Gender Recognition

508. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she has sought or received any assurance from the HSE that adequate clinical governance, audit, and safeguarding mechanisms are currently in place for gender-related healthcare services for minors; and if so, to outline the basis of such assurances. [33660/26]

510. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has undertaken any evaluation of the financial governance arrangements associated with gender-related healthcare services for minors, including expenditure tracking, cost controls, or value-for-money assessment; and if so, to provide details. [33662/26]

511. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she considers it appropriate that gender-related healthcare services for minors are currently operating in the absence of a completed national model of care, national audit structures, and comprehensive data collection systems; and if so, the basis for that position. [33663/26]

524. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has established, or intends to establish, a specific national clinical governance framework governing referrals by multidisciplinary teams for gender-related interventions funded through the treatment abroad scheme; if so, the timeline for its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33736/26]

525. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health who holds ultimate policy and governance responsibility within her Department or the HSE for oversight of multidisciplinary team recommendations underpinning applications to the treatment abroad scheme for gender-related interventions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33737/26]

526. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that the absence of a national audit or review of gender healthcare referral pathways since 2023 is consistent with her Department’s obligations in respect of clinical governance and patient safety; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33738/26]

527. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has directed the HSE to establish structured national data collection systems in respect of gender healthcare referrals and outcomes, including those funded through the treatment abroad scheme; the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33739/26]

528. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what policy provisions exist to ensure the monitoring of clinical outcomes, complications, and follow-up care for patients who undergo gender-related interventions funded through the treatment abroad scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33740/26]

529. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what interim governance, safeguarding, and risk management measures are currently in place pending the completion of the HSE’s updated model of care for gender healthcare services expected in Q4 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33741/26]

530. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department conducted any formal policy review following publication of the final Cass Review into gender identity services in the United Kingdom; if not, the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33742/26]

531. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the extent to which current gender healthcare referral pathways, including those involving the treatment abroad scheme, are aligned with emerging international clinical evidence and standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33743/26]

532. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the forthcoming HSE model of care for gender healthcare services will include provisions for audit, data collection, clinical governance, and outcome monitoring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33744/26]

533. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts that the absence of structured data collection, national audit, and a defined clinical governance framework represents a policy gap in the oversight of gender healthcare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33745/26]

975. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors should continue operating pending completion of the HSE model of care in Quarter 4 2026, in circumstances where structured national data collection systems are not currently in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32514/26]

976. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has conducted any risk assessment in respect of the continuation of gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors in the absence of a finalised national model of care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32515/26]

977. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she has received any formal assurance from the HSE that all gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors are subject to consistent clinical governance, safeguarding, and audit standards across the State pending completion of the national model of care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32516/26]

980. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department currently receives any regular reports or datasets from the HSE in respect of gender-related referrals, assessments, or treatments involving minors; if so, to detail the nature and frequency of such reporting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32519/26]

981. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any national clinical governance framework specific to gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors has been formally approved by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32520/26]

982. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any audit, inspection, or external review of gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors has been commissioned by her Department since 2020, other than the Cass-related review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32521/26]

986. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal national governance framework, beyond the general HSE Code of Governance, has been approved or issued specifically for gender-related assessment and referral pathways for minors; if not, the timeline for its introduction. [32525/26]

987. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any formal risk assessment has been conducted at Departmental or HSE level regarding the operation of gender-related clinical pathways for minors in the absence of a completed national model of care; and if so, to provide details. [32526/26]

988. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what interim data collection arrangements are currently in place to record referrals, assessments, clinical decisions and outcomes for minors accessing gender-related healthcare pathways, pending the development of a national system. [32527/26]

989. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the absence of a structured national dataset in respect of gender-related healthcare pathways for minors has been formally recorded as a governance or patient safety risk; and if so, the mitigation measures in place. [32528/26]

990. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to confirm whether any aggregate figures are currently available to her Department on the number of minors referred, assessed or treated under gender-related pathways in the past five years, even on a partial or regional basis. [32529/26]

991. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external or independent clinical audit of gender-related assessment or referral pathways for minors has been commissioned or considered since 2020; and if not, the rationale for this position. [32530/26]