Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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347. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the continued suspension of the transvaginal tape sling procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women, which is clinically supported procedure, is still unavailable in Ireland more than six years after the pause was implemented; and the options women have now, who have not yet had a family and who have already tried and failed all conservative therapies. [36724/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Uro-gynaecological (transvaginal) mesh is used in the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in women and such mesh devices have been widely used for this over the past two decades. However, in late 2017, in line with emerging international evidence, concerns were raised at national level regarding the frequency and severity of complications associated with the use of transvaginal mesh devices. The then Minister for Health requested the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to prepare a report on the clinical and technical issues involved.

In November 2018, the CMO’s report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures was published. The report contains a number of recommendations regarding the safe and effective provision of mesh procedures in uro-gynaecology and an appropriate response to women who suffer complications as a result of undergoing such procedures. In July 2018, the CMO asked the HSE to pause all mesh procedures where clinically safe to do so, pending confirmation of the implementation of specific recommendations in the CMO’s report.

In 2023 the HSE established a National Vaginal Mesh Implant Oversight Group to oversee vaginal mesh implants in our HSE acute hospitals in terms of both primary implant surgery and tertiary complications services. The focus of this group was to review and assess implementation of the recommendations as set out in the CMO’s report and assess the appropriateness of resuming uro-gynaecological mesh procedures, cognisant of international developments and approaches in this complex area.

My Department has recently received a report from the HSE’s National Vaginal Mesh Implant Oversight Group. My officials are currently examining the report and liaising with their counterparts in the HSE to ensure comprehensive implementation of the CMO’s recommendations.

Women’s health is a key priority for the Department of Health. I understand the impact the pause on the use of uro-gynaecological mesh has on women who wish to avail of this surgery, however my Department must take a safety-first approach to this issue.

The focus for my Department and the HSE remains the full implementation of the CMO’s report and ensuring that women who require aftercare following mesh complications receive high quality, multi-disciplinary patient centred care in accordance with the evidence and supported by robust clinical governance mechanisms.