Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to highlight Parkinson's disease and the need for services for those who have developed this disease and especially for the carers and family members who have to help them. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disorder caused by the shortage of the chemical dopamine in the brain. The diagnosis of a serious movement disorder can be very challenging. It presents those affected with numerous emotions and obstacles and a combination of solutions are required, including care, support and information. The management of common chronic diseases, such as Parkinson's, is now one of the most significant challenges our health care system faces. It requires us to find ways of providing health care services to help patients and their families.

I hope that events such as this help to highlight the need for funding and services to be provided so that the patients can be partners in the management of their condition and cope better with it. We know of almost 12,000 patients in the country, and approximately 600 of these are in Kerry. In 2016, Dr. Richard Walsh, a consultant neurologist in Tallaght hospital, published a landmark Irish study on Parkinson's disease in partnership with the Parkinson's Association of Ireland. The study showed that the number of people living with the disease in Ireland is predicted to double over the next 20 years but treatment in Ireland is shamefully well below international standards.

Older people are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. We have a large population moving into advancing years and living longer, which would give rise to a surge in Parkinson's diagnoses over the next 20 to 30 years. It is critical that those of us in public life do our utmost to address the deficit in services for those with Parkinson's.

A significant issue facing those with Parkinson's disease is the number of Parkinson's nurse specialists in Ireland. We have five but the recommended number is between 27 and 30. I remind the Minister of State that three of those nurse specialists are in Dublin and the other two are for the remainder of the country. I ask the Minister of State to provide nursing specialists distributed fairly throughout the country. We should have two in Kerry but we are well entitled to have one.

Another issue is to secure an all Ireland deep brain stimulation service. Deep brain stimulation is a device-aided therapy involving an implant into the brain. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health reviewed this and recommended a link with Northern Ireland to provide the surgery, with the Mater hospital in Dublin providing aftercare. This would mean we would need more buses like those for people going for eye and cataract treatment in the North but so be it. Will the Minister of State provide these therapies which we need?

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