Tom Brabazon
Question:794. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Health to provide an update and timeline on the introduction of spinal muscular atrophy screening into Ireland’s newborn screening programme. [16335/26]
View answerTuesday, 3 March 2026
Questions (794)
Written answers
As Minister for Health, I am determined to support our screening programmes, which are a valuable part of our health service, enabling early treatment and care for many people, and improving the overall health of our population.
Currently, all babies (between 3 and 5 days old) are offered newborn bloodspot screening (generally known as the ‘heel prick’ test), which tests for nine rare but serious conditions that are treatable if detected early in life. The Programme for Government commits to continually reviewing the number of conditions babies are screened for.
Incremental progress continues to be made on the expansion of the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening Programme (NNBSP). In 2023, two recommendations from the National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) on the addition of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) to the NNBSP were approved.
In Budget 2024, an additional €1.4 million of new development funding was provided to support the SMA/SCID implementation process. Once both conditions have been fully implemented, the number of conditions screened for in Ireland will increase to 11.
In terms of the current implementation status, I am pleased to confirm that this process is in its final stages, with screening for both SCID and SMA expected to commence in April this year.
I am acutely aware of how difficult it is for parents, families and children who have received a diagnosis of a rare disease, and how challenging daily life can be for them. This is why I remain committed to the further expansion of screening in Ireland in accordance with internationally accepted criteria and best practice.