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Dail Éireann · 2026-04-21

Medicinal Products

FG Jennifer Carroll MacNeill · Dún Laoghaire · Minister for Health

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Summary of this debate

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My question relates to the regulation of the administration of dermal fillers in this country. The incorrect administration, particularly of dermal fillers, can literally be the difference between life and death. What is the Government doing to regulate and protect people accessing these treatments?

In the short time that I have, I will say that dermal fillers are regulated as medical devices. That means a dermal filler must have a CE mark before it can be legally sold anywhere in the EU. Work is under way in my Department on the options to strengthen controls on the use of dermal fillers.

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Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to this debate rather than common to all parliamentary language.

dermal 5
fillers 4
treatments 5
hpra 2
regulate 3
administration 3
regulatory 3
administer 2
filler 1
devices 2
commissioned 2
lured 1

The full debate

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LAB Marie Sherlock

My question relates to the regulation of the administration of dermal fillers in this country. Obviously, millions of euro is spent each year on beauty and cosmetic treatments. The vast majority are topical external treatments, but some are medically invasive. Unfortunately, there is something of a wild west out there in terms of who can administer these treatments.

The incorrect administration, particularly of dermal fillers, can literally be the difference between life and death. Certainly, we have a lot of stories coming to us of people developing sepsis, permanent scarring and other impacts. What is the Government doing to regulate and protect people accessing these treatments?

FG Jennifer Carroll MacNeill this contribution

In the short time that I have, I will say that dermal fillers are regulated as medical devices. There are rules to ensure that devices placed on the market are safe and perform as intended. That means a dermal filler must have a CE mark before it can be legally sold anywhere in the EU.

It is important to be clear about what current EU legislation does not do. While it regulates the product, it does not regulate who can administer it. The Government recognises there is a need to strengthen regulation in this area. That is why it is in the programme for Government that we will only allow this to be undertaken by trained healthcare professionals. Work is under way in my Department on the options to strengthen controls on the use of dermal fillers.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, as the competent authority, previously provided my Department with a policy paper setting out the different options. In addition, we have commissioned research through the Health Research Board to look at the national policy and legislative and regulatory measures used in other countries. We expect that report in the coming period. We will engage with stakeholders to try to bring this piece of work forward. The final regulatory policy determined will be informed but all of those important pieces of evidence. We will progress it as quickly as we can thereafter. I recognise what the Deputy is saying.

LAB Marie Sherlock

There seems to be a legal lacuna in this regard. The HPRA does not regulate the administration of clinical practice, and HIQA is obviously not looking at this either. I am conscious there are people out there – many of whom are in my constituency - accessing these treatments for a little as €60, whereas other practices charge in excess of €250. A lot of people are being lured in by the prices. It is a potential question of life or death or of serious injury. We need to see the report. It was commissioned in 2025 and I have been submitting parliamentary questions about it. I ask for a bit of urgency in publishing that report.

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