Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to be very factual. The decision to approve or not is a matter for the HSE leadership team, which will hear from the drugs group under the legislation passed by this House. There may be a view that the process has come to an end and that is it. The NCPE has made its views known and they are a matter of public record. However, commercial negotiations are ongoing. In my 18 months as Minister for Health I have stood in this House quite a few times discussing drugs that patients have sought. Even though it looked extraordinarily difficult to obtain them, through negotiations we have managed to make drugs available. I hope we will continue to make new and innovative medicines available.

The international aspect the Deputy raised is something on which I have been working quite hard. Ireland is a very small country. While he is right in highlighting the comparative incidence of PKU, it is important that we collaborate internationally and share information with other countries on challenges we are experiencing. We need co-operate and scan the horizon jointly. In the coming weeks I hope to be able to make an announcement about how Ireland could formalise its involvement in working with other countries to get better access to new and innovative medicines and better value at the same time.

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