Parliamentary questions

544. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether she is aware that patients presenting to hospitals requiring urgent gynaecological ultrasound investigations are, in some cases, being discharged or referred elsewhere because ultrasound services are unavailable at weekends; the number of hospitals affected by this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54537/26]

545. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has conducted a review of weekend diagnostic imaging services for gynaecology patients; if so, the findings of that review; and if she'll publish the review. [54538/26]

546. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health whether she will provide increased, ring-fenced investment for women’s healthcare in budget 2027 to address longstanding gaps in the provision of services across the health system, including preventative care, diagnostics, gynaecology, reproductive health, menopause care, chronic pain services, and community-based supports; the level of a…

547. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the multi-annual Reform, MAR, pricing roadmap for nursing homes; when the next increase in the MAR threshold will be implemented; whether greater transparency will be provided regarding future adjustments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54575/26]

548. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the steps being taken to develop a national career pathway for healthcare assistants working in the nursing home sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54576/26]

549. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will consider introducing targeted financial supports for private and voluntary nursing homes to assist with increased energy and fuel costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54577/26]

550. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will confirm whether the residential environment enhancement scheme will be extended beyond 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54578/26]

551. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health when the Government intends to deliver on its Programme for Government commitment to introduce an equitable funding model or the nursing homes support scheme (fair deal); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54579/26]

552. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the development of a National Nursing Home Care Policy; the resources that have been allocated to support its preparation; the expected timeline for its publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54580/26]

553. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the process by which recipients of HSE-funded home support may request a change of home care provider; whether the HSE will introduce a clear national pathway to allow clients to transfer their HSE-funded home support hours from one approved provider to another; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54581/26]

554. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Health if she will consider facilitating recipients of HSE-funded home supports who wish to receive both their publicly-funded and privately-funded home care services from the same provider in order to improve continuity of care and reduce the number of carers entering their home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54582/26]

555. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health whether a successful tenderer was notified in quarter two of 2026 for a care centre (details supplied); whether a timeline for the project is now available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54583/26]

556. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Health the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts across her Department, in Ireland and abroad; if these individuals can apply to internal civil service competitions for these temporary contracts; the plans being developed to retain these individuals once their contracts cease, given they w…

557. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the status of a proposal to introduce publicly funded pre-natal testing (details supplied); the date on which she received the initial proposal; the date on which she received the revised proposal; the timeline she is working towards in concluding the negotiations; the expected cost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54604/26]

558. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health the reason paediatric epilepsy nurse service will be unavailable at Cork University Hospital from 3 July 2026; and the steps she is taking to ensure that this service resumes as a matter of urgency. [54613/26]

559. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Health the position regarding all actions in each of the climate action plans 2021 to 2025 under the remit of her Department; to provide a breakdown of the legacy actions remaining, broken down by the year of the climate action plan they were initially included in; and the estimated timelines for completion, in tabular form. [54631/26]

560. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Health the differentiating factors between long-Covid and vaccine adverse events; the process of evaluation of differentiation is carried out, by data sources, public consultation and any other relevant metrics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54651/26]

561. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health if her Department or the HSE has collected statistics on excess heat related deaths in Ireland due to the heat wave experienced at the end of May 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54654/26]

562. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health her Department’s policy with respect to the collection of data related to heatwave events, in particular, excess mortality due to heat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54655/26]

563. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in improving ambulance waiting times in the north-east including in Cavan-Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54666/26]

564. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health when the national breastfeeding strategy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54674/26]

565. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health if there are pathways for women using trial drugs to treat adenomyosis to have their costs fully or partially covered by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54676/26]

566. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the timeline for when her Department will develop a breastfeeding awareness campaign as per the Women’s Health Action Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54677/26]

567. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on waiting lists for access to dental treatment under sedation at the end of July 2026, by sedation type, by patient type, by wait time band, for each health area, by region, in tabular form. [54695/26]

568. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of requests received to date in 2026 for assistance with assignment to a GP or a dentist for medical card holders, free GP card holders, or by persons without such qualification, by area, in tabular form. [54696/26]