Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for the update. Just to add to what my colleague Deputy Boland said, the patient voice forum is a really good step forward. It is incredible that it has not happened before now. Well done to the Minister for putting it in place. It is a model that should work in many different areas of the health service and I really welcome it.

I want to mention the area of diagnosis. As has been said, it is estimated that one in seven women has the condition, although it could be a lot higher. We owe it to women to put the systems in place so that we can get a real estimate. I know that will take time and I imagine it is a long-term initiative but how does the Minister see that happening? I presume it will be done through the GP network but that network has to be upskilled. GPs have a huge role to play in this.

The other issue relates to the two big specialist centres and the regional centres that have been set up in support of more moderate cases. What is the ideal pathway into those centres when all of this work is done and we have, hopefully, a well-running system? What is the pathway for a woman to get in there as quickly as possible?

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