Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate Deputy Naughten's kind words. I am replying on behalf of Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I appreciate the opportunity to update the House on the important matter of national laboratory capacity for genetics and genomics.

It is important that we increase genomic laboratory capability in Ireland and invest in the infrastructure to drive this advancement. Genomic medicine is enabling a paradigm shift from a disease-orientated, one-size-fits-all approach in healthcare to an approach that is more personalised, predictive, preventative, data driven and cost effective. An important element of this is developing a national approach to genomic testing in Ireland. In 2016, the national genetic and genomic medicine network strategy group provided a report to the HSE. This report outlined the future of genetic and genomic services in Ireland. It recommended that a national approach to clinical and laboratory genetics and genomics should be developed. It also highlighted that the existing laboratory in Children's Health Ireland Crumlin was not designed to deliver a national function in this regard.

Following on from this report, a national strategy for accelerating genetic and genomic medicine in Ireland was launched in 2022. In line with Sláintecare, the strategy outlines a clear approach to developing a sustainable patient- and family-centred genetics and genomics service. An important element of achieving this is increasing genomic laboratory capabilities in Ireland. Strengthening infrastructure to drive advances in genetics and genomics is a key objective of the strategy’s focus. This will lead to the development of a national centre for genomic medicine services, including genomic testing and bioinformatics.

As the current focus of work is on assessment of existing capacity and need, a decision on the location of this new national centre has not yet been made. In the meantime, and while the 2022 strategy is being implemented, I assure the Deputy and the House that genetic and genomic testing will continue to be managed in CHI Crumlin and other acute hospitals, as appropriate.

The Minister is fully committed to developing a robust patient- and family-centred genetics and genomics service in Ireland and increasing wider laboratory capabilities for the betterment of patient diagnostics and care.

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