Questions

1953. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, oncologists in Ireland report tailoring cancer treatment decisions based on patients' private health insurance status as a result of delays in public reimbursement of new cancer medicines, creating what the report desc…

1954. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health her plans for upgrading Cork University Hospital/University College Cork, which is certified as a cancer centre by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, to the higher designation of comprehensive cancer centre accreditation, as recommended in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026,…

1955. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the current status of the national radiation therapy machine replacement programme, given that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026 the Irish Radiation Oncology Advocacy Group reported in October 2025 that nearly 75% of linear accelerator machines in publ…

1956. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, CervicalCheck five-year participation rates in the period ending March 2023 varied from 66% in County Laois to 82% in County Carlow, with only three counties meeting the National Screening Service target of 80% set out…

1957. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the implementation of the National Adult Palliative Care Policy launched by her Department in September 2024, including the allocation of the €2 million set aside for initial rollout in 2024; the steps being taken to reach the European Association for Palliative Care benchmark of two specialised palliative care services per 100,000 in…

1958. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the timeline for extending the National Genomic Test Directory, which was launched in January 2025 initially covering rare and inherited diseases, to include oncology testing, as recommended in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026; and if she will make a statement on …

1959. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, drawing on Cancer Trials Ireland data, only approximately 1.5% of cancer patients in Ireland were enrolled in interventional clinical trials in 2023, well below the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 target of 6%; what…

1960. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that according to the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, drawing on National Doctors Training and Planning data, approvals for new consultant posts fell sharply from 305 in 2022 to 266 in 2023 and to 148 in 2024; what action is being taken to reverse this decline given its p…

1961. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the steps being taken to address the €180 million estimated funding gap in the implementation of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 between 2017 and 2024, as identified by the Irish Cancer Society and referenced in the cancer dashboard for Ireland published by the Swedish Institute for Health Economics in January 2026, which cites…

1962. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the total amount paid out in compensation by the HSE in each year since 2015; and if a breakdown can be provided per CHO area or hospital group, in tabular form. [41970/26]

1963. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the total number of children on the spinal surgery waiting list in the State; the number who have been on the waiting list six months, 12 months, two years, five years and ten years, in tabular form. [41971/26]

1964. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of children on a waiting list for spinal surgery in the State; and if a breakdown can be provided on the number of children from each county. [41972/26]

1965. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health to outline the wait times for dermatology services in Naas general hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41980/26]

1966. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health to outline the wait times for dermatology services; when patients are triaged as urgent cases in Naas general hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41981/26]

1967. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health when the new Killarney Community Hospital is expected to open; when the new dementia beds are expected to open (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41983/26]

1968. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the approval process for skyclarys as a treatment for friedrich's ataxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41992/26]

1969. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health her views on if delays in the approval of skyclarys as a treatment for friedrich's ataxia aligns with the "equitable access" as outlined in the National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41993/26]

1970. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the commercial proposal in relation to the approval process for skyclarys as a treatment for friedrich's ataxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41994/26]

1971. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding a timeline for the approval of skyclarys as a treatment for friedrich's ataxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41995/26]

1972. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding meetings held between HSE or Department of Health officials with the manufacturers of skyclarys in relation to its' approval process for the treatment for friedrich's ataxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41996/26]

1973. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health her views on whether the treatment for friedrich's ataxia falls under an 'unmet need' as set out in the National Rare Diseases Strategy 2025-2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41997/26]

1974. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health given the online gambling epidemic that we are currently experiencing in Ireland, to set out in detail the resources allocated within her Department on this policy area, in particular to set out the number of staff working in this policy area, in tabular form; the steps her Department has taken for policy initiatives to combat this growing mental health issue, esp…

1975. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the new initiatives her Department are taking to protect vulnerable people, especially young men, in view that the growing gambling epidemic is now a major national mental health challenge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42001/26]

1976. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the research her Department has undertaken into the rise of online gambling in rural areas and the associated mental health issues, especially amongst young adults; the policy initiatives planned to help deal with this growing crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42002/26]

1977. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of HSE health regions that have a fully operational, fully staffed community neuro-rehabilitation team in place; the specific operational status of the team allocated to the HSE Dublin and north east region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42026/26]