# Department of Health

Last year

2022

# sexual health

HSE launches free home testing for STIs

The test kits are available to people aged 17 or over and are delivered by post.

13.2k

Oct 4th 2022, 8:13 AM

# the needle has landed

HSE launches winter vaccination programme with flu and Covid-19 jabs

The HSE is inviting eligible groups to get their flu jab and their Covid-19 booster.

26.8k

Oct 3rd 2022, 7:30 AM

# Healthcare

Budget 2023 must address 'chronic' overcrowding in Irish hospitals, says INMO

It called for a ‘laser focus’ on recruitment of nurses and midwives.

9.4k

Sep 17th 2022, 1:07 PM

# pandemic

Current Covid wave has peaked but hospital capacity remains under pressure, says CMO

46 Covid-19 related deaths were reported in the first 19 days of this month.

16.1k

Jul 26th 2022, 3:56 PM

# free contraception

Free contraception for women aged 17 to 25 to be rolled out by September

President Michael D Higgins signed the measures into law today.

18.8k

Jul 21st 2022, 2:44 PM

# Cannabis Risk Alliance

Anti-cannabis group met privately with drugs minister to discuss possible RSA-style ad campaign

The Cannabis Risk Alliance met Frank Feighan in January last year.

The Cannabis Risk Alliance told Frank Feighan last year that there should be "full transparency" around lobbyists and advocates, Stephen McDermott writes.

However, a loophole in lobbying laws mean the group's communications with the Government do not themselves have to be recorded.

Activists have questioned why the group had access to Feighan when those advocating for a different approach have found access more difficult.

32.6k

Jul 19th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Coronavirus

Hospitals 'under considerable pressure' due to Covid, Holohan says in final pandemic report

Dr Tony Holohan stepped down as Chief Medical Officer this week.

16.0k

Jul 7th 2022, 5:41 PM

# sma

'Timing is key': Parents call for inclusion of rare genetic disease in newborn heel prick test

SMA is a degenerative disease that causes damage to nerves that develop muscle function and allow children to eat, move and breathe.

12.1k

Jun 28th 2022, 6:00 AM

# job vacancy

'Remuneration is significant': No appetite in Govt to increase €420k salary for next HSE boss

Questions have been raised about whether tensions between the HSE and Department of Health played a part in Paul Reid’s decision to step down.

24.6k

Jun 27th 2022, 6:40 PM

# Robert Watt

Working conditions for non-consultant hospital doctors must change, senior civil servant says

The Secretary General of the Department of Health said many doctors already work longer hours than what is considered legal and safe.

10.0k

Jun 15th 2022, 3:11 PM

# medical mission

Ireland has evacuated a total of 13 patients, including five injured soldiers, from Ukraine

So far 13 people, including five soldiers, have been brought to Ireland for medical treatment from Ukraine.

13.7k

Jun 14th 2022, 11:56 AM

# Dust down the cv

Applications are now open for the Chief Medical Officer job

The job comes with an €187,578 annual salary and the deadline for applications is 30 June.

14.4k

Jun 10th 2022, 11:08 AM

# Labour Court

Medical scientists to suspend strike action next week and will return to WRC for talks

The three days of strike action planned for next week have all been suspended, say the MLSA.

5.4k

May 25th 2022, 10:23 PM

# Cystic Fibrosis

'Intensive work' ongoing to give 35 children with Cystic Fibrosis access to life-changing drug

Donnelly said it is important to him ‘that children get access to the drug that they need’.

7.8k

May 24th 2022, 6:27 PM

# NMH

Government will press ahead with plans for new maternity hospital

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there was an urgent need for the new hospital.

13.6k

Updated

May 9th 2022, 1:39 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

Q&A: What are the issues surrounding the National Maternity Hospital moving to St Vincent's?

A report by

Céimin Burke

A range of questions are hanging over the relocation plan.

17.8k

Updated

May 7th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Health

'A tenner a year lease': Martin says maternity hospital will effectively be in public ownership

Yesterday Cabinet delayed a final decision on the future of the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) amid ongoing controversy over the project.

The Oireachtas Health Committee is set to interrogate the plans before the matter goes back to Cabinet in two weeks' time.

Minister Catherine Martin has described this as "a valuable process".

Minister Simon Harris says there was agreement across the three government parties, and all genders, to delay a decision.

33.7k

Updated

May 4th 2022, 8:10 PM

# botched appointment

Donnelly orders external review into Tony Holohan's abandoned secondment at Trinity College

The Health Minister said he ordered the review “to examine learnings and recommendations that could inform future such initiatives”.

27.4k

Apr 13th 2022, 10:11 PM

# Hepatitis

HSE investigating small number of 'serious' hepatitis cases in children

It comes after British health officials identified 74 cases of hepatitis among children under the age of 10 across the UK.

57.5k

Apr 12th 2022, 9:04 PM

# DAILY FIGURES

Coronavirus: 4,761 new cases and 1,004 patients in hospital, including 53 in ICU

The Department of Health announced the figures in a statement this afternoon.

