Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

749. To ask the Minister for Health the engagement her Department, the HSE, and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre have had with the World Health Organization and with the EU Health Security Committee in respect of the ongoing outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO on 17 May 2026; the steps being taken at national level to give effect to the opinion adopted by the EU Health Security Committee on 22 May 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41421/26]

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

750. To ask the Minister for Health the measures in place to detect, isolate, and manage any suspected case of Ebola disease arriving into the State in the context of the ongoing Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda; the current assessment of risk to the population here; the protocols in place for monitoring Irish humanitarian aid workers and other returning travellers from affected area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41422/26]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 749 and 750 together.

The outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo Virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO), but it has not been classified as a pandemic. The WHO defines a PHEIC as an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other countries through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.

The WHO’s risk assessment indicates that while the national and regional risk is high, the global risk remains low due to limited international transmission. Similarly, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has assessed the risk to Europe as very low.

My Department, together with the HSE’s National Health Protection Office (NHPO), is working closely with the European Commission, EU Member States, the ECDC, and the WHO, as well as other international and national partners with regard to this outbreak. This collaboration ensures that emerging information is continuously incorporated into Ireland’s national risk assessment and informs any necessary public health response.

At EU level, DG SANTE is coordinating preparedness measures and aligning Member State response through the Health Security Committee, with a focus on ensuring rapid laboratory diagnosis and heightened hospital vigilance while emphasising WHO advice on instating of exit screening procedures in affected countries and coordinated risk communication.

Ad-hoc senior level meetings of the Health Security Committee, chaired by DG Sandra Gallina, took place on 20th and 24th May and a HSC Opinion on current recommendations for a common EU approach in response to the Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak was finalised on 20th May, following consultation with Member States. In parallel, DG HERA is monitoring the availability of medical countermeasures and engaging with regulatory partners to assess potential experimental therapeutics relevant to the Bundibugyo strain.

While this event is not a pandemic, HSE has in place operational plans to respond to emergent threats with pandemic potential or which threaten Ireland’s health security.

The HSE national operational pandemic plan, which provides a comprehensive framework for responding to major infectious disease events at both national and regional levels, including scenarios where a vaccine may not be available. This plan was tested during Exercise Pandora in March 2025 and subsequently reviewed in July 2025.

Regional pandemic plans are currently being finalised. The framework reflects lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as experience gained in managing a range of public health events, including previous Ebola outbreaks, mpox, and seasonal respiratory virus surges.

The HSE has sufficient stock of PPE to meet the needs of providing care for any person(s) with Ebola virus infection or other high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) in line with national guidance. Although there are vaccines which are active against the Zaire Ebola virus strain, they are not expected to provide effective protection against the Bundibugyo strain. There are currently no other approved treatments or vaccines for Bundibugyo virus disease.

Ireland also has an established national framework for the management of High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCIDs), including designated clinical care pathways and infection prevention and control guidance. Comprehensive advice on viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola, is available on the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) website and was most recently updated in October 2025.

During the 2014 Ebola outbreak—the largest recorded—Ireland did not introduce airport screening measures such as temperature checks or entry screening, in line with EU and WHO guidance. Instead, emphasis was placed on exit screening in affected countries. Domestically, measures focused on the provision of information and public health advice at points of entry.

Public health guidance for both the general public and healthcare professionals has been developed by the NHPO and is available on the HPSC website, including information on the WHO declaration, affected regions and associated risks. The NHPO is also developing targeted communications and FAQs for the public and returning travellers.

Specific guidance has been issued for humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) travelling to affected areas, who face an increased risk of exposure. The HPSC operates a voluntary reporting system for HAWs deployed by Irish NGOs, Irish Aid, or the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). This system supports risk assessment on return and facilitates appropriate follow-up, including 21-day monitoring where high-risk exposure has occurred. HAWs travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or Uganda are strongly encouraged to register their deployment details with the HPSC. Irish NGOs are also encouraged to engage with the HPSC to receive alerts and updates on emerging infectious disease threats.

Travellers are advised to consult country-specific guidance on the Department of Foreign Affairs website. A registration system is available for Irish citizens travelling abroad, and all individuals travelling to or residing in affected regions are strongly encouraged to register their details. The Department has updated its travel advice for the DRC to reflect the current outbreak, with a “Do Not Travel” advisory in place, representing the highest level of warning.

In accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005), the WHO Director-General has activated the relevant emergency framework. The Emergency Committee has concurred with the PHEIC designation and has characterised the outbreak as a high-risk regional threat rather than a global pandemic. The Committee has issued targeted temporary recommendations to guide the international response, while advising against unnecessary travel or trade restrictions, noting that such measures may disrupt aid delivery, harm economies, and lead to unmonitored cross-border movement. Instead, the WHO recommends robust exit screening and targeted 21-day monitoring and movement restrictions for confirmed cases and exposed contacts.

Finally, officials in my Department are progressing the development of a National Health Threats Prevention, Preparedness and Response Plan. This work will be informed by a WHO Health Threats Workshop hosted by my Department in March this year and the forthcoming Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment (PHEPA) mission by the ECDC to Ireland in June 2026 and its subsequent recommendations. The PHEPA process aims to strengthen prevention, preparedness and response capabilities across EU Member States through evidence-based guidance.