Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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660. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the action plan for anti-microbial resistance. [33936/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, this Department, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has co-authored the drafting of Ireland's first National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance2017-2020to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Council requirements of each country to have in place a national action plan on antimicrobial resistance by mid-2017.

The draft Plan has been developed in collaboration with key stakeholders across the human, animal and environmental sectors in line with a whole of Government or ‘One Health’ approach to tackling AMR; the work of the two Departments has been guided by the Interdepartmental AMR Consultative Committee, chaired jointly by the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Veterinary Officer. This ambitious 3-year Plan covers the use of antimicrobial medicines in animal health and agriculture, as well as human health. Following the template of the WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2015), Ireland's draft Plan lists Strategic Interventions and Activities, responsible bodies and priority rankings of timelines for implementation.

Minister Creed and I intend to submit Ireland’s draft NationalAction Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance2017-2020to Cabinet shortly for approval and publication. Subject to approval the Plan will be published and formally launched in September. An implementation plan will be developed separately which will address means of tackling antimicrobial resistance as appropriate to each sector.