Healthcare Policy

184. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health if she plans to put the 'no wait' card issued by patient organisations on a legal standing (details supplied). [52293/25]

187. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if her Department plans to include myalgic encephalomyelitis on the long-term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52307/25]

190. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will direct the HSE to provide a full explanation of the scientific and clinical rationale for including the phrase “anyone who identifies as a woman” in its information on menopause, given that menopause is a biological process experienced by females. [52370/25]

191. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will instruct the HSE to release details of the peer-review process for its menopause guidance, including the names and qualifications of medical experts consulted, and to provide this information directly to Members of the Oireachtas. [52371/25]

192. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she accepts responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of all information issued by the HSE on menopause; and if she will direct the HSE to remove any language that does not reflect established biological and medical science. [52372/25]

193. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will direct the HSE to publish a list of external stakeholders, advocacy groups or consultants involved in shaping its menopause information; and to confirm whether any non-medical advocacy groups influenced the wording used. [52373/25]

194. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will commit to instructing the HSE to conduct a review of its menopause-related publications to ensure they are clear, accurate and fully aligned with biological science, and to report the results of this review to the Oireachtas. [52374/25]

195. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she will provide the guidelines issued by her Department to the HSE on the use of sex and gender terminology in medical information leaflets and online publications; and if she will direct the HSE to publish those guidelines in full. [52375/25]

196. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if she accepts that she bears ultimate responsibility for the accuracy and content of health information issued by the HSE, including its publications on menopause; and if she will confirm that such accountability cannot be delegated to the HSE. [52376/25]

827. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if she will support calls to immediately introduce a statutory, universal home support scheme, with specific rural adaptation funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51384/25]

836. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Health her plans to implement spinal muscular atrophy screening in the national heel-prick test (details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51131/25]

854. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been brought to a new report on men's health (detail supplied); her views on the key asks; the steps she is taking to address the issues identified, in particular premature mortality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51328/25]

855. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the delay in expanding the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP) to include spinal muscular atrophy; the timeline for introduction of screening for this condition in the NNBSP; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51339/25]

856. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the reasons for the delay in expanding the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP) to include severe combined immunodeficiency; the timeline for introduction of screening for this condition in the NNBSP; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51340/25]

868. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health for an update on implementing spinal muscular atrophy screening in the national heel-prick test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51453/25]

872. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the recommendations from the national clinical trials oversight group she plans to progress; the timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51472/25]

875. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the implementation of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) screening in the national newborn bloodspot heel-prick test, in view of the decision made in 2023 to include SMA in the programme alongside severe combined immunodeficiency; the reasons for the ongoing delay in its roll out despite the allocation of funding and the ack…

876. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if she will support the calls of an organisation (details supplied) for the introduction of viable fees for public eyecare schemes (medical card and PRSI-estimated cost of €20m annually and the roll out of an over 8s national eyecare programme estimated cost €1.2m annually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51505/25]

886. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the number of patients that were on the drug alcarizax through the discretionary hardship arrangements; if patients were informed where they received this drug through these arrangements that such arrangements can be withdrawn pending a reimbursement decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51588/25]

887. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the arrangements that will be put in place for those who received the drug alcarizax through discretionary arrangements but cannot receive this due to a negative reimbursement decision, and who require completing this course of medication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51589/25]

893. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health her plans to allow those with a medical card for long-term illness to receive free blood tests from their GP's; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51741/25]

894. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health if she will consider a scheme to subsidise the cost of a prostate check for those in receipt of a State pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51742/25]

899. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the damage to public health caused by weeks of gorse fires at Ticknock (details supplied); if she will liaise with the appropriate authorities to take action to prevent a recurrence so as to protect families, children and older people from further heart, lung and neurological damage; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

900. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if she intends to allocate funding in the upcoming Budget for post-acute inpatient neurorehabilitation beds in the southwest, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to develop more specialist inpatient neurorehabilitation beds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51855/25]

901. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health her plans to allocate funding in Budget 2026 for post-acute inpatient neurorehabilitation beds in the southwest in line with the Programme for Government commitment to develop more specialist inpatient neurorehabilitation beds. [51856/25]