EOPD Ireland Statement – Access to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Surgery Cannot Wait Any Longer

EOPD Ireland welcomes the recent support of Cllr Caroline Winstanley and Deputy Pádraig Rice, Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Social Democrats Spokesperson for Health, who have publicly endorsed our call for urgent investment in Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery.

This political support comes amid growing concern over long waiting lists for DBS surgery and unnecessary overseas referrals, issues that EOPD Ireland has been highlighting and advocating on since our inception in 2021. The endorsement reinforces our call for timely, life-changing treatment to be accessible here in Ireland.

Background: Advocacy and Funding Progress

When it became clear that critical staffing and capacity gaps were contributing to long waiting lists and an increase in overseas referrals, we worked to secure essential resources for Ireland’s National DBS Service in The Mater and Beaumont Hospital.

In 2024, following our advocacy work, €300,000 in funding was granted to expand the multidisciplinary team required to complete assessments and deliver DBS surgeries here in Ireland.

In January 2025, during a meeting with Consultant Neurosurgeon Catherine Moran, Ireland’s sole provider of DBS Surgery, it became clear that the existing neurosurgical robot at Beaumont Hospital is outdated and significantly limits surgical output. Replacing this equipment would double surgical capacity, reduce waiting times, and finally allow timely access to care for people living with Parkinson’s.

The Need for Timely Intervention

As EOPD board member, Joe Condon, stated in his recent letter to the Irish Examiner:

“Current waiting times of 16 months or longer are unacceptable. When waiting times exceed six to eight months, assessments expire and must be repeated — doubling the workload for overstretched teams, wasting resources, and leaving patients to decline further during their window of eligibility. The expertise exists. The patients are waiting. What is missing is action.”

Deep Brain Stimulation is most effective early in the disease course, helping people maintain independence, manage symptoms, and preserve quality of life. Delays of 16 months or more risk missing that critical window.

Families are watching loved ones decline while systemic barriers persist. Timely DBS surgery is not optional — it is essential.

EOPD Ireland welcomes the support of Deputy Pádraig Rice, Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, and the Social Democrats in calling for urgent funding to expand DBS surgery capacity through investment in a modern neurosurgical robot — addressing 16-month waiting lists and the unnecessary, distressing need for overseas referrals.

Our Call: Immediate Funding for a Modern Neurosurgical Robot to Double Surgical Capacity in Ireland

EOPD Ireland is calling for a €2.5 million investment in a modern neurosurgical robot for the national DBS service led by Consultant Neurosurgeon Catherine Moran. When €2 million has already been spent outsourcing DBS surgeries to the UK in just 2022–2023, it is clear that continuing the status quo is both financially wasteful and deeply unfair to patients. A one-off investment would not only keep care within the Irish health system but would prevent the physical and emotional toll placed on families forced to travel abroad for essential treatment. This investment will:

• Double the surgical capacity from one to two DBS procedures per day
• Reduce surgical time, time under anaesthesia, and shorten patient recovery time
• Prevent the need for patients to travel to the UK for treatment, keeping care within the Irish health system
• Improve patient flow and reduce waiting times for this life-changing treatment
• Deliver cost efficiencies by avoiding overseas referrals and associated travel and coordination expenses

Why This Matters

Long waiting lists can mean that some patients lose access to DBS entirely. Because the procedure is generally not offered to individuals over 70, someone assessed at 68 and then placed on a 16-month waiting list could age out of eligibility — missing their therapeutic window through no fault of their own. Delays also allow Parkinson’s symptoms to progress, making timely intervention even more critical.

On top of this, outdated equipment and limited surgical capacity mean that many eligible patients must travel to the UK for DBS. For people living with Parkinson’s, international travel can be physically demanding, emotionally overwhelming, and financially draining.

Travel to the UK is especially burdensome for individuals with Parkinson’s disease, who often face:

• Severe mobility challenges making long-distance travel physically and emotionally taxing
• Disruption of care, with pre- and post-operative services delivered across countries
• Reduced family support and continuity with familiar healthcare providers during a vulnerable time
• Increased financial strain on carers, who must accompany the person undergoing surgery, often paying out-of-pocket for accommodation and travel — only to claim back expenses through lengthy reimbursement processes

By investing in an updated neurosurgical robot, Ireland can:

• Keep advanced surgical care local, ensuring continuity and equitable access
• Enhance patient safety by reducing time under anaesthesia and overall surgery duration
• Accelerate recovery, enabling faster return to independence and daily activities
• Expand daily surgical capacity to reduce waiting lists and enable timely intervention
• Significantly reduce the physical and emotional strain placed on individuals with Parkinson’s by avoiding the need for overseas travel — eliminating stress of airports, metal detectors, and flight-related fatigue after invasive brain surgery
• Preserve patient dignity and autonomy by ensuring access to care within their own health system, closer to family, support networks, and familiar care teams
• Strengthen the national DBS service’s resilience and cost-effectiveness for the future

This targeted, high-impact investment will transform care for people with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions, supporting both patient outcomes and the sustainability of the Irish health system.

A Clear Path Forward

In the words of Joe Condon, “The expertise exists. The patients are waiting. The solution is ready.”

Ireland has the surgical skill. Patients have the clinical need. The only barrier is the equipment required to deliver care safely and on time.

EOPD Ireland urges government to prioritise this investment today, ensuring no patient loses access to a proven, life-changing treatment due to preventable delays.

People living with Parkinson’s cannot wait any longer.