Parliamentary questions

369. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health whether she will bring forward legislative proposals to permit therapeutic substitution by pharmacists during medicine shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53754/26]

370. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of community pharmacies participating in the common conditions service; the findings to date of the data collection exercise involving the 150 data champion pharmacies which commenced in July 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53755/26]

371. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of pneumococcal vaccinations administered under the community pharmacy pneumococcal vaccination service for eligible persons aged 65 years and over since the service became operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53756/26]

372. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of community pharmacy contractors that have provided notice of participation in Phase 1 of the BowelScreen community pharmacy intervention; the projected cost of the per patient service fee under Phase 2; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53757/26]

373. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of community pharmacy contractors in receipt of the emergency medicine administration preparedness allowance introduced under the Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025; the number of recorded administrations of naloxone in community settings in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53758/26]

374. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current operational status of the medically supervised injecting facility following the conclusion of its pilot phase in June 2026; when the final evaluation and child impact assessment due in the fourth quarter of 2026 will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53759/26]

375. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the case for mandatory folic acid fortification of staple foods, in view of Ireland's rates of neural tube defects remaining among the highest in Europe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53760/26]

376. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health the reason persons with dementia are not routinely assessed for disability services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53773/26]

377. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health her plans to improve care for those diagnosed with dementia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53774/26]

378. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health to consider implementing dementia supports that are based on a disability assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53775/26]

379. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the potential role of professionally managed home sharing as a preventative support to help older people remain living independently by reducing loneliness, improving safety, supporting timely hospital discharge and delaying admission to long-term residential care; and, if no such assessment has been undertak…

380. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 221 of 17 June 2026, if she has met with or otherwise engaged with an organisation (details supplied); and if her Department has assessed the potential benefits of supporting home sharing as a means of providing independent living and home support, particularly for older persons. [53794/26]

381. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the HSE's consideration of Skyclarys for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia; the reason the drug was not included on the agenda of the HSE Drugs Group meeting of 14 July 2026; if she will confirm when a decision is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53801/26]

382. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if she will establish a national movement neurophysiology laboratory at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital to provide diagnostic and treatment support for patients with dystonia, tremor, myoclonus and functional neurological disorders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53807/26]

383. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided to establish a movement neurophysiology laboratory at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53808/26]

384. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if she is aware that movement neurophysiology services for patients with dystonia and other movement disorders are currently available only in the private sector; the plans that exist to ensure equitable access to these services through the public health system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53809/26]

385. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to integrate movement neurophysiology into the National Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Service at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital to improve patient selection, reduce unnecessary surgery and maximise the efficient use of DBS resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53810/26]

386. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health whether she has assessed the clinical and cost-effectiveness of establishing a national movement neurophysiology laboratory at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; if so, the outcome of that assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53811/26]

387. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to reduce waiting times for assessment and treatment of patients with dystonia; and whether the establishment of a national movement neurophysiology laboratory at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital forms part of those plans. [53812/26]

388. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if her Department and the HSE are aware of undue delays in a case (details supplied); the reason for the delay; the plans her Department and the HSE have to address these delays in follow-up appointments and procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53819/26]

389. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if the HSE or the relevant environmental health authorities have carried out an assessment of potential public health risks arising from the condition of a building (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53823/26]

390. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health in cases in which correspondence addressed to the Minister is considered capable of constituting a protected disclosure, but the Department states that the material was not viewed prior to its transmission to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner, the person or body responsible for determining that the correspondence should be tr…

391. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when the next national cancer strategy will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53828/26]

392. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress in recruiting staff outside this State for employment in the HSE to provide a range of healthcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53829/26]

393. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the discrepancy between a job specification and the actual role and renumeration (details supplied); the reason the core specifications previously published have been disregarded; her views on whether this was misleading and may have led to potential candidates not applying; if those recruited have signed per…