4108. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the level of State funding provided for neurological and brain health research in each of the past five years; and whether additional funding is being considered to strengthen research capacity in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59307/26]

4109. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the supports currently provided by his Department for collaborative neurological research initiatives (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59308/26]

4111. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the measures that are being taken to increase patient access to clinical trials for neurological conditions in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59310/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4108, 4109 and 4111 together.

In order to expand the number of clinical trials taking place in Ireland, my Department has worked with stakeholders to identify key challenges for companies and organisations wishing to set up trials in the State, such as start-up times, and regulatory and site-specific challenges. The expert National Clinical Trials Oversight Group (NCTOG) thoroughly explored issues pertaining to the clinical trials landscape throughout 2024-2025 and their Final Report and Recommendations, assets.gov.ie/static/documents/9ba19a09/DOH_National_Clinical_Trials_Oversight_Group_Final_Report_V4.pdf, were published on 21st November 2025.

The NCTOG’s recommendations will address key priority areas including Creating Agile and Responsive Systems, Enhancing Patient and Public Engagement, Promoting Value and Incentivising Activity, Strategic workforce Development, and Promoting Use of Innovative Technologies. Creating a more agile and streamlined regulatory system for clinical trials, whilst maintaining the highest standards of data and patient protection, will enable greater numbers of clinical trials to be conducted in Ireland, also helping strengthen Irish participation in multinational trials and increasing Irish patients' access to innovative life-changing treatments.

The Department of Health has recently undertaken an Expression of Interest campaign for membership of a Clinical Trials Advisory Council (CTAC) to oversee the implementation of the NCTOG’s Final Recommendations. The CTAC will bring together representatives from across the health research ecosystem, including patient representatives, academia, healthcare providers, regulators, industry and Government to fully implement the recommendations outlined in Transforming Ireland’s Clinical Trials Landscape: A Blueprint for Implementation. Our efforts are in alignment with measures proposed in the European Commission's Biotech Act (Part 1), which includes streamlining the regulatory environment for clinical trials, as well as 2025 Programme for Government commitments to increase the number of clinical trials in Ireland. These endeavours will also align with the forthcoming National Life Science Strategy which is being developed by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment, and supported by my Department.

In relation to neurological research, my Department fund this through the Health Research Board (HRB), the largest funder of health and social care research in the state.

The total amount of HRB funding expended on Neurological and Brain Health Research through responses to competitive calls between 2021 and 2026 was approximately €34 million. The total amount of funding that was expended on brain cancer research based on responses to competitive calls between 2021 and 2026 was €1.9M.

The HRB, aligned with an explicit request from the Department of Health to develop or to enhance a research area aligned with national health priorities, has also developed and run calls to deliver thematic research initiatives. This has included research investment in areas such as dementia and mental health.

Since 2022 the Department of Health has made additional, dedicated funding available each year to the HRB to deliver a national strategy as well as to fund new research aligned with Sharing the Vision. Following an open, competitive competition, a grant of €1 million over five years was awarded from the HRB to establish a new all-island Collaborative Research Network in mental health, www.hrb.ie/funding-scheme/collaborative-research-network-for-mental-health-2025/, in line with recommendations set out within the national strategy.

The HRB has also provided funding for a dementia research network since 2018. The overall aim of Dementia Research Network Ireland (DRNI) Hospital is to support, facilitate and promote interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, academics, policy makers, PPI, and other stakeholders.

HRB launched a new call for Clinical Trial Networks in 2020 to support activities of established networks in Ireland with the aim of enabling the development and delivery of a high-quality portfolio of investigator-led trials. A successful application was submitted by Dementia Trials Ireland (DTI) with an investment of €2.5M from HRB over 5 years.

The HRB participates in the European Partnership for Brain Health on behalf of the Department of Health This consortium, which includes public funding agencies, public health institutes, clinical networks etc., is aligned around the vision to preserve and promote brain health in society and to enhance the well-being of people with neurological and mental health conditions in Europe and worldwide.

For the Deputy's information in relation to neurology services, the implementation of the HSE Model of Care for Neurology recommends that neurology services be developed in all Model 3 and 4 hospitals nationally. The focus of the neurology initiative is aimed at achieving the following:

- To improve access to appropriate neurology services

- Improve safety and quality in the delivery of patient centred neurological care

- And improve value for both patient and health services across neurology services.

To progress the recommendations of the Neurology Model of Care, 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 and will deliver on the Sláintecare principle of delivering care closer to the patient’s 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 with efficient access to Hubs as required.

In 2025 €4.3 million was allocated to support the implementation of the Neurology Model of Care and the Hub and Spoke Model for neurology services. This funding is enabling the recruitment of 5 consultant neurologists and an additional 25 nurse specialist and health and social care professional posts. The funding also enabled development of the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) service at the Mater Hospital in Dublin which was allocated 1.5 posts. DBS is an effective treatment for Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders.

Many hospitals already have well developed neurology services, with funding received in 2025 enabling the delivery of Phase 1 of the Hub and Spoke model with new services to be developed.