Departmental Data

937. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department has assessed the potential cost savings associated with expanded access to evidence-based obesity treatments, including pharmacological interventions; if so, to provide details of any such assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32342/26]

938. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the completion and publication of the next Obesity Policy and Action Plan; whether any interim measures are in place pending its publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32343/26]

939. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total annual expenditure by the HSE and her Department on obesity prevention, management, and treatment programmes for each year from 2020 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32349/26]

940. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a dedicated budget line exists for obesity-related services within the national health budget; if so, to provide the annual allocation for each year from 2020 to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32350/26]

941. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently accessing HSE-supported obesity treatment services, including specialist clinics and pharmacological treatments, in tabular form by year from 2020 to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32351/26]

943. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any assessment of waiting times for access to specialist obesity services, including multidisciplinary clinics; if so, to provide the average waiting times and regional variations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32353/26]

945. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether outcome metrics are in place to evaluate the effectiveness of obesity-related programmes funded by the State; if so, to provide details of those metrics and any published results; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32355/26]

962. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the national average caseload per Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) post in 2025; and if she will provide a breakdown by Community Healthcare Organisation area. [32470/26]

963. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the highest and lowest caseload recorded per SCAN post in 2025; and if she will provide the figures by region. [32471/26]

964. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national or departmental guidance sets a recommended or maximum caseload threshold per SCAN nurse; if so, the thresholds applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32472/26]

965. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the Department or the HSE monitors instances where SCAN caseloads exceed recommended or safe levels; if so, the number of such instances recorded in 2024 and 2025. [32473/26]

966. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of referrals made to SCAN services in 2025, including those accepted and not accepted for assessment; and if she will provide a breakdown by region. [32474/26]

967. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of referrals to SCAN services deemed ineligible or redirected to alternative pathways in 2025; and the mechanisms in place to record and monitor such cases. [32475/26]

968. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a national dataset is maintained on referrals not accepted by SCAN services; if not, the reason for the absence of such data; and any plans to introduce it. [32476/26]

972. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any adverse incidents, clinical risks, or service escalations have been linked to SCAN caseload pressures or service capacity constraints; and if she will provide details for 2024 and 2025. [32480/26]

973. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether national key performance indicators apply to SCAN services in respect of caseload, waiting times, or patient outcomes; and if she will provide details of those indicators and current performance levels. [32481/26]

979. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the forthcoming HSE model of care for gender healthcare services will include a requirement for mandatory national data collection on referrals, assessments, treatments, outcomes, adverse events, and costs in respect of minors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32518/26]

984. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she will commit to publishing all governance, audit, and evidence review documents underpinning the development of the HSE model of care for gender healthcare services for minors upon completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32523/26]

1017. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether public hospitals are required to record the clinical priority category attached to surgical procedures when theatre time is allocated; and if not, whether her Department intends to require such data collection.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32580/26]

1019. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department receives any regular reporting from the HSE on the allocation of theatre capacity by specialty, urgency category, elective status, waiting-list category, or clinical priority; and if she will provide details of the reporting received [32582/26]

1020. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that current hospital data systems allow adequate national oversight of how scarce theatre capacity is allocated across the public health system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32583/26]

1021. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any work is underway to create a nationally consistent methodology for reporting theatre utilisation, cancellations, prioritisation, and allocation across public hospitals; and if she will provide a timeline for such work. [32584/26]

1077. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the actual average cost per WTE of agency staff compared with directly employed staff across key grades, including staff nurse, clinical nurse specialist, consultant, and allied health professionals, for each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [32676/26]

1078. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total expenditure on agency staff within the HSE for each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, and the estimated additional cost incurred due to agency premiums when compared to equivalent directly employed staffing. [32677/26]

1079. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether a formal cost-benefit analysis has been conducted comparing long-term direct employment versus agency staffing within the public health service; if so, to provide details and findings. [32678/26]