inflation is forecast at significantly lower that this; if she considers this to be proportionate to what pharmacies facing 3% CPI can reasonably absorb; if she will stay the Statutory Instrument pending clarity; and if she will make a statement on the mat…

523. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the basis on which the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland has determined that a 42% increase in registration fees over three years is proportionate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35839/26]

524. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the fact that pay costs at the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland have increased by 35% since 2021 and now absorb 55 cent of every euro received by the organisation; if she is satisfied that this level of administrative expenditure represents value for money for registrants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35840/…

525. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of staff employed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland in each of the years 2021 to 2024; the number earning over €60,000 in each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35841/26]

526. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if her Department carried out any independent assessment of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland's proposed fee increase before the relevant Statutory Instrument was prepared; if so, the findings of that assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35842/26]

527. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if she will consider requiring the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland to phase its fee increases in line with CPI projections rather than implementing a 42% increase over three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35843/26]

528. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health if registrants of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland were formally consulted on the proposed 42% fee increase; if so, the outcome of that consultation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35844/26]

529. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health if her Department or any bodies and agencies under its aegis use, or have in the past used, software and or products from a company (details supplied); the duration and cost of the contract; and the services they avail of from the company. [35868/26]