Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1333. To ask the Minister for Health if she has considered the introduction of a national screening programme for structural heart disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48963/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to supporting our population screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.

It is important to highlight that any decisions about changes to our national screening programmes, or the introduction of new programmes, will be facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols.

The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is the independent expert group that considers proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes. NSAC assesses the evidence in a robust and transparent manner, and against internationally accepted criteria, before making recommendations to me, as Minister for Health. The rigorous processes utilised by NSAC are critical to ensure that our screening programmes are effective, quality assured and operating to safe standards, and that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.

There are well-established criteria – the Wolson and Jungner WHO screening principles – that population screening programmes are expected to meet. The NSAC recommends a programme for full assessment only once it determines that each of these criteria has been satisfactorily fulfilled. NSAC has previously received proposals for the introduction of a screening programme for Structural Heart Disease. However, after reviewing the evidence, NSAC decided not to refer the applications for further consideration by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). However, in recognition of the continually evolving nature of medical research, NSAC holds annual Calls for Submissions, which invite proposals from all stakeholders and organisations, including members of the public, HSE and other medical professionals, for the introduction of new screening programmes or changes to existing programmes. The 2025 NSAC Call for Submissions closed on 12 September 2025. All proposals, including those related to screening for Structural Heart Disease, will be carefully considered by the Committee at its upcoming meetings.

On April 8th, the National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services was published and contains a number of recommendations specific to Structural Heart Disease. The report is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/837d0-national-review-of-adult-specialist-cardiac-services-in-ireland/.

The Review makes recommendations for the organisation of services and workforce required to deliver structural heart disease care, but does not make a specific recommendation for screening of these conditions. The HSE are currently developing the implementation plan for the Review’s recommendations, which I expect in the coming weeks.

I would like to emphasise that population screening programmes are for people without symptoms. If anyone becomes aware of symptoms or if they have concerns or worries, they should contact a medical professional.