Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody here, particularly those who are sharing their personal stories. It is always a matter of regret for me that we have a system that requires people to come and tell their stories.

I want to stay on the issue of pulmonary rehabilitation for a moment. Pulmonary rehabilitation in lots of areas of Ireland is pretty low-level stuff.

Sometimes it happens in leisure centres. It can be through an eight-week course. It is very much about your lifestyle. If, for example, you have COPD, you will immediately be referred to pulmonary rehabilitation. Yet, if you have this very serious, life-limiting chronic illness that affects approximately 5,000 people, you do not have access to pulmonary rehabilitation for this condition. Is that correct? Has there been any communication from the Department about why that might or whether it will change?