Health Screening Programmes

1055. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if her Department will engage with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding the shortage of radiation therapists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63235/25]

1056. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the efforts her Department is making to ensure a greater uptake of women attend the BreastCheck screening considering less than 70% of women accept an appointment for first mammogram; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63236/25]

1057. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of people currently eligible for BreastCheck screening who are waiting for their first appointment in the CHO 4 area; the number of individuals currently awaiting follow up appointments in the same area, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63237/25]

1058. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the number of breast screening locations in Cork; if consideration has been given to increasing the number of locations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63238/25]

1059. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration will be given to increasing the number of breast screening locations nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63239/25]

1061. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to delayed implementation of spinal muscular atrophy in the heelprick test for babies; the timeline for the implementation of spinal muscular atrophy in the heelprick test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63246/25]

452. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health the number of patients currently waiting for BreastCheck screening in counties Wicklow and Wexford; the length of time they have been waiting; the number of patients carried over on the waiting list from 2024 who were not seen on time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62450/25]

923. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the implementation of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) screening in the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme; if she will confirm the expected timeline for the commencement of routine SMA screening for newborns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60986/25]

933. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the staffing numbers in the national cervical screening laboratory, by discipline and Grade of their employment; the vacancies that exist in each discipline and in each grade, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61020/25]

938. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Health her views on including spinal muscular atrophy in the national newborn screening programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61040/25]

944. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health if her Department is considering adding a test for spinal muscular atrophy to the heel prick test for newborns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61074/25]

945. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the engagement between her Department officials and the HSE regarding implementing a timeframe for the introduction of screening for SMA and SCID; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61075/25]

970. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health when severe combined immunodeficiency and spinal muscular atrophy will be added to the Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61250/25]

976. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the number of lipid profiles ordered through primary care (GP and primary care clinics) in each of the years 2019 to date in 2025, by CHO area and by quarter, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61316/25]

977. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the total cost to the health service from 2019 to 2025, by year for laboratory testing for standard lipid profiles ordered from primary care, including the cost per test and any trend in test volumes over that period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61317/25]

978. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the number of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] tests carried out in public hospitals and HSE-funded laboratories from 2019 to 2025, by referral source (primary care versus hospital-based specialist services), by year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61318/25]

979. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if current national guidelines on cardiovascular risk assessment in primary care recommend measurement of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] for any cohort of patients; the rationale for current practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61319/25]

980. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if she has considered introducing a once-in-a-lifetime lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] test as part of routine cardiovascular risk assessment for adults, in line with emerging European recommendations on heart health and inherited risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61320/25]

981. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if her Department or the HSE has undertaken any clinical or economic evaluation of the potential benefits and costs of introducing once-in-a-lifetime lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] testing for the general population; the details of any such analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61321/25]

982. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the proportion of adults in the State for whom Lp(a) has been measured at least once; the estimated prevalence of elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] among those tested; the extent to which this information is used to guide more intensive LDL cholesterol lowering or other preventive measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61322…

983. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if she will report on any international examples, particularly within the EU, where once-in-a-lifetime lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] testing has been adopted or piloted as part of national cardiovascular prevention strategies; if similar pilots are being considered in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61323/25]

984. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that future revision of national cardiovascular prevention guidelines for primary care explicitly considers the role of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] testing in identifying people at inherited high risk of heart disease and stroke; if she will report on the timeframe for such guideline updates; and if she will make a statement on …

985. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health the way in which her Department plans to improve early detection and management of cardiovascular risk in primary care over the next five years, including the role of lipid testing, potential once-in-a-lifetime lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] screening, and targeted follow up for high-risk patients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [613…

997. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Health her Department’s plans and timeframe for the introduction of a national lung cancer screening programme using low-dose CT scanning, in line with recommendations before the National Screening Advisory Committee and given the success of the lung health check pilot initiatives in north Dublin and the northeast, which have shown clear benefits…

1015. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of children in Galway and Roscommon that have missed critical developmental checks in the past 12 months; whether her Department has assessed the long-term impact; the plans in place to ensure timely access to these checks going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61472/25]