Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Byrne for giving me the opportunity to update the House on this important matter. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Minister for Health and I are dedicated to enhancing Ireland’s population screening programmes, which play a crucial role in our health services by facilitating early treatment and care for many people, thereby promoting the overall health of our community. In this regard, I highlight that any proposed changes to Ireland's screening programmes will be facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols.

The national screening advisory committee, NSAC, is the independent expert group which considers any proposed changes to screening programmes. It assesses the evidence robustly and transparently against internationally accepted criteria before making recommendations to the Minister for Health. The NSAC processes ensure that recommendations are based on solid evidence, which is crucial to maintaining rigorous processes for effective, quality-assured and safe screening programme standards. I must emphasise that any changes to Ireland's screening programmes will always be based on the available evidence and that the benefits of such a change should outweigh the potential harms.

The NSAC received a proposal for the introduction of a national screening programme for coeliac disease in children through its 2023-2024 call for submissions. This proposal was carefully considered at an NSAC meeting in June 2024. On the basis of the information provided in the submission, the committee decided that the proposal did not sufficiently satisfy its requirements for referral to the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, for a full evidence review, also known as a health technology assessment. The Coeliac Society of Ireland requested an appeal of this decision and provided additional information. However, after reviewing the additional information provided, the committee determined that its original decision would be maintained. In explaining the rationale for its decision, the committee noted that there is currently a lack of sufficient evidence to demonstrate additional benefits to the population. The committee also pointed to existing HSE guidelines and established clinical pathways for the early identification of symptoms associated with the condition.

I remind the Chamber that the benefits and harms of introducing a screening programme need to be balanced and must align with the internationally recognised Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening. It may be of interest to note that NSAC holds annual calls for submissions, which invite proposals from all stakeholders and organisations, including members of the public, HSE and other medical professionals, for the introduction of new screening programmes or changes to existing programmes. This Commencement matter is well timed, given that the 2025 call for submissions is due to launch shortly. I invite the Coeliac Society of Ireland to submit an updated application, should it feel that significant new evidence has emerged that would warrant reconsideration by the NSAC. Information on how to make a submission will be available on the NSAC website. I thank the Senator for raising this issue and I will raise it with the Minister for Health.