William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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1035. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to develop a national pathway and specialist multidisciplinary functional neurological disorder clinic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63121/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Department is committed to working with relevant stakeholders including the HSE and patient representatives to strengthen key services and supports for people with neurological conditions including Functional Neurological Disorders and made significant investments in Budget 2025.

Budget 2025 provided €4m for the recruitment of 5 consultant neurologists and an additional 25 WTEs to support the implementation of the Neurology Model of Care and the Hub and Spoke Model for neurology services.

Of the 30 WTEs announced for neurology services 3 of these will be dedicated to FND services at St. James Hospital. These posts will include a senior physiotherapist, senior occupational therapists and a neuro-psychologist.

The National Clinical Programme for Neurology (NCPN) recognises the need to develop a pathway for people with FND in all six Health Regions and established a working group to consider this proposed initiative in September 2025.

More broadly, the National Clinical Programme for Neurology is actively working on a Hub and Spoke model to guide equitable neurology services around the country to align with the new health regions and to tackle the gaps in neurology services nationally. This will cater for people with all neurological conditions including FND and will deliver on the Sláintecare principle of delivering care closer to the patients home.

This model will include one model 4 hospital ‘Hub’ per Health Region, catering for the most complex neurological care. These sites will support model 3 hospital ‘Spoke’ sites who will provide services for people with less complex needs where efficient access to Hubs as required.

Many hospitals already have well developed neurology services, but funding received in Budget 2025 will enable delivery of Phase 1 of the Hub and Spoke model.

It is expected that this proposed Hub and Spoke model will enable a reduction in waiting lists, timely access to diagnosis and treatment and thus, improve quality of life and prognosis for people with neurological symptoms, including FND.

I am committed to making further progress developing services for those with Functional Neurological Disorders and I will continue to work with the HSE to ensure improvements in Neurology services as a whole.