The HSE is assessing this medicine in line with the criteria detailed in legislation. It is important to say that the company which markets this medication submitted the document ten months after the health technology assessment, HTA, was commissioned by the HSE. There has been substantial delay in relation to this. We received a commercial proposal on 27 May and the drugs group is meeting in July, as it does, bringing together the scientists involved to assess the effectiveness of the medication and the cost toget…

We have improved our cancer treatment enormously. We have more people living with and beyond cancer. The vaccination, like all vaccinations, is a life-saving medical intervention that protects people all over the world. We will not be doing that. I will discuss the Deputy's suggestion and comments with the Irish Cancer Society.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I will come back to him on the specifics of the maternity services in Limerick, which I do not have to hand - forgive me - but there has been a very considerable increase in staff. The recent questions around staffing, posts unfunded or changes are something of a surprise to me in that context. I will clarify the issue both for the Deputy and for his constituents but there should be no basis for that given the very considerable increase in staff both in the mid-west in UHL…

I thank Deputy McGreehan for the opportunity to discuss this very practical issue, which is of huge importance to the people of Louth and wider north-east region. As she stated, minor injury units are a really practical response to an identified need to deal with small injuries away from hospital settings. This is a key part of Sláintecare. As the Deputy also stated, these units are particularly busy at weekends when kids are playing sport and so much activity is taking place. That is even more the case during the …

I am delighted. I again thank Deputy McGreehan for raising this matter. Deputy Paula Butterly also raised it with me but in a different way. I just want to compliment the region in general and the hospital management in Louth, particularly Priya Madhu, who is the hospital manager there and who has done so much. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, which the minor injury unit supports, has done phenomenal work. There are zero people on trolleys there today. For the past ten days, the hospital as been completely…

I am so glad to have the opportunity to discuss this matter with the Deputy. I want to compliment the work of Dr. Deirdre Jones and that of the hospital manager, Marie Doorly, who has transformed Roscommon University Hospital into an enormously important part of the infrastructure of the north west. The hospital is doing great work, and we want to see it doing more great work. Roscommon is a level 2 hospital. The Government is pleased to have been able to increase its budget by 63%, from €28 million in 2020 to €46 …

I had the opportunity to see that for myself when Marie Doorly came to our regional meeting for the north west and presented on behalf of Roscommon hospital. It was clear to me. I have huge respect for Roscommon hospital and the role it is playing in the health architecture in the north west. As the Deputy knows, the local injury unit is highly regarded, with people coming from all over the north west - from Mayo and elsewhere - to that unit as an alternative to going to Castlebar. I am pleased to say there will be…

I appreciate the Deputy raising this matter. I feel as though I may be operating in something of a vacuum here. I might follow up with the Deputy in order to discover who exactly are the people who signed that letter. It is not a letter I have seen. It may have been sent to my Department, but I have not seen it yet. I certainly want to discover who they are and see the issue they are raising. Due to the fact that I am operating in a bit of a vacuum, I have to rely on information on what is happening at the same tim…

Sure. What I would point out is that the south west has a more than ample number of ample staff at the moment. It has recruited 617 people this year alone, which is a nearly quarter of all the people who have been hired by the HSE this year. The HSE has recruited 2,700 people overall. As stated, 617 of them have been appointed in the south west, which is one of six regions. Those in the south west have dramatically increased their recruitment. They are still very high when it comes to agency staff and overtime, whi…

I could not agree more.

I certainly will, and I could not agree with the Deputy more regarding the importance of resolving and identifying the issue and of making sure that children are getting the diagnostic scans they need. I could also not agree more with him regarding the importance of investing in paediatric care outside of Dublin. That is very important, and it is important to articulate it here this morning. I am in agreement with the Deputy in every possible way in relation to this matter. I just want to figure out exactly what is…

I thank the Deputy. He is right. Not only is an early access programme a commitment in the programme for Government but my officials are already working on designing it and it will be implemented by the HSE. I also acknowledge the role of the NCPE and the independence that is important to preserve and protect. I appreciate radio interviews are one thing but we will strike a balance between protecting the independence and integrity of scientists and listening to them and ploughing on with Government policy that is w…

I have not seen that individual representation. The Deputy might give me the name on my way out of the House, and I will take care of it this afternoon. The Deputy is right. We have a programme for a two-year intervention in HSE dental services to make sure that the broad child catch-up programme is happening in schools. Of equal importance is the specialist dental service, particularly for children with disabilities, and we will have a programme of additional surgeries to focus on that. I will be announcing that i…

We are trying to focus on stepdown facilities and community nursing units, and we will be opening units in Letterkenny and Sligo later in the year. I would push back on the situation in the south west at the moment. I notice there were people on trolleys in Cork University Hospital in recent days while there were vacant beds in Mallow. We have made a very significant investment to increase that from 37 beds to 96 beds, yet there were still vacant beds in Mallow while there were people on trolleys in Cork University…

I am so glad the Deputy referenced the improvement in stroke care rising from the stroke strategy. We need to continue to drive on with that. It is also important to note the number of step-down beds that are necessary to help stroke patients step out of acute hospitals. I was recently in Blarney with Deputy Colm Burke and others where there is a step-down facility for neurorehabilitation and stroke in particular out of Mercy Hospital. There needs to be more of those community supports for people with stroke to ena…

I begin not with policy, but with people. I acknowledge with sincerity and respect the people across Ireland who are living with a rare disease and the parents, partners, children, siblings, carers, families and friends who walk that journey with them every single day. The Government is committed to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases. That means working to support earlier diagnosis, better co-ordinated care, appropriate access to treatment and stronger patient partnership. I acknowledge the wor…

That is just not true.

It is available, since yesterday.

That is just not true.

It is important to say that I do not have that power.