Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
548. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the completion of her review of the European Scheme for Assisted Intervention in another State (ESAIS), particularly in respect of the potential inclusion of hospitals in Greece, Italy and Romania for the treatment of endometriosis; and a timeline for when any resulting changes will be implemented. [11203/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe list of approved centres abroad for the Endometriosis Surgery Abroad Interim Scheme (ESAIS) has been developed by the HSE's National Women & Infants Health Programme (NWIHP).
NWIHP has advised that patient safety and the provision of high-quality care are priority considerations. The approval process focused on identifying centres which meet international standards of clinical excellence.
The HSE has established a Clinical Advisory Group (CAG) that includes international expertise. One of the roles of the CAG is to assess clinics for possible inclusion in order to extend the list of approved centres under the Scheme.
The CAG has agreed criteria to assess other centres for possible addition to the list of approved centres. The criteria align with international accreditation requirements such as those required for recognition by the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) or the awarding of a Euro EndoCert by the European Endometriosis League (EELs), based in Germany.
Centres in France, Greece, Italy, the UK and Romania are being assessed under this process. A centre may be considered if it achieves the quality and safety requirements of BSGE or EELs even if it has not received formal international accreditation standards. This process may entail site visits or other engagements with the centres for approval. Once the CAG recommends the addition of a service to the approved list of centres for surgery via the ESAIS, the live list on the HSE website is updated to reflect this addition.
