Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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1510. To ask the Minister for Health the funding available from her Department to support the development of new national health registries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29977/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation, which came into force on 26 March 2025, provides a common governance framework and harmonised infrastructure for the use and reuse of electronic health data in and between EU Member States for primary purposes (patient care and treatment) and secondary purposes (research and innovation, policy making, education and training).

The EHDS Regulation outlines a number of categories of electronic health data that should be made available for secondary use, including data from health registries. As such, the EHDS will provide greater opportunities to enrich, access and share health registry data within and between Member States while also further promoting research and innovation.

Implementation of the EHDS Regulation will follow a phased timeline. A significant first step is the Health Information Bill which is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Health Information Bill will provide a clear legal basis for the development of digital health records – as part of the implementation of the wider Digital for Care Strategy. The development of digital health records will allow for improvements in the development of patient registries including by facilitating better connections with the wider health data system.

As the Deputy may be aware, funding has been allocated to support the development of a number of disease-specific patient registries. Decisions in respect of further opportunities arising for patient registries, including funding and other supports that may be required in this regard, will be a key consideration as part of the phased implementation of the EHDS Regulation.