Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Health Information Bill 2024 is a step towards modernising healthcare in Ireland. It is a big statement and I welcome the Bill because we badly need to modernise the health system in Ireland. The Health Information Bill 2024, which was published on 19 June last, aims to establish a legal framework for digital health records in Ireland and set guidelines for sharing patient data in the interests of care and treatment. It is a significant step forward in addressing Ireland's lag in digital healthcare compared with other OECD countries. In various surveys, we fail terribly in this regard in comparison with other OECD countries. It is shameful that Ireland is an outlier as regards the digital sector and the digital economy. We have so many data centres, but we have an archaic system that involves paper folders and paper records.

I was in a hospital recently. It seemed ironic to me. As a peace commissioner, I had to sign a form for a patient who is unable to speak. She was able to use the computer, so when I took up my pen, which was blue, she typed "No, we need a black pen". I went to the nurses' station to be told that they do not use black pens, only blue or red. That is all they are allowed. It is interesting what you learn in the course of a day's work. That aside, the situation in the context of the Bill is that if we compare digital healthcare systems across OECD countries, we find that Ireland ranks lowest with regard to several key indicators of digital readiness. That is an embarrassing situation for us to be in.

It is such a nightmare. People should be able to access their records within minutes. When I was in the Chair during the Second Stage debate on this Bill, the Minister admitted that someone recently had to wait six or eight weeks. That is not acceptable. Such information needs to be at people's fingertips in order to allow them to act swiftly and share data in various hospitals in different parts of the country. It should be possible to access data in a timely manner. Ireland is significantly behind when it comes to digital healthcare. It is one of only four EU member states that do not provide citizens with access to centralised health records. There is so much to be done. I am not blaming the staff. They are busy, but the system needs attention.

The whole situation with PPARs, in respect of which €50 million was flushed down the you-know-what, was a disaster. The problem is that nobody is held accountable for any of these situations. It is sad in a democracy when no one is held accountable. The tzars at the time, the Secretary General of the Department and the relevant Ministers, have to be held to account. Accountability has gone out of this House, this Government and this State.

There are potential benefits in improving patient care. Digital health records will enable better co-ordination and continuity of care, leading to improved patient outcomes. That is a given. The Bill will facilitate the use of health information for public interest purposes such as policymaking and regulatory activities and statistics. Regional data sharing is vital.

We will be looking at this and assessing it. Hopefully, we will be putting down amendments because there are weak points in the legislation. I would like to see a timeline as to when it might be enacted. That is another situation. It could pass through the Houses and take forever and a day to be implemented. Our system is creaky and badly broken. We need legislation such as this, and I welcome it. The Rural Independents will submit amendments. I hope that they will be given favourable consideration and that there will be adequate time to discuss them.

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