Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Lyme disease is currently the fastest-spreading tick infection in the world. Some 50% of Lyme disease cases in Ireland are detected in the south west. What is also very disturbing, as my two colleagues have said, is that there is a lack of standardisation regarding detection. The Government and the State have not adopted the same urgency that Germany has, which is foremost in the world in respect of detection. People have to go to Germany and get their tests done and get the treatment that should be done in this country. They can also go to Portadown in the Six Counties and get it done that way.

I am asking the Minister of State to agree on a form of standardisation within the EU as regards the treatment and detection of Lyme disease. If that is agreed and done, it will be a way of resolving the problem for so many of the people who travelled here today to try to get this issue addressed.

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