Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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695. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the commitment to provide wider availability of adrenaline auto-injectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27110/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There are currently four adrenaline auto-injectors authorised and marketed in Ireland. Brands include Anapen®, Epipen®, Jext® and Emerade®. Adrenaline auto-injector pens are normally ordered by pharmacies from wholesalers and dispensed to patients on foot of a prescription.

On Thursday 15th October 2015, Minister Leo Varadkar signed new regulations which allowed certain prescription-only medicines, including adrenaline auto-injectors, to be administered by trained members of the public and by Pharmacists in emergency situations.

Organisations such as colleges, schools, restaurants and sports clubs are allowed to hold adrenaline auto-injectors and to arrange for staff to be trained in their use in the event of an emergency. Under the new arrangements it is a condition of administration of the medication concerned by lay persons that such persons must have undergone appropriate training in this regard.

The arrangements which the new regulations permit are voluntary. Organisations are not obliged to participate unless they wish to do so.