Health Services Staff

284. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health when the current pause in recruitment of physician associates is expected to be lifted; when the physician associates review is due to be published; and the HSE CEOs plans for the recruitment and deployment of PAs within the National Service Plan 2026, particularly in the context of an under-resourced and understaffed health service. [10518/26…

285. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to fill the staff vacancies in St Joseph's Hospital, Stranorlar, County Donegal, given that a considerable number of beds are empty, while Letterkenny University Hospital is consistently one of the most overcrowded hospitals in the State. [10553/26]

346. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of sanctioned pathologist posts at University Hospital Waterford; the number of vacant posts; the details of recruitment timelines for unfilled posts; the details of staffing levels and additional posts sought in each of the years since 2020 to-date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10725/26]

351. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health if she will sanction an implementation lead to support clinical guideline adherence in maternity units across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10778/26]

356. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health the number of ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians providing services to medical card patients under the community ophthalmic services scheme in each years since 2022 to-date in 2026, in tabular form. [10800/26]

371. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a psychologist could be granted to the North Kerry mental health services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10919/26]

372. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2425 of 13 January 2026, if this group of contract workers will be transitioned to permanent contracts under the HSE's agency conversion programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10922/26]

981. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant occupational therapist posts in Meath; and when these will be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9257/26]

982. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the number of occupational therapists the State hired in each of the years 2020-2025, by area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9258/26]

1101. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE consultant ophthalmologists and ophthalmologist registrars based at University Hospital Waterford as of 2 February 2026, in tabular form. [9840/26]

1102. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE public health nurses based in Waterford; and the locations each of those nurses cover, in tabular form. [9841/26]

1105. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the current status of the HSE’s pause on the recruitment of physician associates; the reason for the continued delay in completing the review of the PA role; the expected timeline for publication of this review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9855/26]

1106. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the number of physician associate graduates from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts who remain unable to take up employment in the HSE due to the recruitment pause; the measures being considered to support these graduates pending the completion of the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9856/26]

1107. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the way in which the pause in physician associate recruitment aligns with current workforce planning needs, including pressures on emergency departments, waiting lists, and consultant and NCHD staffing shortages; the role envisaged for PAs in addressing these challenges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9857/26]

1130. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the actions she is taking to resolve the ongoing industrial action involving physiologists; the assessment of the impact of this dispute on diagnostic capacity, waiting lists, and service sustainability at Sligo University Hospital; and if she will engage with the union (details supplied) and the HSE to address pay inequities and support rec…

1134. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health if, in view of a significant number of healthcare workers continuing to suffer from long covid as a result of their work in the Irish Health Service during the covid pandemic, she will reconsider her stated position in relation to the recognition of long covid as an occupational injury; if she has discussed this important issue with her coll…

1176. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health the number of persons employed in a location by the HSE (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10280/26]

1199. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE occupational therapists, by grade posts filled at Springfield-Tallaght primary care centre as of 4 February 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10384/26]

1218. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health the number of public health nurses are employed full-time in Dublin south central. [10471/26]

1219. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health the number of children which have not received developmental checks by public health nurses in Dublin south central. [10472/26]

1220. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to recruit more public health nurses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10473/26]

1221. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant posts for public health nurses which exist in Dublin south central. [10474/26]

1222. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health her plans to address the burn out of public health nurses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10475/26]

1223. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant posts which exist for public health nurses, by county, in tabular form. [10476/26]

403. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Health whether a decision has been formally made regarding the future planned use of a premises (details supplied); whether the HSE has assessed potential alternative uses for the premises; the timeline for such an assessment to be completed; if consultation has taken place, or will take place, with local representatives, service users, fam…