Ms Alison Cotter:

Deputy Tully referenced some our own research within MS Ireland. For example, we have a piece of research that stated that delaying and reducing disability to people living with MS, not with any other neurological condition, can save the State up to €19 million per year. One of the programmes we are trying to implement at the moment and for which we have submitted a business case is our new physiotherapy programme. We have pilot projects called Active Neuro running in the midwest. Thank God, reduction of healthcare utilisation after this project is 43%. We have a 49% reduction in the number of people falling. As the average cost of a hip fracture is between €12,000 and €22,000, prevention of hip replacements could pay for a senior physical therapist in one CHO. For an investment of €880,000 per year, the State is saving about €18 million.

Another piece of research that we carried out in 2022 is on the societal cost of MS, in terms of the direct, indirect and intangible costs to society as a whole. That figure was €483 million per annum. I will hand over to my colleague, Ms Rogers, to answer the rest of the Deputy's questions.