868. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if HIQA has been made aware if any vertebral body tethering procedures have been performed in CHI despite not being formally approved for use by the HSE; and if any regulatory concerns have been raised in this regard. [16536/25]
867. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health how the procurement process for vertebral body tethering devices and associated implants has been managed; the suppliers that have been contracted to provide these devices; and whether procurement has followed HSE and EU Medical Device Regulations. [16535/25]
866. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health how the HSE tracks and monitors the use of vertebral body tethering-specific medical devices in the absence of a dedicated procedure code. [16534/25]
865. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the tethering devices used in vertebral body tethering procedures comply with EU Medical Device Regulations and relevant Irish safety standards. [16533/25]
864. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the lack of a distinct coding system for vertebral body tethering is affecting the ability to audit and assess patient outcomes; and the steps being taken to introduce an appropriate classification system. [16532/25]
863. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health how the HSE is tracking and collecting safety and performance data for vertebral body tethering surgeries, given that there is no specific ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS code for this procedure. [16531/25]
862. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health how the HSE ensures that outcomes from vertebral body tethering surgeries are accurately tracked and monitored in the absence of a spine register. [16530/25]
861. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the reason CHI has removed the spine register, which previously served as an early warning system for new techniques such as vertebral body tethering; and the alternative measures in place to monitor scoliosis surgery outcomes. [16529/25]
860. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if any research on vertebral body tethering is being conducted or has been completed in Children’s Health Ireland; if so, the scope of this research; and whether any findings have been published. [16528/25]
859. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if a charity (details supplied) has facilitated or performed any vertebral body tethering surgeries to date. [16527/25]
858. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if any vertebral body tethering (VBT) procedures have been funded through the treatment abroad scheme; and if so, the number of Irish children that have received VBT overseas. [16526/25]
857. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has outsourced any vertebral body tethering procedures to private facilities (details supplied); and if so, the number of cases that have been handled through these arrangements. [16525/25]
856. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of vertebral body tethering surgeries that have been performed in Children’s Health Ireland hospitals to date. [16524/25]
855. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if vertebral body tethering (VBT) surgeries are being reimbursed under broader categories such as spinal fusion or spinal instrumentation despite being a distinct, motion-preserving procedure; and if she will provide details of any plans to establish a dedicated funding stream for VBT. [16523/25]
854. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if vertebral body tethering (VBT) surgery is formally approved for funding by the HSE; if not, the funding mechanisms under which any previous VBT procedures have been covered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16522/25]
853. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the action her Department took on learning that the contents of the draft audit into pelvic osteotomies conducted on children for development dysplasia of the hip at several Dublin hospitals had been published by The Ditch media outlet; if her Department sought to confirm the contents of the report; and if so, with who and when. [17558/25]
852. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the action she took on learning that the contents of the draft audit into pelvic osteotomies conducted on children for development dysplasia of the hip at several Dublin hospitals had been published by The Ditch media outlet; if she sought to confirm the contents of the report; and if so, with who and when. [17557/25]
851. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the earliest date on which she received a copy of the draft audit into pelvic osteotomies conducted on children for developmental dysplasia of the hip at several Dublin hospitals; the action she took; and if she discussed it with the Tánaiste. [17556/25]
850. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the earliest date on which her Department was made aware of an audit into developmental dysplasia of the hip surgeries at several Dublin hospitals; and the actions taken if made aware. [17555/25]
849. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the earliest date on which she was made aware of an audit into pelvic osteotomies conducted on children for developmental dysplasia of the hip at several Dublin hospitals; and the action he took on being informed. [17554/25]
848. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the earliest date on which her Department was made aware of protected disclosures regarding unnecessary pelvic osteotomies conducted on children for developmental dysplasia of the hip at several Dublin hospitals; and the action taken on being informed. [17553/25]
847. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the earliest date on which she was made aware of protected disclosures regarding unnecessary pelvic osteotomies conducted on children for developmental dysplasia of the hip at several Dublin hospitals; the action taken on being informed. [17552/25]
Bill entitled an Act to amend the Children’s Health Act 2018 and therefore to amend the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (Establishment) Order 2007 (S.I. No. 246 of 2007) so as to direct that the National Children’s Hospital be named Ospidéal Náisiúnta Kathleen Lynn do Leanaí .
829. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the independent assessment of the physicians associate role, as referred to in the HSE National Service Plan 2025, has commenced; if the independent assessor has been appointed; who the independent assessor is if they have been appointed; how long she anticipates the review to take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14072/25]
828. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the HSE recruitment embargo applies to the recruitment of physicians associates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14071/25]
827. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health how many HSE scholarships / bursaries were granted to students to undertake a physicians associate studies programme annually since 2017. [14070/25]
826. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health how many physicians associates were employed in public and private hospitals annually since 2019. [14069/25]
825. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health 1159. how many physicians associates are currently employed in public and private hospitals across the State. [14068/25]
1882. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has plans to move away from a reimbursement system for oxygen provision to direct payment to oxygen companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12626/25]
1881. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to provide a current estimate of the number of patients in receipt of oxygen through the public system; if costs related to the provision of oxygen for that population have been accounted for in full in Budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12625/25]
1880. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the progress of the HSE oxygen contract changeover originally due to be completed in November 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12624/25]
1748. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have been seen at the epilepsy monitoring unit at a hospital (details supplied) in each of the past five years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11875/25]
1747. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the current wait times for appointments at the epilepsy monitoring unit at a hospital (details supplied); the number of patients currently awaiting appointments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11874/25]
1746. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who have received epilepsy surgery at a hospital (details supplied) in each of the past five years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11873/25]
1745. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the current waiting time for epilepsy neurosurgery at a clinical site (details supplied); the number of patients who are currently awaiting epilepsy surgery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11872/25]
1707. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the current position regarding the vacancy since 5 October 2024 of an ophthalmologist for Tipperary south; the current stage of the recruitment process concerned; the expected timeframe for said post to be filled; the measures put in place in the interim to enable a resumption in services locally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11719/25]
1706. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if the treatment purchase scheme provides coverage for endometriosis treatment; and to provide an annual breakdown of endometriosis treatment provided under the scheme in each of the years 2017 to 2024. [11718/25]
1565. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of adults and children, and separately, the number of special-care patients, adult and children, who are on dental surgery waiting lists at the end of February 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; the breakdown, by waiting timeband and by county; the number on waiting lists for dental surgery under general anaesthesia; and the median waiting time for each. [10946/25]
1563. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of people on waiting lists for Jigsaw, by health area and wait timeband, at the end of February for each of the years 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025, in tabular form. [10940/25]
1562. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of people on CAMHS waiting lists by health area and wait timeband for the end of February of each year 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025, inclusive, in tabular form. [10939/25]
1561. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of people who are receiving less than their full allocation of home support hours at the end of February in the years 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025. [10938/25]
1560. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on home support waiting lists for a carer at the end of February for the years 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025, in tabular form; and the breakdown by length of wait. [10937/25]
1559. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients on primary care and community healthcare waiting lists, for each care service, at the end of February for the years 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025, in tabular form; the breakdown by length of wait and by age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10936/25]
1557. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of hospital-initiated scheduled care cancellations, by appointment type, hospital group and hospital, in each of the years 2019 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [10927/25]
1556. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of patients who left an emergency department without being seen, by hospital, in each of the years 2019 to 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [10926/25]
1555. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of patients waiting 0-6 hours, 0-9 hours, 9-24 hours, and 24+ hours for admission an emergency department, Statewide and by location, in each of the years 2019 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and the number and percentage for all patients and patients aged over 75, in tabular form. [10925/25]
1554. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the average patient experience time to admission via an emergency department, Statewide and for each location, in each of the years 2019 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and the average for all patients and for patients aged 75 or older, in tabular form. [10924/25]
1553. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the percentage of ambulance crews ready and mobile to receive another call within 20 minutes of patient handover, for each emergency department and for each hospital for each quarter in 2023 and 2024 and each month to date in 2025, tabular form. [10923/25]
1552. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number and percentage of incidents responded to by the ambulance service, by clinical status and substatus, for each year from 2019 to 2024, and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [10922/25]
1551. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the percentage of Clinical Status 1 ECHO and Clinical Status 1 DELTA incidents responded to by a patient-carrying vehicle in 18 minutes and 59 seconds or less in a direct tabular comparison for each year from 2019 to 2024, and to date in 2025, nationally and by ambulance region, in tabular form; the average length of such response times, nationally and by region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10921/25]