Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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60. To ask the Minister for Health the measures taken to reduce the amount of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions; and if he will consider the creation of a special task force to assess and mitigate the growing threat of antibiotic resistant infections. [13770/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognised at global, European and national levels, including Ireland, as one of the greatest potential threats to human and animal health with possible serious consequences for public health, animal welfare and the agriculture and food sectors.

The emergence of resistance is a normal biological phenomenon but is increased through the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in human and animal medicine. The spread of these resistant strains is further increased, however, through poor hygiene practices and increased global travel and trade. There are also increasing concerns about the potential for spread of antimicrobial resistance in food and environmental pollution with antimicrobials e.g. through water contamination and agricultural run-off.

In recognition of the serious and increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance and the requirement for a ‘whole of Government’ approach to health issues, a high level National Interdepartmental AMR Consultative Committee was established in November 2014 to address this issue. The Committee is co-chaired by the Department of Health’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO).

The Committee also functions as Ireland’s Intersectoral co-ordinating mechanism for addressing AMR at European level.

The Committee was launched, with Ministerial approval, on European Antibiotic Awareness Day in November 2014 and has a clear role and mandate across the human and animal health sectors. Committee membership consists of representatives of both Departments and of the relevant HSE and veterinary specialist agencies, including other relevant bodies with a remit across the two sectors; membership is representative of major stakeholders. The Committee meets bi-annually and its most recent meeting took place on 13 April 2016.

Ireland is fully committed to and engaged in addressing resolution of the problem of AMR and will continue to collaborate at international, EU and national levels to this end. Through membership of the World Health Organisation, Ireland is part of the international effort aimed at tackling the global public health threat of AMR, which requires action across human and animal health sectors, agriculture and the wider environment.

In May 2015 at the WHO 68th World Health Assembly the final WHO Global Action Plan was endorsed; it sets out five strategic objectives:

1. to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance;

2. to strengthen knowledge through surveillance and research;

3. to reduce the incidence of infection;

4. to optimize the use of antimicrobial agents; and

5. develop the economic case for sustainable investment that takes account of the needs of all countries, and increase investment in new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and other interventions.

Through adoption of the Global Action Plan, governments committed to have in place, by May 2017, a national action plan on antimicrobial resistance that is aligned with the global action plan. This national plan will cover the use of antimicrobial medicines in animal health and agriculture, as well as for human health. The WHO is working with countries to support the development and implementation of their national plans, and will report progress to the Health Assembly in 2017.

The National Interdepartmental AMR Consultative Committee, at its meeting on 13 April last, agreed as a key action for 2016 the development of Ireland’s AMR national action plan.

I would also note that the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and AMR has in any case been a significant, long-standing patient safety and public health priority for the Department of Health for many years.

A wide range of initiatives have been put in place in the Irish health system over several years in response to the rising incidence of AMRs. These include:

- improved surveillance of infections and prescribing;

- infection prevention and control processes;

- antimicrobial stewardship initiatives; and

- public and professional awareness raising, with a significant emphasis on the education and training of healthcare professionals.