Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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867. To ask the Minister for Health if she plans to fully fund the implementation of the HSE digital health roadmap; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14193/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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'Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030' has been developed to reflect the rapidly changing landscape of health and social care in Ireland. The framework sets out a clear roadmap for investment in digital health and delivery of digital health records.

www.gov.ie/en/publication/0d21e-digital-for-care-a-digital-health-framework-for-ireland-2024-2030/

In tandem, the HSE’s Digital Health Strategic Implementation Roadmap details out the specifics and sequencing of the roadmap and confirm the necessary support required to realise this intent.

bout.hse.ie/publications/digital-for-care/

The Programme for Government both underlines and commits to the ambition set out in the Framework and Roadmap to continue to work towards the full digitisation of Irish healthcare records and information systems, and to increase funding levels, through the National Development Plan (NDP), to achieve this.

The framework states that ' Through successive national service plans, capital and revenue funding has increased year on year. Delivery of this framework will require this incremental approach to continue through 2030 for the majority of projects, plus additional funding (capital and revenue) and staffing, specifically for the following key areas of investment: National EHRs deployed regionally, Cyber Resilience, National Shared care record, HSE Health App and Patient Engagement, Electronic Prescribing, Telehealth and Virtual Wards, Digital Identities, and Standards and Interoperability.'

Government has continued to support Digital Health in recent years by increasing both capital and revenue funding provided for ICT and digital health. Investment in Capital funding has increased from €60 million in 2018 to €190 million in 2025. (Capital funding for ICT was just €40m in 2012).

As part of the National Service Plan (NSP) for 2025, the ICT Capital Plan has been aligned with the framework and associated HSE roadmap. The initiatives described in the plan are closely coupled with the six principles contained within the strategy, and the priorities for digital health in the coming year. Whilst we will continue to invest in core systems, infrastructure and building cyber resilience, digital health initiatives in 2025 will place a particular emphasis on patient engagement and empowerment through the use of digital channels and services, building capacity by developing virtual care wards, and provide more options for patients to avail of telehealth services.

The Department of Health will continue to work closely with the HSE in developing costings for the major programmes of work required to deliver on the ambition of Digital for Care. The pace of delivery will ultimately be determined by the extent to which the Government choose to invest in digital, conscious of the other competing priorities for funding in health, as well as having the skills, resources and capacity for change and reform within the health service.