Health Screening Programmes

82. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the continued delay in expanding the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme to include spinal muscular atrophy (SMA); if screening for SMA will commence this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4901/26]

289. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health for an update on the work of the NSAC to consider the further expansion of cancer screening programmes; when the BreastCheck and BowelScreen programmes will be extended to persons over 70 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4627/26]

1050. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the reason CervicalCheck does not inform a patient which HPV type or the number of HPV types which were found in a patient that tests positive for HPV viruses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4371/26]

1051. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand CervicalCheck screening to include genotyping to identify the specific strains of HPV; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4372/26]

1052. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if she has confidence that CervicalCheck screening covers all high-risk HPV types; how often an evidence review takes place into testing and risk in order to inform screening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4373/26]

1055. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has considered the introduction of targeted glaucoma screening measures for individuals with a family history of glaucoma, given the significantly increased risk faced by first-degree relatives; whether international best practice in this area has been examined with a view to informing policy in Ireland; and if she will …

2123. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health given the major in-centre treatment costs, if she will clarify when chronic kidney disease screening and treatment will become available in each of the 96 HSE community health networks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74183/25]

2444. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if CervicalCheck informs a patient which HPV type or how many HPV types were found in a patient that tests positive for HPV viruses; and if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1576/26]

2445. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand CervicalCheck screening to include genotyping to identify the specific strains of HPV; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1577/26]

2446. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if she has confidence that CervicalCheck screening covers all high-risk HPV types; how often an evidence review takes place into testing and risk in order to inform screening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1578/26]

2457. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health her plans to introduce an abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programme for men; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1697/26]

2468. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the inclusion of SMA in the national newborn screening programme and to implement the heelprick test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1914/26]

2492. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand BreastCheck to those over 70 years old; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2231/26]

2493. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand CervicalCheck to over 70 year-olds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2232/26]

2494. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to reduce the age for cervical check below 25 years-of-age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2233/26]

2495. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to reduce the age of BreastCheck; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2236/26]

2500. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health for an update on the introduction of spinal muscular atrophy screening to the national newborn heel-prick programme, further to its approval for inclusion; the expected timeline for rollout; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2282/26]

989. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health to consider reducing the age for free breast and cervical checks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69584/25]

1044. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail how screening responsibilities are allocated across public-sector and private-sector actors, including universities, employers, and occupational-health providers, and whether any quality-assurance or regulatory oversight exists for screening conducted outside the HSE. [69973/25]

1045. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has reviewed the lessons learned from previous major screening initiatives, including those associated with mpox, measles resurgence in Europe in 2024, Covid-19, and travel-associated viral haemorrhagic fever protocols, and to publish any internal evaluations or recommendations arising. [69974/25]

517. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the addition of spinal muscular atrophy to the heel prick test for newborn babies; the actions she is taking to ensure no further delays to its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67289/25]

520. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Health when spinal muscular atrophy will be fully implemented as part of the newborn screening heel-prick programme; the timeline for the introduction of these screenings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67322/25]

528. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Health the position regarding adding spinal muscular atrophy to the national heel prick test (details supplied). [67350/25]

530. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health when newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) will commence; the reasons for the more than two-year delay since the decision to add SMA to the national heel-prick programme; and if he will provide a definitive implementation date. [67355/25]

531. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health if her Department has reviewed the latest European data showing that most EU countries implemented SMA newborn screening within 10-18 months, with 80% of European babies already screened by September 2025; and how Ireland's ongoing delay is being justified in that context. [67356/25]