Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, the Minister of State and their staff, who are always welcome to the health committee meeting. The national rare disease plan launched last summer - July, I think - was universally welcomed. It is an interesting initiative in that such work has not previously been done. It is one of the reasons there was such a positive attitude among politicians, medics and so on. Apart from saying it seems to be a good plan, which seems to be the accepted view on it, since it was launched last July there is the issue of funding, which is always difficult given our financial position. Is there any expectation that some funding will be initiated to at least make a start in implementing a very good plan? Is there an expectation that we could begin to move it along?