Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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515. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the National Strategy for Accelerating Genetic and Genomic Medicine in Ireland and the National Genetics and Genomics Workforce Plan, to outline what additional resources are required to fully resource the Strategy and workforce plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45908/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Genetics and Genomics Office (NGGO) has developed a 5-year plan to expand genetic and genomic testing in Ireland and has mapped out key objectives which will be implemented from 2025 – 2029.

Within the NGGO’s six priority deliverables for 2024, I am happy to update on progress as follows: Under Priority Deliverable 1, “Development of a national genomic test directory for rare and inherited diseases”, the first version of the test directory is near completion and should be operational by Quarter 2 of 2025.

In relation to Priority Deliverable 2, “Development of a national genetic and genomic workforce plan”, the HSE’s National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) division is in the process of updating its Clinical Genetics Workforce Review which will be published in Q4, 2024. The NGGO’s Workforce Plan will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.

Under Priority Deliverable 3, “Continued communications and PPI activity, progression of communications research, and development of proposed new information materials for clinicians and patients”, a Communications and PPI Working Group has been established.

Within Priority Deliverable 4, “Continued development of equitable national genetics and genomics services, including clinical genetics services, genomics laboratory capabilities and associated bioinformatics”, my Department is engaging on an ongoing basis with the NGGO on long-term infrastructural developments.

Under Priority Deliverable 5: “Develop a national genetic and genomic data and technology roadmap”, project planning is currently in-progress.

Lastly, in relation to Priority Deliverable 6, “Continue to collaborate with research initiatives including Genomic Data Infrastructure and Genome of Ireland, and internationally through participation in the 1+Million Genome (1+MG) European project”, my Department and the NGGO has ongoing representation on the 1+MG workstreams, engaging with international experts working in the field.

I also note that the increase in additional resources for the upcoming year is not available at present as the HSE National Service Plan is in development, therefore confirmation cannot be made at this time.

The Government and I remain fully committed to developing robust patient and family centred genetics and genomics service in Ireland and increasing genomic laboratory capabilities for the betterment of patient diagnostics and care.