861. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health the assessment her Department has made of the contribution of unused medicines in the home to accidental poisoning of children, self-harm and suicide risk; whether data on hospital presentations linked to accidental ingestion of medicines by children will be used to evaluate the impact of the national unused medicines return scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53337/26]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for Health: The Health Research Board (HRB) has provided funding for a research project entitled RESTRICT – Reducing intentional overdose: a mixed-methods study of means restriction interventions. This research project is concerned with intentional drug overdose, which is recognised as the most common form of hospital-presenting self-harm and a significant contributor to suicide.

The overall aim of the research is to reduce intentional overdose by evaluating the impact, and informing the implementation, of interventions that restrict access to means.

The study adopts a mixed-methods approach and is structured across three work packages:

• Work Package 1 examines national trends in intentional overdose and associated suicide risk and includes a systematic review of the international evidence on effective means-restriction interventions.
• Work Package 2 focuses on the evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of the proposed Unused Medicines Return and Disposal service. This includes an evaluation of the potential impact on behaviours and risks associated with intentional overdose.
• Work Package 3 will translate the findings of the research into practical guidance and evidence-based outputs for policymakers, clinicians and service providers.

The project is intended to produce findings that will inform national policy and support the development of evidence-based approaches to reducing self-harm and suicide.

It is important to note that the current research is focused specifically on assessing the impact of the unused medicines return service on reducing intentional overdoses. It will not have accidental poisoning of children in its scope.

As the unused medicines return service has broader objectives beyond self-harm and suicide prevention, a wider evaluation of its overall impact would also be valuable. The scope of this broader evaluation is still under development and remains subject to further discussion. A number of options are currently being considered in relation to the most appropriate approach and data sources to support such an evaluation.