Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the pause on the use of mesh for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence that has been in place since July 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60277/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In July 2018, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) asked the HSE to pause all vaginal mesh surgical procedures where clinically safe to do so, pending implementation of recommendations as set out in his report on The Use of Uro-Gynaecological Mesh in Surgical Procedures.

In 2023 the HSE established a National Vaginal Mesh Implant Oversight Group. The focus of this group was to review and assess implementation of the CMO’s recommendations and assess the appropriateness of resuming uro-gynaecological mesh procedures. The Department received an updated report from the group in February 2025.

Officials in the Department are currently liaising with the HSE and other stakeholders as part of an evidence-based process to determine whether to re-introduce the procedure. As this is an extremely complex issue it is not possible to give a timeline for decision at present.

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