The government must fund a clear and viable solution to reducing long waiting lists for patients in need of groundbreaking surgery for Parkinson’s Disease, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice.
Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said:
“Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a life-changing intervention that can dramatically improve the quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s Disease. However, current waiting times of 16 months or longer for the procedure is putting patients at risk of losing access to this essential treatment.
“To deliver maximum benefit, DBS must be carried out in the early stages of the disease – but long waiting lists are pushing patients beyond the point where the surgery is still effective.
“At present, Ireland only has one neurosurgeon performing DBS. In the two-year period from 2022 to 2023, more than €2 million was spent outsourcing these surgeries to the UK. This creates significant financial, physical, and emotional strain on patients and families who must travel abroad, while diverting funding away from developing sustainable capacity in the Irish healthcare system.
“A clear and viable solution is staring the government in the face. Funding for an updated neurosurgical robot would double surgical capacity, reduce theatre time, and ensure patients receive timely intervention.
“Despite previous assurances from the Minister for Health that such equipment would be approved if the evidence supported it – and with trials of the robot in Beaumont and the Mater Hospitals now coming to an end – there is still no guarantee it will be funded. The Department of Health has stated that decisions will be contained within the forthcoming 2026 National Service Plan, while offering no firm commitments for patients currently in need.
“People living with Parkinson’s cannot wait for another cycle of reviews and reports. The evidence for funding the neurosurgical robot is clear and compelling. The government must act now to expand DBS capacity so that no patient loses access to a proven, life-changing treatment due to avoidable delays.”
Social Democrats councillor Caroline Winstanley (Bray West), who first brought this issue to the party’s attention, said:
“As a volunteer-run charity made up of people living with the condition, Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease Ireland should not have to plead for access to a treatment that already exists in Ireland.
“Families are watching their loved ones decline while the system stalls. Timely DBS surgery can restore independence and dignity. Funding this equipment is not optional – it is essential. We owe it to patients to provide this treatment here at home, without forcing them abroad.”
November 26, 2025