Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1504. To ask the Minister for Health if the copper coil is covered under the free contraception programme; if not, the decision-making process that led to it not being included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13857/23]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The free contraception scheme for women aged 17 -25 was launched on 14^thSeptember, 2022, and expanded to include 26 year-olds on January 1^st, 2023. The scheme is currently open to women aged 17-26 who are ordinarily resident in Ireland, and will be expanded to those aged 30 and under by September 1st, 2023.

For eligible women, the free contraception scheme provides for:

- The cost of consultations with GPs, family planning clinics and other relevant medical professionals to discuss contraceptive options with eligible patients and to provide prescriptions for these;

- The cost of prescription contraception, dispensed at local pharmacy of choice;

- The cost of fitting and/or removal of various types of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) plus any necessary checks, by medical professionals certified to fit/remove LARCs (e.g. intrauterine devices (IUD), systems (IUS), coils and implants);

- The cost of providing the wide range of contraceptive options on the HSE's Re-Imbursement List, including contraceptive injections, various types of LARCs, the contraceptive patch and ring, and various forms of oral contraceptive pill, including emergency contraception.

It is my understanding that the "Ballerine MIDI Intrauterine Device", a copper coil, was included on the Reimbursement List in January, 2023. The full list of products on the Re-Imbursement List can be accessed on the HSE website.

For further detail regarding the administration of the Reimbursement List, as this is an operational matter, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1505. To ask the Minister for Health when the Sláintecare project on the development of a National Diabetes Register will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13858/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is an operational matter, I have referred the question to the HSE for direct reply to you.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1506. To ask the Minister for Health if he accepts the need for a National Diabetes Register; the reason there is no current register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13859/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Diabetes is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of people living with the condition. Management of the condition is required across the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery, through general practice, community specialist care and hospital inpatient specialist care.

Budget 2023 provides funding for a number of initiatives aimed at improving diabetes care, including commencing the development of a National Diabetes Register.

The development of a National Diabetes Registry will have a long-term benefit on patient care by facilitating benchmarking of individual care against guideline recommendations and QI feedback to practitioners, and on the provision of appropriate health services by providing reliable information to healthcare planners and policymakers.

My Department and HSE National Clinical Programme for Diabetes are currently engaged in preparatory work for phase 1 of this multi-year project.