15.8k

Apr 12th 2022, 3:20 PM

# new tcd role

'Lessons have to be learned' from Dr Holohan TCD role controversy, Taoiseach says

Dr Holohan said yesterday he will not proceed with a new role in TCD after stepping down as Chief Medical Officer later this year.

41.4k

Updated

Apr 10th 2022, 7:00 PM

# tony holohan

'Unusual characteristics' to CMO's new Trinity role, public expenditure minister says

Dr Holohan will be stepping down as the country’s Chief Medical Officer to take up the role at TCD in July.

29.8k

Updated

Apr 6th 2022, 1:34 PM

# New Job

Department of Health will pay Dr Tony Holohan's salary in new Trinity professor role

Dr Holohan will be stepping down from his position as Chief Medical Officer later this year.

61.7k

Updated

Apr 5th 2022, 7:25 PM

# latest figures

Coronavirus: 23,702 new cases and 1,338 patients in hospital, including 61 in ICU

The latest figures were confirmed by the Department of Health this afternoon.

39.1k

Mar 22nd 2022, 3:48 PM

# latest figures

Coronavirus: 11,682 new cases and 887 patients in hospital, including 41 in ICU

The figures were confirmed by the Department of Health this afternoon.

27.5k

Mar 10th 2022, 4:19 PM

# essential workers

State will pay €100,000 to families of healthcare workers who died of Covid

The HPSC reports that 22 healthcare workers have died having contracted Covid.

19.3k

Updated

Mar 8th 2022, 1:18 PM

# Healthcare system

Public Accounts Committee will not consider leaked details of Department of Health meeting

The Sunday Business Post first reported details of a recorded meeting between Department of Health officials in January.

12.5k

Mar 3rd 2022, 10:40 PM

# latest figures

Coronavirus: 9,441 new cases and 639 patients in hospital, including 58 in ICU

The Department of Health confirmed the latest figures this afternoon.

25.3k

Feb 17th 2022, 3:05 PM

# sláintecare

Deferrals caused by Covid will increase hospital waiting lists this year, says Health Sec Gen

Over 1.5 million people will be added to the waiting lists this year, the Oireachtas Health Committee will hear.

8.2k

Feb 16th 2022, 6:45 AM

# Staff shortages

Taoiseach hits out at 'secret recording' but confirms HSE hiring target likely won't be met

Micheál Martin was responding to claims of “fake targets” within the health service.

32.6k

Feb 15th 2022, 6:43 PM

# daily cases

Coronavirus: 11,063 new cases, 615 people in hospital and 64 in ICU

The Department of Health released the figures this afternoon.

35.6k

Feb 11th 2022, 3:15 PM

# Sec Gen Job

Did the country's top civil servant accept an €81K pay rise? Varadkar says it's not for him to say

‘Transparency is always useful in these matters,’ a spokesperson for the Taoiseach has said.

34.0k

Jan 25th 2022, 7:21 PM

# Drugs

'War on drugs’ not an effective response to usage, minister tells committee

However, Frank Feighan was criticised during the Oireachtas committee for his approach to drug policy.

26.7k

Jan 19th 2022, 11:05 AM

# hospital figures

Number of patients with Covid in hospital but admitted for other reasons close to 30% - CMO

The HSE is to provide the health minister with details about the patient types included in the Covid hospitalisation numbers.

21.9k

Jan 12th 2022, 6:36 PM

# vaccine mandates

NPHET to discuss mandatory vaccination, but Taoiseach says voluntary policy will be kept

The issue is to be discussed after the Department of Health prepares a legal and ethical paper on vaccine mandates.

103k

269

Updated

Jan 10th 2022, 5:00 PM

# mhq

State spent almost €25 million on mandatory hotel quarantine, new figures show

Approximately €9.5 million was collected from those that had to use the service.

10.2k

Jan 7th 2022, 10:52 AM

# sodium valproate

Irish families impacted by valproate scandal welcome French court ruling allowing class action

The move in France comes as Irish families await a long-promised inquiry into the use of the drug here.

21.8k

Jan 7th 2022, 6:00 AM

# Weight Loss

RTÉ’s Operation Transformation criticised over 'dieting culture' ahead of its return tonight

RTÉ claims the programme has “evolved considerably over the years”.

72.1k

103

Updated

Jan 5th 2022, 9:10 PM

# funding fertility

The Explainer x Noteworthy: Why are people still paying thousands for fertility treatment?

Noteworthy’s Maria Delaney tells Susan Daly about how the private fertility sector is making millions as patients are left in debt.

12.1k

Updated

Jan 5th 2022, 7:05 AM

All time

# Explainer

New Covid testing and isolation guidelines: Here's everything you need to know

The changes are aimed at freeing up Covid-19 testing capacity and easing disruption to businesses.

90.7k

Dec 31st 2021, 12:03 PM