Health Procurement: Motion Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-29 ============================================================ Anne Rabbitte (FF), Nominated by the Taoiseach The Minister is very welcome to the House. I support the motion. I really welcome it on the basis that as the Leader said, Ireland is a leader in the medtech industry. When we have created an environment to attract industry, we are educating people to the highest level and we see what the Government has put in place with the research and innovation fund in our third level universities, it makes perfect sense to me that the Minister would explore the opportunities to see how we can ensure we have equity of access and equity of diagnosis on this island. It will support our GPs and our consultants by ensuring we have timely intervention. It will also ensure that we have data kept on one platform and can share that information so that early intervention can happen in a timely fashion. I will share with the Minister one little story. Staff from the charity Croí recently came to this House. They came to monitor our heart and blood pressure but they also provided the opportunity for blood tests. People cannot get the blood testing service they provide through their local GP because it was to see if they carry the gene of a genetic disorder called the Lp(a). I did not know on the day what Croí's staff were testing on the day, but I do know that my late father died of a massive heart attack and I selected to have the blood test done. Croí provided the blood test but a cardiologist had to review to it. It turns out that I carry that LP(a) gene. I would never have known only for the provision of that blood test. I would never have known only for the Croí staff having staff from an independent group with them who were doing the sample tests. This means that I can take preventative measures and by using the various levers that the consultant, Dr. Barrett, says that I need, do all I can to ensure that I do not end up in an accident and emergency department and being a cost. As the Senator laid it out earlier, preventative medicine and early intervention is how the Minister can manage her budget, which has so many competing demands. It has taught me that over 7,000 Irish people have heart attacks and strokes every year, but if we tested for the LP(a) gene for those who may carry it, we could support people through an awareness campaign. I am totally supportive and Senator Costello also laid out her reasons why she supports it too. There is good merit in this proposal and we should support the motion. From a cost measure point of view, it makes absolute sense. Early intervention, quick diagnoses and the sharing of data in a timely fashion ensures quicker recovery. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-29/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:34+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-01-29