Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)

Tomorrow, Friday, 14 November, is World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day reminds us that diabetes is growing in Ireland. It is a national challenge requiring urgent and co-ordinated policy action. Today, more than 300,000 people, or one in 17 of our population, live with diabetes, with between 12,000 and 14,000 new cases every year. Type 2 diabetes is projected to rise by 60% in the next ten to 15 years. Diabetes already accounts for between 10% and 12% of the HSE budget and 60% of the costs relating to preventable complications. Approximately 52% of healthcare professionals believe better access to continuous glucose monitoring, CGM, would significantly improve Type 2 diabetes management, yet many patients face long waiting times or no access at all. Diabetes is not just a single condition. It is a driving factor behind kidney failure, sight loss, cardiac disease and amputations. When people cannot access the right tools or timely specialist care, outcomes worsen and costs rise. Ireland is behind many European partners in access to modern, data-driven diabetes care.

World Diabetes Day is an opportunity to change course. We need equitable access to CGM for all who need it, multi-annual funding for specialist diabetes teams, rapid publication of a national diabetes strategy and a national diabetes register to ensure transparency and accountability. Re-establishing the Oireachtas cross-party group on diabetes will help deliver the unified leadership this issue demands. By taking these steps, we can improve outcomes, reduce complications and offer real hope to anyone living with diabetes in Ireland.