Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this important matter, which affects so many people and to which so many others are predisposed as well. We have objectively seen service improvements for patients with haemochromatosis in recent years. The 2019 GP contractual improvements involved moving services. People sometimes had to go to hospital for services that can now be accessed from the local GP. The plan this year is to hire more advanced nurse practitioners. That, through liver treatment and the management of liver disease, could identify more patients at an earlier stage. From a practical, cost-of-living point of view, my colleague the Minister for Health decided to abolish acute outpatient charges. All these are positive developments.

On screening strategies and where to go next, we took an important collective decision a number of years ago to establish the NSAC to bring in a level of expertise to examine, critique and decide what areas and diseases we should and should not screen for. I am sure the Deputy will be encouraged to hear it is proposed that genetic haemochromatosis will be considered by the NSAC. When that will happen in the committee's work programme is something it will keep updated on its website. The Deputy can receive updates from the NSAC in that regard. The outcome of this process will inform any further steps the Government may take.

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