Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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504. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the National Stroke Strategy; the level of funding that has been provided to the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45895/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE National Stroke Strategy 2022-2027 aims to modernise and reform stroke services in line with Sláintecare policy and address the challenges facing Ireland from population ageing and the predicted increase in the total number of strokes right across Europe, including Ireland. The strategy provides a blueprint for required investment in stroke services over the five-year period from 2022-2027 and is based on a required overall investment of approximately €36m.

The government is fully committed to supporting improvements and advances in stroke services. Prior to Budget 2025, a total of €7.3m has been allocated to fund the HSE National Stroke Strategy which was allocated for the extension of the GP contract to cover opportunistic screening of High blood pressure in over 18- year-olds with a medical or GP visit card.

Separately, approval in 2023 enabled 11.5 WTEs to be progress through recruitment to support the implementation of the strategy.

In Budget 2025 I secured €5.0m for the HSE National Stroke Strategy bringing the total funding allocated to date to €12.3m. This new funding will support the expansion of early supported discharge teams and access to acute stroke units to support stroke services through the provision of additional consultants, psychologists and a range of health and social care professionals.

I remain fully committed to supporting this key clinical strategy. My officials are working closely with the HSE to ensure its successful implementation to prevent new cases of stroke and improve outcomes for those who experience a stroke.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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505. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the National Sexual Health Strategy; the level of funding that has been provided to the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45896/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Sexual health is a priority for the Department of Health; the National Sexual Health Strategy 2015-2020 (NSHS) was developed as a core policy under the Healthy Ireland Framework and is a priority under the Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan, 2021-2025. Implementation of the Strategy is led by the HSE Sexual Health Programme (formerly the Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP)). The first Strategy was extended until the end of 2022 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

An independent Review of the Strategy, by Crowe Ireland, was published in March 2023. The Review identified 56 Priority Actions, of which 49 were assessed as having been successfully progressed. It also sets out 32 indicative recommendations to build on achievements, and to optimise development of a new Strategy.

The following priorities have been identified for the new National Sexual Health Strategy:

• Supporting sexual health across the lifecourse
• Implementing a Model of Care for sexual health services, with a key focus on prevention; diagnosis, treatment, information and surveillance for STIs, including HIV;
• Building capacity and meeting demand for HIV prevention and treatment, including PrEP and PEP;
• Expanding capacity and further developing the home STI testing service and STI testing and treatment more widely, bearing in mind the increase in STI transmission rates, internationally;
• Improving Sexual health information, education and supports, including awareness of consent;
• Further developing and expanding the Free Contraception Scheme for women and the National Condom Distribution Service, to support better access to contraception and STI prevention, also recognising the key role of hormonal contraception in treating adverse period symptoms;
• Supporting sexual health related research;
• Working in partnership across Government, supporting other relevant policy areas, including women’s, men’s and LGBTI+ health, DSGBV prevention, recognising the needs of marginalised groups, using a socially inclusive approach and focusing on the sexual health-related elements of these areas of work;
• Supporting our international commitments concerning sexual health.

Furthermore, an additional €0.6m has been allocated to support the free home STI testing scheme; given increasing demand for the service. This brings funding for home STI testing to €4.82m in 2025.

Approximately €0.2m has been allocated to support the free contraception scheme, enabling expert advice to be applied to the inclusion of free contraception in the forthcoming expansion of pharmacy services, and supporting forthcoming public information campaigns in 2025 regarding those changes. In summary, an additional €1.4m has been allocated to support sexual health in 2025.

Following the advice of experts on the NSHS Drafting Committee, the new Strategy has now undergone an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback, which is now complete. The Strategy is in the final stages of development; it is envisaged that it will be launched in early 2025.