Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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124. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether Ireland's national action plan on antimicrobial resistance is sufficiently robust to address the significant issue of antimicrobial resistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51007/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) arises when an infective organism develops resistance and can no longer be treated with antimicrobials. It is mainly associated with antibiotics but also occurs with other antimicrobials including antivirals and antifungals. Effective treatments are important to treat and prevent infections and minimise morbidly and mortality (e.g. sepsis). They are also required for the delivery of many modern healthcare interventions, including chemotherapy, major surgery, organ transplantation and neonatal care.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that AMR is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. In recognition of the serious challenge posed by AMR, AMR has been included in Ireland’s National Risk Assessment since 2014.

National Action Plans on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) are an international commitment for Member Stares of both the European Commission and the WHO.  Ireland’s first National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2020, known as iNAP1, was developed jointly by the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and was published in October 2017.

The successor plan, Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025, known as iNAP2, was published jointly by the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in November 2021. Importantly, it includes learning from both the CPE and COVID-19 Public Health Emergencies and the Report of the European Commission / European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control One Health Country Monitoring Visit on AMR to Ireland in 2019. It also aligns with the Department of Health Statement of Strategy 2021 – 2023 and the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future.

Both plans adopt a One Health approach and align to the five Strategic Objectives as outlined in the WHO Global Action Plan (2015) and the requirements of the European Action Plan on AMR (2017). iNAP2 includes 90 actions specific to human health across these objectives. In addition, it also includes 15 One Health actions agreed across the human health, animal health and environment sectors.

The goal of the One Health concept is to encourage multidisciplinary collaborative efforts across different sectors such as human health, animal health, agriculture, and the environment to achieve the optimal health outcomes for people and animals. It advocates a “whole of society” approach, recognising that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment. It has been acknowledged globally that a One Health approach is the most effective way to address the global AMR challenge. This is promoted by both the WHO and the European Commission.

The human health actions in iNAP2 have been developed through engagement with internal and external stakeholders and the expert advisory input of the Patient Safety Council.

The approach to iNAP2 actions was based on three Guiding Principles:

1. Patient-centred approach, founded on integrated care in line with Sláintecare;
2. Developing iNAP2 with a focus on people, including patients, service users, staff, stakeholders and the public;
3. Ensuring that learning from the COVID-19 Pandemic is incorporated, focusing on infection prevention and control as an enabler for safe care.

On the same day as the publication of iNAP2, the HSE published the HSE 2022-2025 Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control (AMRIC) Action Plan. This supports the delivery of iNAP2 and outlines the delivery and implementation of the human health actions under their remit.

Since 2018, there has been over €25m in new development funding to support activities in the Human Health sector including the funding and approval for the recruitment of 345 additional full-time posts across a range of IPC and AMR roles.

Antimicrobial Resistance poses a significant challenge to human, animal, and environmental health. iNAP2 provides the roadmap to help address this challenge over the lifecycle of the plan. The Department of Health is committed to continuing to work with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and HSE AMRIC, and to engaging with other stakeholders across the One Health sectors, to progress implementation of the actions under iNAP2.