229. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure compliance by the HSE with the statutory requirement (details supplied) under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 to make reimbursement decisions within 180 days of receiving an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40477/26]
Topics / Medicinal Products
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsMedicinal Products
1,233 questions from 132 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
1,233
questions
1,229 written, 4 oral
132
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
4
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 17 |
| February 2025 | 66 |
| March 2025 | 28 |
| April 2025 | 35 |
| May 2025 | 43 |
| June 2025 | 58 |
| July 2025 | 56 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 36 |
| October 2025 | 38 |
| November 2025 | 58 |
| December 2025 | 27 |
| January 2026 | 18 |
| February 2026 | 70 |
| March 2026 | 142 |
| April 2026 | 87 |
| May 2026 | 156 |
| June 2026 | 127 |
| July 2026 | 82 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 62 |
| October 2026 | 27 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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196
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75
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43
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42
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39
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26
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26
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26
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
235. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the provision of treatment to adults with SMA, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, that is available to under-18s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40525/26]
280. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the proportion of innovative oncology medicines approved at European level that are currently available and reimbursed in Ireland; the reason this proportion remains at approximately 25% given that the 180-day reimbursement timeline has been a legislative requirement under the Health Act 2013 for over a decade; the accountability measures that will be put i…
281. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current status of the proposed expansion of the drugs group to include patient and public interest members as committed to under the new framework agreement on medicines published in March 2026; whether an expression of interest process has been initiated to identify suitable patient representatives; given that no such process has been publicly announce…
282. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a specific update on the design and implementation of an early access scheme for medicines in Ireland, as referenced in the new framework agreement on medicines published in March 2026; whether a pilot has been announced or a design process initiated that includes patients and clinicians; the timeline within which a functioning early acc…
290. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1239 of 19 May 2026, to provide further details regarding the strategic partnership established with the pharmaceutical sector to develop an early access programme for rare diseases; the status of this work; the timeline she is working towards for operationalising this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter…
291. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the current state of Ireland’s preparedness for utilising the EU’s Joint Clinical Assessments, JCA, on clinical trial data in evaluations by the HSE and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE); when she expects such JCA’s to be applied to such evaluations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40695/26]
292. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the guidance that has been issued to Irish marketing authorisation holders regarding the process, timelines, and expectations for considering the EU’s Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) by the HSE and the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE); the way JCA reports will be factored into the reimbursement recommendations for treatments; and if she will mak…
1099. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a decision by the HSE drugs group regarding the reimbursement of risdiplam for adults living with spinal muscular atrophy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38709/26]
1103. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a decision by the HSE drugs group regarding the reimbursement of risdiplam for adults living with spinal muscular atrophy. [38725/26]
1110. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a decision by the HSE drugs group regarding the reimbursement of risdiplam for adults living with spinal muscular atrophy, given the Rare Diseases Technology Review Committee recently met regarding same and is now expected to make its recommendation to the HSE drugs group (details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38755/…
1111. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department or the HSE has carried out any national assessment since 2020 of the annual cost to the Exchequer of unused, expired, uncollected, or otherwise wasted medicines under State-funded medicine schemes; and if she will publish any such assessment. [38763/26]
1112. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE records the quantity and estimated value of unused or expired medicines returned to community pharmacies under State-funded medicine schemes; and if not, whether she intends to establish such a reporting mechanism. [38764/26]
1113. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health what policy measures are currently in place to reduce avoidable medicines waste under the GMS, DPS, LTI and other community drug schemes. [38765/26]
1114. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether his Department has examined the role of repeat prescribing, automatic renewals, phased dispensing, blister-pack changes, and non-adherence in contributing to medicines waste; and whether any reform proposals are under consideration. [38766/26]
1115. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has a national medicines waste reduction strategy; and if not, whether one will be developed in light of recent research estimating annual medicines waste at over €37.5 million. [38767/26]
1116. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE has estimated the environmental impact of unused or expired medicines, including disposal, incineration, contamination risk, and pharmaceutical residues entering water systems. [38768/26]
1117. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health when the proposed national scheme for safe disposal of unused medicines will be introduced; what funding has been allocated; whether it will involve community pharmacies; and whether it will operate nationally. [38769/26]
1118. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE reimburses medicines which are dispensed but never collected by patients; what safeguards exist to prevent unnecessary reimbursement; and whether data on uncollected medicines is centrally collected. [38770/26]
1119. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether medication reviews for patients on multiple prescriptions are being used systematically to reduce over-prescribing, duplication, and avoidable waste; and what targets or KPIs apply. [38771/26]
1120. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether his Department has assessed potential savings from reducing medicines waste by 10%, 20% or 30%; and whether such savings have been modelled for reinvestment in frontline pharmacy or prescribing services. [38772/26]
1127. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health the timeline for a decision by the HSE drugs group regarding the reimbursement of risdiplam for adults living with spinal muscular atrophy. [38838/26]
1134. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the division of the HSE or Department of Health that holds responsibility for estimating the number of patients clinically eligible for orphan medicinal products approved for reimbursement in the State (details supplied). [38846/26]
1135. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if any budget impact assessment, cost projection, prevalence estimate, or epidemiological model was prepared in advance of reimbursement consideration for omaveloxolone (skyclarys); and the details of same. [38847/26]
1137. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health how reimbursement decisions for high-cost orphan medicines are financially planned where the HSE does not centrally retain data regarding the number of clinically eligible patients. [38849/26]