Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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1151. To ask the Minister for Health to commit to a full national inquiry into paediatric disability services, including orthopaedics, neurology, therapy services, equipment provision, overseas referrals and community services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64008/25]

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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1153. To ask the Minister for Health whether her Department has considered the impact of patients attending private hospitals being excluded from national statistics; the steps planned to ensure complete data for service planning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64020/25]

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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1154. To ask the Minister for Health the measures being taken to capture patient information from private hospitals to address gaps in national statistics, particularly for neurological conditions, to provide a complete picture of healthcare needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64021/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1153 and 1154 together.

My Department submits national healthcare statistics annually to Eurostat in fulfilment of the European Regulation (EU) 2022/2294, as regards statistics on healthcare facilities, healthcare human resources and healthcare utilisation. These statistics are onward shared with OECD and WHO and are available on the databases of these international organisations. My Department also publishes this data directly and the 2025 National Healthcare Statistics and metadata are available at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/collections/national-healthcare-statistics-2025/.

From reference year 2020 onwards, Ireland’s statistics under this Regulation included private sector activity, whenever available. This has been possible through my Department’s engagement with private hospitals in Ireland since 2019. Furthermore, through this same engagement, my Department is still working with the private hospitals to further its reporting through both anonymised and aggregated data in order to fulfil its European statistical regulatory requirements.

The Deputy may also wish to note that the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation will provide a common governance framework and harmonised infrastructure for both the primary and secondary use of electronic health data in and between EU Member States.

The Health Information Bill, which completed Dáil Committee Stage in July, and will proceed to Dáil Report Stage shortly, is part of a suite of planned legislative measures to give full effect to the EHDS Regulation. It will provide a legislative basis for the introduction of electronic health records for all patients in Ireland as well as introducing a statutory duty to share personal health data across healthcare settings (public, private and voluntary) for the purposes of care and treatment. It also empowers the HSE to request, from health services providers (including private providers with whom it has entered into an arrangement to provide health services), health information for specified public interest purposes, including public health and policymaking.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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1155. To ask the Minister for Health the means by which the development of electronic patient records will ensure that diagnoses and treatments from private hospitals are included, so patients' medical histories are complete, and continuity of care is not compromised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64022/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The development of electronic health records (EHRs) is a cornerstone of Ireland’s Digital for Care strategy and essential to delivering integrated, safer, and community-centred care under Sláintecare. A core objective is that patient information follows the person, regardless of where care is delivered.

To ensure that diagnoses and treatments from private hospitals are incorporated into each person's digital health record, we are deploying the National Shared Care Record technology platform nationwide on a phased basis from 2026 to 2027. This will be supported by internationally recognised interoperability standards to enable seamless data exchange and by alignment with European Health Data Space requirements to guarantee secure, standardised sharing across all care settings.

This work will be underpinned by the forthcoming Health Information Bill, which provides the legal basis for sharing specified categories of health information. This is further strengthened by substantial investment already made in advanced site-specific and regional EHR systems, which lay the foundation for integrated digital care.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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1156. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the implementation of electronic health records in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64023/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030 sets out a roadmap to digitally transform health services and describes a very clear path for the full digitisation of healthcare records and information systems in Ireland, as committed to under the Programme for Government.

Implementation of Ireland’s Digital for Care strategy is progressing at pace following its publication in May 2024. It sets out vision to enable better health outcomes through seamless, safe, secure, and connected digital health services that support both patients and providers. This vision is grounded in the principles of Sláintecare.

Ireland is pursuing a three-step approach to the delivery of electronic health records in Ireland, comprising a National Patient App, the National Shared Care Record and an enterprise level Electronic Health Record that will be centrally procured and configured, but regionally deployed and owned by each of the six health regions.

The HSE Health app was launched in February 2025 and has been downloaded 186,000 times with 113,000 registered users accessing their personal health information, the user base is increasing by an average of 500 people per day (information as of November 2025). There are now 36 hospitals using the app for appointments (including all maternity hospitals) with a plan for the additional hospitals, statutory and voluntary, to be brought onto the app in 2026.

The app has also been recognised with three national awards in 2025, underscoring its role in empowering patients and improving access. The app has been co-designed with a wide range of people who use our services, staff, and advocacy organisations, who have been active partners throughout the process. Future app features will be guided by ongoing research and engagement with patients, staff, advocacy organisations, and the public.

The technology platform for the National Shared Care Record (NSCR) was procured earlier this year. The NSCR brings together healthcare information from various sources such as hospitals, GP practices, and Community care into a single place, making them available at the point of care and self-care in read only format. By having access to key healthcare information in one place means healthcare professionals will be able to make more informed, safer decisions and to focus more time on direct patient care while patients will be better informed and empowered to manage their own healthcare.

A phased rollout of the national shared care record is due to commence in Q4 2025 in the South-East region with University Hospital Waterford and surrounding community areas. The system will then extend to other regions from in 2026 and 2027.

A preliminary business case (PBC) for the National EHR has been developed by the HSE, setting out the case for the most ambitious transformation programme in the history of the health service. In accordance with DPER’s infrastructure guidelines the EHR PBC went through an independent, external assurance process (EAP) review in July and was considered COMPLIANT in all areas. The PBC was also subjected to review by the Major Project Advisory Group (MPAG), and a Memo for Government is being finalised and will go to Government shortly to secure consent for the next stage – preparation for procurement.

A PIN (Prior Information Notice) was published in June 2025 informing EHR suppliers about the health service's interest in a national enterprise-level EHR system. This process is open to all potential vendors willing to engage through this process. The consultation seeks supplier input to inform the upcoming procurement, with a contract award expected by the end of 2026 and phased implementation following that.