Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I welcome the indication from the company that it is trying to submit a new application to the HSE. However, time is of the essence as the end of June is not very far away. My concern, which I am sure is shared by the Minister of State, relates to the individuals whose supply is running out. The lady in Galway, to whom I spoke last Friday and whose testimony was quite similar to that of the man from Wexford, stated she was without her drugs for a very short period when she realised the consequences. She did not feel the drug was making very much difference in her life until she went without it, at which time she regressed very quickly. When she went back on the drug, she was able to do things she was not able to do when off it.

Can the Department take a proactive approach to this and engage immediately with the drug company to try to find a resolution to this matter? One particular chain of pharmacies is offering the drug mark-up free but it is still beyond the affordability of many. We must bear in mind also that people in the circumstances described have considerable expenses in addition to that of the drug. Providing the drug at an affordable rate or free of charge would be of some help, although it would not fix everything financially.

Would it be unprecedented for the Minister of State to engage directly with the company given that there is a specific problem for the people to whom I have referred? Can something be done more quickly than normal given the human cost associated with the people in question not being able to have their drugs?

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