Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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963. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to implement the National Hepatitis C Treatment Programmes into the Irish Prison Service as is set out in the HSE National Service Plan for 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41435/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE established a National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme (NHCTP) in 2015 and began the process of providing treatment for Hepatitis C using Directly Acting Antivirals to patients prioritised according to clinical need.

The NHCTP is continuing to strengthen the seek and treat model in order to continue to reach as many people as possible who are in need of testing and treatment.

The NHCTP has provided funding for a Hepatitis C Nurse to support St. James’s Hospital’s outreach to the Irish Prison Service. A new HSE Hepatitis C pilot project within Cork Prison is due to commence in Quarter 3 of 2021.