Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Ó Caoláin has the right to ask as many questions as he can, but when he does, it is difficult to answer all of them. He asked why I will not meet them. I have already said I will meet them and will do so shortly on the basis of fully understanding and being able to respond to the more recent communication we had in April around their requirements. We have put in place virtually all the educational and medical supports required at this point. We have held information days, and consultants in sleep medicine from the Mater Hospital, such as Dr. Catherine Crowe, Dr. Elaine Purcell, and Dr. Brian Lynch, consultant paediatric neurologist in Temple Street children's hospital, have made presentations and answered questions.

Every possible measures is in place to ensure rapid diagnosis, with the Mater Hospital sleep clinic providing a six-day service, including Saturdays, to facilitate those where a possibility of diagnosis of narcolepsy exists. The Department has been assured by the HSE that anyone who has a confirmed diagnosis of narcolepsy is fast-tracked through the system to ensure required services are provided at the earliest possible time.

We should all use this opportunity today to highlight the issue and the services that are in place. If people find themselves unable to access them, I would like to know in order that I can offer them the opportunity to avail of what is being provided. More will be required in the longer term in terms of compensation and redress, and we are open to that.

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