Mr. Marcus Keane:

In doing this report, one of the biggest things that stood out for us was inequality of access. There are a number of drivers behind it. It is not difficult to understand if you look at how services are distributed. Of the eight hospitals that treat hepatitis C in the country, five are in Dublin. If you live in Dublin, you will be close to one of these hospitals and on a good public transport network so you will find it easier to live. People in Dublin live closer to hospitals than people in the country. Geographic distance is a large driver in terms of accessibility. We spoke with people with lived experience who were living on the other side of the country and ended up having to travel to Dublin to access treatment . The committee heard Dr. O'Carroll speak earlier about the links with the Mater Hospital.

I spoke to someone based in Dublin who had an incredible experience because they were able to access treatment locally. A major driver is the fact that, on average, people in the country live further away from hospital-based care than people in Dublin. This is one of the real issues driving the need to be able to deliver care in the community, and use a peer-led and nurse-led network to reach and treat people.